To the east, the council hall of the Land of Lightning also exuded a chilling atmosphere.
The Daimyo of the Land of Lightning was in his prime. He slammed his hand onto the table and roared, "A! You are the Raikage, the strongest Taijutsu ninja in the Ninja World! Yet you were defeated by a single blow from Shun? The face of our Land of Lightning has been completely lost because of you!"
A's thick eyebrows furrowed sharply, and his expression became increasingly fierce.
He clenched his fists tightly and widened his eyes. "This is my business, and I will handle it myself. I will kill him personally!"
The letters from Mabui and Yugito were tucked inside his sleeve. The gentle advice contained within had been deliberately ignored by him.
As the Raikage, his pride would not allow him to submit to anyone else.
A ruthless look flashed in the eyes of the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning. "Immediately mobilize all Lightning Release ninjas! We must build the strongest combat force! The people of our Land of Lightning have never known what retreat means!"
In the council halls of the three nations, the calls for war overwhelmed everything like a tidal wave.
The next morning, on the Land of Water's news broadcast.
Nagato and several core members of the Akatsuki appeared on the television screen.
"The core members of the Akatsuki, representing the Land of Akatsuki, surrender to the Land of Water."
This news spread like thunder across every corner of the Ninja World.
Inside the Land of Earth's council hall, the nobles who had just been discussing passionately instantly fell into a deathly silence.
The Daimyo widened his eyes, looking at the intelligence report in disbelief. "The Land of Akatsuki... surrendered?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Nagato, along with the members of the Akatsuki, publicly announced their surrender on the Land of Water's news broadcast, and also expressed willingness to assist Shun in promoting the unification of the Ninja World."
"This... this is impossible..."
Ōnoki suddenly stood up from his seat, his aged face filled with shock.
"Nagato possesses the Rinnegan, and his strength is unfathomable. How could he surrender so easily? He was our greatest bargaining chip against Shun. How could he surrender?"
At this moment, he was completely flustered. He had originally hoped that Nagato would contain Shun. Now that the main force had defected, Iwagakure's chances of victory instantly dropped to freezing point.
In Sunagakure, Rasa stared intently at the messenger ninja, his pupils filled with shock and panic.
"Nagato... really surrendered? He didn't have any conditions? No demands for territory, no demands for special privileges?"
The messenger ninja lowered his head, not daring to look directly into Rasa's eyes. "There were no conditions. He merely said that he recognized Shun's ideals and was willing to assist him in unifying the Ninja World and ending the wars of the Ninja World."
Rasa's face instantly turned pale.
The surrender of the Akatsuki was like the final straw that broke the camel's back, making his already wavering resolve even more uncertain.
Resistance would undoubtedly lead to self-destruction. But surrender?
Inside the Land of Lightning's council hall, A slammed his fist onto the wooden table.
Boom!
The wooden table instantly disintegrated into pieces of shattered wood.
His eyes were full of anger and panic. "Nagato, that coward... How dare he surrender!"
Now that the Akatsuki had defected, the Land of Lightning attempting to fight Shun was akin to hitting a rock with an egg.
The entire Ninja World found the sudden surrender of the Akatsuki unbelievable and frightening.
People from all nations gathered in the streets and alleys, discussing the matter animatedly.
Even the ninjas were filled with apprehension.
All major Ninja Villages dispatched their most elite spies, attempting to uncover the truth behind Nagato's surrender.
But before the spies could report back, the Land of Water's special interview program began.
On screen, the Land of Water's host, Sayuri, wore a light pink uniform and displayed a professional smile.
Her interviewee this time was Nagato of the Akatsuki, who had just announced his surrender.
In the live broadcast room, Nagato sat on a soft sofa, his head of vibrant red hair and his Rinnegan eyes distinguishing him from ordinary people.
Facing Sayuri's questions, he answered clearly, "Many people do not understand why I chose to surrender. Actually, it is very simple. Only by reaching my level can one truly understand how terrifying Shun's strength is."
He paused, seemingly looking towards those who questioned him. "My previous battles with him, including the confrontation at the border, were nothing more than small games in his eyes. You think four Kage-level ninjas working together could injure him? Little do you know, he was playing around the entire time. If he wished, a single Shadow Clone could easily destroy all the nations in the Ninja World."
This statement exploded like a bombshell in the Ninja World.
"Bragging... Nagato... must have been bought off by the Land of Water."
"A single Shadow Clone destroying all nations? That's far too exaggerated. The Akatsuki was clearly so strong."
"I think he's afraid of death and is deliberately trying to please Shun."
People throughout the Ninja World were abuzz with discussion, most believing that Nagato was boasting and deliberately exaggerating.
However, inside the council halls of the three nations—Land of Earth, Land of Lightning, and Land of Wind—there was a deathly silence.
Ōnoki sat in his seat, recalling the "Shun" he had shattered on the border battlefield, the world-destroying golden Susanoo when the main body arrived, and the shock he felt when his fully deployed Dust Release was easily blocked by the opponent.
Nagato's words precisely struck the deepest fear in his heart.
—
Rasa's body trembled slightly.
When he recalled Shun's eyes, which suggested everything was under control, the defenses in his heart began to collapse.
If a single Shadow Clone could achieve that level, then what level of strength must Shun's main body possess?
—
A also lowered his head. The Lightning Chakra surrounding him gradually subsided, and the anger on his face was replaced by deep apprehension.
He recalled the moment he was struck by the long sword of the Susanoo, and the world-destroying power plunged him into despair. He recalled the sharp pain of his bones shattering as he was sent flying backward.
He finally understood that the gap between him and Shun was far greater than he had imagined.
At that time, if Shun hadn't secretly restrained his strength... he might have already died.
The three participating Kages all chose silence at this moment. Their silence was tantamount to an admission.
This invisible pressure intensified the anxiety felt by the Daimyo and nobles of all nations.
The surrender of the Akatsuki and Nagato's astonishing statements were like two heavy hammers slamming into the hearts of the Ninja World's nobles, shattering their last vestiges of hope.
On the terrace of the Land of Water's Royal Palace, the evening breeze gently wafted, bringing with it bursts of floral fragrance.
Shun stood with his hands behind his back, wearing a black trench coat, watching Nagato on the broadcast screen.
Nagato's surrender was not only an acknowledgment of his strength but also support for his ideal of unification.
And this interview would completely crush the nations' wishful thinking, making them realize that resistance was futile.
Only the last day of the three-day ultimatum remained.
The fate of the Ninja World had reached a crossroads.
Should they continue to stubbornly resist and face destruction or let go of their obsession, submit to unification, and embrace peace?