Boom------!
With the final wisp of energy dissipating, the enhanced Four Purple Flas Formation that had enveloped the entire Valley of the End transford into scattered points of purple light, vanishing into the air.
The devastating scene inside the barrier, as if ravaged by a natural disaster, was now completely exposed before the eyes of all the Konoha ninja.
The scorched earth was covered with deep pits and fissures. The once roaring waterfall had ceased to flow. The two giant statues symbolizing the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara on either side were also covered in cracks, seeming as if they might collapse at any mont.
And most suffocating of all was the kiloter-long Azure Dragon coiled in the sky above the valley, casting a massive shadow!
Its serpentine dragon body, and its dragon eyes like the sun and moon, gazed down indifferently at the people below who were like ants.
The Konoha group, having just witnessed Danzo and the other two being annihilated, were all shaken to their core, their bodies tense.
"Be on guard!"
Soone shouted in a low voice. Almost instinctively, all the Konoha ninja assud defensive stances.
mbers of the Hyuga clan instantly activated their Byakugan, veins bulging, their eyes locked firmly on the colossal creature in the air.
Uchiha Fugaku and the clansn he brought along all activated their Sharingan. The crimson eyes with spinning tomoe attempted to capture even the slightest hint of the Azure Dragon’s chakra flow or movent intent, even though they knew it might be futile.
Namikaze Minato stood in front of Sarutobi Hiruzen, gripping a specially made kunai tightly, his expression unprecedentedly grave.
Only Might Duy and his son Guy showed no signs of wariness. On the contrary, they trembled with excitent, feeling as if they might open the "Gate of Death" the next mont.
At that mont, two figures quickly arrived beneath the Azure Dragon.
The blood-soaked, murderous aura radiating white giant tiger, Shanjun (Mountain Lord). Its cold tiger eyes swept over the Konoha group, carrying a terrifying ferocity.
On the other side, Tagitsuhi also revealed her giant serpentine true form, coiled on the ground, her tongue flicking.
From this day forward, wherever Sora pointed, she would follow!
For a mont, the atmosphere beca extrely tense.
No one knew what attitude Sora, having just experienced a bloody slaughter and lost an important companion, would hold towards Konoha, towards them, at this mont.
Sarutobi Hiruzen’s lips moved, as if he, in his capacity as Hokage, wanted to say sothing to ease the situation.
But looking at the enormous dragon eyes and the bottomless pit on the ground, all words stuck in his throat.
However, Sora paid no attention to this tense, confrontational atmosphere. His massive dragon head lowered slightly, his gaze falling on Kurenai Yuhi.
"Kurenai."
"Will you co with ?"
A few simple words made Kurenai’s body tremble.
She looked up, eting those enormous dragon eyes. Within them, she saw the not yet fully subsided bloody intent, the deeply hidden sorrow, and, more importantly, an undeniable determination.
"I cannot lose you too."
Sora’s voice continued, hoarse. "Just like... losing Min."
Kurenai’s tears instantly welled up.
She rembered Sora asking her before if she was willing to leave Konoha, to see the wider world.
At that ti, she hesitated because of her father, her friends, and her reluctance to leave the village she had grown up in. She had not given a clear answer.
But now... Danzo was dead, killed by Sora’s hand. Although there were reasons, how would the Konoha higher-ups treat Sora?
Could the village still tolerate him?
And herself, if she stayed, would she beco the next one used to threaten him?
Could what happened today repeat itself?
Various thoughts clashed fiercely in her mind.
She looked at her father, Shinku Yuhi.
Shinku’s face was filled with complex emotions. He glanced at the silent Third Hokage, then at the Azure Dragon in the sky with its unparalleled majesty.
Finally, he took a deep breath and said in a low voice,
"Kurenai, go with Sora."
Kurenai was stunned, looking at her father.
Shinku’s eyes held a trace of bitterness, but more of a sense of relief.
"This village... is no longer what it used to be. Staying, for you, for him, might be a danger."
"Go. Pursue your own path."
"As long as... you are safe and happy."
As a father, he saw the reality clearly.
The power and resolve Sora had displayed destined him not to submit to Konoha’s rules.
And his daughter’s heart was clearly already attached to this young man.
Forcing her to stay would only lead to a repeat of tragedy.
Having received her father’s permission, Kurenai’s last trace of hesitation vanished.
