I Am Uzumaki Menma

Chapter 335 335 Onoki: The Yellow Flash?!

Outside Toriwari Mountain Castle, Land of Stars - Land of Earth border.

The smoke of war had not yet completely dissipated. The air still carried the faint smell of blood and scorched earth.

The originally desolate highland desert was now covered with temporarily erected tents and simple sheds, forming a massive camp.

This was now the temporary dwelling for over seven thousand Iwagakure prisoners of war.

Around the camp, at regular intervals, Ninja in dark blue Star Ninja's uniforms patrolled or stood guard.

Their expressions were solemn, their eyes sharp. The Kunai Guns in their hands gleamed with a cold light under the sun.

Even though, due to the large number of Iwagakure's Ninja, disarming them all was difficult and thus not forcibly enforced, an invisible, suffocating pressure enveloped the entire camp.

This pressure didn't come only from the well-equipped, disciplined Star Ninja guards around them.

Deeper down, it stemmed from the terrifying battle two days ago, and that sky-piercing, earth-shaking red giant that had easily crushed two Tailed Beasts and an army of ten thousand.

Hikari's Complete Body Susanoo!

The scene of that apocalyptic destruction had long been etched into the soul of every surviving Iwagakure's Ninja like a nightmare, completely shattering their will to fight.

Now, when they saw the Uchiha Clan's fan emblem on some Star Ninja, many Iwagakure's Ninja would instinctively lower their heads, their bodies trembling slightly, as if the crimson pattern itself contained endless fear.

Resistance?

That thought had long since vanished from their minds.

Being able to survive was already a stroke of luck.

Inside the camp, the atmosphere was oppressive and gloomy.

The moans of the wounded rose and fell, but more prevalent was a deathly, numb silence.

Medical Teams dispatched by the Land of Stars moved among the wounded, efficiently performing wound cleaning, bandaging, and administering medicine.

The medicine they brought was remarkably effective, and their attitude was professional, showing no neglect despite the prisoners' status.

This 'preferential treatment' only made the feelings of some Iwagakure's Ninja more complex.

On the platform of the train station west of Toriwari Mountain Castle.

The atmosphere was completely different from the prisoner-of-war camp in the distance, yet equally grave.

The Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, the once-powerful [Fence-Sitter] who had dominated the Ninja World, now seemed to have aged twenty years overnight.

His short stature was wrapped in a Tsuchikage Robe stained with dust, his face etched with exhaustion, defeat, and a deep-seated sense of powerlessness.

His son, Kitsuchi, and the Jonin, Monga, Gari, and the others stood nearby, all bearing injuries of varying severity, their expressions solemn.

Hikari stood opposite them, her posture straight, her long black hair gently swaying in the highland wind, her eyes calm and unreadable.

Behind her stood Shisui, Izumi, Inabi, Natsuhi, and other high-ranking figures of the Land of Stars.

"Kitsuchi, Monga." Onoki's voice was hoarse and low, even carrying a slight tremor. "I leave this place to you. Look after everyone, rest and heal properly, especially Roshi and Han… they are severely injured. Make sure to cooperate fully with the Star Ninja's medical team to treat them."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over these subordinates who had followed him for many years, a flash of pain in his eyes. "Everything… wait until I return from the Star City."

Onoki's words carried the desolation of a hero at the end of his road.

This trip to the Star City was not an equal diplomatic visit, but that of a defeated party going to accept the judgment of the victors.

He had almost no bargaining chips left.

Iwagakure's main force was crippled, the two Tailed Beast's Jinchuriki were severely injured, and the Land of Earth's national power had suffered an unprecedented heavy blow.

He could almost predict what kind of harsh terms the Land of Stars would propose, even a reckoning with the Land of Earth's Daimyo and noble class!

Hikari's cool voice broke the heavy atmosphere. "Shisui, Izumi, Natsuhi, proceed according to our military's established policy for treating prisoners of war. Ensure their basic survival needs, provide full medical treatment for the wounded. The negotiations will be concluded soon."

Her gaze finally settled on Onoki, carrying a kind of aloof detachment.

A bitter smile tugged at the corner of Onoki's mouth as he nodded.

He understood that this so-called 'preferential treatment' was entirely based on the pity born of the other side's absolute military power.

As the train whistle sounded, the group boarded the train.

The interior of the carriage was simple and sturdy, purely military in style.

In stark contrast to the grim, silent Onoki and Akatsuchi, Kurotsuchi was quickly captivated by this mode of transport she had never experienced before.

She curiously moved about the carriage, touching the smooth metal walls, then pressed her face against the large window, watching the rapidly receding desert scenery with wide, unblinking eyes, occasionally letting out small exclamations.

"Grandpa! Grandpa! This iron box is so long! Does it really move by itself?"

"Kurotsuchi! Mind your manners!" Onoki couldn't help but scold, then turned to Hikari sitting calmly opposite them, forcing an awkward smile onto his face. "My apologies, the child is ignorant. Please don't mind her."

