Shanks calmly looked at all the world leaders seated below the stage before continuing his speech.
"And another matter that you all have to remember is that, from today onward, there will be no wars—not even the small skirmishes that generally continue to happen between the major villages. Wars will be completely forbidden. Also, the number of elites needs to be increased in every village. A large war is coming, so all of you have to be ready for it."
The moment those words left his mouth, the atmosphere became incomparably heavier. Every world leader present turned solemn. The expressions on the faces of the Kages, Daimyos, ministers, and military commanders turned deadly serious as an absolute silence spread throughout the gathering.
There was unwavering certainty in Shanks's voice. Not a trace of hesitation or doubt could be heard in his words. And after everything he had revealed today—about the true history of this world, the existence of the Otsutsuki Clan, and the terrifying future that awaited them—it no longer sounded like an impossible story.
If those Otsutsuki Clan members truly existed, then whether it was for revenge, conquest, or reclaiming what they believed belonged to them, it is only a matter of time before they descend upon this world. When that day arrives, every village, every nation, and every shinobi will be dragged into the crucible of war.
No one wanted to imagine such a future, yet no one could deny its reality anymore.
Having delivered his warning, Shanks had said everything that needed to be revealed to the world. Without another word, he stepped down from the stage and left the grounds entirely. He left the remaining logistical matters to the Uzumaki siblings, who attended to the assembled Daimyos and Kages gathered in Uzushiogakure.
With that, Shanks' speech officially came to an end.
A grand banquet had already been prepared for the distinguished guests. Long tables were stacked with countless dishes, drinks, and delicacies specially arranged to welcome them. However, after hearing the shocking revelations, very few actually had the appetite to enjoy the feast.
How can we even think of food at a time like this? The entire foundation of our world just shattered.
Even so, out of respect for the Uzumaki Clan—and unwilling to offend their hosts after everything that had transpired—none of them dared refuse the banquet. They quietly took their seats and ate, though the lively atmosphere such a feast should have carried was entirely absent.
The very next day, the world leaders departed Uzushiogakure for their respective nations. Only a week after everyone had returned home, another critical meeting was convened: the Five Kage Summit in the Land of Iron.
Not only was General Mifune present as the host, but the Daimyo of the Land of Iron personally attended the gathering. The same was true for the other five great nations. Alongside their respective Kages, each nation's ruling Daimyo had arrived, making this Five Kage meeting far more significant than any held in the past.
As expected, one of the first issues brought up was the matter of the tailed beasts.
Many immediately began arguing over Uzushiogakure's position. None of them were willing to simply hand over such powerful military assets, nor did they want to permanently lose possession of them. They insisted that negotiations should continue and demanded that Uzushiogakure return the tailed beasts to their original villages.
The discussion quickly grew heated as several leaders voiced their protests one after another. Yet throughout the entire debate, Minato, the Hokage of Konoha, remained silent. Terumi Mei, the newly appointed Fifth Mizukage, also said nothing. Even the Daimyo of the Land of Fire remained completely quiet, offering no support to the arguments being raised around the table.
Their prolonged silence eventually drew everyone's attention. Unable to ignore it any longer, the Fourth Raikage finally slammed his fist on the table—bam—and looked directly at Minato.
"Are you not going to speak, Hokage? Is your village really going to give up its tailed beast once your son, Naruto, meets his natural end?"
Every pair of eyes in the conference hall shifted toward Minato.
The Hokage remained calm, his expression unchanged despite becoming the focus of the room. After a brief pause, he answered in an even voice.
"Well, you see, back in our village, I didn't even have to speak once to defend or oppose Uzushiogakure's position regarding the tailed beasts." He folded his hands together as he continued. "Everyone unanimously agreed that, when the time comes, the tailed beasts should be handed over to Uzushiogakure."
His words immediately caused several people around the table to frown.
"Even someone as much of a hawk as Danzo didn't oppose the decision after hearing the truth. Yes, he is in prison now, but even he didn't raise any objections. And after everything we've learned..." Minato slowly shook his head. "I completely understand why."
The conference hall remained dead silent as everyone listened.
"I honestly don't even know what the point of this meeting is," Minato said bluntly, causing several leaders to stiffen. "We all know that there is nothing we can actually do. Even if, somehow, you manage to locate Kaguya's dimension—which you first have to find—and then enter the very space where Guy, Antares, and Benimaru fought Kaguya Otsutsuki..."
He looked around the table, holding their gazes.
"...and even if you somehow succeed in bringing your tailed beasts back from there, what exactly are you going to do afterward?"
No one answered.
"Can you keep them?" Minato answered his own question. "No. The very next day, any one of the Uzumaki siblings could arrive at your village and demand that the tailed beast be handed over."
He paused for a moment before asking quietly, "Can you refuse?"
Again, he answered for them. "No, you can't. Does anyone sitting in this room truly dare to defy the Uzumaki Clan? To openly reject the words of Lord Uzukage? Can any of you bear the consequences that would follow?"
Silence.
"Can any one of your villages honestly say, with complete confidence, that you can hold off even the Shadow Guards of Uzushiogakure?"
The heavy silence itself became the answer.
"No, you can't. They wouldn't even need to send the Uzumaki siblings. Just the Shadow Guards alone would be enough to push any one of our major villages to the brink. At most, they might send one additional Uzumaki sibling." He sighed softly. "That is all it would take to bring down one of the Five Great Villages. If one sibling isn't enough..."
A faint smile of helplessness appeared on Minato's face.
"...then they would simply send two. And our village would be destroyed. And don't even begin to imagine what would happen if some of the strongest among the Uzumaki siblings decided to move." His tone remained composed, but the gravity behind it was undeniable. "If Gildarts, Benimaru, or Antares personally came... or, at the very top, if someone like Guy unleashed a technique like the Death Streak, or if Lord Uzukage himself—Shanks Uzumaki—decided to take action..."
Minato slowly shook his head.
"They alone would be enough for any one of the Five Great Villages. They could destroy an entire major village with relative ease."
No one refuted him. Everyone present had witnessed enough to know that Minato wasn't exaggerating. The sheer strength displayed by the Uzumaki siblings had already surpassed what they once believed was humanly possible.
After a long, agonizing silence, the Tsuchikage finally spoke.
"But... they wouldn't go to such extremes, right?" He frowned slightly, trying to reassure himself. "They may be incredibly powerful, but everyone has their limits. If they started destroying villages simply because someone refused them, they would be labeled as lunatics... as tyrants."
Please let them have a shred of mercy. If they don't, we are entirely at their whim.
His words broke the silence, though they did little to ease the oppressive atmosphere that continued to weigh upon the conference hall.