The Cost of War

"Lord Raikage, we ran a data simulation based on the battle footage shown on the Canopy Screen."

"We also compared the individual strength displayed by Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, Deidara, and Sasori, particularly their destructive power and defenses, against descriptions of Hashirama Senju, the God of Shinobi, in ancient Konoha records we obtained in secret..."

Samui paused, her voice heavy with disbelief. "We unanimously concluded that any one of the four displayed combat power no weaker than the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, at his peak. They may even have surpassed him!"

"And that's only what we've observed so far. We can't be certain they were fighting at full strength."

To her surprise, Fourth Raikage A did not smash the desk in a rage as he usually would.

He merely sat in silence, his thick fingers tapping unconsciously against the desktop with a dull thud.

At last, he rose and walked to the enormous floor-to-ceiling window. With his back to Samui, he gazed out at Kumogakure, wreathed in clouds and flickering with faint lightning. His broad silhouette looked unusually grave.

Seeing this, Samui tried to ease the oppressive mood. "There is good news too, Lord Raikage."

"Judging by the technological weapons future Kumogakure displayed on the Canopy Screen, a single shot from the Chakra Cannon is already comparable in destructive power to a Tailed Beast Ball."

"More importantly, these weapons can fire in volleys, combining their power. Under a saturation barrage, their strategic deterrent would be terrifying."

She adjusted her glasses and continued with her analysis. "I suspect one important reason the future Seventh Hokage, Naruto Uzumaki, and Sasuke Uchiha chose to preserve the balance among the Five Great Nations despite possessing such overwhelming power, rather than unifying the Shinobi World..."

"...is that the other Four Great Shinobi Villages also grew