To Fight, To the End
Xi and Darui's sudden retreat with the Fourth Raikage had caught Xu Fan off guard.
"They took Yugito Nii…"
Still, the outcome wasn't bad—for now, it worked in his favor.
To buy time for her comrades to escape, Yugito had transformed into the Two-Tails, Matatabi, and engaged Xu Fan head-on in her Tailed Beast form.
Even if he reappeared now, Xu Fan knew he wasn't her match in raw power. The Jinchūriki's mastery of sealing techniques made her a terrifying opponent.
Yet despite that, he had managed to subdue the Two-Tails.
"Lord Sarutobi…"
Mifune watched the aftermath unfold with conflicted eyes.
He had arranged this summit with the intention of rebuilding trust between Kumogakure and Konohagakure—to allow both villages to sign a renewed alliance treaty.
And now, just hours later, Xu Fan had nearly killed the Fourth Raikage.
Given the Land of Lightning's military strength, it was almost certain: this would reignite war across the shinobi world.
"There's no need to say more."
Sarutobi Hiruzen, his face grim, turned to Mifune and shook his head.
"I will take Xu Fan back to Konoha. No matter what decision the Daimyō of the Land of Lightning makes… I take full responsibility."
Mifune's frown deepened as the elderly Hokage continued.
"The Land of Iron will remain neutral."
There was no more hesitation in Hiruzen's voice—his conviction was resolute now.
Xu Fan's strength exceeded his expectations by far.
And with Uchiha Itachi at his side, even open war with Kumogakure might not tip the balance against Konoha.
What mattered most was—
The perfect Jinchūriki of Kumogakure was now in their grasp, bound by Xu Fan's Mokuton.
Even if Yugito could not be turned into an ally, her capture was enough to weaken Kumogakure's military might.
Weakening the enemy was its own kind of victory.
—
Elsewhere, Yamanaka Fū sat among the rubble, his mind blank.
He had accepted this secret mission from Lord Danzō knowing it could mean death.
And yet, he had survived—and the Fourth Raikage had barely escaped with his life.
But the most shocking thing wasn't that.
It wasn't even that the Third Raikage, once thought unmatched in raw power, had been overshadowed.
It was that the man responsible wasn't the Third Hokage.
It was Xu Fan—a rising star.
That body flicker… that Mokuton technique…
Both rivaled or exceeded S-rank ninjutsu.
"Xu Fan…" Fū muttered, eyes wide.
He thought of the tension between Danzō and Xu Fan, and his expression turned complicated.
Xu Fan showed no fear—whether he faced Danzō, the Third Hokage, or the Fourth Raikage.
Maybe…
This boy could really surpass every Hokage before him.
Thud.
As Fū's thoughts spiraled, Xu Fan leapt down from his towering wooden construct and landed with a firm step. The colossal Mokuton construct crumbled behind him, returning to lifeless timber.
The unconscious Yugito lay nearby, unmoving.
"We should return to the village," Xu Fan said calmly, turning toward Hiruzen.
Whether Yugito was truly unconscious or feigning, she wouldn't escape. Not from him.
"When the Raikage awakens, he'll declare war."
"We should begin preparing immediately."
Hiruzen narrowed his eyes, recalling the bold strategy Xu Fan had shared before.
This wasn't just about fighting Kumogakure.
Xu Fan intended to use this war to resolve the simmering conflict with the Uchiha clan.
"Wait!"
Mifune suddenly stepped forward, hand tightening on his katana as he positioned himself between Xu Fan and the Hokage.
"You planned for this war from the beginning?"
He stared at Xu Fan in disbelief. Mifune had believed the summit was held in good faith—that the Kage had come seeking peace.
He had worked tirelessly to make it happen.
"Is this really worth it? Is a full-scale war worth one life—Hiashi Hyūga's?"
"How long have Konoha and Kumogakure been locked in this feud? Sarutobi, do you really intend to throw away this hard-won peace over one man?"
Mifune's voice grew heated.
Though the Land of Iron remained neutral, its proximity to both the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning meant it could easily become a battlefield.
He could not allow that.
And if war did erupt between the two major villages, the others—Sunagakure, Iwagakure, Kirigakure—would not sit idle.
Handled poorly, this could spiral into the Fourth Great Ninja War.
This summit… might become its trigger.
"Hmph."
Xu Fan's cold scoff cut through the tension.
"'One man'—you speak his name like he's just a piece on the board."
"But to Konoha, he is more than that."
"He is Hiashi Hyūga, head of the Hyūga Clan. Father to Hinata and Hanabi. Brother to Hizashi. Uncle to Neji."
"He is one of us."
"Should we sacrifice him to preserve a fragile peace? Let Kumo act without consequence? Let the Land of Lightning mock our treaties?"
"You say nothing of their crimes—but expect Konoha to bend, to yield, to compromise."
Xu Fan stepped forward, his aura oppressive.
Even without understanding the full intricacies of shinobi politics, he understood this:
Appeasement only empowers aggressors.
Where he came from, his homeland had suffered a century of humiliation through such compromise.
If Konoha were truly weaker than Kumogakure, surrender might be pragmatic.
But that wasn't the case.
Right now, Konoha was stronger—militarily, tactically, and spiritually.
To seek peace through strength brings true peace. To seek peace through weakness brings only destruction.
"If Kumogakure wants peace—real peace—let them show sincerity. Konoha's doors are always open."
"But if they come looking for spoils… or war…"
"Then we will stand our ground to the end."
"Lord Mifune, please deliver that message to the Fourth Raikage."
Xu Fan's voice was low, but it rang with conviction.
Mifune instinctively swallowed.
He couldn't take his eyes off the young shinobi before him.
Xu Fan looked no older than twelve or thirteen—but his resolve… it was the resolve of a Hokage.
To talk—our door is open.
To fight—we will not back down.
A boy like this, born in a weakened village like Konoha, would one day shake the foundations of the shinobi world.
His name would be written in the next era of ninja history.
The Road to the Heavens.
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