Compared to the entirety of Konoha, that black flame looked like a single drop of water falling into the ocean.
Aside from the house it pierced through, it seemed like it didn't even cause a ripple.
But beneath that surface calm was unimaginable terror.
The few seconds of silence made Hiruzen and the others uneasy.
Could it be that Kaede was just bluffing?
But that surge of chakra just now wasn't fake!
Boom!
Suddenly, a muffled thud echoed from beneath the feet of the shinobi.
Hiruzen's expression changed instantly, an ominous thought flashing through his mind.
Boom! Boom boom!
Before he could react further, the rumbling beneath intensified, turning urgent like the beating of war drums.
Then, where the black flame had landed, the earth began to crack open.
Fiery red fissures split the land, glowing with intense light.
"No way…"
Hiruzen gritted his teeth, unable to believe the thought forming in his mind.
But facts didn't wait for belief—and this involved the lives of tens of thousands of Konoha's civilians!
"Run! Keep running!"
Hiruzen shouted with all his might, then burst forward at the fastest speed of his life.
In the face of death, he didn't dare stop.
The other shinobi had been a beat slower, still staring at the place the black flame had landed.
Then they witnessed a sight they would never forget in their entire lives.
BOOM!
With a thunderous explosion, a surge of crimson magma shot skyward, accompanied by blazing flames that towered into the air.
The entire sky turned blood red—this light could be seen from dozens, even hundreds of miles away!
Kaede had triggered the underground magma?!
What kind of godlike power was this?!
The shinobi stood dumbstruck, their worldview collapsing before them.
And then, the magma reached its peak—before raining down onto Konoha like a crimson storm.
"To think it actually worked…"
Kaede smiled as he looked up. "Seems the heavens really want you all dead."
Originally, he'd only meant to have the black flame explode outward, enough to create a sea of fire over Konoha.
But on a whim, he'd let it drill down deep—by sheer luck, it struck a dormant magma chamber.
And now, this was the result.
As he gazed up at the falling magma, Kaede murmured:
"A sight this grand... consider it an honor to have your village wiped out by it."
And just as the magma was about to touch him, Kaede's figure vanished.
In the next moment, magma carrying raging fire rained down upon Konoha.
Wherever it landed, everything was instantly incinerated!
From a distance, the eruption spread outward like a crimson tide.
In just a few breaths, half of Konoha had been consumed by fire and lava.
Unsurprisingly, those who hadn't evacuated in time—both civilians and shinobi—were instantly annihilated.
The shinobi fared slightly better; those with speed could still try to outrun the spreading lava.
But the civilians… those who hadn't fled early enough could only wait helplessly for death.
Soon, two-thirds of Konoha was consumed.
At last, the other major clans began to act.
Hiruzen's survival was still uncertain, but Konoha was their home!
Under the coordination of the Nara clan and the assistance of the Yamanaka clan, rescue operations began.
The more mentally resilient shinobi dodged falling magma while trying to contain its spread.
Earth Release, Water Release—countless jutsu were hurled at the molten tide.
Thanks to their efforts, the advance of the lava finally slowed.
But the two-thirds of Konoha already engulfed—they would never recover.
Combined deaths of shinobi and civilians easily exceeded ten thousand.
Hiruzen had run fast.
When the lava rain finally stopped, he turned back.
And when he saw the devastation, he vomited blood on the spot.
"I'm a criminal to Konoha!"
"Kaede! May you die a wretched death!!"
The other shinobi who had escaped also stood there, eyes red, staring at the ruined village.
How many of their loved ones and comrades had died in that blaze?
Kaede!
It was all Kaede's doing!
"Heh… You didn't hesitate a second to run, and now you suddenly care?"
At that moment, Kaede appeared once again above Konoha.
He looked down at his masterpiece and curled his lip.
"Still a third left? Well then…"
Snap!
He snapped his fingers.
RUMBLE—
The remaining third of Konoha was suddenly engulfed in explosions!
Caught completely off guard, even more shinobi were killed.
Kaede had detonated the last of his explosive tags!
And with that, the remaining third of Konoha crumbled into ruins.
Konoha was now wiped off the map of the ninja world.
"Pfft!"
Seeing this, Hiruzen vomited blood once more.
He seemed to have aged ten years in an instant, utterly broken.
"Kaede! You… you… may you never rest in peace!"
He trembled, pointing at Kaede, too angry to even think of a proper curse.
Kaede chuckled darkly, just about to respond—
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
Countless kunai flew up from below toward him.
The surviving shinobi had lost their minds in grief and rage, attacking without regard for the gap in strength.
But they couldn't fly. Their kunai were no different from children's toys.
Clang clang clang—
Susanoo reappeared, rendering all those attacks useless.
Looking down at the thousands of furious shinobi below, Kaede called out dramatically:
"Oh nooo~ Did I hurt your feelings?"
"Too bad. You don't like me, but you can't do a damn thing about it."
"Ah~~~ how pathetic!"
His words crushed what little pride the survivors still held.
Their anger surged, but they could do nothing against Susanoo.
All they could do was grip their weapons tightly—pretending they were holding Kaede's throat.
Futile rage!
Kaede scoffed, then muttered to himself:
"Ah, right… There was something important I meant to say earlier, but got interrupted."
"Hmmm… what was it again?"
He tapped his chin like he was genuinely pondering.
Then he smiled.
"I remember now."
...
...
Postscript:
Ichiraku Ramen Guy, who had been out on a supply run, returned to find Konoha destroyed.
After learning the full story, he roared at the sky:
"You destroyed my ramen shop?! I get it now. This must be hell!"
"I shall create a world of only ramen!"
His forehead split open—revealing a Ramen Eye.
The eye projected onto the moon above.
"Mugen Men-dō!!! (Infinite Ramen Tsukuyomi!!!)"
(End of Chapter)
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