The War Was About to End

They had crossed the sea in high spirits with over ten thousand ninja and two Tailed Beasts, only to end up...

Getting beaten like dogs by a small country!

Hozuki Gengetsu no longer even dared to release the Tailed Beasts, afraid that seven-year-old child would beat them down again. If that happened, Kirigakure would truly become the only one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages without a Tailed Beast. He sighed as he looked at the dejected ninja around him. "How are things?"

"Not good." The Mizukage's Assistant wore an equally dispirited expression. "The casualties are heavy. Especially since the Three-Tails was captured by the Whirlpool Ninja, and we suffered severe Jonin losses while resealing the Six-Tails!"

He had guessed the beginning, yet somehow failed to guess the ending...

The Land of Whirlpools actually had such a powerful expert—someone who could go head-to-head with a Tailed Beast, and a child at that. Not only was the Mizukage having a hard time now, but his days as the Mizukage's Assistant probably would not be easy either! After all, his "Spearhead Plan" had caused such devastating losses that even a Tailed Beast had been captured.

Hozuki Gengetsu swept his gaze across the higher-ups. Every one of them looked away, unwilling to meet his eyes. There was no helping it—the kid was too strong. They could not beat him, and he even had Space-Time Ninjutsu. Trapping him was difficult enough!

"Ah!" The moment Hozuki Gengetsu saw this, he knew the war was over. The Mist Ninja had lost their fighting spirit, but...

Going back would likely leave him in an even worse position! He had even lost a Tailed Beast. The Yuki Clan was probably celebrating wildly by now, and he had no idea what decision the village leadership would make after hearing the news Jōyō Minazuki brought back.

But he knew one thing: his position as village chief would not be easy to keep.

Hozuki Gengetsu's heart was filled with bitterness!

He had worked tirelessly for the ninja village all these years, looking upon Kirigakure at four in the morning every day. Who had it all been for? Was it not for the village's strength, prosperity, and peace?

Yet now, because of one wrong decision, he had been driven into such a predicament.

And who had that decision been for? Was it not for the village?

Because of its victory in this ninja war, Konoha would enter a period of rapid development. If they did not make a decision to restrain Konoha now, Kirigakure might never catch up to it!

And the Tailed Beasts...

Lord Hashirama and the First Hokage had purchased the two Tailed Beasts at great expense, but with no after-sales service, they could only be used like Pokémon even now. Was that not a waste? Every time they recovered a Tailed Beast, they suffered massive ninja casualties.

That was why he had invaded the Land of Whirlpools—to allow the ninja village to produce Jinchuriki. Did no one in the village understand him?

Everything he had done was for the ninja village!

Who knew the bitterness in his heart?!

A bunch of short-sighted fools, all fixated on nothing but the village chief's position.

But now...

"What should we do now?" Hozuki Gengetsu said helplessly. It was too late for anything now. These Mist Ninja no longer had the spirit to fight the Whirlpool Ninja. It was all because of that ninjutsu...

It was simply too terrifying.

Besides, calls for peace had already been growing louder across the Shinobi World. Many people were probably longing for peace now.

"Withdraw." The Mizukage's Assistant spoke helplessly. The Mizukage could not be the one to suggest such a thing, so it could only come from him, the Mizukage's Assistant. He already had enough blame piled onto him; one more would make no difference. He would use his remaining time in this position to do one last thing for the Mizukage.

"Is that what all of you think?" Hozuki Gengetsu looked over everyone present. Seeing them all lower their heads in silence, the answer was obvious. He sighed. "Withdraw! Send people to negotiate with the Land of Whirlpools."

Then Hozuki Gengetsu's tone turned firm. "No matter what, we must get the Three-Tails back."

As for that seven-year-old Kage-level child, hehe!!!

No one in the Shinobi World wanted another God of the Ninja World to emerge. Someone would deal with him. And the Sealing Jutsu?

Even if Kirigakure could not obtain it, others would come for it. The Land of Whirlpools would not find it so easy to remain peaceful and secure.

Hearing the Mizukage's words, the Mizukage's Assistant fell silent. The Three-Tails would not be easy to retrieve!

After all, they were the invaders!

"Do you know your mission?" Uzumaki Kai asked solemnly as he looked at the Land of Whirlpools' foremost young experts gathered before him.

"We do!" everyone shouted.

"You will work in groups of three. Each group will carry one scroll," Uzumaki Kai said. "Deliver it to the ninja village assigned to you."

"Be careful. If things become impossible, throw the scroll away."

"After all, it only contains incomplete Sealing Jutsu. It will be useless even if someone gets it."

"Understood!"

Seeing that everyone understood, Uzumaki Kai nodded in satisfaction and said with a smile, "Go!"

The war was about to end, and these ninja were the most crucial step in pulling the Land of Whirlpools out of the mire. They would take specially made small boats and swiftly deliver the sealing scrolls to the various ninja villages, dealing Kirigakure one final blow.

Uzumaki Kai watched the departing ninja. Once their figures had nearly vanished from sight, he raised his head to the sky. What a blue sky! Before he knew it, tears had slowly blurred his vision. He murmured, "It's wonderful that the Land of Whirlpools wasn't destroyed!"

They had all heard the Great Elder's analysis. If the Land of Whirlpools had been destroyed, the Uzumaki Clan's fate would have been unimaginably miserable. No one wanted them to survive—not even their nominal ally.

Therefore...

As long as the country remained, there was hope. They would not have to leave their homeland or become wandering ninja...

He did not know whether he should hate Lord Mito, because the seeds of all this misery had been planted when Lord Mito became a Jinchuriki. Nor did he know whether he should hate Lord Hashirama, because Konoha had never fulfilled the promise he made to the Uzumaki Clan back then.

But he knew...

From the moment this war ended, the Uzumaki Clan could only rely on themselves.

"Lord Kai, what is it?" A young Whirlpool Ninja looked at Uzumaki Kai excitedly. "Is the war really about to end? Everyone is so excited!"

"Of course." Uzumaki Kai smiled. "Prince Xun said so."

Yes! Every clansman had begun to grow excited and thrilled.

"Prince Xun said it?" The youth grinned happily. "Then it must be true, because Prince Xun is so strong." His eyes shone with admiration.

Hearing the youth's words, especially as the ninja present all took it for granted and spoke of the person leading them toward peace with reverence, Uzumaki Kai smiled. "Yes! Prince Xun is very strong."

Therefore...

The Land of Whirlpools would definitely grow strong!!

"Remember to monitor the Mist Ninja's movements. Do not let anything go wrong at this point."

"Yes!"

The Land of Whirlpools had won.

This news continued to spread among the ninja. Fortunately, Xun Uzumaki had reminded them not to pass the news to the shelters yet. They could now be certain that the Land of Whirlpools would win, but victory had not truly arrived. If they sent word too soon, who knew what accident might happen? For now, it was better to let them wait quietly until true peace came.

They did not yet know what decision the Mist Ninja would make. After all, the Three-Tails was still in their hands, and Hozuki Gengetsu would certainly not be willing to give up.

Therefore...

Xun Uzumaki waited. He was waiting for Hozuki Gengetsu to send someone to negotiate.

And now?

He planned to have a chat with the Three-Tails!!

So he could make arrangements to bring in the Three-Tails later.

I wrote a chapter in the car. I had planned to sleep at eleven last night, but ended up lying in bed until four in the morning before I finally fell asleep. My insomnia acted up again! Then I was dragged out of bed after six to prepare to return to my hometown, and I could not sleep in the car either!

I'm exhausted, but I just can't sleep!

It's the second day of the Lunar New Year. Happy New Year, everyone!