Under the astonished gazes of the three leaders and the shinobi from both sides, Uchiha Ryun performed Ice Release, Frozen Universe. In an instant, the turbulent, perilous sea became calm.
A solid path of ice appeared between the two groups of shinobi. For a moment, both sides were stunned, and not a single person rushed forward.
Yagura reacted swiftly. He swung his iron hook and threw a powerful punch towards the ice surface.
Thud! Clang, clang, clang...
Yagura's full-power strike only managed to break a small piece of ice on the surface. The iron hook, propelled by the recoil force, flew out of Yagura's hands!
Yagura couldn't help but freeze, looking at his hands in disbelief. The skin between his thumb and forefinger was already bleeding, yet the ice surface remained completely unaffected!
He had never seen such sturdy ice in his life. Even in winter, the ice that formed on the sea around Kirigakure was merely a thin layer of floating ice, nothing like this impossibly solid surface.
Tobirama Senju seized the opportunity. "Everyone, full assault! Target Yagura and the Kirigakure shinobi!"
Seeing this, the shinobi dared not delay. Danzo charged ahead!
Danzo ran, then placed his right hand before his mouth. "Wind Release, Vacuum Great Blast!"
The One-Tail Shukaku inside him actively cooperated, channeling tailed beast chakra to make the already highly lethal Vacuum Great Blast even wider in range and longer in duration!
The Vacuum Great Blast shot into the crowd of Kiri-nin, instantly shredding those within its attack range into bloody pulp. He suddenly called out, "Hiruzen!"
"Oh! Got it!" Hiruzen laughed heartily, leaping into the air and forming hand signs. Five Hiruzen Sarutobi appeared. The five Hiruzen Sarutobi each formed a different hand sign.
Fire Release, Fire Dragon Flame Bullet.
Water Release, Water Dragon Bullet.
Wind Release, Vacuum Bullets.
Lightning Release, Lightning Bullet.
Earth Release, Earth Dragon Bullet!
"Five Nature Release, Great Combination Technique!" The five Hiruzen Sarutobi, clad in black combat uniforms, simultaneously released five A-rank ninjutsu, firing them towards the area behind the Kiri-nin Danzo had just annihilated.
Instantly, explosions erupted one after another. The agonized cries of shinobi were continuous, and severed limbs and debris flew everywhere.
Watching this scene, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt as if he had returned to his youth, his spirits soaring. "Danzo!"
"Coming! Wind Release, Air Bullet!" Danzo took a deep breath and spat out a wind bullet. The wind fanned the flames, this move reinvigorated the Fire Dragon Bullet that was about to die out!
It charged straight into the crowd once again! Another group of people were thrown into chaos!
These two had now become the best MVPs of the campaign against Kirigakure!
That combined ninjutsu and the two big moves probably killed at least five hundred people!
"Bastards! Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist! Stop them!" After saying this, Yagura was forced back by Tobirama Senju closing in. "Thunder Heart, snap!"
Flying Thunder God Slash! Tobirama Senju's signature skill!
Immediately, Yagura's heart raced wildly. Instinctively, he performed the Water Clone Technique.
Tobirama Senju's sword pierced through Yagura's heart. He clicked his tongue in annoyance. The moment the long blade entered the body, he clearly felt the sensation was off and immediately realized Yagura had used a substitution technique.
Sure enough, the next moment, Yagura's body turned into flowing water and dissipated!
Tobirama Senju, having failed with one strike, immediately used the Flying Thunder God Technique to leave!
Yagura's figure reappeared. His crimson eyes fixed on Danzo and Hiruzen Sarutobi as he charged to kill them. "Two old farts, how dare you slaughter my Kirigakure shinobi!"
Uchiha Itachi's Shadow Clone Technique joined the fray! Five Itachis shrouded in black shadows charged at Yagura.
Yagura frowned deeply, swinging both hands holding the iron rod to smash one of the figures.
He missed! Alarm bells rang in his mind. 'Bad! It's a fake!' Thinking this, he was about to pull back and retreat when Uchiha Itachi's hand landed on his shoulder.
"Succumb to the genjutsu of the Mangekyō Sharingan!" Kotoamatsukami, activate!
The next moment, Itachi's right eye pupil flashed for an instant, then returned to a normal eye. His body trembled slightly, and finally, he fell from the sky.
Uchiha Sasuke immediately flew up, catching Uchiha Itachi with both hands. He knew Itachi had activated that Kotoamatsukami!
Otherwise, his chakra wouldn't have been drained all at once! The left eye's Kotoamatsukami was for temporary, short-term control, while the right eye's Kotoamatsukami was for instantaneous, permanent control.
No one knew what command Itachi had implanted into the Mizukage Yagura's mind.
Yagura paused in mid-air, his pupils unfocused. After an unknown length of time, he finally regained his senses and immediately shouted, "All personnel of Kirigakure, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, and all shinobi, cease fighting immediately!"
As soon as the words fell, the Kirigakure shinobi, from the Seven Ninja Swordsmen down to the most basic genin, pushed back their opponents, retreated, and looked at Yagura.
Uchiha Ryun focused his mind, activated the Flying Thunder God Technique, and appeared beside Uchiha Itachi. He looked at Uchiha Sasuke beside him. "Sasuke, Itachi he..."
Uchiha Sasuke nodded, then shifted his gaze towards Yagura.
