Namikaze Kirito glanced at Samui with clear amusement in his eyes.
He hadn't expected her to admit it so directly.
"So?" Kirito said calmly. "What now?"
Samui met his gaze without flinching.
"Namikaze Kirito, as long as you hand him over, this matter ends here. Our Kumogakure and Iwagakure will not go to war against Konoha. In addition, we are willing to sign a thirty-year non-aggression treaty."
Her voice remained steady, neither pleading nor threatening.
This wasn't just her personal stance. The leadership of both Kumogakure and Iwagakure had reached the same conclusion.
Konoha was not in a position to enter a full-scale war. It needed time to recover and grow.
At the same time, Kumogakure and Iwagakure also needed time—time to study the power of the Rinnegan.
From their perspective, Konoha shouldn't cling to those eyes.
After all, Namikaze Kirito had already defeated the leader of Akatsuki. Why would someone like him care about the Rinnegan?
"I refuse."
Kirito's answer came instantly, without the slightest hesitation.
He hadn't even bothered to consider their proposal.
Why should he?
Who did they think they were, making demands of him?
And more importantly…
What reason did he have to consider the words of those who stood so far beneath him in strength?
Samui froze.
For the first time since entering this room, her composure cracked ever so slightly.
"Namikaze Kirito… do you understand what your refusal means?" she asked slowly. "It will bring war between our three great villages."
Kirito smiled faintly.
"War…"
He let the word linger on his tongue.
"That doesn't sound so bad."
Samui's eyes widened slightly.
Then Kirito continued, his voice calm and almost casual.
"How about this? Konoha officially declares war on Kumogakure and Iwagakure."
Silence filled the room.
Samui's lips parted, but no sound came out at first.
"…Are you serious?"
She had expected resistance.
She had expected negotiation.
She had expected pressure.
But she had never expected outright defiance like this.
During the Third Hokage's era, Konoha had endured humiliation after humiliation just to preserve peace.
When had Konoha become this decisive?
This aggressive?
"Serious?" Kirito repeated softly.
Then—
He raised his hand.
Wood Style activated instantly.
Thick wooden vines burst from the floor without warning, wrapping around every Kumogakure shinobi present—except Samui.
They were bound in an instant.
Immobilized completely.
"What are you doing?!"
Samui stepped back instinctively, drawing her short sword in one smooth motion. Her expression turned cold and serious, her body shifting into a combat stance.
Kirito didn't even look at the captured shinobi.
"I already told you," he said calmly. "War has begun."
He turned his gaze back to her.
"Konoha has declared war on Kumogakure and Iwagakure."
His smile was faint.
"Since this is war… it's enough for one of you to return and deliver the message."
His eyes flicked toward the restrained shinobi.
"The rest will stay here."
Samui's heart sank.
Even in war, there were rules.
"Namikaze Kirito!" she snapped. "Even during wartime, envoys are not to be killed! Are you saying Konoha intends to break that rule?!"
"Rules?" Kirito let out a quiet chuckle.
"My rules are the only rules that matter."
His gaze turned cold.
"Only the strong have the right to define them."
"You came here with threats and ultimatums. Don't act surprised when Konoha responds in kind."
Realizing he had no intention of backing down, Samui immediately turned toward Minato.
"Fourth Hokage!"
Her voice trembled slightly with urgency.
"Are you really going to allow your son to commit such an act?!"
Minato stood silently.
A faint, helpless smile appeared on his face.
As Hokage… he couldn't agree with this.
But as a father… he had already made his choice.
He had promised Kirito his full support.
And now, there was no turning back.
Minato spoke calmly.
"I am the Fourth Hokage."
"But Namikaze Kirito is the supreme commander of this war."
His eyes met hers evenly.
"Once war has been declared… even I must follow his command."
He paused briefly.
"I hope you understand."
Kirito spoke without looking back.
"Father. Please leave."
His voice was quiet.
"I'll handle the rest."
Minato understood immediately.
He didn't want his family to witness what came next.
Minato nodded once.
Then—
A flash of golden light filled the room.
And he vanished.
The Flying Thunder God Technique.
Only the Kumogakure shinobi remained.
And Samui.
Their situation had become completely hopeless.
"Damn it! Let them go!"
Samui moved instantly.
She lunged forward, short sword aimed directly at Kirito.
Clang!
Her blade stopped instantly.
Halted mid-strike.
By nothing more than a single finger.
Samui's eyes widened in disbelief.
She had already known how powerful Namikaze Kirito was.
His battle in Amegakure had shaken the entire shinobi world.
But knowing and witnessing were two completely different things.
He wasn't using chakra.
He wasn't using any weapon.
He wasn't even putting in any real effort.
He was stopping her blade with nothing more than his bare finger.
"What's wrong?" Kirito asked calmly.
His index finger pressed gently against the blade.
Then slowly bent.
Her sword trembled.
"Damn it!"
Samui tried to pull her weapon back.
It didn't move.
His finger held it in place like an unbreakable clamp.
She made a split-second decision.
She let go.
Her body retreated rapidly as her hands formed seals.
"Lightning Style—"
"AAAAAHHH!"
A scream tore through the room.
Samui froze.
She turned her head instantly.
The wooden vines wrapped around her comrades began to tighten.
Slowly at first.
Then tighter.
And tighter.
Their bodies creaked under the crushing pressure, their muscles and bones straining as if they were about to break apart.
Blood began to seep through their skin, staining their clothes.
Their bones were being crushed, bit by bit, under the merciless force.
"STOP!"
Samui shouted.
Her composure shattered completely.
Tears filled her eyes.
"Please stop, Namikaze Kirito!"
Her voice trembled.
Kirito tilted his head slightly.
"And why should I?"
His tone was calm.
"Aren't Kumogakure and Iwagakure threatening to invade Konoha?"
"If that's the case… why shouldn't I torture my enemies?"
"We weren't going to invade!" Samui shouted desperately.
"We never intended to start a war!"
She clenched her fists.
"We only used it as leverage… to force you to hand over the Rinnegan!"
It was the truth.
Neither the Third Raikage nor the Third Tsuchikage dared risk open war.
Not after witnessing Kirito's overwhelming power.
If that same destruction fell upon their villages…
They wouldn't survive long enough to surrender.
No village could endure that.
Kirito's eyes narrowed slightly.
"So it was a bluff."
He slowly clenched his fist.
The vines tightened instantly.
Blood sprayed into the air.
Their bodies twisted unnaturally.
"As punishment…" Kirito said calmly, "your lives will serve as the price."
"NO!"
Samui stepped forward desperately.
"Please! Don't kill them!"
Her voice broke.
"I'll make the Raikage compensate you! Anything you want!"
She had completely lost her composure.
Kirito looked at her calmly.
"Anything?"
His gaze swept over her.
Then he spoke bluntly.
"You don't have anything worth bargaining for."
He paused briefly.
"…Except your appearance."
His fist tightened further.
More blood flowed.
"DAMN IT!"
The captured shinobi shouted through the pain.
"Lady Samui! Don't beg him!"
"Return to the Raikage!"
"Let him avenge us!"
"Namikaze Kirito!"
"You demon!"
"You'll pay for this someday!"
None of them begged for mercy.
None of them showed fear.
They chose death with pride, rather than live in humiliation.
But their resolve only made Samui more desperate.
She couldn't just stand there and watch them die.
Not like this.
Not while she was still able to do something.
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