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At this moment, Ōnoki lived up to his title as Tsuchikage. His face was the color of dirt.
Qianyu had spoken the truth. All of Iwa's remaining high-tier combatants were tied up. An allied force several times their number could sweep Iwagakure clean with ease.
What should I do…
Ōnoki glanced down at the Iwa battle lines, a scene of wailing and utter rout. For the first time, a trace of confusion flickered across his iron-willed face.
The village his grandfather (Ishikawa) and his master (Mū) had entrusted to him… was it now going to fall under his watch, under Ōnoki's hand?
"Qianyu," Ōnoki began. After a long, shifting silence, he had abandoned the idea of a last stand. He took a deep breath. "If I… if I truly go to my death, will you spare Iwagakure?"
Even when facing Madara Uchiha in his youth, Ōnoki had never bowed his head. Yet now, for the village his ancestors had poured their hearts into, he willingly lowered it to a junior.
This was precisely why the villagers of Iwa held their Tsuchikage in such esteem.
Stubborn, unyielding—but Ōnoki was a true shinobi who loved his village, who placed its interests above all else.
The contrast was stark. Here was Ōnoki, leading from the front, while a certain Sarutobi back in Konoha still seemed reluctant to take the field.
"Ōnoki," Qianyu shook his head, meeting the old man's complex gaze. "You know better than anyone. Things have reached a point beyond either of our control."
He had set this tide in motion, yes. But now he was riding it too. Below them, thousands upon thousands of shinobi were waiting to carve up the spoils of Iwa's fall. How could a single word from him stop that?
Unless he personally stepped in to overawe everyone. But the key question was… why would he? Because Ōnoki offered to die?
What a joke. Ōnoki was going to die by his hand sooner or later anyway. What kind of bargain was that?
"Wake up, Ōnoki," Qianyu snorted lightly, watching the color drain from the Tsuchikage's face. "Your village's fall today is inevitable. However… if you order a surrender, if your people lay down their arms, I can restrain my forces from unnecessary slaughter."
"That's my final offer. Non-negotiable. You have one minute. Think it over."
Qianyu delivered the ultimatum. Rasa heard this. Beside him, he ceased his movements, watching Ōnoki coldly.
Their own men's lives mattered too. If they could take Iwagakure with fewer casualties, both Qianyu and Rasa would welcome it.
Not to mention, Iwa's manpower was a valuable resource in itself. There were bound to be bloodline holders among them. Once divided up and taken back by the villages, they'd be excellent for mining or construction.
"…Fine. I surrender."
That minute stretched for Ōnoki, lasting an entire century.
After a torturous internal struggle, the shrewd "Fence-Sitter" Ōnoki made his final calculation.
"Shinobi of Iwagakure!" Ōnoki's eyes were red-rimmed as he scanned his people below. He channeled chakra, forcing his voice to carry across the entire battlefield. "I have surrendered! Cease your futile resistance! Lay down your arms!"
"What? The Tsuchikage surrendered?"
"We were ready to fight to the death! Why has our leader yielded first?!"
Faced with the indignant cries of the die-hards, Ōnoki remained silent. He chose to bear this alone, to trade his own infamy for a chance of survival for those who remained.
"Sunagakure forces, hear me! Those who lay down their weapons will be spared! Kill the rest!"
"Konoha shinobi! No killing of surrendering forces!"
"You bastards from Kiri! If any of you raises a hand against the unarmed, I'll cut your heads off myself!"
The sudden Iwa surrender threw the allied lines into momentary confusion. The three leaders from different camps issued orders in quick succession, swiftly stabilizing the situation.
At the same time, the three figures in the air descended into the midst of the allied forces.
"Someone!" Qianyu beckoned. "Escort our esteemed Tsuchikage to the command tent for some tea. Treat him well. No disrespect."
Several squads from the sealing corps hurried over and began layering various restraining seals on Ōnoki.
"Qianyu," Ōnoki said, giving him a deep look. "I have done as you asked. I hope you will honor your word."
He offered no resistance as the sealing teams locked down his chakra.
"Relax," Qianyu waved a dismissive hand. "I, Qianyu, am not one to break promises. Take him away."
He gestured for his men to lead Ōnoki off. He still had die-hard Iwa ninja to deal with.
With their Tsuchikage leading the surrender, Iwa's morale shattered completely. Combined with their already broken ranks, the vast majority chose to capitulate, placing their hands on their heads and lying prone on the ground.
"RAAAAAGH! Ōnoki! You spineless old fool! To choose surrender!"
On another part of the field, Rōshi was still struggling. With a roar, he unleashed his Lava Release at full power. A shocking wave of magma erupted, violently breaking free from Shukaku and the surrounding sealing ninja.
Whoosh!
Just as the allied forces braced for a rampage, Rōshi did an abrupt about-face. He turned and ran. He just… ran for the distant hills without a backward glance.
"Let him go," Qianyu's voice cut through, stopping several elite squads who were about to give chase. "He's nothing but a stray dog now. Take your teams and clean up the stubborn ones who refuse to surrender."
He'd already secured the Four-Tails' chakra. Rōshi escaping was fine. It would just make Madara's future tailed beast hunting a bit more troublesome.
"You two squads, with me. This way."
"Yes, sir!"
