Furthermore, Suketoyo banded with Motonari MORI and restored the Mori clan's position as daimyo (Japanese territorial lord) in the Sengoku period; however, as the power of Nobunaga ODA extended, Suetoyo died during the war, being surrounded by the army of the senior vassal Hideyoshi HASHIBA (later, Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI).
さらには毛利元就と手を結び、一時は山名氏を戦国大名として再興させたが、織田信長の勢力が伸張してくると、天正8年（1580年）、信長の重臣・羽柴秀吉（豊臣秀吉）の軍勢に取り囲まれて死去した。