By the end of Year 16 in the Hidden Leaf Calendar,
Kumogakure launched a surprise attack on Konohagakure from Moon Canyon. However, Konoha was well-prepared. Under the strategic command of Nara Shoroku, Konoha's forces staged a tactical retreat, luring the Kumogakure ninja into an ambush. The result was devastating for Kumogakure, but the matter did not end there.
War is always easier to ignite than extinguish. Fueled by the cries of his people mourning their fallen comrades, the Second Raikage launched a full-scale offensive against Konoha. Naturally, Konoha retaliated with equal ferocity. The long-simmering tensions between the two villages erupted into an all-out conflict.
Meanwhile, Kirigakure and Iwagakure had their own hostilities to contend with. Despite their territories not directly bordering each other, their animosity was palpable. Kirigakure launched a naval raid against Iwagakure's positions, sparking further bloodshed. The Second Tsuchikage was not one to back down. Seeking vengeance for fallen comrades, he aimed to shift the battlefront south, away from Kirigakure's maritime advantage. Slowly, the conflict crept closer to the borders of the Land of Fire.
Thus began the First Shinobi World War, with each village waging fierce battles fueled by hatred and vengeance.
For Konoha, the challenges were particularly daunting. Positioned at the heart of the continent with fertile lands and open terrain, the Land of Fire became an inevitable battleground. In addition to repelling Kumogakure's assaults, Konoha had to brace for potential spillover from the conflict between Iwagakure and Kirigakure.
Faced with these realities, the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, made a crucial decision. He ordered the evacuation of ten northern towns in the Land of Fire to create a buffer zone. Simultaneously, he sought to mediate between Iwagakure and Kirigakure, offering to act as a neutral party. But with tensions running high, neither village was willing to listen. Instead, they seized the opportunity to move their war directly into the buffer zone.
Unbeknownst to them, Tobirama's seeming retreat was a calculated trap. By drawing both sides into the Land of Fire's northern territory, he set the stage for a counterattack. Donning his battle-worn armor from the Warring States period, Tobirama personally led Konoha's forces to confront Kumogakure.
The Shinobi World War erupted in full force.
At White Tree Town, Kakuzu reclined leisurely on a fur-covered chair, calmly unfolding an unmarked envelope. Though unsigned, the lingering chakra on the paper made it clear who had sent it.
"As expected of the Second Hokage, the founder of the ANBU. You tracked me down so quickly," Kakuzu murmured with a sly grin as he scanned the letter.
However, as his eyes darted over the contents, his expression darkened. With a sudden jolt, he shot up from his seat, clutching the letter tightly.
"Utter nonsense!" he spat.
The letter accused Kakuzu of visiting the Land of the Moon and provoking the border conflict between Konoha and Kumogakure. The message made it clear—Tobirama intended to hold him accountable for instigating the war. If Kakuzu didn't comply, the Hokage threatened to publicly expose him, painting him as the root cause of the conflict and the enemy of all villages.
Kakuzu sneered, crumpling the letter.
"Tobirama, you sly bastard. Don't even think about dragging me into your mess. You think I'll return to be your pawn? Dream on."
As for the Hokage's threat to spread the accusation across the shinobi world, Kakuzu couldn't care less.
"Go ahead and shout your lies. Who's going to believe you, anyway?"
Casting the letter aside, he strode toward his laboratory. Inside, Hanabusa was engrossed in calibrating a massive machine. Noticing Kakuzu's arrival, she gestured toward a towering frozen containment chamber.
"Kakuzu-sama, the cryogenic stasis tank is complete. It will be of great use to your future plans," she said with a confident smile.
Kakuzu nodded, stepping closer to inspect the device. Even through the reinforced glass, the biting chill of the chamber was palpable. The tank was designed to preserve experimental specimens that weren't immediately viable for use. With this development, Kakuzu's ambitions could progress to the next stage.
Meanwhile, across the shinobi world, the First Shinobi World War began to reshape history. Unlike the clan-driven conflicts of the Warring States era, this was a war between villages, each backed by the resources and manpower of entire nations. The battlefields became grinding machines of human life and resources.
Kirigakure and Iwagakure's enmity burned brightly as their forces clashed, dragging their hostilities closer to the Land of Fire.
The hatred between the two villages stemmed from clan feuds dating back to the Warring States period. Their relentless rivalry spanned a large part of the shinobi world, even extending the flames of war into the Land of Fire. After fighting each other to the brink of destruction, both sides were left physically and mentally drained. Under such circumstances, the best course of action was to retreat to their respective villages to recover and prepare for the next battle.
However, when Iwagakure and Kirigakure attempted to withdraw, they were shocked to discover that retreating would not be so simple. Standing in their way, like vultures waiting for their prey, was Konohagakure, which had previously offered to mediate between the two sides. Leading the Konoha forces were Danzo Shimura and Koharu Utatane, two rising stars among the younger generation of shinobi. They didn't interfere with the ongoing carnage between Iwagakure and Kirigakure, they simply observed from the sidelines, their presence exerting a silent but immense pressure on both villages.
The involvement of a third party ensured that the battle would not end easily. Neither Iwagakure nor Kirigakure dared to provoke Konoha at that moment, forcing them to continue their bloody conflict despite their exhaustion. The stalemate persisted until one fateful encounter. The Second Mizukage, a man with a distinctive mustache, arrived on the battlefield, only to run into the Second Tsuchikage, Mu. These two figures, representing the highest will of their respective villages, could not let their grievances go unresolved.
With so many of their shinobi killed by the opposing side, neither leader had any intention of backing down. Their statuses alone dictated that their confrontation would decide not only their personal fates but also the future of their villages. Though they couldn't die on their own soil, meeting their ends on the battlefield within the Land of Fire seemed like an acceptable alternative.
Meanwhile, on another front, the battlefield between Konoha and Kumogakure presented a very different picture. Contrary to many expectations, the war between these two villages was far from evenly matched. The tide was entirely in Konoha's favor. The combined might of the Senju, Hyuga, and Uchiha clans, alongside the emergence of promising young shinobi like Hiruzen Sarutobi and Kagami Uchiha, was more than enough to overwhelm Kumogakure.
Among all the combatants, the most remarkable figure was none other than Senju Tobirama, often hailed as the fastest shinobi in the ninja world. Few could have predicted that even after losing Senju Hashirama, Konoha would remain so formidable. If Hashirama was a titan who subdued the entire shinobi world with his overwhelming strength, then Tobirama was undoubtedly a born leader. With his exceptional strategic mind and considerable power, he united Konoha's forces and relentlessly pushed the battlefront forward. Within months, Kumogakure was beaten to the ground, left in utter disarray.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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