Senju Haruto watched coldly, his gaze sweeping across Ōnoki and the others.
His words weren't directed only at the Third Tsuchikage. They were also meant for Darui, who stood nearby.
Just now, aside from sparing the few before him, Haruto's Dust Release: Separation by Limitless Detachment had obliterated everything in the area into atoms.
Ōnoki only had to glance at the ground beneath his feet, at the barren devastation all around, to understand.
This wasn't a bluff. Nor was it genjutsu.
Haruto had truly unleashed Dust Release—and on a scale greater than Ōnoki himself ever could.
And he'd done it without spending much chakra at all.
Ōnoki swallowed hard. Though he wanted to argue, deep down he knew the truth: Haruto really did possess the power to erase the Land of Earth from existence.
"Submit… or be destroyed."
Haruto's voice was low and heavy, pressing down upon both Ōnoki and Darui, forcing them to make a choice.
But this wasn't a real choice.
Ōnoki's worst-case plan had been to fight with everything he had, burn his life away, and die in Haruto's hands. That way, he wouldn't shame the legacy of the Tsuchikage. In the Pure Land, he'd be able to face his predecessors with some measure of dignity.
And perhaps his death would convince the Land of Earth to give up further resistance, sparing needless bloodshed.
But now, Haruto had bound his life to that of his entire nation.
Could he really stand by and watch his people die?
No…
"We submit."
As Ōnoki wavered, his son Akatsuchi suddenly spoke up, making the decision for him.
Ōnoki's eyes widened in shock, snapping toward his son.
"You… what did you say?"
Ōnoki's voice trembled in disbelief.
"If it's about the entire Land of Earth… then we have no choice. Because I don't believe the Fifth Hokage is lying."
Akatsuchi spoke without hesitation. After witnessing Haruto's strength, he was utterly convinced Haruto could do what he claimed.
Even if he himself was ready to die alongside his father, ready to face that end with resolve—when he thought of the countless people of the Land of Earth, that resolve faltered.
Sometimes, choosing to live was its own form of courage.
But… not everyone could see that. Not everyone could understand.
As Akatsuchi's words fell, Karui suddenly shouted in protest.
She refused to believe Haruto could truly do such a thing.
Otherwise, why convene a meeting of the Three Kage in the first place? He could have simply crushed them all at the start.
This had to be bluster.
Perhaps their individual strength couldn't match Haruto's, but if the entire Land of Lightning's shinobi were gathered, their armies combined, surely they could still resist him!
Karui never realized how steep the cost of her words would be.
Haruto's lips curved upward into a faint, chilling smile.
With a twist of his hand, he tore open space itself, forming a ring of searing fire. From Darui's perspective, it expanded rapidly, like a portal linking directly to the Land of Lightning.
Famous landmarks of the Valley of Clouds and Lightning appeared within.
"Dust Release: Separation by Limitless Detachment!"
With both palms pressed together, Haruto unleashed another Dust Release. Its brilliance dwarfed even the last, a blinding white light engulfing the entire valley.
The shinobi stationed there didn't even have time to react—let alone escape.
When the light faded, the Valley of Clouds and Lightning lay utterly leveled, reduced to nothing by Haruto's overwhelming power.
Omoi, Darui, Ōnoki, Akatsuchi, Kurotsuchi—all stood frozen, stunned into silence.
None of them had imagined Haruto's Dust Release could be so vast, so absolute.
"The Valley of Clouds and Lightning…"
Karui's voice trembled, her face pale with despair.
She knew instantly: its destruction was because of her.
And this was only the beginning.
Haruto had already asked his question. There was no need to repeat it.
Nor did he intend to.
As silence gripped the battlefield, Haruto moved again.
This time, the portal opened not to the Land of Lightning, but to the Land of Earth. Directly to Iwagakure.
The people he found interesting there were Ōnoki and Kurotsuchi.
The rest… he couldn't care less.
"Stop!"
Ōnoki and Akatsuchi realized what was about to happen and shouted in alarm.
But their cries came too late.
Once again—Dust Release.
Once again—Separation by Limitless Detachment.
Once again—the same vast scale.
A third of Iwagakure was wiped away in an instant. Buildings, shinobi, civilians—everything was reduced to atoms, leaving behind barren ground.
Through the portal, Haruto observed the desolate ruins with a detached expression.
For a moment, he almost admired the sheer efficiency of Dust Release.
Next, his gaze shifted toward Kumogakure.
Until Ōnoki and Darui responded, each strike would remain relatively "small."
But if they continued to hesitate, entire hidden villages would vanish.
"I understand!"
Darui's voice cracked as he roared, anguish twisting his face. He hated his own weakness more than anything in that moment.
Because he was powerless, he could do nothing but watch as his people were slaughtered.
He couldn't stop Haruto. He couldn't even fight to the death against him.
He could only surrender.
Kakashi, standing silently at the side, felt a deep chill at Haruto's ruthless methods.
And yet, at the same time, he understood.
This wasn't Haruto bluffing to extract concessions.
This was Haruto's genuine intent: to unify the shinobi world.
These brutal actions weren't a show. They were necessity.
Even so, it took only one round for Darui to reach his breaking point.
He gritted his teeth, then shouted his acceptance, agreeing to Haruto's demand.
The Hidden Cloud would submit. The Land of Lightning would become territory of the Land of Fire.
After Darui was forced to yield, Ōnoki clenched his jaw tight, despair flashing in his eyes.
Because the moment Darui submitted, Haruto shifted the portal again.
This time, it connected to Iwagakure's most crowded district—the heart of the village.
As Tsuchikage, Ōnoki couldn't allow it.
Locking eyes with Haruto, he had no choice but to nod, his face filled with resignation.
He, too, would submit. Just like Darui.
"Yes. That's more like it."
Haruto's lips curled into a devil's smile, his presence like a suffocating shadow.
He already had plans for their replacements.
The Land of Lightning, famed as a nation of warriors—he would send Might Guy to govern it.
The Land of Earth, he decided, would be handed to Zabuza to replace Ōnoki.
As for Darui and Ōnoki themselves?
He had no intention of letting them return.
Too exhausting a journey. Better they simply remain in the Land of Fire.
"Next… it's time to head to that cave and sign in."
...
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