The bloated body of Fuguki Suikazan was crushed effortlessly by the pitch-black skeletal hand of Susanoo.

Blood and gore splattered across the ground, some even landing on the cheek of a nearby Kirigakure shinobi.

The blood was still warm.

Only now did the Kirigakure shinobi truly understand the difference in strength.

Fuguki Suikazan had once been one of their village's most powerful leaders. Despite the resentment many held toward him, none could deny his strength.

But in front of this man—Uchiha Hikaru—he hadn't even had the chance to resist.

Terror gripped their hearts. A suffocating sense of death loomed overhead.

Uchiha Hikaru gazed at the stunned Kirigakure shinobi, then casually shattered the Susanoo skeleton, flinging the remains to the ground with a splatter of blood.

"Now then."

"Does anyone else object to Mei Terumi's surrender on your behalf?"

At that moment, Ao instinctively activated his Byakugan, trying to get a better read on Uchiha Hikaru's chakra flow.

He'd only seen Hikaru from a distance before—riding that enormous humanoid construct. There hadn't been a chance to properly assess his chakra reserves.

But the instant he activated the Byakugan, he was stunned speechless.

Even after that colossal battle… his chakra levels are still this terrifying?!

While Ao was still reeling in shock—

Uchiha Hikaru, back still turned to him, suddenly vanished from view.

He reappeared instantly in front of Ao, grabbed him by the throat with one hand, and hoisted him into the air.

His crimson eyes burned with disdain.

"How dare you spy on me?"

"And with the Byakugan of the Hyuga Clan, no less?"

Ao clawed at Hikaru's hand, trying to loosen his grip, but it was useless.

His face turned red as the lack of oxygen took its toll, but still, he stared resolutely into Hikaru's eyes.

"This Byakugan…"

"…was taken from the Hyuga during the Third Great Ninja War. It's my war trophy."

Behind Hikaru, several Hyuga shinobi from the branch family clenched their fists tightly.

Shame and rage flickered in their eyes.

That stolen Byakugan—embedded in Ao's right eye—was the only one the Hyuga had lost since the Warring States Era.

It was a stain on their clan's history.

Uchiha Hikaru stared at Ao with something like admiration in his eyes.

"You've got guts… boasting in front of me that this Byakugan is your trophy."

Shlick!

"AAAGHHHH!!!"

With a fluid motion, Hikaru's left hand dug out the Byakugan from Ao's right eye and sealed it in a small glass vial.

"You're right about one thing… I do respect your courage."

"I'll spare your life."

"But I'm reclaiming this eye. Consider it my trophy now."

He tossed Ao backward.

Kirigakure shinobi rushed to catch him.

Ao clutched the hollow socket where his eye had been, groaning in pain. But deep down, there was relief.

He didn't kill me...

At that moment, Mei Terumi stood silently, her expression unreadable.

But inside, a faint hope sparked.

He'd only taken the eye. He hadn't gone on a rampage or ordered a massacre.

Maybe… he's not as bloodthirsty as he seemed.

Fuguki's fate had likely been sealed by the slaughter he'd committed against Konoha shinobi. His death was the price for his cruelty, not a result of surrender.

For Mei, that was a very good sign.

After all, with Fuguki dead, she now had no real rivals for the position of Fifth Mizukage.

Mei slowly stepped forward, her long legs clad in black mesh beneath her dark-blue combat skirt.

"There's no point in continuing the fight. It benefits neither side."

"I wonder… would Konoha accept our surrender?"

"If so, may Kirigakure now withdraw?"

"Uchiha Hikaru… what is your answer?"

Hikaru turned his gaze on her, a playful glint in his crimson eyes. His lips curled into a small, sharp smile.

"The Kirigakure forces… may indeed withdraw."

Relief washed over Mei's face. She exhaled deeply, finally allowing herself to relax.

Behind her, the Mist shinobi felt like they'd narrowly escaped death.

But then Uchiha Hikaru spoke again—and her body froze.

"…But you stay."

Mei's hands clenched at her sides.

She had expected this.

There was no way he would just let her walk away.

Behind her, the Kirigakure shinobi began to protest angrily.

"The war's over! Why are you taking Lady Mei?!"

"We've surrendered! What more do you people want?!"

"Damn Konoha! I knew you'd pull something like this! If it comes to it, we'll fight to the death!"

In response, the Konoha shinobi behind Hikaru silently drew their swords and kunai.

Uchiha Hikaru looked at the Mist shinobi with a smirk playing at his lips.

Then, his chakra erupted again—crushing, suffocating, and murderous.

It slammed down on the battlefield like a tidal wave, silencing the Mist shinobi in an instant.

He folded his arms and stared down at them with icy amusement.

"You started this war."

"You lost."

"And now you think you can just leave without consequence?"

"You think Konoha is some pushover?!"

Most of the Mist shinobi bowed their heads, trembling under his oppressive presence.

But a few brash youths dared to lift their heads and speak up, voices tight with defiance.

"This war only happened because the Fourth Mizukage was being controlled!"

"We didn't want this war in the first place!"

"We're victims too!"

The three simple sentences cast a blanket of silence over the entire battlefield.

Mei Terumi felt her stomach drop.

You absolute idiot. Why would you say that out loud?!

If I end up in Konoha custody, this kind of admission will only make things worse!

"Hahahahahahahaha!!!"

Uchiha Hikaru suddenly burst into laughter—deep, mocking, and ominous.

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