"Lord Hokage, according to reports from the frontline in the Land of Lightning, the Fourth Raikage has fallen.
Minister of Shinobi, Uchiha Kenya, is currently leading an annihilation battle against the remnants of the Cloud Shinobi army, headed by the Eight-Tails' Jinchūriki, Killer Bee."
Through Yamanaka Keiichi's Mind Transmission Technique, combined with a special communication jutsu, the message was relayed directly from the frontlines. Keiichi immediately passed the news to Tsunade.
"Good. That means victory is within our grasp. Withdraw the forces stationed along the northeastern border of the Land of Fire, and have them reinforce the Iwa battlefield instead.
The Kazekage's progress has stalled. We can't afford further delays."
Tsunade waved her hand and issued the order.
Though she had been confined to the Hokage's office since the war began nearly two months ago, her burden was anything but light.
The Third Great Ninja War had dragged on for years. The Second lasted six full years. Even the First was long and bloody. Yet this war—barely begun—was already half resolved in under two months.
Nara Shikaku, who had endured the Third Shinobi War, had assumed a conflict involving all five great nations would last just as long. Who could have imagined that a single man could overturn the entire situation?
But Tsunade was not surprised. She had once witnessed her grandfather's power firsthand, and she knew well how terrifying true strength could be. More than once, she had wondered during the earlier wars—if Hashirama were still alive, would they ever have lasted so long?
"Lord Hokage… there's one more matter."
Yamanaka Keiichi hesitated, his tone uneasy.
"What is it?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow.
"The intelligence from Genma on the frontlines… it states that regarding the Cloud Shinobi… Minister Kenya has given no orders to take prisoners."
Not a single one.
Tens of thousands of Cloud Shinobi were facing complete annihilation. Kenya had no intention of sparing them, nor of integrating them into a new village.
Gasps spread quietly through the Hokage's office.
But Tsunade's expression remained steady. She closed her eyes for a moment, then said calmly:
"It may be cruel, but this is a war of annihilation. He's done nothing wrong."
Just as Kenya had declared before the war began—the continent's resources were far too scarce to support so many shinobi. That being the case, the simplest solution was also the most brutal.
"Lord Hokage, isn't this going too far?" Shikaku frowned. His voice carried the weight of his conscience. After all, this was tens of thousands of lives.
Tsunade's eyes clouded. For a brief moment, old memories surfaced—painful ones. Her tone, when she finally spoke, was colder than before.
"The goal of this war has always been the complete conquest of Iwagakure and Kumogakure. Tell me, if their shinobi were allowed to live, would they truly become loyal members of another village?"
Of all people, Tsunade understood loss. Having seen her clan wiped out, she knew better than anyone the cruelty of survival.
Shikaku fell silent, unable to argue further.
"If you disagree, you're free to tell him yourself," Tsunade added with a dismissive wave.
Shikaku and the others exchanged uneasy glances. Confront Uchiha Kenya? None of them could predict how that would end.
At the Fire–Lightning border battlefield
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Ninjutsu clashed in every direction, roaring like storms.
Since Kenya's arrival, the tide had shifted overwhelmingly in Konoha's favor.
"Really, not even one survivor?"
"Ridiculous! If they betray us later, will you take responsibility?!"
This argument echoed again and again across the battlefield—Konoha shinobi struggling with their conscience, while Mist shinobi coldly pressed forward, fully supporting Kenya's command.
Konoha had always been a village reluctant to slaughter. Many could not bring themselves to kill foes who knelt and begged for mercy. But Kirigakure was different. Their shinobi fought like merciless wraiths, cutting down every enemy without hesitation.
Besides, Konoha's direct stake in the Land of Lightning was minimal. They would gain little from the territory. The Mist, however, saw fertile, rich lands far superior to their own—lands worth spilling blood for.
Amid the chaos, the Eight-Tails roared. Killer Bee, fully transformed into Gyūki, spewed torrents of black ink into the sky. The ink fell like a storm of black rain, carrying the force of a sealing technique capable of binding thousands at once.
It was a desperate, indiscriminate attack.
But before the tide could fall, countless silver flames shot upward.
"The Ninety-Onefold Senju of Hadō!"
The searing light devoured the ink, then crashed down on Gyūki's colossal body, battering him relentlessly.
"Uwaaahhh!!"
Even the Eight-Tails' immense durability faltered beneath a Kidō of such magnitude. Within seconds, Killer Bee staggered, his tailed-beast form unraveling.
"Sorry, Bee… I'm out of chakra…" Gyūki's voice faded.
With that, Bee's massive body shrank back to human form, collapsing in exhaustion.
"Lord Bee!! Are you alright?!" Omoi and Karui shouted in alarm.
But before they could reach him—
"Do you really have time to worry about others now?"
Ghost Lantern Mangetsu and Temari appeared in a blur, blades and fan gleaming as they closed in.