Chapter 137: Kushina's Killing Intent!

Hokage Tower.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had no heart for today’s paperwork. He sat with a Root pipe clenched between his teeth, exhaling thick clouds of smoke while furrowing his brow, as if only the sharp sting of tobacco could dull the storm inside him.

The Rain Village envoys had already been redirected—Hiruzen had sent them to Hyūga Menji and Tsunade Konoha for reception. He knew well enough that, in his current state, he wasn’t fit to meet with foreign emissaries. He needed solitude. He needed silence.

Just then, a ninja dog leapt onto the windowsill outside the office, startling the Anbu guards within.

Before the dog—Ninja Dog Parker—could speak, three sharp Ninja Swords were already pressed against its small head. Three Anbu Ninjas, masked and silent, stared down at it with cold, calculating eyes—each step, each twitch, could be the last.

Parker nearly peed itself.

But then Hiruzen Sarutobi noticed the dog. His voice, calm yet heavy, cut through the tension:

"You’re Kakashi’s ninja dog, aren’t you? Is there urgent news you’ve come to deliver?"

At the sound of his voice, the swords shifted slightly—just enough to relieve the pressure on the dog’s fur. Parker swallowed hard.

“Yes… Kakashi sent me to tell you—something’s happened at the Ninja Academy.”

It relayed Kakashi’s message word for word.

Hiruzen froze.

His mouth opened. No words came out.

He’d imagined countless scenarios.

—An enemy village spy manipulating events to unsettle him, the Hokage of Leaf Village, hoping to expose his weaknesses.

—Perhaps Iizumi’s Mangekyō Sharingan Genjutsu had malfunctioned, triggering traumatic memories.

—Or maybe the victim wasn’t even Hiruzen Sakuko. A mistake in identification.

He’d considered every absurd possibility.

But never this.

A silence so deep it felt like death settled over the room.

In his mind, these children—Hiruzen Clan heirs—were supposed to be bright, playful, the future of the clan. They were meant to be teachers at the Ninja Academy, shaping the next generation of shinobi.

Now, this… this was grotesque. Unthinkable.

Hiruzen stared blankly ahead.

“How… could this happen?” he whispered, lost.

He was both Head of the Hiruzen Clan and Honorary Principal of the Ninja Academy. Two roles he held with pride. And now, both were tainted.

Could this be his fault? Could it be tied to his position as Hokage?

He couldn’t convince himself otherwise.

After a long, shuddering breath, Hiruzen cleared the fog from his eyes.

He turned to the trembling dog and said, voice heavy with resolve:

“Tell Kakashi… I’ve heard. He’s not to interfere.”

He paused, fists clenching and unclenching. He set the long pipe down slowly, watching the smoke spiral upward.

Minutes passed—eternity in silence.

Then, softly:

“Let Iizumi handle it.”

The words left him drained. He slumped into his chair, empty.

He was truly lost.

…

Inside the Ninja Academy.

“Hiruzen Kishi.”

Uchiha Iizumi casually called out a name from the list of students.

At once, the whimpering of the child beneath him stopped.

Because the boy’s name was Hiruzen Kishi.

Hiruzen Kishi’s eyes widened in terror. His face, already bruised and bleeding, twisted in sheer horror. The pain in his palm, the agony of his shattered face—hadn’t that been punishment enough?

He was just a child.

The Uchiha wouldn’t kill him, would he?

But then Iizumi’s voice cut through the air, cold and unyielding:

“Your crimes are unforgivable.”

“Wait—” The boy’s voice cracked.

Then—CRACK.

A foot crushed down on his skull with terrifying force. A sharp, wet crack echoed through the air. His face contorted in unimaginable agony. His vision blurred. He felt his head about to explode.

Peng!

The teachers nearby stood frozen, mouths agape. They should have intervened. This was the Ninja Academy—this was supposed to be a sanctuary.

But no one moved.

Three Uchiha Police Force ninjas flinched. Even they, members of the feared Uchiha Clan, found Iizumi’s actions excessive. If they had been in charge, they’d have taken the boys to the Investigation Corps first.

Still, they remained composed—more so than the trembling instructors.

Kushina, meanwhile, kept her eyes closed.

She wasn’t stopping it.

Was she fighting fear of blood?

Or was it something darker—her own killing intent, held back by sheer will?

If she were just a little more extreme…

She might have done the same.

“Kushina-sama…” Shizune swallowed hard, watching her with deep concern.

“I’m fine,” Kushina murmured, shaking her head.

Iizumi lifted his blood-stained leg slowly. His cold gaze fell on another trembling child.

“Hiruzen Shōshi.”

The boy hadn’t even processed it when Iizumi swept past him—his voice like a death knell.

“Hiruzen Sōshin. Guilty beyond redemption.”

“I—I’m the son of a Leaf Village Jonin! You can’t—”

Pfft.