She nodded vigorously and shouted towards the Azure Dragon in the sky that was Sora,
"Take with you! Sora!"
A hint of softness flashed in Sora’s cold dragon eyes.
His massive dragon head moved slightly. A gentle stream of air appeared out of thin air, lifting Kurenai gently and settling her safely onto his broad head.
Then, Sora’s gaze turned to the other side, where Asuma was kneeling on the ground, holding Uesugi Min’s cold body, silently weeping.
The air current stirred again, gently lifting Uesugi Min’s remains, bringing her up onto the dragon’s head as well.
"Asuma."
Sora’s voice sounded. "I am taking Min. I will find a way... to bring her back."
Asuma suddenly looked up, his tear-blurred eyes gazing at the Azure Dragon in the air.
He thought of Sora’s endless stream of mysterious thods. He nodded heavily, choking back sobs,
"Sora... I leave it to you!"
Then, he turned his head, his gaze complicated as he looked at his father, Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had remained silent with an ashen face. For the first ti, a clear dissatisfaction and disgust appeared in Asuma’s eyes.
If not for his father’s tacit approval and hesitation, if not for the dirty struggles among the village’s higher-ups, how could Min have...
Feeling his son’s gaze, Sarutobi Hiruzen’s heart shook, filled with an indescribable bitterness and guilt.
He finally took a step forward and asked,
"Sora, where will you go?"
"Danzo committed such evil against a village comrade. He deserved death! Regarding this matter, the village will definitely give you an explanation, will stand on your side! Co back. Konoha needs your power!"
His words carried a trace of an attempt to persuade him to stay, and a trace of wariness towards that terrifying power, and... a desire to control it.
As for whether what Danzo said about Sora attacking the Root was true or not, it no longer mattered.
However, the response he received was rely a dismissive glance from the Azure Dragon.
That gaze held none of the surface-level respect from before, only cold alienation.
Sora’s heart was cold.
’Stand on my side? Explanation? Such a familiar tone. That’s what they said to the Uchiha clan, to too many people, in the original story as well.’
’Only when it was irreparable would they hypocritically shed a few tears.’
’Trust? It completely vanished the mont you tacitly allowed Danzo to act, watching silently as Min took her own life.’
He had no ti now for empty pleasantries with Sarutobi Hiruzen, nor any interest in listening to his empty promises.
The urgent matter was to imdiately go find Uchiha Takumi!
His Mangekyo Sharingan ocular technique seed, at present, to be the most hopeful thod for bringing Uesugi Min back!
As for Konoha...
He glanced at Namikaze Minato, the sunny and upright Fourth Hokage from the original story with a tragic fate.
But now, he had no interest whatsoever in Konoha’s future.
"Let’s go."
Sora did not linger any longer. He conveyed his intent to Shanjun and Tagitsuhi below.
The enormous body of the Azure Dragon twisted in the air, stirring up gusts of wind, heading in the direction of the frontline camp between Konoha and Kirigakure.
Shanjun let out a low roar and began running swiftly along the ground, following closely.
Tagitsuhi’s massive serpent body slithered, its speed equally fast.
Just as the Azure Dragon was leaving...
Clink, clink, clink.
Three crisp sounds of tal hitting the ground rang out.
Under everyone’s watchful eyes, three Konoha ninja headbands with deep scratches carved into them fell down from the direction of the Azure Dragon’s head.
Silence.
Deathly silence.
All the Konoha ninja understood what this action ant.
Discarding the headband, scratching a line through the symbol. This represented, defection!
Sora, this elite Anbu mber "Azure Dragon" who possessed terrifying power and had once achieved great military exploits for Konoha.
At this mont, in the most resolute manner, declared his severance from Konoha!
Sarutobi Hiruzen’s outstretched hand froze in mid-air, his face instantly turning ashen.
A flash of regret and complexity passed through Namikaze Minato’s eyes.
Uchiha Fugaku’s eyes flickered, thinking who knows what.
The Hyuga clan mbers looked at each other.
Even the passionate father and son duo, Might Duy and Guy, fell silent now, their hearts filled with indescribable emotions.
They could only watch helplessly as the massive Azure Dragon, carrying two girls, followed by a tiger and a serpent, completely disappeared into the distant sky.
Konoha’s Azure Dragon had departed.
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