With the conclusion of the battle in the Hidden Rain Village, the entire ninja world fell into an eerie silence.
For decades, the godlike feats of the Sage of Shinobi and the Warlord of the Ninja World—capable of moving mountains and filling seas with a mere gesture—had been relegated to legend.
Now that such immense power had reappeared, the elderly who were aware of the truth couldn't help but feel a deep sense of dread.
The prolonged peace following the Warring States era wasn't due to the great nations growing weary of war—it was because two monsters far beyond their time dominated the most fertile lands.
The death of Hashirama Senju and the outbreak of the First Great Ninja War only reinforced this reality.
But now, the Hidden Leaf Village had bared its fangs, ready to wage war across the ninja world, without another Warlord of the Ninja World to counterbalance the Sage of Shinobi.
The flames of war ignited.
As the strongest hidden village under Konoha's banner, and due to its unique culture and temperament, the Cloud Village was especially fiery and confrontational. They stubbornly charged forward to clash head-on.
"So many years have passed, and this is all you've amounted to?
Surrender, Fourth Raikage.
Otherwise, my next strike will kill ten thousand of your Cloud shinobi."
Uchiha Madara stood proudly atop the Outer Path Statue, his gaze disdainful as he looked down at the battered Fourth Raikage, A, and his partner Killer Bee. A had already lost his left arm and was covered in wounds.
The Fourth Raikage had never known the meaning of surrender. Stubbornly, he struggled to his feet, his tiger-like eyes glaring fiercely at Uchiha Madara.
"Is that so? You wish to die gloriously at my hands? Very well, if that's your wish, I'll grant it, you insignificant ant, and then take over the Land of Lightning."
Madara coldly declared the Raikage's death sentence and prepared to crush him under the Outer Path Statue's foot.
"Brother." At this moment, Izuna Uchiha interrupted Madara's actions.
Madara's eyes flickered with confusion. "What is it, Izuna?"
Izuna closed the book in his hands, which contained the history of the ninja world over the years, and spoke slowly.
"Brother, though the lives of these ants are insignificant, Lord God has instructed us to unify as peacefully as possible. If you kill the leader of the Cloud Village like this, it will create significant obstacles for the integration process later on."
Madara, who hadn't paid attention to the instructions, finally understood. With a hint of irritation, he scratched his head. After all, he was primarily a warrior, and thinking things through wasn't his strong suit.
The incident with Black Zetsu had already taught him a painful lesson.
"So, what do you suggest we do, Izuna?"
Izuna glanced at the devastated Cloud forces below and spoke calmly.
"First, capture the Fourth Raikage. Then let me say a few words, Brother."
Madara doted deeply on his younger brother, who had died young, and nodded in agreement. He then lifted the Fourth Raikage, who was no larger than the palm of the Outer Path Statue.
Izuna took a deep breath, then channeled his chakra to amplify his voice, ensuring it reached everyone present.
"Listen, shinobi of the Cloud Village!
Your Kage has been defeated. If you still wish to fight, we're ready to oblige.
But know this—we will crush your Raikage first, then slaughter every one of you and your families without mercy!
You fight over resources, but no one ever complains about having too much. So go ahead, keep fighting. The lands you abandon, our Holy Nation will gladly take over!
However, as much as I'd love to say that…
Due to certain special reasons, we're not allowed to massacre you indiscriminately. But if you resist as I've described, my brother and I won't hesitate to wipe you all out!
So—
Choose!
Will you die in battle, or will you live on in shame?!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a purple Susanoo enveloped the Outer Path Statue, making it appear even more menacing and fearsome, striking terror into the hearts of all who beheld it.
The Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan that Izuna possessed, revived by divine power, was no longer the half-baked version of the past—it was now flawless, reaching the pinnacle of its potential.
Their strongest leader had been defeated, and their side had suffered heavy casualties. Faced with this overwhelming and unstoppable demonic power, even the stubborn shinobi of the Cloud Village involuntarily dropped their weapons and collapsed to the ground, their fighting spirit utterly extinguished.
The Fourth Raikage's eyes were filled with unwillingness, but he remained silent.
Though outwardly rugged, he possessed a delicate heart. He knew full well that this war was unwinnable.
"How boring."
Izuna glanced at the captured Fourth Raikage, expecting the notoriously stubborn Raikage to rally his subordinates for another attack against them, giving them an excuse to mercilessly slaughter the opposition.
After all, Izuna took the concept of resource allocation seriously. Moreover, technically speaking, the Land of Lightning had once belonged to the Uchiha clan.
If only that man hadn't convinced his brother to establish that wretched Hidden Leaf Village—
A look of disgust flashed in Izuna's eyes. Few things irritated a sibling-obsessed individual more than someone trying to steal their beloved sibling.
But the thought that the man who had stolen his brother and caused his death was now rotting in the underworld, unable to rise again to bother him, brought a radiant smile to Izuna's face.
Unaware of his brother's complex emotions, Madara felt a swell of pride seeing Izuna effortlessly secure victory after unleashing his divine power.
Suddenly, both brothers frowned and turned toward the rear.
A blond figure clad in a ceremonial robe appeared atop the Outer Path Statue.
Though both brothers despised the Flying Thunder God Technique—a space-time ninjutsu—they recognized the newcomer as one of their own. Thus, Madara spoke indifferently.
"What is it, Fourth Hokage?"
The visitor was none other than Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage. After learning that Naruto had taken Kakashi as an elder brother, he had relentlessly begged for the chance to revive his father. Eventually, Kakashi, nostalgic for the warmth of the past, chose to resurrect his master and his wife. As for the laws of Yin and Yang, Kakashi had come to realize that they were meaningless before absolute power.
Facing this terrifying figure from the same era as the First Hokage, Minato scratched his head awkwardly and said,
"Lord Madara, the battles on all other fronts have concluded. I'm here to inform you that it's time to return for the meeting."
Madara hadn't expected that, as Konoha's strongest warrior, he would be the last to finish his battle. Irritated, he clicked his tongue in displeasure.
However, the main reason was that the other hidden villages didn't have leaders as stubborn as the Raikage, who wanted to test their strength against Konoha. Most had surrendered immediately upon Konoha's arrival.
Though Madara was incredibly powerful, engaging in combat inevitably wasted some time, which was why he ended up finishing last.
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