The day after the Konoha Crush Plan ended, a major piece of news reached Sunagakure's upper ranks.
One of Sunagakure's squads discovered the bodies of the Fourth Kazekage Rasa and his elite guard unit along a vital route leading to the Land of Fire.
Upon examination, they had been dead for several days. It was clear they had been ambushed on their way to Konoha.
This meant that the "Fourth Kazekage" who had participated in the Konoha Crush Plan had been an impostor from beginning to end.
Though there was no way to prove whether the Fourth Kazekage who had previously plotted this plan with the Sound Ninja had been involved.
This discovery, combined with the despairingly overwhelming strength Konoha had displayed during the Crush Plan—especially Naruto Uzumaki's—completely shattered Sunagakure's last shred of wishful thinking.
Faced with an absolute gap in strength, along with the complete failure of their cause and strategy.
After an emergency discussion, Sunagakure's leadership had no choice but to send an envoy to Konoha with a document of unconditional surrender.
They claimed that they had been deceived in the entire matter, that the Kazekage had also been murdered, and that Sunagakure itself had known nothing.
As Konoha's newly appointed Fifth Hokage, Naruto Uzumaki came to Konoha Hospital after completing the inauguration ceremony everyone had eagerly awaited and dealing with the current administrative affairs.
Several rooms deep within the hospital had been temporarily designated to house and monitor the Sunagakure ninja who had survived the Konoha Crush Plan.
Konoha ninja stood guard in the corridors, and the atmosphere was exceedingly oppressive.
Naruto brought no attendants and walked alone to the door of the innermost room.
When the Konoha ninja guarding the door saw Naruto, they immediately bowed respectfully. "Lord Hokage!"
Naruto gave a slight nod and pushed