Seeing Funan's refusal to negotiate, Darui and C frowned.
What were they to do now?
The suicidal tactic they had used earlier had given them a momentary advantage, taking the enemy by surprise, but it could not be used often.
The enemy would soon be on guard.
Furthermore, the damage to Kumogakure itself would be much greater.
And then there was an unspeakable secret.
Darui and his group had resorted to a forbidden technique to control those shinobi, making them accept their death with ease.
A technique similar to the one Danzo used in Root. Capable of forcing absolute obedience.
Otherwise, finding five thousand shinobi willing to die for the village would be no easy task.
"Let's take the remaining people and evacuate." Suddenly, Hiruzen spoke. "Let's abandon Kumogakure."
"Impossible!"
The elders almost jumped up.
"You have no other choice!" Hiruzen replied coldly. "The only thing you can do now is take as many shinobi as possible, along with their families, and head to Iwagakure. If you ally with Onoki, there is still hope. Otherwise..."
Those present were breathing with difficulty.
"I agree."
A calm, feminine voice was heard.
"Mabui?"
Everyone looked in surprise at the woman who spoke.
With a calm expression, Mabui declared, "As a simple kunoichi of Kumogakure, I support the proposal to evacuate the village."
The people present were silent again.
Darui gritted his teeth and said: "Okay, let's go!"
C also nodded helplessly.
Some elders still had doubts.
"We have no choice!" Darui urged. "Only by being alive is there hope. If we die, there will be nothing left."
"Alas!"
One of the elders sighed deeply. His expression was that of a defeated man, his gaze empty and lightless.
"I understand..."
He stared at Darui and said, "You are a good ninja, really. The essence of the village is reflected in you. I think you should be the Fifth Raikage."
Everyone present was stunned.
The Fifth Raikage? Now?
Many had already considered it, but assuming leadership in a situation like this...
A Raikage leading a retreat, while the village was conquered... It was a humiliation!
However, after meeting the elder's eyes, Darui's heart moved.
However, seeing the elder's gaze, something changed in Darui. "I understand."
With a firm voice, he declared, "As the Fifth Raikage, I will lead our people away from here. I will remember this shame. And the village will remember it as well."
Everyone nodded silently.
Everything was resolved quickly, omitting formal procedures due to the urgency.
Under the gaze of the elders and the remaining jonin, Darui put on the hat of the Fifth Raikage.
"Let's go."
His voice was calm, but as he turned, he took one last, deep look at Kumogakure.
The elders chose to stay.
Neither Konoha nor Kirigakure would allow the retreat to proceed unhindered.
Someone had to stay behind to cover the retreat.
When they made the decision to name Darui as Raikage, they had also decided their own destiny. Witnessing the birth of a new Raikage was their final wish.
"It's almost time to finish." Funan looked at Kumogakure. Her pupils changed into the pattern of the Mangekyō Sharingan.
"They're starting to retreat."
"No surprise." replied Yako. "When you look at it, Kumo has no chance of winning. If they don't want to be exterminated, they can only surrender."
"Hokage-sama..." Fugaku immediately intervened. "Leave it to me, I want to make up for my past mistakes."
"Fine, you go," Funan replied with a casual wave of his hand.
Fugaku: "…"
Really? Just me?
"What's wrong?" Funan looked at Fugaku suspiciously and said, "Why don't you go? Do you want to negotiate with me?"
"... I'll go right away!"
'People who don't know would think you want to kill me!'
Fugaku's expression turned grim.
Itachi said helplessly, "I'll go with my father!"
"Okay!" Fugaku breathed a sigh of relief.
Father and son rushed towards where the Kumo troops were trying to escape.
Behind them, the Three-Tails and Seven-Tails began to release their tailed beast balls, destroying Kumogakure's main buildings and facilities.
[Boom!!!]
This time, no one could resist.
"Hokage-sama..." Yako reported. "The Kumo shinobi left in the village have stopped resisting."
Attacking the surrendered shinobi would only provoke hatred from the survivors and make it difficult to dominate the region in the future!
"I know," Funan replied indifferently. "That's why I only ordered them to attack the village's iconic buildings. If anyone gets hurt, it's their bad luck."
Yako remained silent.
[Boom!!]
Two more tailed beast balls fell.
All of Kumo's major buildings were completely wiped off the map.
At that moment, Fugaku and Itachi passed through the village of Kumogakure in the direction of the retreating Kumo shinobi.
Their Mangekyō Sharingan glowed and immediately detected the shinobi hidden among the rubble.
"They haven't even moved after the tailed beast balls attacked the Raikage's office." Fugaku muttered. "Hmph, it seems they're ready to sacrifice themselves."
