Afterglow and New Life

The thunderous cheers receded like a tide, replaced by a quiet mingling of exhaustion, joy, and hope for the future. The Battle of Taoyuan Village ended with Duanmu Ci single-handedly nearly annihilating the Kirigakure Seven Ninja Swordsmen, a force that shook the shinobi world! This feat alone was enough to be etched into the annals of ninja history.

The battlefield was a mess. The forest reshaped by "Wood Style: Flowering Tree World Descent" still stood, its eerie flowers retracting their edge, swaying gently in the breeze and releasing a faint lingering fragrance that masked the heavy stench of blood. Giant trees were snapped, the ground was crisscrossed with ravines, blackened explosion scars were everywhere, and several shocking pools of blood and fragments of ninja swords silently testified to the battle's brutality.

Under Shizune's command, the guard members suppressed their excitement and fatigue and began methodically clearing the battlefield. They carefully gathered the remains of fallen comrades—though Duanmu Ci had drawn most of the fire, the Swordsmen's attendants and the battle's aftermath still caused a few guard casualties—their faces marked by grief but more by resolve. Their gazes toward the embracing figures at the center of the battlefield were filled with unparalleled reverence and loyalty. Lord Duanmu had protected their home!

The severely wounded Jinin Akebino and Juzo Biwa were bound in special Wood Style shackles engraved with sealing runes, closely guarded by elite troops. These two swordsmen were valuable prisoners and sources of intelligence. The bodies of the other five were also collected, along with their broken swords—Samehada destroyed, Nuibari, Lightning Blade: Fang, Twin Swords: Flatfish, and the remnants of Juzo Biwa's Kubikiribōchō—sealed as trophies. These would become symbols of Taoyuan Village's strength and deterrence, as well as key bargaining chips in negotiations with Konoha's high command.

Duanmu Ci gently released Tsunade from his embrace. Her cheeks still bore traces of tears and a flush of excitement, but her golden eyes shone brilliantly like stars after rain. He raised a hand and tenderly wiped the moisture from the corner of her eye, his voice hoarse from battle but incredibly gentle: "It's over. We won."

"Mm!" Tsunade nodded firmly, then gripped his hand tightly, interlacing their fingers as if to confirm this reality. "You... are you okay?" She looked him over, knowing that even with his strength, facing the Swordsmen's assault couldn't have left him unscathed.

"A bit drained. I'll recover after some rest," Duanmu Ci said with a smile, reassuring her. The excessive consumption of Sage Chakra and intense mental focus had indeed brought fatigue, but the Sage Body's powerful recovery was quickly taking effect. He looked at the devastated outskirts of Taoyuan Village, especially the area destroyed by Munashi Jinpachi's suicide explosion, and the barrier and some buildings damaged by the battle, frowning slightly. "Our home... took a lot of damage."

"Home can be rebuilt!" Tsunade's voice was resolute, full of strength. "As long as the people are here, as long as hope remains, Taoyuan Village will only be better than before!" She surveyed the guard members beginning their work and the residents emerging from shelters with joy at surviving the ordeal, her golden eyes burning with unprecedented fighting spirit. "Come on, let's go see the wounded and reassure everyone. Reconstruction starts immediately!"

Tsunade acted swiftly, throwing herself into post-war work. She personally led the Medical Team in treating the injured—including wounded guards and a few residents caught in the battle's aftermath—showcasing the formidable abilities of the "Medical Saint." At the same time, as the village's mistress, she methodically directed non-combatants to clear rubble, distribute supplies, and comfort frightened children. Her steady, powerful voice carried a calming force, quickly quelling post-war panic and reuniting Taoyuan Village.

Duanmu Ci stood on high ground, overlooking it all. He took a deep breath and formed hand seals again, this time not with destructive Sage techniques, but with gentle, life-filled Wood Style chakra.

"Wood Style: Pillar House Technique!"

"Wood Style: Four Pillar House Technique!"

"Wood Style: Greening Technique!"