Hikari glanced at the little girl full of curiosity about the massive military train. A rare hint of impatience didn't appear in her cold eyes… instead, she slightly shook her head. "It's fine. It's good for a child to be lively."

Hearing this, Onoki couldn't help but scrutinize the girl before him again.

Exquisite features, flawless skin that seemed one could blow on and break, clear and deep eyes… she looked every bit a girl of fifteen or sixteen.

Yet, within this seemingly slender body resided a terrifying power capable of overturning nations.

Onoki ultimately couldn't suppress the immense doubt in his heart and tentatively asked, "Forgive my bluntness, but... are you truly not a descendant of Uchiha Madara?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Onoki felt the air around them subtly freeze. Hikari's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, a flash of displeasure in her eyes.

Onoki's heart tightened, and he hurriedly added, "Please don't misunderstand! It's just… it's just hard to imagine that someone like Uchiha Madara could be your junior. After all, you look... so young."

Hearing the word 'young', the displeasure in Hikari's eyes faded slightly. She let out a light hum, carrying a kind of arrogance, and said indifferently, "I was active during the Warring States Period, so naturally I am older than Uchiha Madara. About three hundred years older, give or take."

"Three hundred years?!" Onoki gasped sharply, his eyes widening into perfect circles. Even Akatsuchi and the others nearby showed expressions of disbelief!

'A person over three hundred years old?'

'Maintaining the appearance of a young girl?'

At this moment, Kurotsuchi, who had been pulled back by Akatsuchi, also heard this. Blinking her big eyes, she asked innocently, "Sister! Do you have some secret to eternal youth? Can you teach me?"

Being sweetly called 'Sister' by an innocent little girl seemed to improve Hikari's mood a bit more. The corner of her mouth lifted into a very faint arc. "Secret? Well, that's a secret."

Accompanied by the long blast of the whistle, this special military train slowly started, speeding south along the railway that traversed the northern territory of the Land of Stars.

Inside the carriage, Onoki and Akatsuchi sat on one side, their expressions grave, silent.

The shadow of defeat and the uncertainty of the future weighed on their hearts like a massive rock.

Meanwhile, Kurotsuchi excitedly pressed her face against the windowpane, her small face glued to the glass, watching the scenery flash by with rapt attention.

When the train passed through the treacherous mountain tunnels of the north and the view suddenly opened up, revealing a vast, boundless, and vibrant plain, Onoki's pupils abruptly contracted!

"This… this is the Yuga Plains?!" He stared out the window in disbelief.

In his memory, this place used to be a large area of difficult-to-use swamps and floodplains, with poor soil and sparse population.

But what met his eyes now were crisscrossing paths, endless golden rice fields, and neat farmland!

What shocked him even more was that in the fields, some farmers were operating a kind of small metal machinery he had never seen before, emitting a faint glow, for farming, with extremely high efficiency!

'Such fertile land… such farming tools… no wonder the Land of Stars has such ample food supplies, even enough for large exports…' Waves of shock surged in Onoki's heart.

He finally understood that the Land of Stars' strength lay not only in its Ninja but also in this subversive agricultural productivity and technology he couldn't comprehend!

Transforming a marshy country into a thousand-mile fertile land… the technology and organizational capability this represented frightened and made him feel powerless far more than a few battle victories.

The train continued south. The scenery outside the window grew more and more prosperous. Towns and villages dotted the landscape, roads were wide, and traffic flowed incessantly, presenting a scene of thriving activity, a world of difference compared to the barren highlands of the Land of Earth.

Onoki looked out the window, silent for a long time, before finally letting out a deep sigh and saying to Hikari sitting opposite him, "I have nothing to say about this defeat. I only hope that upon arriving at the Star City, Shura-sama... can grant me, and the Land of Earth, a little bit of... final dignity."

Hikari heard this, glanced at him, and replied in a flat tone, "Shura-sama has more important matters to attend to and is not in the Star City at the moment."

"Not in the Star City?" Onoki was taken aback, even more puzzled.

'What could be more important than defeating two great nations, reaping the fruits of victory, and deciding the post-war structure?'

'Then-'

'Who would preside over these negotiations that determined the fate of the Land of Earth?'

With mind full of questions and a heavy heart, the train finally slowly pulled into the magnificent central train station of the Star City.

On the platform, officials and Ninjas of the Land of Stars were already lined up, waiting.

The train doors opened.

Onoki took a deep breath, straightened his robe, struggling to maintain the last vestiges of a Kage's dignity, and followed behind Hikari as he stepped off the train. Akatsuchi and the others followed behind him.

Onoki's gaze swept over the crowd on the platform, finally settling on the figure at the head.

Short, golden hair shone brilliantly under the station lights. His handsome face bore a gentle yet authoritative smile.

In that instant, Onoki was as if struck by a thunderbolt!

His entire body stiffened on the spot, his eyes widened like copper bells, his mouth agape enough to fit an egg, his face filled with extreme shock, bewilderment, and incomprehensible horror!

Onoki instinctively took a step back, stretched out a trembling finger, and let out a nearly distorted cry of astonishment:

"Na… Namikaze Minato?!"