Qianyu selected two trusted teams and picked a random direction to begin the mop-up. Rasa similarly chose another sector.
Whoosh!
Right then, from among the prone Iwa ninja, a black-haired woman moved. With a powerful thrust of her slender waist against the ground, she inverted her body with astonishing flexibility—launching herself straight at Qianyu!
"Die, villain!"
She hissed, her long, perfectly straight legs scissoring through the air like blades, aiming to crush Qianyu's neck in a classic decapitation strike.
She looks… so much like her…
For a moment, Qianyu was stunned. The woman's features were seventy, eighty percent similar to Kurotsuchi's—but far more refined, more strikingly beautiful.
Goddammit, this has to be Kurotsuchi's mother! That bastard Kitsuchi, single-handedly dragging down his daughter's looks!
In the original series, Kurotsuchi had a great body, earning her the fan title "Leg Shadow," but her face was merely pretty, not truly beautiful.
But this woman before him, with her waterfall of black hair… not only did she have a great figure, her features were like a painting. Qianyu felt a genuine, sudden stir in his chest.
Honestly, just look at Kitsuchi's rough mug. One could imagine just how stunning the other genetic contributor must have been to average out to a Kurotsuchi.
Crunch!
Distracted for too long, Qianyu let an attack that usually seemed like slow motion to him connect solidly. Her legs locked around his neck.
"Oh no! Protect Lord Qianyu!"
"Protect your ass! Use your damn head! Does Lord Qianyu need our protection?!"
One subordinate panicked, about to rush and tackle the woman, but a comrade yanked him back hard.
"Then why is Lord Qianyu—?"
"Idiot! Can't you see Lord Qianyu is… enjoying it?!"
Under his comrade's "guidance," the ninja's face lit up with sudden, profound understanding. So that was Lord Qianyu's taste.
"Damn you! Damn you! DAMN YOU!"
The black-haired woman, perched on Qianyu's shoulders, strained with all her might. She gritted her teeth so hard they nearly shattered. Not a scratch on Qianyu.
"You might want to get down now?" Qianyu suggested, now conscious of his image as a public figure. "This pose is… a bit undignified for a crowd."
He reached up, pulled her off his neck, and with apparent force, tossed her onto the ground.
"Quick, quick, quick! Brothers, this one! Lord Qianyu genuinely likes this one! Tie her up and get her back to Root, stat!"
A sharp-eyed Root ninja yelled, urging several kunoichi forward. They swiftly bound the woman with expert knots.
"What are you doing to me?! Mmmph—!"
One kunoichi, finding her too noisy, yanked off her own fishnet stocking and stuffed it into the woman's mouth. She then hoisted the struggling bundle over her shoulder and marched towards the camp.
"Hey now, what are you all… ahem… There are people watching, mind the impression…"
Qianyu felt somewhat helpless against his subordinates' enthusiasm. Was he that kind of man?
He made a token effort to stop them twice, then gave up.
It was their sincere gesture, after all. For a leader to openly reject it would be too cold. He could deal with it… later.
"Qianyu," Rasa sidled over, a wide grin on his face. He slung an arm around Qianyu's shoulders once he confirmed he was unharmed. "You play a pretty wild game, kid."
"Ah, Brother Rasa, you know me," Qianyu offered a pained smile. "I've never been interested in that sort of thing."
"I know you," Rasa chuckled, patting his shoulder. "But I know men better. Anyway, the cleanup here is mostly done. Time for the harvest."
He took Qianyu's words as mere shyness.
"Yeah," Qianyu's grin turned sly. "Time for the harvest."
The two, along with the others, entered Iwagakure proper. Led by a cooperative Iwa elder, they arrived at the village's treasury.
Creeeak…
The heavy doors swung open.
Row upon row of neatly stacked storage scrolls came into view. Each scroll held… a million ryo in gold.
"Killing, burning, and golden—ahem—Justice always receives heaven's rewards. So, Brother Rasa… shall we start filling our sacks?"
As he spoke, Qianyu produced a large burlap sack from who-knows-where and charged at the scrolls.
He wasn't particularly interested in money itself. But the sheer joy of picking it up for free? That was something else.
"Brat! At least give me a sack too!" Rasa laughed, following at a more leisurely pace. He wasn't too interested in money either. But the simple pleasure of "working" alongside Qianyu? That he enjoyed.
The Mizukage, silent as ever, followed them in. Though under Madara's control, he still considered Kiri's interests.
As the three began dividing Iwa's accumulated wealth, squads streamed into the village, systematically securing it.
Ordinary civilians were simply dispersed. Those with value were packaged and taken away. Their goal was clear: ensure the name "Iwagakure" vanished from the shinobi world.
"Cough, cough. Brother Rasa," Qianyu cleared his throat tactically, hefting his bulging sack. "Just remembered some urgent matters back at camp. I'll head back first."
"Of course, of course," Rasa gave him a look that said I know exactly what kind of 'urgent matter' it is. He waved with a grin. "Go on, hurry back and… resolve it."
"Oh, Qianyu," Rasa called out just as he was about to leave. "How long before I see you again? We still need to discuss the aftermath."
"Hmm… One… Ah, forget it. Make it half an hour, Brother Rasa," Qianyu sighed.
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