Entrance to Fushimi Valley.
The air was so heavy it felt suffocating.
Uchiha Tobirama stood there alone, yet the sheer life force radiating from him caused the hundreds of female ninjas facing him to turn pale. Their hands trembled as they gripped their weapons, fear spreading uncontrollably.
"Give me a reason."
Hands in his pockets, Tobirama fixed his cold gaze on the female leader at the front—Nadeshiko Mika.
"Why refuse Konoha's authority?"
"Are you tired of living," he continued flatly, "or do you think my blade… isn't sharp enough?"
Those two simple questions struck Mika's heart like a heavy hammer.
She took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the fear rising within her. Straightening her posture, she stood tall—facing a god, yet unwilling to retreat due to her pride as village chief.
"Your Excellency Tobirama!"
Mika clenched her teeth. Her voice trembled, but her words were clear.
"Nadeshiko Village has never been an enemy of Konoha!"
"During the previous Ninja World War, we sealed our borders and remained absolutely neutral. We neither aided the coalition nor caused trouble for Konoha."
"If we are a neutral country, why should we be invaded? As a great power, does Konoha truly have the right to trample on the dignity of a small nation at will?"
"Neutral?"
Tobirama seemed to hear a joke. A mocking smile curved his lips.
"Your political awareness is pitiful."
He took a single step forward.
The overwhelming pressure forced Mika to retreat half a step instinctively.
"In this ninja world, there are only two outcomes: submission or destruction. There is no such thing as neutrality."
"Anyone who does not kneel at my feet and shout my name is a potential enemy."
"And I have only one way of dealing with enemies."
Buzz!
A chilling glint flashed in Tobirama's eyes as killing intent erupted, almost tangible.
"Eradicate them completely."
"You—!"
Mika's face turned deathly pale. She could feel it clearly—this man was not threatening them. He truly intended to wipe the village from existence.
Her gaze swept over the young clanswomen behind her, then over her disciple, Shizuka.
A resolute light flashed in her eyes.
We can't confront him head-on.
A direct clash would mean total annihilation.
We have to use that rule…
"Wait!!"
Mika suddenly shouted, spreading her arms protectively in front of her people.
"Uchiha Tobirama! I know we cannot defeat you!"
"But Nadeshiko Village has its own laws! Our ancestral code states that the women of the Nadeshiko clan submit only to the strong who defeat us!"
"If you want us to submit willingly—then follow our rules!"
"Oh?"
Tobirama stopped, interest flickering in his eyes.
"What rules?"
Mika took a deep breath, drew the long sword from her waist, and pointed it directly at him.
"Duel me!"
"If you defeat me, and Konoha loses not a single soldier, the entire Nadeshiko Village will submit unconditionally!"
"Not only that…"
Her cheeks flushed slightly, but her expression quickly hardened.
"According to our ancestral teachings, the one who defeats us has the right to marry into our clan—no, the right to possess us."
"If you win, I, Nadeshiko Mika, and every woman in this village, will be at Your Excellency's disposal!"
"But if you lose—or if you dare refuse—then leave! We would rather die than surrender!"
The female ninjas behind her erupted into shock.
"Chief!"
"This is gambling with all our fates!"
Shizuka stared wide-eyed at her master's resolute back.
Tobirama laughed.
His heterochromatic eyes swept arrogantly across the entire gathering.
It had to be said—Nadeshiko Village truly lived up to its reputation as the land of women.
Hundreds of female ninjas stood before him, each with her own charm. Slender, curvaceous, mature, youthful—years of physical training had given them all remarkably refined figures.
"Excellent."
Tobirama raised a hand and crooked a finger at Mika, his gaze filled with disdain.
"You actually dared to choose me as your opponent."
"In that case, I'll grant you a chance."
"Come."
He stood tall, one hand behind his back, posture straight as a pine.
"I'll use one hand."
"If you can force me to retreat even half a step, I'll count it as my loss."
"Arrogant!"
Mika was thoroughly enraged by his contempt.
She was a near–Kage-level expert, proficient in Wind Release and taijutsu—a well-known figure in the ninja world!
How dare he look down on her like this?!
"You'll pay for that arrogance!"
Boom!
The ground beneath her feet shattered.
She shot forward like a gust of wind, instantly closing the distance.
So fast!
The surrounding kunoichi gasped—her speed was even greater than usual!
"Nadeshiko Style—Peacock Whirlwind Slash!"
Her long sword, coated in razor-sharp Wind Release chakra, slashed toward Tobirama's throat from an extremely tricky angle.
Fast. Precise. Lethal.
Enough to cut through steel.
Yet Tobirama didn't even blink.