As he performed the techniques, simple but tidy temporary houses made of sturdy wood rose from the ruins of destroyed areas, providing shelter for displaced residents. The ground, pitted and scarred by explosions and ninjutsu, was quickly leveled and compacted by Wood Style power. On the blackened earth, tender green sprouts emerged at a visible rate, rapidly spreading to cover the wounds. Broken trees were cleared, and new saplings were nurtured to fill the traces of war.

Duanmu Ci's Wood Style had become the most miraculous force of construction. He was like a deity of life and creation, using the earth as a canvas and chakra as paint, swiftly healing the wounds of home. The guard members and residents watched this incredible sight, their awe and sense of belonging deepening. This was their guardian god! Not only could he destroy powerful enemies, but he could also rebuild their home!

With the joint efforts of Duanmu Ci and Tsunade, Taoyuan Village quickly recovered order from post-war chaos. Grief was soothed, wounds were healed, and the spark of hope reignited over the ruins, burning brighter than ever. An unprecedented sense of unity and pride grew in the hearts of every Taoyuan Village resident. They had endured a life-and-death trial together, witnessed the guardian's immense power, and understood more deeply the precious meaning of the word "Taoyuan."

Konoha, Hokage Office.

The detailed battle report on the defense of Taoyuan Village, like a heavy bomb dropped into deep water, stirred up unprecedented waves in the Hokage high-level meeting room!

The report was personally written and encrypted by Minato Namikaze, its contents suffocatingly detailed: The Kirigakure Seven Ninja Swordsmen mobilized in full force, launching a surprise attack on Taoyuan Village... Duanmu Ci fought alone... Unleashed the terrifying Wood Style Sage Technique "Flowering Tree World Descent"... Single-handedly killed Hozuki Mangetsu, Kushimaru Kuriarare, Ringo Ameyuri, and Suikazan Fuguki, captured Jinin Akebino and Juzo Biwa alive, seized multiple legendary ninja swords (including the shattered Samehada)... Completely annihilated the Seven Ninja Swordsmen!

Dead silence filled the meeting room.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's hand holding his pipe froze mid-air; the tobacco had long gone out, but he didn't notice. On his wrinkled face, shock, ecstasy, disbelief, and a trace of deep concern intertwined. One man destroying the Seven Ninja Swordsmen? What a staggering feat! Even if his teacher Hashirama Senju were reborn, he might barely match this! Duanmu Ci's strength had far exceeded his initial estimates, reaching a terrifying height capable of reshaping the shinobi world's balance!

The two elder advisors, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, were dumbfounded, unable to speak for a long time. Their worldview seemed completely overturned. The Seven Ninja Swordsmen... those were Kirigakure's ultimate hidden killing weapons! And they were... taken down by one person like chopping vegetables? This was like a myth!

"Bang!" A dull sound broke the silence. Shimura Danzō crushed the teacup in his hand, scalding tea and porcelain shards splashing over him, but he didn't notice. His single eye stared fixedly at the report, bloodshot from extreme shock and... uncontrollable greed! His chest heaved violently, his breathing rough like a broken bellows.

Wood Style! Sage Techniques! And that vague report of a bizarre "Gravity Secret Technique" that could, at a critical moment, freeze Nuibari from a distance to save Tsunade and pull Suikazan Fuguki back! (Minato cautiously described it in the report as "an unknown, powerful gravity-manipulating secret technique.") All this power... if "Root" could grasp it... if it could be used by him, Danzō...

"Impossible... This is absolutely impossible!" Danzō's voice was hoarse and twisted, filled with hysterical denial of the facts slapping him in the face. "Minato must have exaggerated the results! Or... Duanmu Ci used some forbidden technique! The cost must be enormous! He's definitely weak now! Hiruzen! This is a golden opportunity! Send the Anbu immediately, no—send 'Root' to take over Taoyuan Village! Control Duanmu Ci! Seize his power! Force out the source and secrets of his strength! This kind of power must be in Konoha's hands, in the hands of... the right person!" He was almost shouting, his single eye flashing with near-mad obsession and possessiveness.