[Swish!]
A group of shinobi appeared and surrounded Fugaku and Itachi.
The elder leading the survivors looked around with eyes filled with pain.
They had left a thousand men behind to cover their retreat, but after the attack of the conc ola beast balls, only three hundred remained.
"Kill them! Kill those two Uchihas!"
The elder roared in fury and launched himself into the attack like a madman.
...
Iwagakure battlefield.
The two sides in the conflict received the news almost at the same time.
Kumogakure had fallen. The remnants of its army were heading to Iwagakure.
Jiraiya made a prompt decision and decided to stop them.
Onoki immediately understood Jiraiya's intentions. Without wasting any time, he rose into the air and positioned himself in front of Jiraiya.
A translucent barrier formed in his palm. He was ready to attack at any moment.
"Jiraiya, I will not allow you to destroy the remains of Kumo."
"We'll see about that!"
Jiraiya and Onoki looked at each other.
"Hehe!"
Orochimaru's unique laughter came. He walked out slowly and said, "Jiraiya, I heard that our sensei is also in Kumogakure. Don't you want to meet him?"
Jiraiya said coldly, "I was just going to do that."
[Swish!]
Gaara appeared next to Jiraiya and stared at Orochimaru coldly.
Orochimaru grinned: "Hello, Kazekage-sama!"
"Hello," Gaara replied emotionlessly. "Orochimaru, I understand that my sensei is eager to see you. Why are you here and not in Kumogakure?"
For a moment, Orochimaru's smile tightened.
He then clasped his hands together and said with a smile, "I will definitely go see Funan-kun, but, Kazekage-sama, you should see this person first!"
[Bang!]
A coffin emerged from the ground. On the lid, a large number 4 was carved.
Gaara felt a bad feeling.
[Bang!]
The coffin opened and a familiar figure appeared before them.
Jiraiya whispered in disbelief, "The Fourth Kazekage... Rasa."
Gaara remained silent, his eyes reflecting a storm of emotions.
Rasa opened his eyes and looked around, clearly dazed.
Wasn't he dead?
And besides…
He put a hand to his head.
Uchiha Fūnan!?
Why?
Why did he trust Uchiha Fūnan so much?
How could he become that man's subordinate?
Rasa's face twisted with fury.
This is a humiliation for all of Sunagakure!
Uchiha Fūnan!
"Father..."
"Hmm?"
Rasa started and looked up.
There were four people in front of him, all familiar faces.
Onoki, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, his killer.
And, of course, his own son… Gaara.
Seeing his son, Rasa became even more stunned.
From Gaara's appearance, it didn't seem like too much time had passed since his death.
But... why did his son give him the feeling of being in front of someone of higher status?
Gaara was the first to break the silence. "Father... I never imagined we would meet again in a situation like this... let alone as enemies."
"If that's so, then as the Kazekage, I have no choice but to face you!"
As he said these words, his posture became even firmer.
"Kazekage... you?"
Rasa was stunned.
"That's right. He is the Kazekage." Jiraiya looked at Gaara and nodded gravely. "Although he is still young, he has great potential. I believe that he will make an excellent leader in the future."
"What the hell is going on…?" Rasa looked at his own hands and muttered, "Am I alive? My son is the Kazekage? The Fifth?"
"Hehe…" Orochimaru let out a low, mocking laugh. "Fourth Kazekage, I was the one who brought you back."
Rasa gave him a cold look.
[Swish!]
Suddenly, a large amount of golden sand emerged and launched itself towards Orochimaru.
However, halfway there, the sand stopped dead.
Rasa was stunned.
"Fourth Kazekage, I already told you… I was the one who revived you. That means that now… I am your master." Orochimaru gave a sinister smile. "How could you attack your own master?"
"What on earth is this..."
"Father, it's Impure World Reincarnation." Gaara explained briefly.
"Damn Orochimaru!" Rasa was so angry.
First he killed him. Then he brought him back as a puppet. Now he forced him to fight against his own village.
Is there anything more disgusting than this?
"Wait... is this a war?"
Rasa finally fully woke up.
Looking around, he noticed that... Konoha and Sunagakure were fighting together?
Is the enemy Iwagakure?
Rasa turned his head sharply towards Gaara. "Gaara, listen to me…"
"No need, Father. I know what you're going to say." Gaara interrupted him without hesitation. With a calm tone, he declared, "Sunagakure and Konoha are allies. Allies forever."
"You… don't understand…"
"I don't need to understand." Gaara interrupted him again and, with absolute calm, added, "Thanks to Konoha's help, our village no longer has a shortage of resources. That is more than enough."
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