Such disregard made Yagura furious but there was nothing he could do.
"It's over!"
In the end, watching Mist ninjas fall one after another across the battlefield, Yagura raised his hand and shouted.
At the sound of his voice, the Mist shinobi who were still fighting desperately began to stop, one by one.
Only then did they notice that the Fourth Mizukage they revered had lost an arm.
"Lord Mizukage!"
Several Mist clan leaders immediately turned toward him in alarm.
"It's nothing."
Yagura waved his hand, unwilling to explain.
"It's over. This war ends here."
Those simple words caused the Mist shinobi to lower their heads in silence.
No one spoke.
Because Yagura's words already explained everything.
This war… the Mist Hidden Village had lost.
Was there unwillingness?
Perhaps.
But there was also relief.
Everyone could see it clearly—supported by Shiki, the Mist Hidden Village was no longer capable of opposing Konoha.
Continuing to fight would only result in more unnecessary deaths.
They were not afraid of dying.
But that did not mean they wanted to die.
"This war… we did not lose to Konoha."
Yagura slowly turned his head and looked at Shiki.
"We lost to you, Shiki."
Pausing briefly, he continued coldly,
"This time, we lost. But next time, I will win it back."
"Whatever."
Shiki shrugged casually, completely indifferent.
Whether Yagura would even survive until the next Great Ninja War was still uncertain.
"Hmph!"
With a cold snort, Yagura clutched his severed arm, gathered the Mist shinobi, and left in silence.
After years of fighting in the Ninja World War, they still ended in defeat.
On the other hand—
After a brief moment of silence, Konoha's side erupted into cheers.
"We won!"
"Finally, we won!"
"We won!"
"Long live Lord Shiki!"
"Lord Shiki is invincible!"
Some cried with joy. Others shouted until their voices grew hoarse.
But more than anything, they cheered for Shiki.
Countless gazes filled with admiration focused on him.
It was this man who had established their victory.
At that moment, Might Duy—having released the Eight Gates—staggered forward, trembling as he approached Shiki.
"Lord Shiki… I didn't let you down."
Might Duy was worried.
Not about becoming a genin again.
But about whether his performance had met Shiki's expectations.
As someone who believed wholeheartedly in youth, he did not want to disappoint the man who recognized him.
"Very good."
Shiki did not hold back his praise.
"Thank you!"
Finally.
He hadn't disappointed Lord Shiki.
The moment his tension released, the exhaustion he had been suppressing overwhelmed him.
Might Duy collapsed.
"Medical ninjas!"
Shiki immediately ordered.
Opening the Eight Gates up to the Gate of Shock had left Duy severely injured. He had endured it purely through sheer willpower.
Now that his strength gave out, the pain surged back all at once.
"Remember his name."
Shiki's voice rang across the battlefield.
"He is Might Duy."
People like Might Duy and Might Guy—might appear foolish and hot-blooded.
But once they pledged loyalty, they would never betray it.
For such subordinates, Shiki had no problem giving them recognition.
"Might Duy-senpai is incredible!"
"So strong!"
"That's taijutsu?! Unbelievable!"
No one dared to call him a "eternal genin" anymore.
All eyes were filled with admiration.
The cheers stunned Might Duy, who was receiving treatment from the medical team.
"Lord Shiki…"
Tears welled up in his eyes.
"Rest well," Shiki said calmly. "I'll still need you in the next war."
"Yes!"
Might Duy responded firmly.
No matter what trials awaited him next—
Even if it meant opening the Gate of Death—
He would complete any mission entrusted to him by Lord Shiki.
"Dad…"
Watching his father surrounded by everyone, Might Guy clenched his fists, deeply moved.
His father's youth…
It had never been wrong.
And because of that, Might Guy felt even more grateful to Shiki—for seeing his father's worth when no one else did.
"I'll burn my youth too!"
That night, with the Mist Hidden Village defeated, Shiki allowed the entire camp to relax.
There was no longer anything to guard against.
The enemy had already fallen.
"Shiki-nii," Kurenai Yuhi said softly as she leaned beside him inside the tent.
"Did you see how strong Might Duy-senpai was today?"
Thinking back to the battle, she still found it unbelievable.
Who would have imagined that a thick-browed, bowl-cut "lifelong genin" could defeat a Seven Swordsmen of the Mist like Fuguki Suikazan?
"Call it intuition," Shiki replied casually. "I'm good at noticing people."
Of course, he couldn't say he already knew the future.
At least this explanation was something Kurenai could accept.
"Really?"
"Of course," Shiki smiled. "Otherwise, how could I have found such a beautiful girl like you so early?" (PS: O_o)
"Hehe…"
Kurenai smiled brightly, no longer dwelling on the topic of Might Duy.
Soon, news of the Mist Hidden Village's defeat spread throughout the ninja world.
In Konoha, civilians cheered when they heard the battle report from the front.
Not long after Iwagakure's defeat, the Mist Hidden Village had fallen as well.
Under Shiki's leadership, it seemed the Third Great Ninja War would soon come to an end.
And their families on the front lines would finally return home.
"Long live Lord Shiki!"
"Lord Golden Lion is invincible!"
"Lord Shiki is the strongest!"
The civilians celebrated his achievements.
The shinobi sighed in awe at his strength.
But inside the Hokage's office, the atmosphere was heavy.
Looking at the battle report, the Third Hokage felt no joy—only bitterness.
He had just returned from the front lines.
And while he struggled against the Mist Village for over a year without gaining any advantage…
Shiki defeated them the moment he arrived.
It made the Third Hokage wonder—
Was the Mist Village mocking him?
"Is this Shiki… truly that powerful?"
The faster Shiki achieved victory, the more it highlighted his own inadequacy.
Though no one said it aloud, the Third Hokage noticed it clearly—
The gazes of the villagers toward him were no longer as respectful as before.
Because in the ninja world…
Strength reigned supreme.
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