As for why they felt so discouraged—
it was naturally because the power Konoha had displayed was simply too terrifying, too overwhelmingly dominant.
If this had been in the past, the Four Great Villages might still have been able to unite and put up a fight.
But now?
After Konoha swallowed the Hidden Rain Village and Takigakure with crushing force, then brought the Two-Tails, Three-Tails, Five-Tails, Seven-Tails, Eight-Tails, and Nine-Tails under its control—
everyone understood one thing clearly.
Even if Iwagakure, Kumogakure, Sunagakure, and Kirigakure joined forces, they no longer had any real chance.
The strong only grew stronger, and the weak only grew weaker.
That was an eternal truth.
As Konoha's strength continued to rise, it would only keep snowballing—stronger and stronger, with no sign of slowing.
"…Go bring back the Four-Tails jinchūriki, Rōshi."
After a long while, the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, seemed to make up his mind and spoke in a low voice.
"Konoha's momentum is already unstoppable. At this point, all we can do is keep our heads down and survive."
"Bring back Lord Rōshi?"
Kurotsuchi hesitated, glanced at Ōnoki, and then asked carefully,
"Grandpa… you're not angry anymore?"
"At a time like this, what's the point of being angry?"
Before she could finish, Ōnoki frowned and added,
"If Iwagakure is on the verge of disappearing, why should I still care about all that?"
"Oh…"
Kurotsuchi puffed her cheeks slightly and said no more.
She knew very well about the grudges between Rōshi and the Third Tsuchikage.
For Ōnoki to take the initiative and soften his stance like this—
that really was a first.
As for Kitsuchi, Akatsuchi, and the other Iwa higher-ups, they wisely chose not to say anything.
With Iwagakure's situation already this dire, if the Third Tsuchikage taking a step back could bring the Four-Tails jinchūriki, Rōshi, back to the village, then at the very least it would somewhat strengthen Iwagakure.
"Forget it. That's how it'll be."
The next moment, Ōnoki let out another weary sigh.
"Konoha has already become too strong. The Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Ren, is unmatched in the world."
"So all we can do is endure and develop quietly."
"Yes."
"Understood, Tsuchikage-sama."
"That's our only option."
Kurotsuchi, Kitsuchi, Akatsuchi, and the other Iwa higher-ups all revealed bitter expressions and nodded one after another.
What else could they do?
Things had already reached this point.
Other than taking one step at a time, what choice did Iwagakure still have?
After all—
Konoha had already expanded its territory all the way to the Moon.
Just thinking about that left Kurotsuchi, Kitsuchi, Akatsuchi, and the others feeling deeply frustrated and utterly helpless.
Whoosh!!!
But at that very moment—
accompanied by a spiraling ripple in space—
the masked Uchiha Obito and Uchiha Madara appeared inside the Tsuchikage's office.
"Who's there?!"
"Be careful—enemy attack!"
"Protect Lord Third Tsuchikage!"
The instant they saw the masked man and Madara, Kurotsuchi, Kitsuchi, Akatsuchi, and the rest of the Iwa higher-ups were startled and immediately entered battle stance.
Bang!!
At that same moment, without any warning, the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, seemed to be struck by some invisible shock.
His floating body dropped from midair and slammed onto the desk with a heavy thud.
"How is this possible…?"
"This familiar aura… I can't be sensing it wrong."
"Why… why is this happening?"
"Uchiha Madara is still alive?!"
"No… impossible! That's absolutely impossible!"
Collapsed on the desk, Ōnoki could no longer suppress the disbelief in his heart.
It was as if he had just been struck by some terrible nightmare.
The way he looked at Uchiha Madara was no different from seeing a ghost.
This was a joke, right?
Madara should have died long ago.
So how could he still be alive—
and standing inside the Tsuchikage's office?
For a moment, Ōnoki was horrified to the extreme.
Because the instant he saw Madara's familiar yet distant face, he was dragged back to the days when he had once lived under Madara's shadow—
to that helpless fear, and the despair of being utterly crushed.
"Lord Third Tsuchikage?"
At this point, even Kurotsuchi, Kitsuchi, Akatsuchi, and the others were stunned.
They had never expected the usually calm and unshakable Third Tsuchikage to be frightened to this extent.
It was unbelievable.
"Ōnoki. Long time no see."
A trace of disdain flashed through Madara's indifferent eyes as he said calmly,
"After all these years, you're still as weak as ever."
"You bastard!"
"You're not allowed to talk about Lord Third Tsuchikage like that!"
"Damn it, stop spouting nonsense!"
Even though they knew the newcomer's identity could not be simple, Kurotsuchi, Kitsuchi, Akatsuchi, and the others still could not hold back their angry shouts.
"Noisy."
Hearing them, Madara coldly barked out a single word.
Buzz!!
In the next instant, a terrifying wave of ocular pressure erupted from Madara's Rinnegan and descended upon Kurotsuchi, Kitsuchi, Akatsuchi, and the other Iwa higher-ups with overwhelming force.
"Th-this… is this pressure?"
Sensing that immeasurably deep, all-suppressing pressure, Kurotsuchi, Kitsuchi, Akatsuchi, and the others all revealed expressions of horror.
Their minds rang violently, and their thoughts went blank.
Pfft!
The sound of blood being coughed up rang out.
Among them, Kurotsuchi—being slightly weaker—was the first to be crushed by the invisible force of the Rinnegan.
She spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed to the floor.
Bang!
That was like a fuse being lit.
Kitsuchi, Akatsuchi, and the rest of the Iwa higher-ups all had their minds shaken violently and fell to the ground one after another.
"So strong…!"
"Who exactly are these two?!"
"That man's eyes… they look like the Rinnegan."
"The Sage of Six Paths' eyes—the Rinnegan—are this terrifying?!"
Only after being suppressed and slammed to the ground did Kitsuchi, Akatsuchi, and the others finally regain their senses.
But their expressions had already turned ashen.
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