Fortunately, they were still some distance from the main Allied Forces, so no one had witnessed the horrifying scene that had just unfolded.
Otherwise, in this atmosphere of tension and fear, small-scale retreats could have broken out across the Allied ranks—perhaps even full-blown panic and chaos.
Genshi, one of the founding elders of Kirigakure, fully understood the burden he carried on his shoulders.
He could not allow Kirigakure to vanish into the river of history.
At this point, the situation was painfully clear.
The Fifth Hokage of Konoha, Uchiha Hikaru, clearly intended to wipe out the other nations and unify the ninja world.
Although Genshi couldn't say whether this was right or wrong, he knew one thing for certain: he had to oppose Hikaru. If not for justice, then at least for Kirigakure's survival.
He took a deep breath and shouted:
"You, Fifth Hokage, as the leader of the strongest among the Five Great Nations, ought to dedicate yourself to peace."
"Why have you unleashed a disaster that's engulfing the entire continent? Are your ambition and selfish desires really more important than the peace and stability of the entire ninja world?"
Hearing this righteous outcry, the chaotic Allied camp quieted down significantly.
Genshi's words carried a strange power, forcing the Allied shinobi to reconsider why they were fighting in the first place.
Slowly, they began to realize—they weren't fighting merely for revenge.
They were fighting for peace and stability in the ninja world.
This shift in perspective reinvigorated their spirits. They straightened their backs, and determination gleamed in their eyes.
For a moment, the morale of the Allied Shinobi Forces surged.
However, Uchiha Hikaru's expression twisted oddly.
Inside, he let out a cold chuckle. Isn't this exactly the kind of moral blackmail those keyboard warriors in my past life used to preach?
Just because he was the leader of the strongest village, it was suddenly his moral obligation to pursue peace, as if he bore the burden of the entire world by default.
And what about those who started wars and sowed chaos?
Once defeated, all they had to say was, "Konoha is the strongest anyway," and just like that, all the blame was brushed away. As if none of it had happened.
Now that they couldn't win, they wanted to pull this same trick again—on him?
Too bad.
He wasn't the Third Hokage.
If they tried to shackle him with morality, then he'd be happy to act without it.
Casting his gaze once more toward the sky, Susanoo began to manifest.
But this time, it was different from all previous iterations.
It didn't erupt into existence all at once. It built up, layer by layer.
First came the skeletal frame. Then flesh and muscle rapidly filled it out. Finally, armor materialized and locked into place.
And in the end, a towering Susanoo, tens of thousands of meters high, loomed before the Allied Shinobi Forces like an insurmountable mountain.
The sight struck awe—and despair—into their hearts.
One shinobi couldn't help but mutter, "Sage of Six Paths... can a ninja even reach this level?"
Uchiha Hikaru stood within the colossal body of the Susanoo, overlooking the Allied shinobi below, who looked no more significant than ants.
"No one is born at the top—not you, not me, not even gods. But the vacancy on that heavenly throne has lingered for far too long."
"From this moment on, I will be the one who stands at the summit!"
Then, with chilling calm, he asked:
"My speech is over. Who supports me? Who opposes me?"
His voice wasn't loud, but it struck like a thunderclap in the hearts of all.
At the same time, his Susanoo, responding to his intent, began to draw its massive blade.
The pitch-black weapon shimmered coldly under the sunlight, suspended above the Allied army. One swing—and they would be erased.
The entire battlefield went deathly still.
Even Genshi wisely shut his mouth.
He understood Uchiha Hikaru's personality far too well. Pushing further at this point would be no different than walking into his own death.
Just one strike from that Susanoo could destroy the Allied army—or even annihilate them entirely.
In the face of overwhelming power, words were meaningless.
And staking one's life on the mercy of another was simply the height of stupidity.
Clang—!
A crisp, metallic sound shattered the silence.
Everyone turned.
A pale shinobi stood frozen, his expression like ash. The kunai in his hand slipped from his grasp and clattered to the ground.
That sound was like a signal.
More and more kunai fell one after another, echoing endlessly across the field.
In the face of this calamity-like pressure, most of the Allied shinobi lost the will to fight. One by one, they dropped their weapons, hearts filled with boundless dread and despair.
Their Kage had already perished. The headless army had trudged here fueled only by vengeance.
And now, even that final thread of resolve had been severed by Uchiha Hikaru.
With resistance abandoned, the army deflated like punctured balloons—heads down, spirits broken.
As they looked around in search of any chance to escape, they discovered something even more horrifying: an invisible barrier had sealed them in.
That realization extinguished the last flames of hope. Despair spread like wildfire.
Even the Allied leaders noticed.
Chiyo stepped forward, frowning deeply. She gazed up at Hikaru's colossal form and spoke with helplessness and defiance:
"Fifth Hokage... do you truly intend to wipe us all out without mercy?"
Hikaru didn't respond immediately.
He swept his deep gaze over the crowd.
Then, at last, he spoke:
"No rush. Weren't you all saying I'm ruthless and heartless?"
"Then I'll give you one chance."
With that, he formed a hand seal and spoke coldly:
"Outer Path: Rinne Rebirth!"
A moment later, an enormous phantom of the King of Hell appeared in the center of the battlefield—visible only to those attuned to chakra on a certain level.
Grotesque and towering, it radiated an eerie and mysterious aura.
Its jaw suddenly stretched open, and from its gaping maw poured forth countless drifting souls.
They spiraled in the air before descending gently toward the ground.
As the technique took effect, Uchiha Hikaru felt a heavy burden fall upon him, a weight beyond the physical.
But as someone who had already transcended human limits, he returned to normal the next second.
Then, with a casual wave of his hand—
The four fallen Kage he had stored within his personal space suddenly appeared on the battlefield.