The Sorrow of Ending War!

Boom! Amid the white smoke unique to the Summoning Jutsu, the Eight-Tails descended upon the land. Sharingan patterns filled its eyes, and from the instant it was summoned, it had fallen under Riu's ocular power.

"What is that monster!?" the Takigakure ninja cried out.

"A bull's head, an octopus body, eight tails... Could it be the E-Eight-Tails..." The well-informed Shibuki collapsed to the ground the moment he recognized the Eight-Tails. He knew that no matter how much he tried to rally everyone, it was beyond saving.

Regret consumed him.

If only he had accepted Uchiha Riu's offer of allegiance... Would Takigakure have avoided this catastrophe? And with a powerhouse of this level stationed here, plus the Eight-Tails, wouldn't Takigakure have possessed strength comparable to a village of the Five Great Nations? There would have been no need to fear their suppression at all.

But no amount of regret could change anything now.

Not only had he caused Takigakure to lose its chance to rise, he had also pushed the village onto a dead-end path...

"I'm sorry. My foolish decision harmed everyone," Shibuki confessed.

Yet the Waterfall Village ninja did not blame him.

"Village Chief, you don't need to blame yourself. You will always be the hero of our Takigakure. We will always be proud to have followed you. No matter what world we go to, we will continue following you!"

"You all... Ugh..." Tears streamed down Shibuki's aged face.

Yes. The Shinobi World was bound together by bonds: bonds between people, bonds between people and ninja villages, bonds between ninja villages...

Even justice and evil had their own bonds. Different beliefs and different pursuits led to different paths, and thus war was born...

Then only those with power were worthy of protecting their bonds.

"..." Riu watched the scene, and his hardened heart softened for the first time in a long while.

Boom! A massive Tailed Beast Bomb formed in the Eight-Tails' mouth. When it fired, it flew over the heads of the Waterfall Village ninja... destroying only the village behind them, sparing their lives!

Facing the stunned Waterfall Village ninja, Riu said, "Shibuki, leave."

"Y-You're willing to let us go?" Shibuki asked in a trembling voice.

Yes, he would let them go—but only let them go. He could no longer keep them for his own use. Having lost their families, friends, and lovers, these people would never sincerely submit to Riu.

Riu was not afraid of their revenge. He simply did not wish to use people he could not use, nothing more.

Riu reminded him, "Leave before I change my mind! Remember to hide your identities, and don't do anything beyond your means, or else..."

"I understand. I've already made one foolish decision. I won't make a second!" That was what Shibuki said, and it was what he did in the future as well. He truly led the Waterfall Village ninja into seclusion, and from then on, they lived in peace without speaking of it again.

The Waterfall Village ninja turned around and cast one final, longing look at the village behind them, swallowed by a sea of flames. Carrying their comrades' bodies, they left the place where they had lived for generations.

Boom!

The Eight-Tails vanished and returned to Riu's Space-Time Dimension.

Takigakure had been erased from the map of the Shinobi World forever, leaving behind only a blank stretch of land. A new village and a new order would be established here.

Tobi and Yūhi Uzuki descended from the mountaintop and came to stand behind Riu.

Xiyang looked at the man with mixed emotions. Yu still showed mercy after all. He truly isn't cold-hearted.

"Tobi, compared with the Madara you know, how far behind was the strength I displayed just now?" Riu could not help asking.

"Emmmm, do you want to hear the truth?" Tobi asked.

"Of course."

"If it were Madara, he probably would have ended the battle in half the time you took..." Tobi said.

Riu nodded. The conclusion he had reached was the same as Tobi's.

But Tobi changed the subject. "Still, when it comes solely to the use of Wood Release Power, there's no doubt you're already far beyond Madara. After all, even that Madara never obtained the First Hokage's complete power..."

Riu did not grow complacent because of that. Competing with Uchiha Madara in Wood Release was like competing with Hashirama Senju in ocular power...

The two had already reached the pinnacle in their respective specialties. It was merely that Madara's ambitions were greater, and he was not satisfied with his existing power, so he had dabbled in Wood Release.

Only by surpassing the two at their peaks in both ocular power and Wood Release could Riu feel any sense of accomplishment!

Now, Riu possessed both powers, and he continued climbing upward with Hashirama Senju and Uchiha Madara as his temporary goals!

Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle, gurgle.

At that moment, the White Zetsu emerged from the ground, bringing their whole families along.

"Hey, where's the village?"

"I heard we have a new home. You're not going to make us sleep on the ground, are you..."

"The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path is gone! That was our old nest! Where did you move it!?"

The White Zetsu chattered noisily.

"Quit your nonsense. For you lot, building a ninja village is something you could finish in minutes..."

Whoosh!

Riu took out a scroll from the Kamui Dimension and spread it open.

The scroll contained the structures and designs of various houses. Riu's Sharingan spun rapidly, and after scanning the scroll's contents, he copied everything into his mind with his eyes.

He closed his eyes. About twenty seconds later, he opened them again, put away the scroll, and rose to his feet. After walking forward, he formed hand seals and pressed both hands against the earth.

Wood Release: Serial Pillar Houses Jutsu!

Rumble, rumble, rumble, rumble!!

Rows upon rows of houses rose from the ground, crisscrossing and standing in orderly succession. Every detail had been reproduced with astonishing precision...

Just like that, a ninja village was built!

"A-Amazing..." Yūhi Uzuki covered her lips, her beautiful eyes shining.

"This is the basic form of our village. I'll add the more specific details after I return," Riu said.

"You're going to the Land of Iron?" Yūhi Uzuki asked.

"Mm. I'll go alone. You all settle down here first." After speaking to Xiyang, Riu looked at the White Zetsu. "Also, go find the daimyo of the Land of Waterfalls and complete all the necessary procedures..."

One nation, one ninja village—this was the system that had remained in use since the First Hokage ended the era of war.

The nation provided funds and resources to the ninja village, while the ninja village carried out commissions and provided military protection for the nation.

"You're so sure the daimyo of the Land of Waterfalls will recognize this village?" a White Zetsu asked.

"Heh, does he have another choice? Takigakure has already been destroyed, and the Land of Waterfalls has lost its military protection. He can only choose us, who are stronger. Otherwise... the Land of Waterfalls will inevitably become prey for the great nations," Riu said plainly.

"Yu, once you get to the Land of Iron, you must be careful. In today's Shinobi World, the election of the five supreme leaders is being held there, and the strongest ninja bearing the title of Kage are all gathered there!" Yūhi Uzuki could not help warning him worriedly.

Riu smiled gently. "Don't worry. Very soon, there will be one more ninja bearing the title of Kage..."

And so, Riu set out for the Land of Iron.

Next stop: the Five Kage Summit!