The war was over.
It ended with Madara Uchiha fleeing Konoha in defeat.
Jing Uchiha was dead. Obito took his body, intending to quietly bury him beside his younger sister in Konoha's Cemetery.
This battle could hardly be called a complete victory for Konoha. The losses were simply too great.
That single slash from Kazan had split Konoha in two, shattering countless houses and burning trees down to charred branches.
No one who saw the devastation could reconcile it with the word victory.
"Lord First, what should we do next...?"
"Rebuild Konoha!"
Hashirama Senju's heart was heavy, not only because the village lay in ruins, but also because Madara Uchiha had fully returned to life. This was not over yet.
"As long as our people are still here, Konoha will endure."
"When I founded Konoha here, things weren't much better than they are now."
"Back then, this was nothing but forest. We worked together, little by little, to build Konoha. Now we simply have to walk that same road again."
What mattered was that their people were safe. As long as the people remained, so would the village.
Hashirama Senju buried his worries and broke into a hearty smile.
His smile was infectious, putting those around him at ease despite themselves.
"I wonder how Kazan is doing. Can he kill Madara for good?"
Tobirama Senju gazed into the distance. The battle out there was what would truly decide the fate of the world.
They could no longer even feel the shock waves from that battle, though they could still faintly see layer upon layer of lightning tearing through the heavens.
Clearly, the battle between Kazan and Madara Uchiha was not over. Kazan was still pursuing him.
Tobirama wanted to help, but remembering how he had been skewered like a cockroach