In the final taijutsu stage, Naruto won, just as Hashirama won against Madara back then, by having the Sage Body advantage.
(P.S.: The above is purely my personal opinion. A thousand people have a thousand Hamlets; everyone is welcome to draw their own conclusions.)
"That old man Six Paths always shows special favoritism towards Ashura's descendants!" Uchiha En sighed.
However, Uchiha En didn't need the favor of Six Paths now. He had constructed his own Lesser Ten-Tails, possessed the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, and mastered Sage Mode, putting him just one step away from reaching the Six Paths level.
This war was also a test of Uchiha En's strength.
Soon, the news that Konoha was going to war with Kumogakure Ninja spread throughout the entire Village.
The Village immediately fell into panic. It felt like the Third Great Ninja War was just yesterday; why were they starting another war?
Compared to the chaos among the villagers, the Ninja were quite calm, silently packing their bags and preparing for departure.
"Minato, the Village absolutely cannot endure war again!" In the Hokage Office, the Third Hokage and the two Advisors simultaneously arrived, pressuring Minato Namikaze.
"Sandaime, we have already backed down. It is the Kumogakure Ninja who are pushing us step by step," Minato Namikaze said firmly.
"What are the Kumogakure Ninja's conditions?" Utatane Koharu asked.
"Either we form a united front with them, or we pay reparations and hand over a pair of Byakugan from the Hyuga Clan."
The Third Hokage fell silent upon hearing this. Homura Mitokado, standing nearby, gritted his teeth and said, "For the sake of the Village's peace, some sacrifice from the Hyuga Clan is also..."
"Enough! Elder Homura, are you suggesting we send our comrades to their deaths?" Minato Namikaze interrupted Homura Mitokado, staring at him coldly as he asked.
Homura Mitokado couldn't help but shiver. Minato Namikaze's imposing aura made it hard for him to breathe.
"Minato, Homura is also thinking of the Village."
"Sandaime, is that what you think too?" Minato Namikaze turned his head and asked.
The Third Hokage remained silent for a moment before saying, "I do not wish to sacrifice our comrades in the Village either, but for the sake of the Village's peace, some sacrifices are necessary."
A flash of disappointment crossed Minato Namikaze's eyes when he heard this.
How did Hiruzen Sarutobi, once the Ninja Hero, become like this?
"Shisui."
"Hokage-sama."
"Escort the Sandaime and the two Elders out!"
"Minato Namikaze, what do you mean—*patta*~" Before Homura Mitokado could finish speaking, Shisui controlled him with a genjutsu.
Seeing this, the Sandaime's expression changed drastically: "Minato, do you know what you are doing?"
"Sandaime, go back. I don't want to destroy the last bit of positive image I hold of you."
Hiruzen Sarutobi was stunned for a moment, then immediately said, "Minato, you are still young. You don't understand that politics is about compromise and sacrifice. No one will forget the sacrifice of the Hyuga Clan."
Minato Namikaze shook his head: "Shisui, take them out!"
Shisui nodded in assent and forcibly led the three people out of the Hokage Office.
Watching Hiruzen Sarutobi's retreating figure, Minato Namikaze felt a trace of weariness toward the position of Hokage for the first time.
"Sandaime, when exactly did you become like this? Blind compromise, even sacrificing comrades in the Village.
If this is what it means to be Hokage, what have I been aspiring to all this time?"
Meanwhile, the Cloud Village Envoy rushed to the Land of Hot Springs and met Yugito.
"What did you say? Konoha rejected peace talks and wants to start a war with us?" Yugito asked with a look of surprise.
"Yes, Lady Yugito, and..."
"And what?"
"Uchiha En, the head of the Konoha Uchiha Clan, also said that he once severed the Two-Tails' tail."
"Uchiha En? I haven't even seen—" Yugito stopped speaking halfway through her sentence.
Because she remembered something: just after the Third Great Ninja War ended, she went on a mission and was stopped on her way back to the Village by two masked mysterious figures.
That time, even her full Tailed Beast Transformation was useless. She was defeated by someone using the Hell Stab in Lightning Release Chakra Mode, and the Two-Tails' tail was also severed.
"Could Uchiha En be that mysterious person!"
A layer of cold sweat seeped out on Yugito's forehead as she thought of this.
"Lady Yugito, we should..."
"Shut up and get out! A bunch of trash, unable to handle such a small matter."
"Yugito, don't panic. We have 5,000 Kumogakure Ninja here. No matter how strong those two guys are, they can't fight this many Ninja alone, right?" the Two-Tails, Matatabi, inside Yugito advised.
"But Matatabi, that person is truly too strong. His Lightning Release Armor is no weaker than the Third Raikage's. If he really is Uchiha En, combined with the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan, we might not be able to stop him."
Matatabi fell silent upon hearing this.
The Third Raikage could defeat the rampaging Eight-Tails; his strength was unquestionable.
Although she didn't know where Uchiha En learned the Lightning Release Chakra Mode.
But if that mysterious person really was Uchiha En, then...
"Boom~" A massive explosion suddenly echoed through the Kumogakure Ninja encampment.
The sound of the explosion interrupted Yugito and the Two-Tails' thoughts. The two immediately rushed out of their tent.
The smoke and dust raised by the explosion enveloped the entire camp.
When the smoke cleared, a figure appeared in the Kumogakure Ninja camp.
This was a young man in his early twenties, with black hair and black eyes, handsome features, dressed in a black outfit, and wearing a blue cloak over his shoulders.
"Who are you?" Yugito asked with a face full of vigilance.
The young man smiled upon hearing this and introduced himself: "My name is Uchiha En, the current head of the Uchiha Clan. Yugito, we meet again."
"You are the masked mysterious person from back then?"
"*Patta*~" Uchiha En tossed a mask in front of Yugito.
Yugito's heart tightened. This mask often appeared in her nightmares. Having been beaten down by Uchiha En and having her tail severed back then, Yugito had deeply imprinted this mask in her mind.
Now, seeing Uchiha En toss the mask, Yugito had only one thought: It really is him!
"Uchiha En, what are you here for? To issue a declaration of war?" Yugito asked, feigning composure.
"No, no, don't misunderstand! Issuing a declaration of war is too time-consuming. I'm here to deal with you." After speaking, black markings appeared around Uchiha En's eyes.
Then Uchiha En's Mangekyo activated. With the triple enhancement of Magatsu + Sage Mode + Annihilation, Uchiha En formed hand signs: "Sage Art: Super Fire Release: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"
A sea of fire surged, instantly engulfing the entire Kumogakure Ninja camp.
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