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At this time, the entire ninja world, from the smallest villages to the great nations, was aware of the decisive battle between Konoha and Sunagakure.
Even Iwagakure and Kumogakure, who often engaged in small-scale conflicts, temporarily halted their disputes to focus on the battlefield that would determine the balance of power in the ninja world.
Regardless of the outcome, this war was reaching its conclusion.
However, the implications of the results were vastly different for each nation.
If Konoha emerged victorious, then the aftermath would be analyzed based on the specific circumstances of the battle.
But if Sunagakure won, then the other villages would have to reconsider their stance toward Konoha.
The Land of Fire, rich in resources and prosperity, had always been an object of envy.
With Konoha being the strongest village, founded by the Senju and Uchiha clans—two of the most powerful clans of the Warring States Period—and further strengthened by other influential clans, the Land of Fire remained a dominant force.
But if Konoha couldn't even defeat Sunagakure, then Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure would certainly begin to plot their own invasions, hoping to claim a share of the spoils.
Even though Konoha hadn't deployed all of its top-tier shinobi in this battle, other villages would not hesitate to take advantage of a perceived weakness.
After all, if Konoha had yet to use its full strength, neither had the other great villages.
Konoha's leadership was fully aware of the severe consequences of failure.
Even though Danzo had caused numerous internal conflicts, the major clan heads had chosen to compromise time and time again, ensuring that Konoha's strength on the battlefield remained undisturbed.
After all, Konoha was their home. If Konoha fell, the clans that had built it would face destruction as well.
During the Warring States Period, these clans had thrived through their individual strength and legacies, but Konoha's fertile land had allowed them to grow even further.
If the Land of Fire's resources were divided among enemy villages, the future of these ninja clans would be grim.
Thus, they knew where their priorities lay.
Meanwhile, in the Land of Rain, as Konoha and Sunagakure clashed, Amegakure had begun moving in the shadows.
"Of course, it's Konoha," the Third Kazekage muttered as he observed the battle.
Even without their veteran powerhouses taking the field, a handful of younger shinobi had managed to hold off Sunagakure's top forces.
This only reinforced the Third Kazekage's belief that the Land of Fire's strength stemmed from its abundant resources.
If Sunagakure could seize some of those resources, then perhaps...
Determined, the Third Kazekage resolved that this war had to be won.
From his perspective, while Konoha's younger generation had resisted their advance, it was only a matter of time before they faltered.
Konoha's Uchiha and Hyuga clans had remained largely uninvolved, leaving their overall fighting strength slightly weaker.
Meanwhile, Sunagakure had its puppet corps.
Though they had suffered severe losses in previous battles, the arrival of the Third Kazekage and a new wave of puppet masters had restored their numbers.
Moreover, with Chiyo keeping Sakumo Hatake occupied, Sunagakure's puppet corps was able to fight at full strength.
In the grand scheme, while high-level combatants from both sides were evenly matched, Sunagakure's lower-tier forces were stronger than Konoha's.
It was only a matter of time before Sunagakure secured victory.
That is, unless Konoha had a trump card.
Though Ma Jia's field of vision was somewhat limited, he could still analyze the broader situation.
At present, Sunagakure held the advantage.
And Ma Jia possessed an insight that others lacked.
Though Sunagakure lacked Konoha's elite combatants, they had the upper hand in this war.
However, as Ma Jia observed Tsunade, he noticed something troubling.
"Is she experiencing hemophobia?" he thought to himself.
Though Tsunade had tried to conceal her symptoms, Ma Jia's careful observation revealed the truth.
At first, it wasn't obvious, but as the battle continued, her hesitations and reactions became increasingly evident.
If Sunagakure realized this, their advantage would only grow.
His concerns were shared by Orochimaru and Senju Takuma.
Both knew Tsunade well—one as a teammate, the other as a clan elder.
If the battle dragged on, her condition would worsen, and their chances of victory would plummet.
Thus, Orochimaru fought with even greater urgency.
The Third Kazekage mistakenly assumed Orochimaru's aggression stemmed from desperation over Konoha's dwindling forces.
"So, where is the turning point?"
Ma Jia pondered the same question.
He didn't know exactly how Konoha would secure victory, only that the Second Shinobi World War had ended in their favor.
This time would be no different.
Despite being born in Konoha, Ma Jia felt little guilt killing Konoha's ninjas.
However, he was selective about his targets.
He prioritized members of the Shimura clan and other factions opposed to him, ensuring that each kill benefited his own survival.
At this moment, Ma Jia was fighting a Tokubetsu Jonin from the Shimura clan.
While the difference between Tokubetsu Jonin and elite Chunin wasn't vast, Ma Jia's superior combat experience allowed him to dominate the fight.
However, he made sure not to appear too confident.
Wars were rarely decided by lower-tier combatants.
Victory typically hinged on the actions of the strongest shinobi.
If a battle ever dragged on long enough for foot soldiers to determine the outcome, the casualties would be catastrophic.
For this reason, even the Third Kazekage was eager to find a decisive moment to defeat Konoha's high-level fighters.
As the battle raged, Tsunade's complexion grew paler.
The Third Kazekage noticed but assumed it was due to the chakra demands of her large-scale healing techniques.
Where was the turning point?
Both the Third Kazekage and Ma Jia sought the answer—though their goals were opposite.
The Kazekage was searching for Sunagakure's path to victory, while Ma Jia was trying to determine how Konoha would turn the tide.
Ma Jia wasn't a true Sunagakure shinobi.
He had no personal attachment to their cause.
What mattered to him was understanding Konoha's winning strategy.
What was their ace?
He decided that the moment Konoha revealed its trump card, he would unleash his full power, cutting down as many enemies as possible to solidify his future standing in Sunagakure.
Just as he expected, Konoha had a hidden advantage.
At that moment, Orochimaru cursed Danzo under his breath.
Yes, Danzo.
Konoha's secret weapon was tied to him.
But it wasn't that Danzo had personally intervened or led reinforcements.
Rather, Danzo had negotiated with Hanzo of the Salamander.
Somehow, through unknown promises and deals, Danzo had convinced Hanzo to support Konoha at the critical moment.
Until now, Hanzo had remained absent from the battlefield, but Orochimaru had no doubts—it was Danzo's doing.
If Ma Jia had been there, he would have understood Danzo's motives.
The Senju clan had already suffered heavy losses.
Under Senju Takuma's leadership, the clan had fought on the front lines, sustaining enormous casualties.
And they remained unaware that someone had been orchestrating their downfall.
This was the nature of high-level power struggles.
It was why Uchiha Kiyo had chosen to leave the village, faking his death to escape such schemes.
Hanzo finally arrived.
Just as Orochimaru neared his breaking point, the reinforcements from Amegakure entered the battlefield.
The moment Hanzo appeared, the Third Kazekage was stunned.
"Konoha's trump card... was Hanzo?"
The battlefield shifted.
Half an hour later, the Third Kazekage, unable to withstand Hanzo's overwhelming strength, was forced to surrender.
And with that, the Second Shinobi World War came to an end.
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