"Tailed Beast Volume Eight!"
Minato's expression shifted instantly as he saw the Eight-Tails curl into itself.
He had witnessed this technique before.
During a previous battle, Killer B had used a lesser version of this move, where only a few of the Eight-Tails' tentacles had been involved. Even then, it had completely leveled everything within a dozen meters.
But this time…
B was fully transformed into the Eight-Tails.
The destruction radius wouldn't just be a few dozen meters—it would wipe out the entire valley and flatten the land for miles.
Minato didn't hesitate.
At that very moment, the Third Raikage—his body rapidly vanishing into the twisted space—stared at Minato with a grim smile.
"Konoha has indeed won this war…"
"But if you think you'll keep all three of us here… it'll cost you dearly!"
Minato's eyes narrowed.
Something was off.
A split second later, his figure blurred—he teleported to Sakumo, who was currently locked in battle with C.
Without a word, Minato placed a hand on his comrade's shoulder—
"Swish!"
Both men vanished instantly.
At the same time, one of the Eight-Tails' massive tentacles wrapped tightly around A and C, pulling them close.
The Third Raikage's body was now almost completely consumed by the twisted space, his final moments at hand.
His voice rang out, filled with both command and finality.
"A… from now on, you are the Fourth Raikage."
"Protect the village!"
A's breath hitched.
"Big brother…"
"Father…"
Both A and C murmured softly, their voices trembling.
As strong as they were—tears filled their eyes.
Killer B's tentacles desperately reached toward the fading Third Raikage, but the space continued to distort and consume him.
"B, go!"
The Third Raikage used the last of his strength to shout.
Then—silence.
His chakra signature disappeared completely.
Killer B clenched his teeth but ultimately retracted his tentacles, pulling A and the others close.
"Boom!"
The Eight-Tails unleashed its power.
The eight massive tentacles spun like a hurricane, causing the air to howl violently.
The force first spread to the surrounding cliffs, and within seconds, the entire valley collapsed.
A Mile Away – Konoha's Position
A massive purple barrier shot into the sky, forming a protective dome over the Konoha troops.
"Four Purple Flame Formation!"
"BOOM!"
A deafening explosion shook the battlefield, the sound echoing for miles.
The largest valley at the border of the Land of Moon—along with everything within a mile—was obliterated.
By the time the smoke cleared, what had once been a valley was now a flat, ochre-colored wasteland.
This was the true destructive power of a Tailed Beast—a force beyond human capability.
The purple barrier surrounding Konoha's forces gradually faded, revealing the astonished faces of the shinobi inside.
Minato's shadow clones, who had been maintaining the barrier, disappeared simultaneously.
As the dust and debris settled, the new landscape came into view.
The once towering cliffs were gone.
The battlefield had been completely reshaped.
A stunned silence fell over the Konoha forces as they surveyed the scene.
Many ninjas gasped, their faces pale with shock.
Some exhaled in relief, thankful that they had been protected from the blast.
This wasn't the first time they had witnessed the devastation of Tailed Beasts.
During the battles in the Land of Rain, the Four-Tails had transformed the battlefield into a sea of magma, even creating a volcano.
Now, the Eight-Tails had done something equally terrifying—it had turned an entire mile into a barren wasteland.
It was this sheer, overwhelming power that made Tailed Beasts the ultimate weapons of the Five Great Nations.
Standing at the edge of the battlefield, Minato closed his eyes for a moment, extending his chakra senses.
But he found nothing.
Killer B…
He had already suppressed his chakra signature, making himself and his allies impossible to track.
Minato exhaled slowly.
His orange Sage Mode markings gradually faded as he returned to normal.
Then—his gaze locked onto a specific direction.
"Swish!"
He vanished.
Moments later, he reappeared in front of the Konoha forces.
In his arms—
The lifeless body of the Third Raikage.
A sharp gasp rippled through the Konoha ranks.
Several shinobi instantly recognized the fallen leader.
Then—a roar of voices erupted.
"The Third Raikage is dead!"
"The strongest man of the Five Great Nations…!"
"Konoha has won!"
The months-long war between Konoha and the Cloud Village at the border of the Land of Moon was over.
The Third Shinobi War had reached its conclusion.
And the final victor—was Konoha.
The battle-weary shinobi let out cheers of victory, the sound of their celebration echoing across the battlefield.
But—
Amidst the cheering, Minato remained silent.
His face showed no joy.
Beside him, Hatake Sakumo and Suzuka both noticed his expression.
Suzuka furrowed her brows.
Minato should have been happier than anyone—this was his dream.
To protect the village.
To protect his comrades.
Yet—something was weighing on him.
Hatake Sakumo, however, understood.
Minato's mind wasn't here.
He was thinking about—
Kakashi and Rin.
Even though Konoha had won, those two were still in danger.
Minato clenched his fists.
If he could, he would have teleported to the Mist battlefield immediately—to save them.
But the war wasn't fully over yet.
He needed to wait.
Cloud's forces still had to retreat officially, and he had to oversee the transition.
For now—he had to endure.
Even if the waiting tore at him.
"Senior Sakumo," Minato said at last, his voice steady.
"Send a team to return the Third Raikage's body to Kumogakure."
"Also, report our victory to Lord Hokage immediately."
Hatake Sakumo nodded.
He knew Minato wanted to finish this quickly—so he could leave for the Mist battlefield as soon as possible.
And on that scarred battlefield, the victorious cheers of Konoha shinobi continued to rise…
Elsewhere – Darkness
"I'm sorry, Rin…"
A faint, regret-filled voice echoed in the abyss.
Obito's wandering consciousness clung to those words, the guilt consuming him.
He didn't know how long he had been in the darkness.
But something had changed.
Slowly—his senses began to return.
He took a shallow breath, inhaling the cool, damp air.
Then, his eyes slowly opened.
The first thing he saw—
A hunched figure sitting in the shadows.
Watching him.
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Marvel : The God Of Punishment System
I Am Raditz
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