Chapter 104: The Victor's Peace
"Damn it!" Dodai cursed. They knew about Akatsurugi's Mangekyō ability, but he hadn't used it in so long that they had grown complacent, failing to prepare a counter. Ōnoki had made the same mistake. He never expected a shinobi of Akatsurugi's caliber, one of the world's supreme masters, to employ such a deceptive, underhanded trick.
But regardless of their shock, the Great Congealing Lava sphere now held Ōnoki prisoner. The complex sealing formulae etched across its surface, all meticulously prepared for Akatsurugi, were now the Tsuchikage's prison.
As Dodai moved to break the seal, Akatsurugi was already before him. A swing of Ryūjin Jakka sent a wave of blue Sage flames to engulf the Raikage. Dodai substituted with an earth clone at the last second, reappearing on the ground below, his eyes fixed on the sky. Akatsurugi ignored him, turning his attention to the lava sphere and slashing it again. The pale blue flames licked over the rocky surface. It was now a question of whether Ōnoki could survive his own ally's trap.
Inside the sphere, Ōnoki had not given up. Bound and restrained, the veteran Kage would not yield until his last breath. The intense heat from Akatsurugi's attack was actually a perverse blessing; it weakened the binding seals just enough. His skin was blistering from the burn, but it was an opportunity.
The moment he felt his hands could move, Ōnoki's fingers flew through a sequence of seals. A small cube of Dust Release formed before him and expanded outwards, canceling the flames in front of him and creating a brief opening. He shot through it, his back still on fire. In a brutal act of survival, he used a kunai to hastily cut away his burning robes and the seared flesh beneath, emerging covered in blood but alive.
"Akatsurugi! We surrender!" Ōnoki roared, his voice amplified by chakra to echo across the entire battlefield.
They could not defeat the Blaze God. Continuing the fight would only lead to catastrophic losses. Surrender was the only logical choice.
And if they were to surrender, they had to maximize the benefit. On cue, the Iwa and Kumo shinobi, hearing their leader's cry, immediately disengaged and ceased all fighting.
Dodai, understanding the play, immediately shouted, "Kumogakure surrenders as well!"
In an instant, the forces of Iwa and Kumo fell back. The Konoha shinobi, seeing their enemies retreat, first stood in stunned silence, then erupted into cheers. "We won! We finally won!"
Though this war had been shorter than the First Great Shinobi War, the pressure had been immense. Facing a coalition of four great villages, many had truly believed Konoha was doomed. That Akatsurugi had led them to victory made the triumph all the sweeter. In their euphoria, few stopped to consider if Ōnoki's surrender was a strategic feint. No one wanted to think about war anymore.
Akatsurugi looked down at the celebrating Konoha ninja, then back at Ōnoki. Clever, he thought. The old fox was using this public momentum to force his hand. They had formally surrendered. To slaughter them now would be seen as a monstrous act, turning the world's opinion against him. Ōnoki had saved his own skin and his forces.
But in truth, Akatsurugi cared little for one old Tsuchikage. Since they surrendered, he would simply dictate the terms of their reparations. If they tried to renege... well, then they would learn just how sharp his blade could be, and the fault would be entirely theirs.
"You have five days," Akatsurugi declared, his voice calm but carrying an iron finality. "Envoys from both your villages must be in Konoha to discuss reparations. Do not be late." With that, he descended slowly to the ground.
Ōnoki let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. It wasn't that he feared death, but he feared what would become of Iwagakure without him.
"Long live the Fourth Hokage! Long live the Fourth Hokage!"
The moment Akatsurugi landed, the cry went up, quickly taken up by the thousands of Konoha shinobi present. Akatsurugi allowed himself a slight smile. He didn't need to ask who started it; no one but the Uchiha would be so bold.
Yet, the chant expressed the will of the majority. With Akatsurugi as Hokage, his power and prestige would deter any future aggression. With him in charge, who would dare to wage war? The Konoha ninja, caught in the moment, cheered without a second thought for the current Hokage standing nearby.
Sarutobi Hiruzen listened to the roaring chants and sighed deeply. He had known this day would come, but he hadn't expected it to arrive so swiftly, or so decisively.
Behind him, the Sannin—Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya—remained silent. Watching the overwhelming support from the ranks, they had to concede that Akatsurugi's ascension was not just inevitable, but deeply desired.
Akatsurugi raised a hand, and the cheers subsided instantly. "We have won!" he announced.
Those two simple words ignited another thunderous celebration. They had won!
The arrangements for withdrawal began immediately. The shinobi of Iwa and Kumo slunk away in disgrace, burdened with the knowledge that they had five days to send envoys to Konoha. None doubted that if they provided Akatsurugi with any excuse, he would personally bring the war to their doorsteps. The reparations would be staggering—this was the price of defeat. In the past, even when Konoha won, the settlements were often lenient. But things were different now. Akatsurugi would be leading Konoha, and he would not be so forgiving.
Within two days, Akatsurugi returned to Konoha at the head of his victorious army. This time, the Third Hokage made no attempt to share the spotlight. The villagers of Konoha lined the streets to welcome their heroes, and they knew exactly who had brought them peace. The bitter experience of "carrying rice"—of being on the defensive and facing annihilation—had taught them precisely who they could rely on.
Back in Konoha, Danzō had nearly recovered from his injuries. But upon hearing the reports from the Rain Country, he could only sigh in resignation. Akatsurugi's prestige was at its zenith. The Hokage seat was now utterly beyond his reach. He wondered if he could even retain his position as a Hokage Advisor.
Akatsurugi was not a man to be trifled with. He now possessed overwhelming strength, the adoration of the military, and the mandate of the people. What possible leverage did they have left to use against him?
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