As Ōnoki lowered his head, Rasa gave a bitter laugh, dropped his weapon, and fell to his knees. "Sunagakure... surrenders."
Next came the representative of the Hidden Cloud, then the commander of Kirigakure...
A rustling swept through the ranks.
With no one left to lead the resistance, the hundred thousand Allied Forces behind them folded like wheat before a gale. Row after row, they bowed to the boy in the pit below, a figure who seemed both god and demon.
The sound of discarded weapons rang across the snowy plain.
[Ding! Submission from the hundred thousand Allied Forces: +999999!] [Ding! Congratulations, host. You have completed the hidden peerless achievement: Unification of the World!]
Ye looked down at the armies bowing before him, then slowly lifted his foot from Isshiki's head.
That day, one man brought the war-torn age of the divided Five Great Nations to an end.
The Shinobi World was united at last.
The snowy plain stayed quiet for less than three minutes before Ye yawned, dispelling much of the grim tension of an army's surrender.
He walked up to Ōnoki and Rasa, his hands still in his coat pockets.
"All right. Since you've surrendered, let's settle the rest."
"The five nations are dissolved. From now on, they'll all be part of the Shinobi World Federation. Minato-sensei will handle everything."
Ye glanced at the two Kage hats.
"Military authority, secret technique archives, the treasuries of the Daimyō Mansions—make a list when you get back and hand it all over by the deadline."
Ōnoki's throat was dry, but he forced himself to speak.
"And the daimyō...?"
"If they cooperate, they can surrender all their power and enjoy their remaining years."
"If they don't, just kill them."
Ye's face was expressionless, but his words sent a chill through every