"But the word 'submission' is too hurtful..." Temari bit her lip, her eyes full of unwillingness.
"I know." Shun nodded, his tone softening slightly.
"If your relatives are willing to submit voluntarily, I can avoid using the word 'submission' and change it to 'alliance.' However, political and military matters must be uniformly coordinated, there is no room for negotiation on this point. Only in this way can future conflicts be avoided and the Ninja World truly achieve peace."
He turned to look at Mabui and Yugito, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. "I understand the thoughts of you two. Peace in the Ninja World requires a price, and what I can do is minimize that price."
Kurotsuchi asked softly, her eyes full of anticipation, "Shun, can you really guarantee that after unification, the Ninja World will never have war again?"
Shun put his arms around the four consorts and said with steady strength, "The old order of the Ninja World must be broken. Only then can a new, war-free Ninja World be established."
"You worry that the ninja villages of your homelands will vanish, and that the faith of your people will collapse. But I can clearly tell you, the ninja village system will not be abolished after unification."
Hearing this, the four consorts looked up simultaneously, their eyes filled with disbelief.
A glimmer of hope flashed in Temari's amber eyes, and she instinctively pressed, "Is that true? Can Sunagakure... still exist?"
Shun nodded.
He raised his hand to brush away the stray hair by her temple, and patiently explained, "Of course. Every ninja village has its own history, culture, and legacy. These are treasures of the Ninja World and should not be swallowed by the tide of unification. Konoha's Will of Fire, Iwagakure's tenacity, Sunagakure's resilience, Kumogakure's valor... these spiritual cores are worth preserving and passing down."
He looked toward the coastline of the Land of Water in the distance, his gaze profound. "However, the function of the ninja villages must fundamentally change. In the past, ninja villages were machines of war. Ninjas from various countries fought and killed each other for the benefit of their village, causing rivers of blood."
"From now on, ninja villages will be stages for competition, cradles for nurturing strong individuals, not tools for launching wars."
Kurotsuchi repeated softly, her eyes full of confusion, "Competition? Replacing war with competition? Can... can that work?"
Shun turned, his gaze extraordinarily firm. "I will establish a unified competitive system for the Ninja World, holding a 'Ninja World Tournament' every four years. Each ninja village will send elite ninjas to participate, competing in Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, Genjutsu, and teamwork ability."
As someone from the Land of Lightning, Mabui was keenly aware of the obsession some ninjas had with combat.
She asked softly, "What if a ninja village refuses to abide by the competition rules and wants to resume war?"
Shun laughed domineeringly. "With me here, no one can break the rules. I will establish a Ninja World Peace Council, with Kage-level ninjas from all ninja villages serving as directors, jointly supervising the fairness of the competition and handling inter-village conflicts. If any ninja village dares to launch a war, all ninja villages will impose joint sanctions."
Yugito nodded, the worry in her eyes gradually dissipating. "In this way, the competition between ninja villages changes from a 'life-and-death struggle' to a 'healthy rivalry,' which is much better than war."
A light also appeared in Kurotsuchi's eyes. She thought of her grandfather, Ōnoki, who had spent his life pursuing the strength of Iwagakure but had always been constrained by war.
If Iwagakure could gain more resources and technology through competition, her grandfather's lifelong wish might be realized in a more peaceful way.
"Then... if grandfather knew that Iwagakure would not only not disappear but could also grow stronger through competition, he might truly agree to submit."
A relieved smile finally appeared on Temari's face. "I will write to my father right now and tell him about this plan. I believe he will definitely understand that this is the true path forward for Sunagakure."
Kurotsuchi nodded. "I will also try to persuade my grandfather, so he understands your painstaking efforts."
—
Ōnoki, Rasa, and A returned to their respective countries, their hearts heavy.
The moment they stepped across the border, they were immediately escorted by waiting envoys directly to the daimyo's residence.
There was no time to rest, no chance to heal their wounds, and they didn't even have a moment to wipe the bloodstains from their bodies before an emergency meeting concerning the fate of the nations was already brewing in the council hall.
Inside the council hall of the Land of Earth's Royal Palace, the Daimyo's face was exceptionally grim.
He slammed the intel scroll he held fiercely onto the cold table.
"Ōnoki! As the Tsuchikage, leading three other Kage-level ninjas to collaborate, you were defeated so miserably. And you let Shun force us to surrender? This is the greatest humiliation the Land of Earth has suffered in hundreds of years."
Ōnoki looked at the furious Daimyo before him, and humiliation and powerlessness flashed in his cloudy eyes.
He opened his mouth, desperately wanting to describe Shun's terror, but before he could speak, the nobles had already begun slamming the tables and voicing their agreement.
"The Daimyo is right! How can we, the Land of Earth, bow our heads to some brat?"
"Even if we die fighting, we cannot endure this humiliation! Gather all the ninjas, reinforce the defenses, we will fight the Land of Water to the death!"
Their faces were filled with anger, because if they surrendered, they would lose all their power. Thus, their spittle flew as they spoke passionately, as if they could already see the scene of Shun being defeated.
Ōnoki watched the crowd calmly, a deep sense of powerlessness swelling in his heart. These people simply did not know what kind of monster they were about to face.
The Daimyo's gaze was icy as he slammed his hand down decisively. "Say no more! I, the Daimyo, have decided to use the entire nation's resources to prepare for war against the enemy! What Ōnoki must do now is immediately reorganize the ninja forces and prepare to meet the war!"
His finger pointed heavily at Ōnoki, carrying an undeniable tone of command.
In the west, similar events were unfolding in the royal palace of the Land of Wind.
The Daimyo of the Land of Wind stood before a map, pointing at the area representing the Land of Water. "Rasa, this time we fully support Sunagakure. We will provide money and provisions. This is the nation's most perilous moment, and we expect you to shoulder the burden and fight to the death. Surrender to the Land of Water? That is absolutely impossible!"
The nobles behind him nodded one after another, offering their suggestions.
"We can unite with the Land of Earth, the Land of Lightning, and the Land of Akatsuki to form a Four-Nation Alliance and jointly resist the Land of Water. As long as we join forces, even if Shun is strong, he might not gain the upper hand."
Rasa sat in his chair, tightly clutching the secret letter sent by Temari.
Watching the agitated nobles before him, shouting about fighting to the death with false expressions, he remained silent. He simply and carefully tucked the letter into his sleeve.
At this moment, if he spoke any words of surrender, it would be seen as a sign of cowardice, perhaps even earning him the charge of "colluding with the enemy."