The border of the Land of Grass.
After several intense battles, Iwagakure's defensive line in the Land of Grass had been continuously pushed back by the Konoha forces, eventually reaching the very border of the country.
Despite this, Iwagakure persisted. After all, with the war having reached this critical stage, even the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, had personally entered the battlefield. However, his efforts had been entirely contained by the Third Hokage, and Iwagakure's Four-Tails Jinchūriki had barely survived a deadly encounter with Uchiha Yoruki.
Anyone with eyes could see that Iwagakure was now only capable of defense; they no longer had the strength to mount a counterattack.
Konoha Camp.
"Hokage-sama! A battle report has arrived from the Cloud Ninja front!"
A Konoha ninja rushed into the command tent, clutching a tightly sealed scroll. With a swift bow, he handed it over to the Third Hokage.
The old Hokage's gaze flickered slightly as he accepted the report. He knew very well what kind of person the Third Tsuchikage was. With Iwagakure at a clear disadvantage, it was obvious that their forces no longer had the capital to compete with Konoha.
Yet, despite their dire situation, Ōnoki was still holding on. The reason was clear—he had a backup plan.
And it certainly wasn't Sunagakure. The Sand Ninja were the weakest among the five great ninja villages; they could barely sustain themselves, let alone support another nation's war efforts.
That left only one possibility—Kumogakure.
The Third Hokage's eyes darkened. He knew how fearsome the Third Raikage was. A man capable of going toe-to-toe with the Eight-Tails in a direct battle was not someone to take lightly.
Even so, he wasn't worried. The reason was simple—Namikaze Minato.
Minato had already surpassed the previous generations of Hokage. There was no doubt in the old man's mind—right now, Minato was Konoha's strongest force.
But even with Minato on their side, the power of Kumogakure could not be underestimated.
With that in mind, he slowly unsealed the scroll and unfolded it. His sharp, experienced eyes scanned the contents.
For a moment, despite his usual calm and composed nature, his pupils contracted in shock.
Then, just as quickly, his old, wrinkled face lit up with joy.
A moment of stunned silence followed.
The commanders gathered in the tent all furrowed their brows in confusion.
What could possibly make the Hokage react like this?
The Third Hokage took a deep breath, his voice trembling slightly as he looked around at his assembled shinobi.
"The Third Raikage is dead!"
The words fell like thunder.
A stunned silence spread across the room.
Everyone was frozen in disbelief.
Then—
"What?!"
Jiraiya's loud exclamation shattered the silence. His shock was evident.
This news was too much—too unbelievable.
The Third Raikage, a man known for his overwhelming power, was dead?
A ninja of his level was considered one of the strongest in the entire world—killing him should have been nearly impossible.
Had this news come from any other source, they would have dismissed it as a ridiculous rumor.
But this was coming directly from the Third Hokage himself.
That meant it had to be true.
The tent fell into deep contemplation.
Standing at the edge of the gathering, Uchiha Yoruki's expression shifted subtly. After a brief pause, he raised his gaze toward the Third Hokage and asked, his voice carrying a hint of complex emotion,
"The one who killed the Third Raikage... was Namikaze Minato, wasn't it?"
In today's ninja world, the only person capable of such a feat was Minato Namikaze—the same man who had once severely wounded Hanzo of the Salamander.
All eyes immediately turned back to the Hokage.
A small, knowing chuckle escaped from the old man's lips. He gave a slow nod.
"Yes."
A moment of silence passed.
Then—
"That kid is getting more terrifying by the day..."
Jiraiya sighed, but the pride in his voice was unmistakable.
His student—his brilliant student—had risen to the pinnacle of the ninja world.
A triumphant air filled the room.
The death of the Third Raikage spelled inevitable defeat for Kumogakure.
And with Kumogakure's downfall, the entire battlefield would shift.
The Third Great Ninja War, which had raged on for over half a year, would finally see its victors emerge.
Konoha had won.
"Spread this news immediately to all battlefields!"
The Third Hokage's command was clear and urgent.
There was no need to prepare—no need to strategize.
This news was a bombshell. The sooner it reached enemy ears, the sooner the war would end.
"Yes!"
The messenger who had brought the report was so overwhelmed with excitement that his voice cracked slightly.
Without hesitation, he bolted out of the tent at full speed.
Inside, the tension that had gripped the room for months finally eased.
The war... was over.
The news of the Third Raikage's death would soon spread across the world. The remaining forces of the other nations would have no choice but to retreat.
Konoha had emerged victorious.
For the foreseeable future, Konoha's strength would surpass that of the other four great nations.
And as for Minato Namikaze...
He was still young.
At just twenty-something years old, he still had over a decade before he would reach the peak of his abilities.
What heights could he reach then?
The Third Hokage couldn't help but wonder.
In his mind, Minato was already beginning to rival the legendary Senju Hashirama—the God of Shinobi.
Unlike Hashirama, who was born with the powerful Senju bloodline and the unique Mokuton, Minato had come from an ordinary background.
No powerful clan. No legendary bloodline.
Just sheer talent and dedication.
Initially, the Hokage had thought Minato would simply be the next Hatake Sakumo—a prodigious shinobi and Konoha's shining light.
But he had been wrong.
Minato had surpassed them all.
Step by step, he had climbed to the very top of the ninja world.
And now...
His reputation in the village even surpassed the Hokage himself.
The Third Hokage exhaled slowly.
When the war finally ended, he would pass on the mantle.
Minato would become Hokage.
And when that happened—
He would surpass all those who came before him.
"One more thing," the Hokage said, his gaze sharp.
"Send an urgent message to Kirigakure. Demand that they immediately release Hatake Kakashi and Nohara Rin. If they refuse... they will face the consequences."
He glanced at Jiraiya, his expression firm.
According to the reports, this was the only request Minato had made.
Kakashi was one of Konoha's rising stars, and Rin was a medical-nin with great potential—Tsunade herself had acknowledged her abilities.
Whether it was for Minato, for their talents, or for Konoha's future—these two must be rescued.
Konoha would exert unwavering pressure on Kirigakure.
And they would do it with the toughest attitude possible.
Meanwhile, deep in a dark underground cavern, an old man sat in eerie silence.
His eyes gleamed as he stared at the sleeping figure of Uchiha Obito.
His hands clenched into fists.
"Minato Namikaze..."
A dangerous glint flashed in Madara Uchiha's eyes.
Minato had just disrupted his plans again.
His killing intent surged.
A cold, deadly whisper escaped his lips—
"It seems that now, we can only inflict some heavy damage to Konoha before we can continue with our plan!"
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