The battle between Konoha and Kirigakure had basically settled, with only minor skirmishes remaining.
Both sides retreated back to their borders, and the war was essentially over.
Yagura Karatachi became the Fourth Mizukage. The Land of Water was once again sealed off from the outside world, focusing inward on rebuilding the village, starting the cycle of killing themselves all over again...
Kiyosuke single-handedly controlled the Three-Tails. His terrifying strength proved that Konoha was untouchable. That battle came to be known as the Three-Tails War, alongside the Kamui Bridge Battle, where Minato participated, both marking the key battles that ended the Third Great Ninja War.
Now, the only one still fighting Konoha was Kumogakure in the Land of Lightning.
End of the 47th year, Konoha
The Third Great Ninja War was basically declared over. By order of the Third Hokage, many Konoha ninja withdrew from the frontline, leaving only a small number guarding the border to prevent enemy attacks, while most returned to Konoha.
The battleground shifted to the negotiation table, starting with talks between Konoha and Sunagakure.
Sunagakure acknowledged themselves as the junior partner and dared not cause more trouble.
As for the Land of Earth, Konoha and Iwagakure had frank exchanges, fully sharing opinions and deepening mutual understanding. The talks were beneficial, though both sides held reservations.
Translated plainly, they each stuck to their own views, understood the other was full of nonsense, almost came to blows, and ultimately rejected each other's terms.
However, Iwagakure couldn't hold out much longer. Kumogakure was still fighting them. The Third Raikage had been killed by Iwagakure ninja, and the future Fourth Raikage, A, wouldn't let that go quietly.
The battle with the Third Raikage cost a great loss. At Kamui Bridge, Minato also took down many Iwagakure shinobi. Continuing the stalemate with Konoha had no benefit. Over time, they would naturally accept Konoha's terms.
As for Kumogakure... a bunch of reckless fools!
They stubbornly kept fighting Iwagakure to the bitter end.
But even they wouldn't fight forever. Citizens of all nations were already tired of war. Economies at home had shifted, populations declined, and with large swathes of farmland destroyed, many farmers lost their land and couldn't grow food. It was a burden on the country. Eventually, the people of the Land of Earth and Land of Lightning would demand an end to the war.
At that point, even if Kumogakure and Iwagakure still wanted to fight, the war wouldn't be possible.
...
Konoha Cemetery
Many fallen shinobi were buried here, in front of the giant statue of the Will of Fire.
Numerous Konoha ninja gathered, dressed in black mourning clothes, heads bowed in remembrance of those lost in the war.
Kiyosuke stood beside the long-absent Shinku, overhearing their clan members advising Uchiha Fugaku to reclaim the eyes belonging to Obito, but Fugaku scolded them to stand down.
Kiyosuke sneered. If they dared act, he would dare wipe them out...
Whether Obito was dead or alive, his eyes belonged to Kakashi now. No one could take them back.
Soon, the crowd dispersed. Kiyosuke approached Orochimaru standing before a gravestone. He glanced at the name inscribed there: "Nawaki," Tsunade's younger brother, the First Hokage's grandson, who died in a battle.
Orochimaru said, "Kiyosuke-kun, if death has meaning, it only exists when it can be used."
At that moment, a black-haired boy approached. Hearing Orochimaru's words, he asked,
"What is the meaning of life?"
Orochimaru glanced at him and said, "There is none."
"If life has meaning, it only exists in its eternity." With that, he turned and left.
"Life... has no meaning?" The boy pondered deeply.
Kiyosuke looked at him. "You're from the Uchiha clan?"
"Yes. My name is Uchiha Itachi."
"Oh, Fugaku-sama's son?" Looking at the future Itachi, Kiyosuke asked, "Why do you want to understand the meaning of life?"
Itachi said, "Father took me to the battlefield. I don't understand why they fight. Life struggles, life dies... is the meaning of life no meaning at all?"
His eyes showed confusion. This child, too mature for his age, was pondering questions no one that young should.
"No, it can't be said there's no meaning. Orochimaru-sensei's values and worldview differ from ours normal people. You don't have to take his words seriously."
Kiyosuke led Itachi out of the cemetery, walking and talking.
"Life is an ending thing, a pilgrimage accumulating pain, but it is by no means a story of death and severance."
"Eternity is absolutely not the meaning of life."
"So what is the meaning of life?"
"I don't know." Kiyosuke shook his head.
"But it definitely isn't meaningless." He looked at Itachi. "You're too young to be thinking about this."
He seemed to answer Itachi, but also muttered to himself,
"No one wants to die. Eternal life is also a fear of death. People form relationships, bonds. They cluster, forming families, clans, villages, towns, countries, and so on."
"Life is born, life dies, life struggles—but life also saves."
"This is a complicated philosophical question. I can't answer precisely. You have to figure it out yourself. Maybe at the last moment of your life, you will understand the meaning of life. But don't think about suicide, okay? At your age, even death won't bring understanding."
Tapping Itachi's head, he said, "Come on, I'll treat you to a meal. What do you want to eat?"
"Three-color dango." Itachi thought a moment.
"I'm not sure if they have it at this hour."
The boy and the youth walked side by side down the streets of Konoha, arriving at a dango shop. Because the village was holding a memorial service, there weren't many customers, so they ended up buying quite a few.
Drinking tea and eating dango, Itachi asked, "Kiyosuke-san, why did you say Orochimaru-sama's ideas are different from ours?"
"That? He's special. You'll understand someday." Picking a tooth with the used skewer, he spoke with no senior airs.
"Speaking of which, you're one of the rare good-tempered ones in the Uchiha clan. Not like the others."
Itachi knew the clan's personality wasn't popular in the village and smiled wryly.
"They're just... bad at communicating with people."
"No, their eyes are on their foreheads," Kiyosuke said. "Addicted to the clan's glory, they'll eventually reap what they sow."
Itachi fell silent. Though young, he understood the warning in Kiyosuke's words. But he was helpless against those clan members. Even his father compromised.
The relationship between the Uchiha clan and the village had never been good.