End This Mistaken War

No matter how hard Minato Namikaze tried, he could not understand why, even after rushing to the battlefield at full speed with the Flying Thunder God Technique, he was still a step slower than Uchiha Daiki.

Just as he was pondering this in bewilderment, Uchiha Daiki's voice reached him.

"You seem to have arrived late, Minato-senpai."

Those words brought Minato Namikaze back to his senses, and his gaze could not help but meet Uchiha Daiki's.

"You haven't forgotten our agreement, have you? You're far behind."

As Uchiha Daiki spoke, he suddenly used an advanced version of the Body Flicker Technique, appearing at Minato Namikaze's side in an instant.

That move left Minato Namikaze stunned, his body seeming to jolt as if struck by lightning.

His eyes widened slightly, revealing an incredulous expression.

"Flying Thunder God... When did you?"

As the one who had improved the Flying Thunder God Technique, Minato Namikaze understood this Space-Time Ninjutsu better than anyone.

At that moment, he recognized it at a glance. This was the Flying Thunder God Technique.

Yet it was obvious that Uchiha Daiki's Flying Thunder God Technique was likely even more refined than his own.

"It seems I copied your technique. It doesn't appear to be as difficult to master as it looks..."

Uchiha Daiki smiled faintly.

Displaying this ability directly before Minato Namikaze had been carefully considered.

Sooner or later, the other man would learn that he had mastered the technique.

Since that was the case, he might as well use this meeting to guide Minato Namikaze and the two Hyuga Clan brothers.

Sure enough, upon hearing Uchiha Daiki's words, Minato Namikaze's expression grew even more serious.

He turned his head in disbelief and met Uchiha Daiki's gaze.

In those pitch-black eyes, he saw a clear and sincere light. He did not seem to be lying; instead, there was more than a hint of showing off and challenge.

Before Minato Namikaze could speak, Hyuga Hiashi, who had been listening to the two of them, could not help but speak up.

"I had thought that Minato's ability to improve the Flying Thunder God Technique developed by the Second Hokage at such a young age already made him exceptionally gifted. I never expected your talent to be even greater than his."

"The Uchiha Clan had Body Flicker Shisui before, and now a genius like you has appeared. The two of you can truly be called the Uchiha's twin heroes."

Hyuga Hiashi's words gradually dispelled the uncertainty in Minato Namikaze's eyes.

At that moment, he too began to believe that Uchiha Daiki's talent was simply too extraordinary, and that his comprehension surpassed ordinary imagination, allowing him to master the Flying Thunder God Technique so quickly.

"I'm twenty-two this year. How old are you?" Minato Namikaze suddenly asked.

"Eighteen," Uchiha Daiki replied.

Minato Namikaze gave a bitter smile and nodded in acknowledgment. "Then your talent truly is greater than mine."

Uchiha Daiki merely smiled faintly at that assessment and did not respond.

As long as a genius like Minato Namikaze did not become overly suspicious of the source of his power, that was enough.

Minato Namikaze came back to his senses and turned to the two Hyuga Clan brothers. "Since the battle here has ended, let's go support the others."

"I've already sent the situation here back to the village."

In a Shinobi World War, the importance of intelligence went without saying.

After Kirigakure's forces withdrew from the battlefield, the Intelligence Divisions of the major shinobi villages began frantically gathering information from the front lines.

All kinds of battlefield reports were relayed back through the Anbu forces of the major shinobi villages at the first opportunity, providing important references for their respective nations' leaders.

Before long, news that Kumogakure's forces from the Land of Lightning had withdrawn from the battlefield reached the Land of Fire, the Land of Water, the Land of Lightning, the Land of Earth, and the Land of Wind.

The intelligence even included detailed information such as the names and characteristics of the opponents Kumogakure's forces had fought.

At that moment, within the Land of Lightning's daimyo residence.

After reading the intelligence delivered by the Anbu, the Land of Lightning Daimyo paced in circles like an ant on a hot pan.

"Lord Daimyo, Iwagakure's forces from the Land of Earth withdrew not long ago. Now our Kumogakure forces have suffered defeat after defeat. It seems Konoha is a tough bone to chew."

"Should we also consider Konoha's proposal for peace talks?"

The daimyo's advisers began offering suggestions to the Land of Lightning Daimyo based on the actual situation on the battlefield.

Kumogakure's advisory team was also present.

"Given the current battlefield situation, the Yellow Flash alone is enough to pose a serious threat to any of our shinobi villages, not to mention Body Flicker Shisui of the Uchiha Clan and Uchiha Daiki, the Ruthless Reaper."

"With top-tier fighters like them around, leaving aside whether we can take Konoha, no matter how many of our living forces we send, we would merely be sending them to their deaths."

Kumogakure's advisory team also gave their own assessment.

"The Ruthless Reaper?"

The Land of Lightning Daimyo's eyes twitched slightly.

His mind was now in complete turmoil, and he had utterly run out of ideas.

"This time, our Kumogakure forces suffered severe losses under Uchiha Daiki's attacks. According to incomplete statistics, the number of shinobi we have lost to him has already exceeded five hundred."

"Every time he attacked, he showed no mercy. He was like a death god completely devoid of human emotion, one who only knew how to reap lives. That is why we gave him such a nickname..."

Kumogakure's advisory team's explanation made the Land of Lightning Daimyo's expression grow even more grave.

After considering it again and again, he finally made his decision helplessly.

"Send the order. Kumogakure's forces are to withdraw completely from the battlefield. It is time to end this mistaken war... Otherwise, the Land of Lightning will suffer even greater blows to both its military strength and economy."

The Land of Lightning Daimyo could only issue the order in resignation.

Meanwhile, the Land of Earth's daimyo made a similar decision.

Minato Namikaze, the Yellow Flash, had instantly killed fifty Iwagakure Jonin, which had already left them immensely shocked and wary.

Uchiha Daiki's emergence had thoroughly filled all of Iwagakure and even the Land of Earth with deep fear.

Seeing that the other shinobi villages had also chosen to retreat, they naturally had no reason to face a behemoth like Konoha alone.

Thus, among the four major shinobi villages that had fought Konoha, including Kirigakure of the Land of Water, which had been the first to withdraw, only Sunagakure of the Land of Wind remained.

As the weakest of the Five Great Shinobi Nations in military and economic strength, population, and other aspects, the Land of Wind had never possessed enough strength to confront Konoha head-on.

When the intelligence arrived and they learned that Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure had all withdrawn and admitted defeat, the morale of Sunagakure's forces plummeted to rock bottom.

On the Western Battlefield, Orochimaru personally led his forces and crushed Sunagakure's troops in one decisive push, adding further momentum toward bringing the Third Shinobi World War to a complete end.