The circle of Iwagakure ninja was tightening.
The surrounding cliffs and stone houses were packed with shinobi, each one fully prepared for battle, silently awaiting their Tsuchikage's command.
"Why don't they seem scared at all?" Kurotsuchi asked.
Standing beside her, her father, Kitsuchi, replied softly, his expression a little strange. He knew more than his daughter did. Even though Iwagakure's ninja had Emiya Shirou surrounded, anyone who could defeat four generations of Konoha's Hokage was not someone to be taken lightly.
"Be careful," Kitsuchi said, patting his daughter's head before turning his attention back to the Third Tsuchikage, who was in conversation with Emiya Shirou. "There might be a big fight today..."
If a battle did break out, Iwagakure probably wouldn't gain much from it.
Ōnoki, the Third Tsuchikage, was well aware of this. Even though Emiya Shirou had boldly entered his village, Ōnoki still hoped they could part peacefully. He was even willing to compromise his own authority as Tsuchikage to make it happen.
"As long as Lord Emiya is willing to return our village's ninja, Han, out of respect for our shared past, Iwagakure is still willing to show Lord Emiya respect..."
Ōnoki did not want to recklessly start a fight with Emiya Shirou. His words, however, sparked obvious disagreement from many of the surrounding shinobi.
"Tsuchikage-sama!"
"How can you let him off so easily!"
"He invaded our village! No matter what kind of legend he is, we can't just back down..."
"Enough!" Ōnoki cut them off with a sharp command.
The short old man projected the full authority of the Tsuchikage, but when he turned back to Emiya Shirou, his tone softened again, still hoping for peace. "Lord Emiya..."
Ōnoki wanted to say more, but Emiya Shirou simply waved his hand, a slight frown on his face. "I have no desire to fight old friends either. But if you want me to release your Five-Tails jinchuriki, shouldn't you ask for his opinion first?"
"???"
Ōnoki looked baffled. What did that mean? Ask Han for his opinion? What kind of opinion could Han possibly have?
Wait—had Han been killed?
Ōnoki instinctively looked toward the battered man in red armor lying at Emiya Shirou's feet, wanting to check on Han's condition.
"Escape..." the Five-Tails jinchuriki managed to whisper.
"What?" Ōnoki didn't catch it.
"Quick... escape..." Fear filled Han's eyes. When Emiya Shirou had suppressed him with a single hand, he had felt a terrifying chakra emanating from the man.
This man—he shouldn't even exist in the ninja world.
As a survivor of the great ninja wars, Han had fought many powerful shinobi, including the Fourth Hokage of Konoha and the Third Raikage, who was reputed to be the strongest in Cloud Village history.
But none of them could compare to Emiya Shirou.
That terrifying chakra pressed down on him like the sky itself was collapsing, leaving him unable to move. Even the Five-Tails sealed within him was terrified of Emiya Shirou's power.
"Don't worry about me! Run!" Han shouted with all his might.
He had personally witnessed ten thousand Iwagakure ninja surround the Third Raikage in the past. How could they possibly hope to defeat a man whose chakra terrified even the tailed beasts?
Besides, Emiya Shirou's abilities were bizarre. He had appeared in the village out of nowhere and used a space-time technique to defeat Han, which meant he could leave the battlefield at any moment.
Han, with all his experience, knew one thing for certain: the shinobi of Iwagakure stood no chance of containing Emiya Shirou.
All their efforts would be in vain, and there was no need for more of his comrades to die trying to save him. This was his clearest judgment. Any true ninja of Iwagakure was prepared to sacrifice themselves to protect their home from disaster.
As for Emiya Shirou not wanting to fight... Han didn't believe for a second that a man that powerful would ever choose to negotiate.
"!!!"
Ōnoki was deeply shaken. As a Kage who, like the Third Hokage, carried the will of his village, he had watched Han grow up and cultivated him into a weapon of war. He knew Han well.
That guy never spoke recklessly. Han had always understood that he was a precious asset Iwagakure would never abandon—even more so than the Four-Tails jinchuriki, Roshi.
Yet here he was, telling them all to run.
"He doesn't agree," Emiya Shirou sighed, looking somewhat regretful. "It seems we won't be able to reach an agreement..."
"So now..." His tone grew serious. "It looks like we'll have to fight. But before we begin, I want to ask you something..."
"..."
A bead of sweat formed on Ōnoki's forehead as the mood suddenly turned tense. Every Iwagakure ninja felt the pressure bearing down, their hands tightening on their kunai and swords.
"What is it..." Ōnoki asked, almost automatically.
"Hmm..." Emiya lightly tapped the armrest of his wheelchair, considering how to phrase his question. "Tell me… would you rather suffer through what's to come and live, or would you prefer to die quietly and painlessly?"
"After all," he continued, "my strength, for all of you... might be a little too much. So I'm wondering... if I want you to see the new world the Akatsuki will create, perhaps I should pick some more evenly matched opponents for you..."
"..."
Ōnoki felt a chill run down his spine.
"Don't underestimate us!" Kurotsuchi glared angrily at Emiya Shirou. "I know you're working with Deidara! Even if you're as strong as him, there's no way you're escaping today!"
"Kurotsuchi!" Ōnoki quickly shouted, trying to stop her. On the battlefield, anything could happen.
Hearing this, Kabuto smirked and turned to mutter to Emiya Shirou, "Do the Iwagakure ninja really think we're on the same level as Deidara? From their perspective, they can't even begin to imagine your true strength, Lord Emiya."
Kabuto stepped forward, his fingers already forming a hand sign. "Lord Emiya," he asked politely, "why don't you allow me to handle the rest?"
"..."
Emiya Shirou waved his hand casually.
The next moment, Kabuto's face became serious. His fingers flew through a jutsu pattern, and with a final twist, several coffins erupted from the ground in front of them.
All of them were his handiwork from recent years, and among them were Kage-level powerhouses.
Of course, the one that would be most shocking to the Iwagakure shinobi was undoubtedly Kabuto's masterpiece—and the enemy they had once feared most.
Thud.
The lid of the first coffin slid open. A tall, broad-shouldered figure with blond hair emerged. He was shirtless, revealing a prominent scar on his chest, and his body crackled with lightning chakra.
The Third Raikage. The man who once took on ten thousand ninja by himself.
He hadn't been killed in that battle; he had died of exhaustion after his chakra finally ran out. But for the shinobi of Iwagakure, the memory of him rampaging through their army was an unforgettable nightmare.
Honestly, compared to the unknown threat of Emiya Shirou, the Third Raikage's reputation terrified them even more.
"The Third Raikage, A..." A hint of dread flashed in Ōnoki's eyes.
"That guy..." Even the usually bold Kurotsuchi had grown up hearing stories about this man and his terrifying feats of strength.
"Now," Kabuto said, a smile playing on his lips as he watched the horrified expressions on the faces of the Iwagakure ninja. "Your war can continue. This Raikage will never get tired. His chakra will never run out. You can all fight him forever..."
"Until there's no one left standing in Iwagakure."