Ōnoki let out a helpless sigh.
The decision had already been made.
After this battle, Iwagakure would withdraw from the stage of the Third Shinobi World War.
And yet...
Why did his chest still feel this heavy?
If the outcome of this battle had been a close match, he wouldn't be feeling so conflicted.
If both sides had fought on equal footing—even if Iwa ultimately lost—Ōnoki could have accepted it. He could have understood it.
But this…
This wasn't a battle where hope ever existed.
From beginning to end, it was nothing but one-sided suppression.
A defeat so absolute that victory was never even visible.
No village leader could accept that calmly.
To be crushed without resistance—to be beaten down without dignity—was a humiliation too shameful for the Tsuchikage of a Great Ninja Village to bear.
Ōnoki slowly lifted his gaze toward the two figures seated across from him in the conference room.
Rōshi.
Han.
Since the war half a year ago, his relationship with the Four-Tails' Jinchūriki and the Five-Tails' Jinchūriki had eased considerably.
"…How are you two holding up?" Ōnoki asked quietly.
At his words, Rōshi and Han exchanged a glance—as if understanding each other without speaking—then both gave bitter smiles and shrugged.
"If this were an ordinary battle, we wouldn't have any problems," Rōshi said calmly.
"But against that Golden Lion… the power of our tailed beasts can't be fully used."
The reason was painfully simple.
Whether it was Son Gokū, the Four-Tails, or Kokuō, the Five-Tails—
Both had been completely cowed.
And the one who did it was Shiki.
That kind of overwhelming suppression—where resistance wasn't even possible—hadn't just frightened the shinobi watching.
Even the tailed beasts themselves had been shaken.
Tailed beasts were proud creatures. Arrogant. Wild.
But pride meant nothing when faced with strength so overwhelming it forced recognition.
Just like the Nine-Tails.
Mention the name Uchiha in front of Kurama, and it would immediately fly into a rage.
Yet if Kurama were truly forced to confront Uchiha Madara head-on—
Its first instinct wouldn't be to fight.
It would be to run.
Because to Madara, a tailed beast that could be subdued by a Mangekyō Sharingan was nothing more than a puppy—barely even a pet.
That was how absolute the gap in strength was.
And now, Son Gokū and Kokuō were in a similar position.
"Haaah…"
Hearing this, Ōnoki felt even more powerless.
But he didn't blame them.
Because if he were in their place—if he had even the slightest opportunity to avoid facing that Golden Lion—
He would have done the same.
"…Forget it."
At this point, there was no meaning in saying more.
Ōnoki waved his hand dismissively.
Under his leadership, the shinobi of Iwagakure gathered in full force.
At the same time, a thousand shinobi led by Shiki arrived atop a towering cliff.
From there, the entire Iwagakure camp came into view—
A massive white encampment stretching over nearly a hundred meters.
"Haaah… I'm really bullying the elderly again."
Shiki shook his head helplessly, resting the massive blade across his shoulder.
"Even I feel like a villain at this point. But honestly—starting a war at his age? That old man should've stayed quiet and rested in his rocky bed."
After observing the camp for a moment, Shiki shrugged casually.
Beside him, Hyūga Hiashi wore an expression he couldn't quite describe.
He genuinely didn't know what to say.
After all, in the entire shinobi world, the only person who could casually refer to Ōnoki, the Third Tsuchikage, as an "ordinary old man"…
Was Shiki.
"Hiashi," Shiki said casually.
"Have the shinobi who can use Water Release step forward."
Shiki didn't dwell on it further and simply issued the order.
"Yes!" Hiashi responded immediately.
Soon, hundreds of shinobi proficient in Water Release lined up at the front.
Shiki waved his hand again, grinning.
"Water Release—go say hello to the Earth-style users who spend their lives eating dirt."
"…!"
Some of the shinobi almost laughed.
Under a leader like this, a battlefield that should have been tense and deadly somehow felt… oddly lively.
"Yes!"
No one questioned the order.
The Water Release shinobi began forming hand seals in unison.
"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"
"Water Release: Rushing Torrent!"
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
One jutsu alone might not seem extraordinary.
But when hundreds of shinobi unleashed Water Release simultaneously—
The result was catastrophic.
A roaring, tsunami-like flood poured down from the cliff, surging forward with destructive force toward the Iwagakure camp.
Boom!
Bang!
The combined Water Release looked like a natural disaster.
Terrifying beyond words.
Inside the Iwagakure camp, shinobi who had just finished assembling froze in horror as the sound of rushing water thundered toward them.
"What is that?!"
"A flood?!"
"Is this… a natural disaster?!"
"Is the world itself turning against Iwagakure?!"
They couldn't be blamed.
This level of Water Release was truly horrifying.
Finally, a furious Ōnoki roared, his voice echoing across the camp.
"Idiot! That's not a natural disaster!"
"This is obviously Water Release ninjutsu—are all of you blind?!"
Though impressive, this level of Water Release wasn't enough to truly frighten him.
"Don't just stand there like fools!"
"Use Earth Release immediately!"
The shinobi jolted back to reality.
They felt shame burn through them.
Enemy jutsu was already at their doorstep—and they had been standing there in awe like corpses waiting to die.
Under Ōnoki's furious rebuke, the Rock shinobi hurriedly formed hand seals.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Barrier!"
Earth Release was Iwagakure's specialty.
In a land of stone, nearly ninety percent of shinobi could use it.
Stone walls rose one after another, forming a defensive perimeter around the camp.
The raging flood smashed through several layers—
But eventually, it was stopped.
"Blocked."
Shiki smiled faintly as he watched the Water Release halted by Earth Release.
He didn't seem disappointed.
The hand resting behind his back had already moved to the hilts of his swords.
"Lion Might — Two Worlds Burial."
A golden sword slash tens of meters long erupted forward.
It tore through the battlefield like a blade through paper.
Stone walls that had just formed shattered instantly—cut apart without the slightest resistance.
"Damn it…!"
Ōnoki clenched his teeth.
So it really was the Golden Lion leading them.
That distinctive golden sword energy—
He knew he would never forget it for the rest of his life.
Ōnoki formed seals rapidly and rose into the air.
Between his hands, a white cubic construct formed and rotated.
"Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!"
Boom!
Dust Release collided head-on with the golden sword slash, neutralizing it completely.
Yet despite blocking the attack, Ōnoki felt no relief.
Only frustration.
Dust Release was supposed to be his ultimate killing technique.
But now…
It could barely do more than cancel out Shiki's casual sword slashes.
As for actually attacking Shiki with Dust Release?
That was a joke.
Once the battle truly began, Ōnoki couldn't even track Shiki's movements—let alone land a hit.
"Golden Lion!"
Ōnoki's roar echoed across the camp.
"Since you're here—show yourself!"
If Shiki continued attacking from the shadows, launching sword slashes at will, Ōnoki would be completely helpless.
"Well… that's a pretty old-fashioned provocation."
Shiki laughed openly, resting the blade against his shoulder.
It was obvious what Ōnoki was trying to do.
Even Hiashi and the others nearby laughed quietly in disdain.
But before anyone could comment—
Shiki's next words left them speechless.
"Old-fashioned…"
"But surprisingly effective."
Whoosh!
"Ugh!"
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