In the next moment, Kaito instantly felt a surge of impending danger!
Then, without hesitation, he immediately used 'God's Presence' to distance himself from Hiruzen Sarutobi.
And just as Kaito disappeared, a black flame suddenly appeared in his original position!
The flame burned in the void, and the space around it slightly distorted!
At the same time, there was a burst of blood in the right eye of Itachi in the distance!
"Amaterasu?!"
Itachi's words echoed in Kaito's mind as he narrowed his eyes.
In the original book, Itachi only unlocked this ability years later when he fought against the three-tails!
But now, under the stimulation of Kaito, Itachi has also unlocked this ability in advance!
The next moment, Kaito unexpectedly praised Itachi: "Didn't think you'd use Amaterasu ahead of time. Impressive, Itachi!"
"Why?" Itachi's right eye stopped moving, and the distant Amaterasu gradually faded away.
Itachi roared at Kaito: "Why would you do such a thing?!"
Kaito's expression turned cold upon hearing the words. "And what compels your actions?!"
Both understood the underlying meaning behind each other's words.
Itachi roared, "I'm fighting for the peace of the village and the future of the Uchiha!"
"Peace? Future?" Kaito sneered.
Kaito questioned coldly, "Whose peace do you think you're protecting, Konoha's?"
"No! What you're safeguarding is the peace of Sarutobi Hiruzen ! The peace of the Sarutobi clan!"
"Despite our irreconcilable conflict with the Senju, Senju Tobirama's methods of governance were admirable!"
"During his era, Konoha flourished. Apart from the major clans, even common ninjas had opportunities if they worked hard!"
"But when Sarutobi Hiruzen took the reins, although Konoha seemingly triumphed in two Ninja World Wars, in reality, it was depleting the legacy left by Tobirama!"
"And he simply sat in his office, sipping tea, signing documents, and claiming all the credit for himself!"
"See the kage of other Shinobi villages, how they rule their villages?!"
"He shamelessly declares himself the 'strongest Hokage,' but is he truly deserving of such a title?!"
"With his reign, Konoha's founding principles of equality and peace were distorted!"
"Under his rule, the lines between the elite clans and commoners were starkly drawn!"
"And civilians were systematically suppressed under his regime!"
"Only a select few with extraordinary talent, who pledged allegiance to his faction, were granted access to Konoha's resources and allowed to grow stronger!"
"Not to mention, he manipulated power dynamics among the major clans!"
"He favored some while suppressing others, thereby reshaping the entire landscape of Konoha!"
"And he covertly funneled resources to the Sarutobi clan!"
"Look at them now. Their members occupy the most prestigious and secure positions, yet can the average Chunin can attain similar status with ease!"
"Do you genuinely believe that sacrificing your own family will truly save the village?"
"No! You're merely a pawn in Sarutobi Hiruzen's game, a pawn to uphold his regime and maintain his supremacy!"
"None of the naive fools in Konoha's hierarchy will ever recognize your sacrifices. They're all mere pawns of Hiruzen Sarutobi, instruments used to maintain his lofty position!"
In the space where Kaito stood, he ensured that sound couldn't escape from outside, but allowed his words to resonate outward!
Thus, the ANBU outside and the two factions of the Uchiha clan heard every word clearly!
Among the ANBU, some were from noble clans, while others were civilians.
The ANBU comprised nearly 70% civilians , with 90% being Chunin!
While the clan members were unaffected, as long as their interests remained intact, the civilian ANBU experienced a profound shock!
Upon reflection, they found Kaito's words to be undeniably true!
They risked their lives without any hope of improving their status!
Despite Konoha's supposed ethos of equality, they harbored deep-seated hierarchies within their hearts!
A sense of betrayal began to gnaw at them!
Simultaneously, their gazes toward Hiruzen Sarutobi shifted from reverence to resentment and fury!