At that moment, the entire battlefield fell into a deathly silence—no one spoke, not even a crow's caw could be heard.
The greatest fighting force in the entire Kumogakure (and arguably one of the strongest in the ninja world today)—the perfect Jinchūriki of the Eight-Tails, Killer Bee—had just been easily defeated by Chiyu and was now completely subdued!
With Chiyu's power flaring up, Killer Bee could no longer maintain his full Tailed Beast Mode; his massive form rapidly shrank back down to his ordinary human shape, and yet he was still bound up by Chiyu's "Chiibiki Zai-Bakusō." A black-and-red "Ten-Taba Zaimetsu Ken" remained stabbed clean through his chest!
He gasped for breath, his once robust muscles now trembling ceaselessly.
His dark-skinned face looked pallid as a sheet.
"Dare to… injure me this badly… Damn it, you fool… you b— … cough!"
Another mouthful of blood spewed out, and Bee could no longer muster any more insults.
Dodai (the elder from Cloud) could not bear to watch Killer Bee in such a state and quickly surged his chakra, ready to rush in and save him.
However…
Hatake Kakashi stepped forward and blocked his way.
"Elder Dodai, I advise you not to act rashly."
Kakashi swiftly pulled up his forehead protector, revealing the crimson Sharingan beneath!
"T-The Sharingan…"
Dodai did not dare to attack hastily.
On the other side, the Fourth Raikage was still locked in a fierce battle with Might Guy, who had opened the Sixth Gate (the Gate of View). Their moves, Morning Peacock versus Lariat combos, clashed violently, sending both men flying backward.
But at this moment, the Raikage had wholly lost the will to continue their fight.
"Damn it!"
"Uchiha Chiyu! Let Bee go!"
Chiyu responded with a disdainful sneer.
The Raikage also knew how absurd his own words sounded.
He clenched his fists so tightly his bones creaked audibly.
"Damn it!"
"Alright… I get it. As long as you release Bee, I'll agree to your demands!"
"I, the Raikage, will accept your conditions!"
"I'll nullify every pact signed under Sarutobi Hiruzen!"
"We'll renegotiate a truce—Raikage to Hokage. How about that, Hokage-sama?!"
That one address, "Hokage-sama," showed the Raikage's sincerity in giving in. Under normal circumstances, a strong-willed man like him would never submit so openly. But for the sake of his younger brother Killer Bee, he had no choice.
Yet…
Chiyu still sneered coldly.
"The First Hokage established a treaty with Cloud. Once he died, you people immediately tore it up to spark a ninja war."
"The Second Hokage met with you, and Cloud's Kinkaku/Ginkaku Squad attacked right during the talks, killing your Second Raikage and forcing the Second Hokage to sacrifice himself."
"Sarutobi Hiruzen tried to negotiate with you too, but you tried to seize the Hyūga's Byakugan, forcing him to hand over Hyūga Hiashi for nothing…"
"In all these episodes, when did Cloud ever hold to good faith?
"Why should I negotiate with you?"
The Fourth Raikage dripped with cold sweat. "Th-Then what do you want to free Bee?!"
Chiyu spoke only two words.
"Submit."
The Raikage gaped. "Y-You said submit?!"
Chiyu added, "Yes, very simple. I want Cloud Village to surrender to me completely."
Instantly, utter silence filled the surroundings.
This was what Chiyu, after becoming Hokage, had concluded upon rethinking all his beliefs and aims—the only real path was unifying the ninja world.
In the past, using personal convictions, strength, and position, he'd carried out his brand of justice.
Conviction was the root, strength was the tool, position was the convenience.
And now that he'd become Hokage and seized power over the Leaf, he quickly wiped out all internal threats—Danzo, Hiruzen, Root, the Sarutobi and Shimura families, etc. He restructured the village with uncompromising laws and severe punishments; in just a short time, Konoha was renewed.
But one small village alone wasn't enough.
He needed to transform the entire corrupted, war-torn ninja world. For that, he wouldn't just be Hokage—he would become the true master of the ninja world!
Facing them first was Cloud Village, which had always been a relentless threat to Konoha. This made them his first target of conquest.
Hearing those words, the Fourth Raikage first felt great shock, then blinding fury.
"You bastard—do you realize you're basically waging war on the entire ninja world?!
"You think your Konoha, in its weakened state, can stand against a united enemy? Our Cloud Village alone outstrips your current manpower several times over!"
Chiyu smiled.
"It seems you, the so-called 'musclehead,' aren't completely stupid. Indeed, after all that turmoil and internal strife, Konoha is at its weakest. By raw military force, we can't beat Cloud.
"That's why I came here to 'negotiate,' not launch a full-scale war."
The Raikage and Dodai froze. They realized that from the very start, Chiyu planned to rely on personal might—"king to king"—to subdue them, rather than wage a total war Konoha might lose.
Kakashi and Guy finally saw the Hokage's underlying plan.
Yes, Konoha can't match Cloud in army size, but in single combat, no one can defeat Chiyu.
The Raikage hissed, "You scumbag—so from the beginning, your negotiations were nothing but a ploy?!"
Chiyu shrugged.
"And how is that any different from how Cloud always negotiates?"
"Dodai," he continued, "you're better off not spouting about how we could cause another Great Ninja War. All of them were started by Cloud to begin with.
"At the end of the day… Enough. I've given you plenty of time to choose.
"Raikage, you can't make up your mind? Then allow me to decide for you:
"All of you will just die."
In that moment, the Raikage—frozen in conflict between brotherly bonds and Cloud's fate—found the choice made for him.
He was left in total despair.
From behind the Raikage, severely wounded Killer Bee wheezed out:
"Brother, don't… give in for my sake… My life's nothing… compared to the village… fool… bastard… cough, cough…"
Chiyu shook his head.
"How laughable. You're the invaders—why act the victim?"
"Since the Raikage can't decide, I'll do it—
"The answer is that all of you must die."
At that instant, controlling his Susano'o, Chiyu's Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan flared again. The black-and-red chain and sword manifested unstoppable killing force.
Pshht—
Without hesitation, the giant blade penetrated Killer Bee's body. Blood exploded in a massive spray, and Bee collapsed.
"No—!!" the Raikage howled in despair, utterly devastated.
Killer Bee, the perfect Eight-Tails Jinchūriki, died right then and there.
~~~
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