A rare period of peace and quiet lasted until the New Year. The five major ninja villages were in tacit agreement, maintaining an eerie silence during this time. It felt as though they were all making final preparations for the inevitable war. The tension was palpable, and even the air seemed charged with the smell of gunpowder.
Finally, as the New Year arrived, Sunagakure made the first move.
Hokage Building
Hiruzen was studying the intelligence report in his hands, his expression somber. The report clearly indicated that Sunagakure had mobilized thousands of ninja, marching towards the Land of Rivers.
"Hiruzen, the situation is now clear. Sunagakure has made its move," Homura Mitokado stated gravely. "Those thousands of ninja are no joke. We need to prepare for defense immediately."
"Yes," Hiruzen replied, his tone measured. "The Land of Rivers will become the main battlefield between us and Sunagakure."
Homura and Koharu both looked at him expectantly. "Have you decided who will lead the defense?"
Hiruzen nodded. "Orochimaru will take charge of the battlefield in the Land of Rivers, and Hamaki Mimura will act as the defense team leader. I've already instructed the ANBU to set out ahead of time to gather local intelligence and slow the enemy's advance. This will give us time to strengthen our fortifications."
His tone grew heavier. "We still lack crucial information about this sudden move from Sunagakure, including who is leading their forces. That alone makes this situation dangerous."
Homura and Koharu seemed to accept the decision, but Danzō frowned, his discontent obvious.
"Hmph! Why not send Sakumo Hatake to the Land of Rivers instead?" he asked sharply. "During the last war, with Sakumo on the field, Sunagakure couldn't gain the upper hand. He's far more suited for this role than Orochimaru."
The room fell silent for a moment. Everyone present knew Sakumo's capabilities—and the deep grudge Sunagakure held against him. Sakumo had personally killed the son and daughter-in-law of Chiyo, one of Sunagakure's elders, during the Second Shinobi World War.
"Sakumo cannot be moved right now," Hiruzen replied firmly. "Orochimaru is more than strong enough to lead the battlefield. And if Sunagakure learns that Sakumo is commanding the main defense, their offensive will grow even fiercer. We'd risk escalating their aggression further."
Danzō scoffed. "Grudges between Sunagakure and our village? So what? Sakumo is powerful enough to handle it. Hiruzen, you're being overly cautious—afraid to take risks when we could deal a decisive blow." His tone sharpened. "In my view, Sakumo should take command and crush Sunagakure's main force in the Land of Rivers!"
His words hung heavy in the air, and the tension in the room grew. Hiruzen's other advisors turned to look at Danzō, their expressions uncertain.
Defeating Sunagakure's main force outright? It wasn't an impossible idea. After all, Sakumo had done it before.
"Hmph! Danzō, do you think Iwa and Kumo are blind?"
"How many forces would it take to defeat Sunagakure's main force? If we deploy too many to the Land of Rivers, Tsuchikage Ōnoki and the Raikage will seize the opportunity and join the war directly."
Hiruzen set his pipe aside, a rare gesture that signaled his rising frustration.
"Hmph! You're worrying over nothing!" Danzō snapped back. "We can defend ourselves easily and repel Sunagakure's forces with lightning speed!"
"Stop talking! That's just wishful thinking!" Hiruzen retorted sharply.
"Damn it, Hiruzen! When did you become such a weak Hokage?" Danzō's anger boiled over, his tone dripping with contempt. "Our sensei made a mistake choosing you!"
Hiruzen's gaze turned icy. "Danzō, that's enough! I am the Hokage!"
As the two continued their heated argument, Homura stepped forward to intervene.
"Danzō, Hiruzen is right," he said, his calm voice cutting through the tension. "The battle has only just begun. We cannot afford to concentrate too much manpower on a single battlefield. Orochimaru is the most suitable choice to command the defense in the Land of Rivers."
"But if we're facing Sunagakure, we must ensure our Medical-nin are fully prepared. Chiyo's poisons are not easy to counter."
Danzō's jaw tightened as his argument was brushed aside. He sat back down in frustration, his glare fixed on Homura. But Homura, unfazed, ignored the piercing look of his former comrade.
Turning his attention to Hiruzen, Homura asked, "Hiruzen, has ANBU been mobilized? Will there be enough time?"
Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, lighting his pipe again. Taking a puff, he said calmly, "It should be enough, as long as it buys us time to prepare."
His voice softened slightly, tinged with concern. "It's just that... Tsunade..."
The mention of her name silenced even Danzō.
Tsunade, granddaughter of the First Hokage and one of the Sannin, hadn't been seen in public for years due to her crippling fear of blood. The only person she seemed to care for was Shizune, Dan Katō's niece, who was still in school.
She couldn't care less about the village's affairs and without Tsunade's medical ninjutsu in this battle, the outcome for Sunagakure would be completely unpredictable.
…
At this time, within the Land of Rivers, dozens of ANBU members galloped through the dense forest.
"Damn it, I haven't even rested properly, and now I'm dragged out here to do grunt work!"
"So annoying!"
Kazuyama wore his mask and followed the main force, with his squadmates Haru and Rinkaku running alongside him.
"Hahaha, this is just how the ANBU operates. Get used to it," Haru quipped.
"This time, Sunagakure is moving in a very aggressive manner. Thousands of ninja are mobilizing—it's not a small operation. Our mission is just to set traps to slow their advance," he added.
"It won't be difficult."
Although Haru's words were reassuring, Kazuyama remained irked. He had been enjoying a pleasant conversation with Pakura at home, with hopes of growing closer to her in the coming year. But now, war had broken out.
Damn you, Sunagakure. Why couldn't you hold your fire?
To make matters worse, their timing was unexpected, moving earlier than Kazuyama had anticipated.
It seems the butterfly effect has already taken hold. From now on, I'll need to move cautiously, one step at a time.
"By the way, who is currently leading the ANBU?" he asked suddenly. "Didn't Lord Sakumo resign?"
Haru laughed heartily at the question, a faint trace of amusement in his tone.
"The ANBU is full of capable people. Even though Lord Sakumo has stepped down, the ANBU remains the sharpest blade in the Hokage's hands."
Although Haru didn't directly answer, the response made Kazuyama think of two individuals: the son and daughter-in-law of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Stop!"
A commanding voice rang out, cutting through his thoughts.
"Everyone, start setting the traps. Rokudenashi, Haru, Rinkaku, come here!"
Kazuyama turned to face the source of the order and felt his suspicions solidify. The ANBU in charge wore a mask Kazuyama recognized from his previous life—Shinnosuke Sarutobi, the eldest son of the Hokage. Unexpectedly, he was the one temporarily leading the ANBU.
Upon hearing the command, Kazuyama, Haru, and Rinkaku immediately approached.
Up close, Shinnosuke's imposing stature was evident. Even though Kazuyama had grown to 1.8 meters tall over the past two years, he still felt small standing in front of him.
"Rokudenashi, you're skilled in concealment. I need you to scout ahead, with Haru and Rinkaku supporting you. Focus on identifying the enemy's leader—this is critical," Shinnosuke ordered.
Kazuyama couldn't help but feel curious about who was leading Sunagakure's forces. Rasa had been injured by him, and Kankichi had faced him as well.
How could Sunagakure declare war so soon after such setbacks?
(100 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / PinkSnake