After a night of celebration, the next day, without needing anyone to remind them, everyone woke up early.
Because next…
It was time to counterattack.
Three armies set off by ship from the Land of Water's border, heading toward the Fire, Earth, and Lightning Countries.
The annihilation armies that reached the shores of the Fire and Lightning Countries, the moment they got off the boat, each saw the Konoha Village and Cloud Village ninjas who had already been waiting for a long time.
The two sides looked at each other, after a brief moment of silence, they all showed smiles, extended their hands, and firmly grasped each other.
Konoha and Cloud Village, on the surface said they wouldn't join the war, but everyone knew that in yesterday's battle, they secretly helped a lot.
Many of the masked ninjas fighting the coalition on the frontlines were actually from these two hidden villages.
After the two sides joined forces, they marched straight toward the capitals of the Fire and Lightning Countries. Above their heads, each had a sky battleship hovering, providing powerful fire support.
They crushed everything along the way, advancing as if bamboo splitting, smooth to the point of boredom.
Because the bureaucrats of each city would raise white flags and surrender long before they even got close.
Even if occasionally a city put up a stubborn resistance, one shot from the sky battleship shattered the city walls, and the war ended.
If not for Tokugawa Ieyasu's request, if they directly rode the sky battleships and flew straight to the capitals of the Fire and Lightning Countries, the battle could have ended that same afternoon.
Tokugawa Ieyasu's original words were, "We need to give the people time, give history time, to remember this moment."
"Only by advancing from the national borders with overwhelming force can we let the world see how so-called daimyos, bureaucrats, and conglomerates, in the face of justice are…"
"Not worth a single blow."
Ryosuke agreed with Tokugawa Ieyasu's idea.
After all, when it came to politics and the hearts of the people, Tokugawa Ieyasu was the true expert.
So, Ryosuke stepped onto the land of the Land of Earth.
No annihilation army, no ninjas, no samurai, no support from the local hidden village, and no fire support from sky battleships.
Only Ryosuke, all alone.
But everyone knew what Ryosuke's appearance meant.
When the Iwagakure ninjas and Land of Earth samurai, holding weapons and waiting for the "enemy army," found that the one who came was only a single person, they all fell into despair.
No unnecessary movements were needed. He didn't even need ripple or Golden Rotation.
Ryosuke was like an ordinary traveler, using his footsteps to measure this land, step by step walking toward the Land of Earth's capital.
All attacks directed at him would be deflected, all enemies who charged at him would be sent flying into the sky, and after a few dozen seconds, crash down heavily to the ground, smashed into meat paste.
Enemies set up roadblocks along Ryosuke's path, but the earth "melted," and whether it was roadblocks or hills, everything submitted under Ryosuke's feet.
On the ground Ryosuke stepped across, a straight road appeared.
At first, only he alone walked this road, but as he walked, those following behind gradually increased.
Among them were homeless civilians, bounty hunters wanting to take advantage of the chaos, and youths who admired Ryosuke and wished to join the annihilation army.
Different stances, different backgrounds, carrying different thoughts, yet all followed behind Ryosuke.
But as they continued forward, the chaotic thoughts in each of them unknowingly faded away at some point.
They only wanted to follow the back of the man in front of them, to just keep walking, and witness a historic moment arrive.
Along the way, when Ryosuke occasionally passed by a riverbank, he would crush a few Pearl Jams and throw them into the river. The people following behind would take out cups, each scoop a cup, drinking while continuing to follow.
———
The news of the three armies advancing deep into enemy territory had long ceased to be a secret.
Every day, newspapers updated the progress, and many people waited along the route to obtain first-hand information, hoping to take a photo.
Flipping through the newspapers, a question appeared in everyone's mind, 'Once they reach the capitals, how exactly will Ryosuke handle the daimyos of the Fire, Earth, and Lightning Countries?'
Their status, political position, and influence in their nations far surpassed that of the conglomerate families.
The three daimyos had accepted their defeat. Even as the three armies pressed in, they were still discussing with their think tanks how to negotiate with Ryosuke's side.
Yes, negotiate.
In the daimyos' view, even if Ryosuke was extremely forceful, could he really capture them all and behead them?
If he wanted to maintain stability in the Fire, Earth, and Lightning Countries, the best strategy would be to let them stay in their daimyo positions, then slowly nibble away at power bit by bit.
Just like Tokugawa Shingen had done.
To these political veterans, as long as they were given time, they could gradually regain their footing.
That's what the daimyos thought.
Or rather…
That's what they fantasized.
So, they sent a letter seeking peace early.
Until the cheers of a broken city gate came, the shouts of "lowly commoners" in the streets woke Daimyo of the Land of Earth, Sanada Kenshin, from his beautiful dream.
He awoke in shock, not even wearing his sleeping robe properly, ran out and looked toward the city gate.
People raised torches, surrounding "the man whose name must not be spoken," loudly shouting Ryosuke's name, gathering from all corners of the city.
Sanada Kenshin, freshly awakened, felt his mind go blank.
'Why is it that Ryosuke's name, he didn't even dare think of it, yet these lowly commoners can shout it openly?'
Then he thought further.
'With Ryosuke coming in with such overwhelming momentum, what exactly is he planning to do?!'
The crowd holding torches marched straight toward the daimyo residence.
From afar, they looked like a crimson arrow shooting forward.
Sanada clutched his chest, panic sprouting from his heart.
"Attendant! Attendant!"
Sanada Kenshin roared. An elderly man hurried over, but before he could speak, Sanada grabbed his collar, "The peace letter, did you send it or not?!"
"It was sent long ago."
The attendant said, "They even replied."
Sanada, as if grabbing a life-saving straw, asked, "What did they say in their reply?"
The attendant opened his mouth and said, "They said… 'Got it.'"
'Got it?'
'What the hell does "got it" mean?!'
"T-Then what about my guards?"
Sanada's teeth chattered.
The attendant looked troubled, glanced at Sanada, and said, "After the city gate was broken, they all ran."
Not only did they run, before leaving, they even stole a lot of gold and jewelry and precious treasures from the daimyo residence.
Even the reason Sanada slept so soundly tonight was because his servants put sleeping pills in his food.
There was no helping it, Fire Country and Lightning Country aside, even if the annihilation army and sky battleship came, there might still be a chance to put up a fight.
But the one who came to the Land of Earth was Ryosuke.
Fight?
Fight with what?
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"
Sanada didn't expect to be betrayed by his servants.
Even more so, he didn't expect that his "peace talk" would turn out like this.
BOOM!
The daimyo residence gates were smashed open.
Torchlight reflected Sanada Kenshin's face purple. People rushed into the residence, a few strong men pinned Sanada to the ground, countless bright eyes looked back at Ryosuke.
Sanada roared, "Ryosuke! You really want mutual destruction?! Do you know who I am? If you kill me, do you know what price you'll pay?!"
Ryosuke, who had walked all the way, finally stopped at this moment.
He stood before Sanada Kenshin.
Sanada's sleepwear had long been torn open, exposing his pale body like a plump pig.
"A price?"
"That price only exists under your rules. Now, the rules this world will follow..."
Ryosuke looked down at this once high-and-mighty daimyo.
"Are my rules."