He stood there motionless, one hand still behind his back.
Just as the blade was about to touch his skin—
Clang!
A crisp metallic sound rang out.
Mika's pupils shrank violently.
"H-how is this possible?!"
Tobirama had simply raised two fingers.
Those slender fingers effortlessly clamped onto her Wind Release–coated sword.
No matter how hard she struggled, the blade wouldn't move an inch.
"Your speed is acceptable," Tobirama commented calmly.
"But your power is lacking."
The next instant—
Crack!
With a slight squeeze of his fingers, the famous steel blade snapped cleanly in two.
"What?!"
Mika was stunned—but she reacted instantly, abandoning the broken sword and whipping her long leg toward Tobirama's temple.
"Divine Wind Leg!"
Bang!
A dull impact echoed.
This time, Tobirama didn't even raise his hands.
He merely tilted his head slightly.
The kick, powerful enough to shatter stone, slammed into his thin chakra barrier as if it had struck a mountain.
"Ah!"
Mika cried out in pain, feeling as though her leg bones were about to fracture.
"Is that all?"
Boredom flickered in Tobirama's eyes.
He moved.
In a blur, his left hand caught her ankle mid-kick.
"Since you like taijutsu," he said coolly, "let me show you what true physical strength is."
Whoosh!
He flung her aside as if tossing an object.
Mika was sent flying.
"Damn it!"
She forcibly adjusted her posture in midair, quickly forming hand seals.
If taijutsu won't work—then ninjutsu!
"Wind Release: Vacuum Jade!"
Boom!
A massive, high-pressure vortex erupted from her mouth, tearing forward with destructive force.
Immediately after—
"Wind Release: Wind Blade—Chaotic Dance!"
Countless wind blades filled the air, sealing every possible escape route.
"Ninjutsu?"
Facing the storm of attacks, Tobirama calmly withdrew the hand he had kept behind his back.
He slowly clenched his fist.
No hand seals.
No chakra transformation.
Just pure muscle contraction.
"There's a saying," he said evenly.
"One force can break all techniques."
"Break."
He punched upward.
Boom!
The explosion shook the canyon.
It was as if a missile had detonated midair.
A terrifying shockwave formed a visible white pillar, surging straight into the sky.
Vacuum Jade?
Wind Blades?
Before that punch, they were nothing more than soap bubbles—instantly shattered.
The force continued upward, blasting a massive hole through the clouds.
Even the canyon wall behind Mika was scraped bare, fresh rock exposed.
…
Mika fell from the sky and crashed awkwardly to the ground.
She stared blankly at the enormous gap in the heavens, then at Tobirama—completely unharmed, his clothing immaculate.
Despair flooded her.
So this… is the difference.
Her taijutsu was stopped by two fingers.
Her strongest ninjutsu was erased by a single punch.
This wasn't a battle.
They weren't even on the same level.
"I… lost."
Mika lowered her head, voice filled with bitterness.
All her pride had been crushed by that one blow.
Behind her, the women of Nadeshiko Village stood frozen, their gazes shifting from fear to—
Reverence.
Worship.
Even fanaticism.
So this is the strongest man in the ninja world…
Incredible.
According to Nadeshiko tradition, only the strong were worthy of possessing them.
And the man before them wasn't merely strong.
He was a god.
Tobirama walked up to Mika and looked down at the mature, elegant leader.
He reached out, gripping her chin and forcing her to look up.
"Are you convinced now?"
Mika met his domineering gaze. Her cheeks flushed instantly, her body trembling.
She didn't resist.
Instead, she lowered her eyes obediently.
"I… I concede."
"As agreed… Nadeshiko Mika, and the entire Nadeshiko Village…"
"From today onward, we belong to Your Excellency."
"Good."
Tobirama smiled in satisfaction.
Releasing her, he turned to face the hundreds of kunoichi.
With arms spread wide, he looked every bit like an emperor surveying his domain.
"Did you hear that?"
"From this moment on, this country is abolished."
"This land is now the private domain of Uchiha Tobirama."
"You are no longer ninjas of Nadeshiko Village."
"You are my private property."
"Does anyone object?"
After a brief silence—
Hundreds of female ninjas knelt on one knee in unison.
Including Shizuka, who had once resisted.
Now, a strange light flickered in her eyes.
To belong to such a man…
This wasn't disgrace.
This was the highest honor the Nadeshiko clan had pursued for thousands of years.
"We pay our respects to our master!"
Their unified, delicate voices echoed throughout the canyon.
Tobirama's smile deepened as he gazed at the kneeling women.
Very good.
Next—
It was time to properly inspect the spoils.