A flash of steel.

The boy’s words died mid-sentence.

Hiruzen Shōshi stared, stunned.

Hiruzen Kishi… Hiruzen Sōshin… both dead.

And he was still alive?

He’d barely been touched. Why?

Then—his vision blurred.

The world tilted.

A thin red line appeared at his throat.

It widened.

Blood trickled down.

Then, with a sickening thud, his head rolled off.

Hiruzen Shōshi finally understood.

I’m dead.

…

Far away, atop a tree.

“Don’t interfere…”

Kakashi’s lips twitched as he heard the message from the ninja dog.

Even without the Third Hokage’s order, he wouldn’t have stepped in.

To stop Iizumi from executing justice? That was like betting your life on the hope that the killer wouldn’t kill you.

Many had made that gamble.

All had lost.

Kakashi didn’t believe in miracles.

“Besides,” he muttered, voice low, “you’re too late, Hokage-sama. Iizumi’s already finished. The Hiruzen Clan might need to hold four funerals this time.”

He watched the scene below, grimacing.

“Couldn’t he have done this somewhere private? Even the Investigation Corps would’ve been better. Can’t he see how this’ll scar the kids?”

But perhaps Iizumi had a purpose.

Maybe he wanted them to see.

A warning.

Kill the chickens, scare the rest.

Kakashi knew—many of the students watching from behind classrooms had been terrified.

And they were.

…

“Gulp…”

Haruno Sakura’s face turned pale. She clung to the wall just to stay upright.

She’d seen it.

A head crushed underfoot.

Two others severed.

Three headless bodies, like fountains of blood, spurting crimson across the ground.

The sight sent shivers through her. Her legs trembled. Her vision blurred.

Even from a distance, her young eyes saw clearly—the frozen, wide-eyed faces of the two dead boys, their Zetsu expressions still screaming in silent horror.

“K-Kushina… Iruka-sensei!” she choked, tears welling. “They’re… they’re killing people out there! Three students… all dead!”

“Stop looking! Don’t listen!” Iruka snapped, already regretting not asking for thick curtains in every classroom.

“Naruto! Sasuke! Stop standing on your toes! You’re punished to stand, not to watch!”

“Shikamaru! Chōji! What are you doing? Back to your seats!”

Iruka’s face was dark with worry. He wanted to lock every child in chains.

He feared what might happen if one of them got caught in the crossfire.

“Sensei,” Naruto grumbled, “we’re just watching Iizumi-sensei carry out justice. It’s not like we’re doing anything wrong.”

“Justice isn’t something you watch at your age!” Iruka snapped. “You’re supposed to be building your values, your morals. You need to understand what justice means before you even think about it!”

…

“Is this… the ‘Molten Release Beast’s’ Absolute Justice?”

Biwa Jūzō, watching from afar, had seen it all—the brutal execution carried out in broad daylight.

He’d watched the girl, Uchiha Iizumi, torture a man in front of witnesses. The violence was raw, merciless. Even he, a veteran, flinched.

He expected backlash. He expected Anbu to arrive.

But no one moved.

The villagers looked afraid—but not shocked. Not surprised.

No one called for help.

It was as if this was normal.

Too normal.

Biwa Jūzō felt dizzy.

This… isn’t Leaf Village.

This was like Kirigakure—where blood was the law.

Had he been tricked? Was this a Genjutsu?

Are Leaf Village shinobi this bloodthirsty?

Then—snap.

Two women stopped ahead.

He turned.

They were already staring at him.

“Ah… caught,” he said, unafraid. “I didn’t hide anyway. It was only a matter of time.”

“You’ve been following us,” Anko said, voice sharp, eyes narrowed from fifteen meters away. “That outfit… you’re not from Leaf Village. Who are you?”

Biwa Jūzō didn’t move. “Guess I’ve been off the radar for too long. You don’t recognize me.”

“The sword,” Rin murmured, her eyes locked on the massive blade slung across his back.

Even partially hidden, the blade’s edge was enough to make her freeze.

Recognition flared.

Her hand slid to her Kunai.

“Be careful,” she warned Iizumi. “He’s likely one of Kirigakure’s ‘Seven Swordsmen.’ That’s Biwa Jūzō—the Blade of Decapitation. A brutal killer.”

“Seven Swordsmen?” Iizumi’s eyes narrowed. “What’s he doing in Leaf Village?”

She drew her Ninja Sword—its blade still stained with blood from the torture.

“Hey,” Biwa Jūzō said, raising his hands. “I’m not your enemy. I’m not even from Kirigakure anymore. I’m a Rain Village envoy—here on official duty.”

He gave a dry chuckle.

“Would I be standing here if I were a threat? And besides… if I were dangerous, the Anbu would’ve taken me down already.”

He paused.

“You two are Iizumi’s subordinates, right?”