Uchiha Ryun also followed his gaze. At this moment, Yagura placed his weapon on his back and slowly walked towards Uchiha Ryun.
Tobirama Senju and Danzo immediately went on guard, preventing Yagura from suddenly attacking and injuring the Hokage, which would be an unforgivable crime!
Uchiha Ryun smiled and waved his hand, signaling the two to step back. He walked up to Yagura on his own. Yagura suddenly knelt on the ground. "Yagura is willing to surrender, to remove the name of Kirigakure and change it to the Konoha Mist Division, henceforth serving the Hokage as master!"
These words shocked everyone present. Yagura, who just moments ago was shouting to kill Uchiha Ryun, had now abandoned his dignity, knelt just like that, not only giving up the name of Kirigakure but also acknowledging Uchiha Ryun as his master!
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen were dumbfounded. Fuguki Suikazan narrowed his eyes, his gaze fixed intently on the unconscious Uchiha Itachi, a sense of caution growing in his heart.
'Those eyes... Is this simply control? No! I don't sense any chakra aura from the Mizukage. Could it be the rumored power of the Mangekyō Sharingan!!'
Uchiha Ryun seemed to have guessed the altered will Itachi implanted!
'Obey all commands of Konoha's Hokage, Uchiha Ryun! Even at the cost of your life!'
Uchiha Ryun smiled and nodded. "The Mizukage is so sensible. From now on, you will still be the Mizukage, but Konoha will assign a division head, namely, Tobirama Senju."
Uchiha Ryun repeated what he had said to the other three villages. Yagura immediately responded that it was acceptable!
Afterwards, Uchiha Ryun ordered four thousand shinobi to stay and assist Tobirama Senju. Now, Kirigakure had become the most loyal entity under Konoha's control.
Uchiha Itachi's Kotoamatsukami was a bug-like existence in the original work. If not for Kishimoto forcibly writing him out, who knows what waves he would have caused!
Thus, Konoha's plan to unify the shinobi world came to an end. The system prompt sounded. "Congratulations, host, on completing the unification of the shinobi world. The side-effect-free version of the Eight Gates has been distributed!"
After saying this, a flood of memories poured into Uchiha Ryun's mind. In an instant, he comprehended the entire contents of the Eight Gates.
Actually, the Eight Gates was essentially similar to the Seven Injuries Fist. As long as you had sufficient physical fitness, it would not only not harm you but would instead help strengthen your body.
The current Uchiha Ryun, with Sage Body, Sage Mode, Rinnegan, and tailed beast chakra combined, possessed a pure Six Paths body. A Six Paths body was immortal and indestructible unless its weakness was attacked.
Coupled with this side-effect-free Eight Gates, which only had fitness benefits without any factors that harmed the body.
This move would undoubtedly become a trump card for fighting the Ōtsutsuki!
The Ōtsutsuki clan's Rinnegan was immune to ninjutsu. Only taijutsu was the most common method to defeat them, combined with Uchiha Ryun's soul-obliterating abilities.
One could imagine what scene would unfold when the Ōtsutsuki clan arrived in the shinobi world in the future.
At this moment, in the Gokaku Temple located in a remote corner of the Land of Fire, Jigen, who was chanting sutras and meditating, opened his eyes. His right eye twitched violently.
"What's going on? Why do I feel uneasy?" Jigen slowly spoke.
A voice then came from within his body. "If you feel uneasy, or feel things are beyond your control, then give your body to me."
"You and I are originally one. No matter how much you avoid me, we will ultimately merge."
The voice carried a seductive tone. Jigen frowned. "Nonsense."
As soon as he said this, the seductive voice in his heart vanished without a trace. Paying it no mind, he continued meditating and striking the wooden fish.
Uchiha Ryun led the remaining shinobi army, along with Tsunade, Danzo, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Uchiha Sasuke, and Uchiha Ryun, towards Konoha Village.
He first called Minato Namikaze, telling him that the shinobi world was now unified and controlled by the previous generation of powerful shinobi and the shinobi army.
From now on, there would only be one voice in the shinobi world, Konoha!
Upon hearing this news, Minato Namikaze quickly stood up. He smiled and announced the news to the entire village. Instantly, Konoha erupted in excitement.
From today on, Konoha would shed its title as the number one village in the shinobi world and become the master of the shinobi world!
The current shinobi world was Konoha's shinobi world, and from now on, there would be no more war!
This was a great thing for all villagers across the shinobi world. Konoha would be forever remembered. They were all participants in this piece of history!
In an instant, the name of Hokage Uchiha Ryun once again spread throughout the entire world!
The Next Day
Uchiha Ryun and the shinobi had just walked to a point a hundred miles outside Konoha Village when they saw Minato Namikaze leading a group of people waiting there early!
Seeing this scene, Uchiha Ryun couldn't help but smile wryly. He had told Minato so many times to keep a low profile, but look at this grand spectacle!
Minato Namikaze seemed to understand Uchiha Ryun's expression. He said with a bitter smile, "Sensei, I really couldn't help it. After the villagers heard you had conquered the four villages and were returning unified, they all came out spontaneously to welcome you."
Uchiha Ryun nodded, indicating he understood. Then he looked at the villagers. "Everyone, I, Uchiha Ryun, thank you for coming to receive us. In this unification war, I, you, and all the villagers have contributed!"
"Konoha is destined to be recorded in the history books!" Uchiha Ryun smiled, raised his hand, and clenched his fist!