Blood stains the yellow sand red, the cries of the wounded fill the entire battlefield.

Su Xiao sits atop a pile of corpses, pulling out a Kunai from his arm and casually tossing it aside.

The battle between thirty thousand Bai Jue troops and twenty thousand ninjas lasted a total of 6 hours and 50 minutes, nearly 7 hours. The final result was that less than 200 Bai Jue troops remained, while the ninja side also suffered heavy casualties. Aside from the more than a hundred ninjas who escaped, nearly twenty thousand ninjas stayed forever on the battlefield.

Su Xiao originally thought that three Bai Jue could kill one Chunin. Now it seems that is not the case; ninjas play too small a role in such chaotic battles.

Surprisingly, the more than a hundred ninjas who escaped erupted with astonishing combat strength. A small team of only a hundred managed to eliminate over three hundred pursuing Bai Jue. Of course, they paid a heavy price for it.

At this moment, the desert could only be described as a wasteland filled with corpses. If the fighting continues like this, the ones to scatter will definitely be the ninja union army.

Bai Jue clones don’t fear death; they don’t have a strong concept of mortality. But ninjas differ; once the situation becomes significantly unfavorable, they’ll flee immediately.

"So, are you prepared to die rather than surrender?"

Su Xiao sits up from the pile of corpses, having fought continuously for nearly seven hours, during which he forgot how many ninjas he had killed.

A female ninja has her arms restrained by two Bai Jue, forced to kneel on the ground.

"Puh."

The female ninja tries to raise her head to spit at Su Xiao, but her arms are bound.

Su Xiao slowly walks to the front of the female ninja, squatting down to scrutinize her. Her skin is wheat-colored, her head full of red hair, earrings dangling from her earlobes, and those amber eyes full of defiance.

Judging by her complexion, she’s a ninja from the Hidden Cloud Village, knocked out while expending significant stamina during the war, allowing Bai Jue clones to seize the opportunity.

In the Second Troop, there were five elite ninjas: Huang Tu, Hei Tu, Neji Hyuga, Hinata Hyuga, and Karui.

After Su Xiao’s side gained an advantage in the war, these five were besieged by many Bai Jue. Hei Tu, Neji Hyuga, and Hinata Hyuga successfully escaped. To cover their retreat, the powerful and low-key Huang Tu was left behind. During his encirclement by many Bai Jue, Su Xiao severed his arm.

Huang Tu is a traditional ninja, his major ninjutsu abilities wasted after losing an arm, leading to his swift beheading by Su Xiao.

The captured female ninja now is named Karui, not particularly famous herself, but her mentor is renowned in the Ninja World: Killing Bee Kirabi, Eight-Tails Jinchuuriki, also called the most perfect Jinchuuriki.

Of course, Kirabi is now a corpse, already reincarnated by Dou’s Edo Tensei, previously sealed into the Gedo Statue with Obito’s cooperation after he transplanted the Rinnegan.

"Since you refuse to say anything, you are useless to me."

The Slaughter Dagger appears in Su Xiao’s hand, pressing against Karui’s neck.

"If you have the skill, kill me."

Karui forcefully raises her head, the bones in her shoulders cracking.

With a swift slice, the Slaughter Dagger cuts open Karui’s throat.

"Never heard such a peculiar request."

Su Xiao shakes off the blood from the dagger, and soon, Karui dies from severe blood loss.

The Fourth Ninja World War has fully begun, in the desert region of the main battlefield. Many Edo Tensei dead are fighting ninjas. Both Bai Jue troops and the ninja union army suffer heavy casualties.

The most heavily damaged, of course, is the ninja union army’s Second Troop, nearly obliterated.

"Calculating the time, Madara should also join the battle soon. If so, Obito won’t take long to become the Ten-Tails Jinchuuriki."

Su Xiao prepares to head to another battlefield, as nighttime has fallen, the desert at night is somewhat chilly.

Just then, a white light bursts from the night sky at the edge of the desert, shooting upwards and dissipating after a long time.

Seeing this white light, Su Xiao immediately recognizes it as Dust Release.

Su Xiao contacts Dou, the feedback indicates it’s not Second Tsuchikage: Mu using Dust Release. The Second Tsuchikage had to split himself under siege, unable to use Dust Release. So only Onogi remains able to use Dust Shield.

This becomes interesting: for whom does Onogi employ such large-scale Dust Release? The answer emerges.

Su Xiao doesn’t actually care about the war’s outcome. Helping Obito wipe out the Second Troop was just for fun, boosting his contribution points on the battlefield. The higher the contribution points, the greater the rewards for this major story event.

Instead of helping Obito win the war, Su Xiao is more interested in hunting strong opponents.

Su Xiao summons Bu Wang, who was on watch nearby, and A Mu, sleeping soundly on the battlefield. The trio rush towards the direction of the white light.

Five minutes later, Su Xiao arrives in a vast forest—yes, a forest within the Gobi Desert. This forest doesn’t appear to be naturally formed; the trees are too dense. To cross, one must go over them.

Large flowers the size of houses bloom above the forest, flames burn within, yellow pollen drifts, and when the fire burns the pollen, a hallucinogenic smoke emerges.

Su Xiao leaps onto a short mountain, looking down at the forest. In the center of the forest, a man with black hair down his shoulders stands on the treetops.

The man immediately senses Su Xiao, turning his head towards him. Those Rinnegan eyes are exceptionally sharp.

This man is named Uchiha Madara, the strongest reincarnated by Dou’s Edo Tensei, without equal.

"Who are you."

Madara assesses Su Xiao. He doesn’t attack immediately because Su Xiao doesn’t appear to be a good guy. Generally, battlefield villains are on one’s side; at least, Madara thinks so.

"Obito’s collaborator."

"Obito..."

Madara’s eyes narrow; he knows Obito has been using his identity, part of his arrangements before his death.

"Seems you know many things."

Madara is now almost certain Su Xiao is on his side.

"Of course, I provoked this war."

Su Xiao observes the dense, nearly sealed cage-like area of forest beneath Madara’s feet. If he’s correct, the current Five Shadows are imprisoned inside awaiting death. Soon, the flower realm’s pollen will completely destroy their nervous systems.

In every aspect, Su Xiao provoked this war, with Obito only handling the declaration of war. Su Xiao was present at the declaration.

Su Xiao is undoubtedly the one who captured the most Tailed Beasts. During the Five Shadow Summit, Obito acted as a bystander, while the Shadows were killed by Su Xiao. The death of the Fourth Raikage and Fifth Mizukage forced the war to start earlier.

The war was orchestrated by Obito, but the outright provocation came from Su Xiao.

"You provoked the war? Nonsense."

Madara dismisses the claim with a cold snort, disbelieving. In Madara’s view, the war was arranged by him in life.