Iizumi nodded.

“Then… I’d like to meet your commander,” Biwa Jūzō said. “I’m… fascinated by his Absolute Justice.”

Iizumi’s voice was ice.

“Not interested.”

Biwa Jūzō blinked.

“You’re not here for justice,” Iizumi said, her gaze piercing. “You’re using it as a cover. You want something else.”

She tilted her head slightly.

“You’re not a follower of justice.”

She spoke, voice like a blade.

“You’re a member of Akatsuki. Biwa Jūzō.”

Her eyes locked on the white box above his head—the Future Evil.

She saw it.

And the truth behind him.

Biwa Jūzō’s breath caught.

“…!”

…

Inside the Ninja Academy.

“Izumi Kaede.”

Iizumi didn’t wipe the blood from her blade. She turned, her expression blank, her eyes like knives.

The teacher lay on the ground, shaking, sobbing.

“I didn’t mean to! I didn’t mean to! I didn’t know she’d… I just said one thing—how was I supposed to know she’d do this? I didn’t—!”

“I didn’t kill her!” she wailed, turning to her colleagues. “She committed suicide! Under Fire Country law, I’m not a murderer—just an accomplice! You agree, right?!”

No one answered.

They stepped back, distancing themselves.

“Accomplice… that’s not death-worthy!” she screamed. “You’re not even answering me! Say something!”

Then—thud.

A figure stepped in front of her.

Iizumi paused.

It was Kushina.

Shizune gasped.

“Kushina-sama?!”

The woman’s voice was low, cold.

“Let me do this.”

She turned to the sobbing teacher.

“Stand up.”

Izumi Kaede stared. Recognition flashed.

Kushina—Sannin of Leaf Village. Legendary kunoichi.

She’s here to save me…

Of course! She must see that this was not a death sentence!

She surged to her feet, tears streaming.

“I—thank you—”

But Kushina cut her off, voice like stone.

“Of course you’re not guilty.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“But if you truly regretted what you did… if you felt remorse for Sakuko’s death… you wouldn’t wear that smile.”

She gestured at the woman’s face.

“You only regret dying. That’s all.”

Her voice cracked.

“You’re not sorry. You’re just afraid.”

Each word was forced through clenched teeth.

“You’re… unredeemable.”

The woman froze.

The world shifted.

A faint crack echoed beneath her.

She looked down.

The ground split.

Her eyes widened—bloodshot, terrified.

Then—BOOM.

A monstrous force erupted from Kushina’s fist.

The impact tore through Izumi Kaede’s chest. Her ribs collapsed inward with a sickening crunch. Her body shattered like glass.

Clothing ripped apart.

Then—explosion.

Her chest burst open.

Blood, bone, organs, flesh—sprayed in a violent geyser.

Her body flew backward, limbs flailing, head lolling.

She crashed through a tree—crack.

Then a fence—shatter.

Finally, a wall—thud.

Her body was embedded in the stone, limbs dangling, blood soaking half the wall.

Everyone was silent.

“Is… that… the Sannin of Leaf Village?” one of the Investigation Corps murmured, eyes wide. “Even with Three Tomoe Sharingan, her movements were… blurred.”

“She’s holding back,” another said, glancing at the shattered ground beneath Kushina. “If she didn’t, she’d have pulverized her.”

“Focus,” the third snapped. “Why did she just attack? And—she went all in. That woman’s dead. The killing intent… even I felt it.”

Shizune stared at Kushina’s back.

“…Kushina-sama?”

Kushina trembled.

Her hands—covered in blood—shook.

The splatter had soaked her half-body. Crimson droplets speckled her skin.

She’d barely broken a sweat.

But the fear—the phobia—was overwhelming.

Her breath came in ragged gasps.

Sweat poured from her skin. She couldn’t tell if it was sweat… or blood.

Just as she was about to collapse—

A hand reached out from behind.

Shizune screamed, dropping the bun and rushing over.

But the hand already steadied her.

Kushina leaned on it—just enough to stay upright.

“You didn’t need to interfere,” Iizumi said coldly. “Punishing evil is part of Absolute Justice. Your pain is unnecessary.”

“Shut up, kid,” Kushina snapped, trying to walk—but her legs gave out. She gripped Iizumi’s shoulder for support.

Her voice trembled.

“I… I just don’t understand… that child was already broken. Why would anyone—anyone—be so twisted as to torment her?”

She exhaled, pale.

“Is the ninja world really this… sick?”

No one answered.

Then—softly—

“…If your justice can make this world better… if it can reduce evil… if it can change people’s hearts…”

She looked at Iizumi, voice cracking.

“Then you shouldn’t do it alone.”

She paused.

“You need allies. People who believe in your cause.”

“Because one Iizumi… one Konoha Rin… one you… isn’t enough.”

Her voice softened.

“Add me to the list.”

…

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end