Chapter 207: The End
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Once Tsunade's forces from Konoha engaged the Cloud ninjas directly, the chance to capture Konoha was lost.
From that point on, both sides fought fiercely.
The Raikage's intimidating strength was once again on full display in the battle, but Konoha had the White Fang (Sakumo Hatake) on their side as well. Both of these powerhouses primarily focused on wearing down the enemy's strength.
After the initial clash, Konoha quickly fell into a disadvantage again. Fortunately, Tsunade's slugs managed to barely hold back the Cloud's relentless attacks. Even so, the Raikage's power was terrifying—even the White Fang struggled to wound him, and he continued to reap the lives of Konoha's ninjas without slowing.
Ninjutsu clashed, tearing apart the landscape, and with every moment, more lives were lost on both sides.
Away from the battlefield, Ye Zi watched coldly. As each ninja fell, he saw one fewer enemy to deal with in the future.
"That's it," he muttered with a faint, cold smile. The weakening of the ninja villages would make it easier to execute the plan to capture the Tailed Beasts. This Third Great Ninja War was exactly what the Akatsuki had hoped for.
"Next, it's time to recruit talent."
The battle between Konoha and the Cloud Village was intense. Under the Raikage's fierce attacks, Konoha suffered heavy losses—any ninja who came into contact with him was killed instantly.
Even with Tsunade and the White Fang fighting on their side, Konoha was on the brink of defeat as they struggled against the Cloud's core forces. But just then, Jiraiya arrived with reinforcements.
Though Jiraiya's force was relatively small, they were all elite jōnin, including members of the Hyūga and Uchiha clans. Among them were Uchiha siblings Kōri and Ninashi.
With the arrival of the reinforcements, Konoha regained its footing. Soon after, Orochimaru arrived, and with Tsunade's medical support, he recovered from his injuries and joined the battle. With Konoha's Three Legendary Sannin reunited and the White Fang on their side, the once-unstoppable Cloud forces began to struggle.
The Raikage, known for his terrifying solo combat abilities, was surrounded by Konoha's Sannin, who focused their attacks on him. With the Raikage held at bay, the Cloud ninjas were heavily suppressed.
At the same time, the combined efforts of Minato and Kushina effectively neutralized A and Killer Bee.
Having spent a long time together in the same team, Minato and Kushina had perfect coordination, no less than that of A and Bee. More importantly, Minato's power far surpassed theirs.
Once Konoha's full force was deployed, the counterattack began in earnest.
War is cruel, and life within it is fragile. As one life after another fell, the final battle of the Third Great Ninja War neared its end.
In the end, despite heavy losses, Konoha managed to push back the Cloud forces with a slight advantage, securing victory in the war.
Led by Fugaku Uchiha, Konoha's forces also triumphed against the Mist Village in the battle at the Land of Whirlpools. Although many Uchiha clan members perished on that battlefield, the Hyūga clan, thanks to the Byakugan's advantages in harsh terrain, suffered relatively few casualties.
With the war over, the five great ninja villages signed a ten-year ceasefire agreement.
Among the five villages, the Sand Village suffered the most losses due to Ye Zi's interference, followed by Konoha, which was attacked from all sides. Konoha had the highest death toll among its jōnin and chūnin. The Mist Village, which was heavily punished by the Hyūga and Uchiha clans, came next. The Iwa Village suffered the least losses, while the Cloud Village emerged with relatively few casualties.
Ye Zi watched as the Third Great Ninja War came to an end, with the major villages returning to a period of recovery and peace. The smaller nations that had been caught in the crossfire of the war, however, were left in devastation.
Afterward, Ye Zi returned to the Land of Rain.
The Rain Village had adopted a policy of isolation, barring any outsiders from entering as it focused on its own development.
In the aftermath of the war, Konoha saw the rise of many heroes, who were noted not only within their own village but also in the intelligence records of other villages. Among them, Kakashi Hatake and the Uchiha siblings Kori and Ninashi stood out for their exceptional performances, drawing the attention of other villages. Additionally, a kunoichi named Kotoe from the Grass Village became infamous for her ambush techniques, and several other young talents were added to the watchlists of enemy villages.
These pieces of information would continue to evolve over the years, forming the foundation for future conflicts.
Heroes come in two forms: those who live and those who die.
Konoha's memorial stone had many new names added to it. The somber graveyard expanded further to accommodate the bodies brought back from the war.
The inevitable funeral ceremonies were held after the war, with all attendees dressed in black, heightening the solemn mood.
The weather that day was clear, the sky a bright blue without a cloud in sight.
Despite the sunshine, the atmosphere among the funeral attendees was heavy and dark.
In the cemetery, a platform stood apart, bearing a stone monument. The stone was shaped like Konoha's red leaf symbol, surrounded by flames, with fiery peaks rising at the top. Beneath the monument, two large characters were engraved: "Hokage."
Those attending the funeral stood in line before the monument, heads bowed in silent mourning.
In the Uchiha clan's section, a five-year-old Itachi Uchiha, having witnessed the horrors of war firsthand, found himself contemplating thoughts far beyond his age. His eyes fell on Orochimaru.
Orochimaru stood alone, apart from the others, silently staring at the freshly turned earth of a grave.
"Mourning the dead holds no meaning. If death has any meaning, it's only in how it can be used," he muttered coldly, his eyes fixed on the grave. The dark ambitions in his heart took clearer shape, his buried madness taking root and beginning to grow.
If death has meaning, it's only in how it can be used.
"What is the meaning of life?" Itachi suddenly asked, walking up to Orochimaru and looking at him seriously.
Orochimaru turned his head toward the boy and calmly replied, "It has no meaning. If it did…" His lips curved into a faint smile. "It would be found in the pursuit of eternal life."
With that, Orochimaru turned and walked toward the cemetery's exit.
"Ye Zi..." he murmured the name in his mind.
Itachi Uchiha watched Orochimaru's departing figure, lost in thought.
"Life dies. Life… leads to conflict."
After the funeral, due to the high number of casualties, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, took responsibility and resigned from his position. The question of who would succeed him as Hokage now became the village's top priority.
The Fire Daimyō and his ministers came to Konoha, gathering in the great hall to discuss the next Hokage with Konoha's leaders and influential jōnin.
Several candidates were considered, but in the end, three names remained: Minato Namikaze, Orochimaru, and Fugaku Uchiha.
A debate arose over who should take on the mantle of Hokage.
As the current Hokage, Hiruzen was naturally part of the discussion. He had hoped Jiraiya would take the position, but Jiraiya had long recommended Minato. After watching Minato closely, Hiruzen, too, had come to recognize his abilities and believed that Minato was well-suited for the role.
Originally, there had been concerns about Minato's youth and lack of experience. However, after his outstanding performance during the war, the resistance to his appointment had significantly diminished.
Looking around at the gathered leaders, Sarutobi finally spoke: "For the position of Hokage, I nominate Minato Namikaze."
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