The surrender of the Hidden Mist was like a falling domino that triggered a shift across the entire Ninja World's battlefield.
As news spread throughout the Ninja World that Yagura Karatachi had been captured, the Three-Tails' combat power was depleted, and the Hidden Mist had signed a humiliating peace treaty, Kumogakure—which had been at a stalemate with Konoha on the border—suddenly found itself in a precarious, isolated position.
Previously, the reason Kumogakure dared to stand firm against Konoha was largely due to the momentum provided by the Hidden Mist's diversion on the eastern front. Now that the Hidden Mist had defected, Kumogakure's hidden danger of being attacked from both sides completely erupted.
Coupled with the Konoha Allied Forces' soaring morale following this battle—especially Uchiha Xia Yin's world-destroying Susanoo, which had become a sword of Damocles hanging over every Village—the Kumogakure high-ranking officials knew that continuing the fight would only lead to the same fate as the Hidden Mist.
Thus, in the early spring of the 50th year of Konoha, the Hidden Cloud Village took the initiative to send an envoy carrying lavish gifts to Konohagakure to request peace talks.
The envoy maintained an extremely low profile, not only acknowledging Konoha's dominant position in the war but also expressing a willingness to return previously seized border lands and pay massive war reparations. The once-arrogant Kumogakure ultimately chose to bow its head in the face of an absolute disparity in strength.
The smoke of war finally began to dissipate over the skies of the Ninja World.
Meanwhile, although the Hidden Mist Village was filled with humiliation, they did not dare to violate their agreement with Shine.
On the third day after the peace treaty took effect, a Hidden Mist transport ship quietly arrived at the Allied Forces' camp harbor. The ship carried the 'payment' Shine had demanded—ten children from the Kaguya Clan, and a boy from the Yuki Clan who looked as delicate as a girl, Haku.
At that time, Shine was standing on a high platform in the camp, overlooking the sea.
The moment the transport ship docked, his Mangekyo Sharingan spun slightly, taking in every figure on the ship.
Among the ten Kaguya Clan children, the oldest was only five, and the youngest was just three.
They wore uniform gray cloth clothes, their eyes filled with a child's typical ignorance and timidity, yet they could not hide the latent ferocity in their Bloodline. The Kaguya Clan's Bloodline Limit, 'Shikotsumyaku,' was one of the most ferocious Bloodline Limits in the Ninja World.
And Haku, standing among the children, was dressed in a plain white kimono. His skin was as white as snow, and his features were delicate; if one didn't look closely, they would truly mistake him for a fragile girl.
He kept his head down, his small hands tightly clutching the corner of his clothes. His eyes were full of unease, yet they faintly revealed a resilience that surpassed his age.
The Hidden Mist escort Ninja brought the children before Shine, gave a bow with a complex expression, and turned to leave without a word. They did not dare to look more, nor did they want to; the humiliation of handing over their clan's future and Genius was branded into their hearts.
Shine slowly walked down from the high platform. His crimson Mangekyo swept over the children before him; his gaze was calm and rippleless, yet it carried a heart-palpitating pressure.
The children retreated in fear, except for Haku. Although his body trembled slightly, he stubbornly raised his head and locked eyes with Shine for a brief moment.
'Very good,' Shine spoke indifferently, his voice devoid of any warmth. 'From today on, you are under my command.'
He offered no further words, simply raising his hand to signal Chi and Yan behind him to take the children away and settle them in the tents that had been prepared long ago.
Chi and Yan followed the order and stepped forward. Their attitude toward the children wasn't exactly gentle, but neither was it harsh. They knew these children would be the vital foundation of Shine's future power.
Watching the children's retreating figures, a barely perceptible curve formed at the corner of Shine's mouth. The Kaguya Clan's Shikotsumyaku and Haku's Ice Release Bloodline Limit were both combat forces with immense potential.
As long as they were cultivated and supplemented by his planning, these children would eventually become the blades he used to control the Ninja World.
Meanwhile, inside the Hokage Building in Konohagakure, Hiruzen Sarutobi was looking at the intelligence scroll in his hand. He was so angry his chest felt tight, his face was flushed, and he nearly crushed his pipe.
'Preposterous! Absolutely preposterous!' Hiruzen slammed the scroll onto the desk, his roar echoing through the office.
The scroll clearly recorded the news of the Hidden Mist fulfilling the agreement—ten Kaguya Clan children plus Haku had all been received by Uchiha Xia Yin.
This was no longer a simple case of 'claiming credit'; it was blatant plunder! Shine was using the prestige of the war and his merit in defeating Yagura to forcibly demand Bloodline Limit geniuses from the Hidden Mist. He was clearly cultivating his own private forces!
How could Hiruzen not be angry? He had initially given the negotiation rights to Fugaku and Shikaku specifically to divide Shine's credit and check his power.
But in the end, Shine didn't respect him as Hokage at all. Not only did he openly challenge him at the negotiation table, but he also forcibly demanded core interests, and Fugaku and Shikaku didn't even have the courage to stop him!
But despite his anger, Hiruzen was powerless.
He knew Shine's strength—a Susanoo capable of crushing a Perfect Jinchuriki head-on was something perhaps no one in the entire Ninja World could rival.
If he were to fall out with Shine over this, and Shine went on a rampage, Konohagakure would likely face a catastrophe.
He could only watch helplessly as Shine continued to grow stronger and cultivate his own forces, not even daring to say a single harsh word.
'Uchiha Xia Yin... what exactly do you want?' Hiruzen slumped into his chair, tiredly rubbing his brow, his eyes full of anxiety and helplessness.
He had a faint premonition that this rising Uchiha Genius would become an existence even harder to control than Uchiha Setsuna in the future.
The power balance of Konoha, and even the landscape of the entire Ninja World, would undergo irreversible changes because of this man.
Meanwhile, Shine had already put Konoha's reaction out of his mind.
He stood by the sea at the camp, looking toward the Hidden Mist Village, his crimson Mangekyo Sharingan flashing with a sharp light.
The Hidden Mist had surrendered, Kumogakure was seeking peace, and the Third Great Ninja War had basically come to a close.
Next would be clearing the battlefield, consolidating power, and then—heading to Amegakure to find Nagato and take control of the Rinnegan.
The chessboard of the Ninja World had reached its most critical moment.
And he, Uchiha Xia Yin, would be the final player.
As for Hiruzen Sarutobi's anger and helplessness, they were merely insignificant interludes on his path to the top.
As the smoke of the Third Great Ninja War cleared, in the late autumn of the 50th year of Konoha, the Uchiha Clan's contingent stepped through the setting sun and slowly returned to Konohagakure.
The team was led side-by-side by Uchiha Xia Yin and the Clan Chief, Uchiha Fugaku, yet it exuded a strange sense of imbalance.
Shine was still dressed in black combat gear, surrounded by a cold aura that warned others not to approach. His crimson Mangekyo Sharingan occasionally swept over his clansmen, meeting only gazes of awe and obedience.
Fugaku, although wearing the clan robes that symbolized his status as Clan Chief, had a solemn face, his brow filled with lingering exhaustion and hidden worry. Shine's dominance on the battlefield had already left him with lingering fears, and now as they returned home, the unease in his heart grew even stronger...
Advance chapter available on pãtrêon Got1808