The question was posed: Can people truly understand one another?
The answer was no.
At least for now, achieving such a state seemed nearly impossible.
Since the First Great Ninja War, the peace that followed lasted barely 14 years before the flames of conflict reignited, spreading across the land. However, this war was unlike the first. Back then, the strife was largely confined to the grievances between the Five Great Nations—Water, Earth, Lightning, and Fire, to be exact.
This time, it was different.
Every nation harbored grudges, each lashing out against the others. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that 90% of all countries, big and small, were dragged into this chaos. In this multi-front war, no country was fighting just one enemy. Most had at least two adversaries to contend with.
The blood spilled painted a new chapter across the ninja world, reminding everyone that the seeds of hatred had never truly vanished.
To emerge victorious, the leaders of the Five Great Nations found themselves burning the midnight oil.
...
Sunagakure: War Room
In the strategy room of Sunagakure, the Second Kazekage, Shamon, stood with his piercing gaze locked onto the sand table before him. The table featured flags of various colors representing different factions:
Gold for Sunagakure,
Red for Konohagakure,
Earthy Yellow for Iwagakure,
White for the Land of Rain.
Of course, the map included more than just these four nations. Smaller countries like the Land of Birds and the Land of Forests were also represented. To the east of the Land of Wind lay the vast ocean, with the Land of Tea nestled along the coast. Farther east was one of the Five Great Nations, the Land of Water.
Yet despite being surrounded by nations, the Land of Wind didn't need to guard against all of them. The Land of Water, for example, was a poor match for their harsh desert terrain, and the Land of Wind had little interest in the sea. This mutual disinterest ensured minimal conflict.
As for the smaller nations, they posed no real threat.
Currently, Sunagakure's primary enemies were Konohagakure, Iwagakure, and the Land of Rain.
Shamon traced his fingers across the sand table, his expression contemplative.
"Hanzo the Salamander," he muttered, repeating the name softly.
The Land of Rain had always been a mysterious, rain-drenched, and isolated nation. Despite being at the heart of the ninja world, little was known about it—until its new leader, Hanzo the Salamander, rose to power.
Hanzo's strength was undeniable.
There was an incident when a Konohagakure supply convoy accidentally crossed into the Land of Rain. Moving through a dense forest, the entire 50-man team collapsed without warning, convulsing and foaming at the mouth.
Not a single survivor.
Hanzo had used nothing but poison gas to annihilate the team. Then, as a show of force, he sent their bodies back to Konohagakure.
The loss sparked outrage in the Leaf, from the Hokage to ordinary citizens. Enraged, the village's hawkish factions sent a large force to the Land of Rain's borders. Hanzo, unfazed, led the Rain ninja to confront them.
After engaging him, Konoha's forces were shocked.
Hanzo was an unparalleled force on the battlefield. Whether it was Fire Release, Water Release, poison, body flicker techniques, or taijutsu, he wielded them all with devastating precision.
In over ten skirmishes, Hanzo's forces never suffered a single defeat. Meanwhile, Konohagakure endured heavy losses.
Hanzo had earned himself a title whispered across the battlefield: "Half-God."
Though the name might have been somewhat exaggerated, it underscored one truth—defeating Hanzo in direct combat was a monumental challenge.
Standing over the map, Shamon's lips curled into a faint smirk.
"Hanzo the Salamander... Excellent. I'll send someone to negotiate with you. Hold Konoha at bay for me while I focus on more pressing matters."
Shamon already had a plan.
Though the Land of Rain was a new and formidable adversary, Shamon saw no need to provoke them further. A defensive stance along the border would suffice. His real focus remained on Konohagakure and Iwagakure.
Shamon's eyes shifted back to the map, tracing the borders of the three nations. Though they clashed fiercely over territory, none of them dared let the war spill into their homelands. Their battle lines stretched across the lands of smaller nations, drawing them into the conflict.
Normally, violating a nation's sovereignty was unthinkable, but in this blood-soaked era, such formalities were the first to fall by the wayside.
"How far has Hatada Saemon's elite team advanced?" Shamon asked.
Hatada Saemon was one of Sunagakure's rising stars—a prodigy among the younger generation and an undisputed elite.
"Report, Kazekage-sama," a subordinate replied. "Hatada Saemon is following your orders and pushing forward. However, Iwagakure forces are fiercely resisting and trying to pull the battle lines eastward. Meanwhile, Konohagakure remains a constant threat, keeping us on edge."
"Kumogakure's forces have been steadily advancing eastward under Hatada Saemon's orders. Based on current intelligence, their front line should now be approaching the border of Takigakure."
A Sunagakure operations officer immediately unfurled a scroll, pointing to the relevant section of the map as he reported. Shamon's sharp gaze fixed on the border of the Land of Waterfalls. After a moment's contemplation, he gave a curt nod.
"Inform Hatada to keep pressing forward. Do not give Konoha or Iwagakure any chance to recover."
"Understood!"
"Additionally, let Kazu know that his unit is ready to move. Their objective is singular—strike the seven key defensive strongholds in the southwestern region of the Land of Fire!"
The atmosphere in the war room grew tense as Shamon's eyes turned cold, narrowing toward the map of the Land of Fire. Though Sunagakure's antagonism toward Iwagakure was well-known, Konoha had caused Shamon no small amount of grief over the years.
He had bided his time, waiting for the right moment to deliver a crippling blow. With most of the Land of Fire's forces concentrated on the front lines, their southwestern defenses were critically undermanned. A decisive strike here would undoubtedly deal a severe blow to Konoha's war effort, relieving much of the pressure on Hatada Saemon's forces.
The operations officer, cautious but curious, hesitated before speaking.
"Lord Kazekage, are we shifting our strategic focus to target the Land of Fire?"
Shamon crossed his arms and remained silent, studying the map with a pensive expression. Finally, he muttered,
"Perhaps."
Some might think such a response from a commander was irresponsible, but they underestimated the fluid nature of war. Strategies were ever-changing, just as water adapted to the shape of its container. No one could predict how the battlefield would evolve after a single victory.
Moreover, war was merely an extension of politics, a means to secure greater gains for one's nation. If sacrificing the Land of Fire could propel the Land of Wind to new heights, Shamon believed it was a gamble worth taking.
...
At the Sunagakure front lines, Hatada Saemon wasted no time after receiving his orders. He immediately summoned his officers and began formulating the next phase of their strategy.
Spreading out a detailed map of the region, he analyzed the terrain and enemy positions before decisively pointing to a key location near the border of Takigakure.
"If we flank around from here, we'll strike Iwagakure's rear. It'll catch them completely off guard. What's the name of this location?"
One of his captains leaned in, studying the map for a moment before replying, "Lord Saemon, that place is called White Tree Town."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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