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The morning forest was filled with damp mist, a white blanket enveloping the trees. The sun was still hidden behind the clouds, with only a few rays of light seeping through the gaps, casting a faint glow on the earth. The forest was silent at this hour.
A small insect perched on a tree trunk, its thin wings dampened by the mist, rendering it unable to fly. It could only rest quietly, waiting for the sunlight to evaporate the moisture from its wings before it could move to another spot.
Just then, a much larger bird swooped down from the sky, catching the insect in its beak. The insect had no chance to resist, its legs feebly scrambling, but this was just a futile struggle against the powerful bird.
With a crunch, the bird landed on a tree trunk, ready to enjoy its early morning meal. However, just as it was about to feast, a slight noise in the otherwise quiet morning startled it. The bird quickly turned its head towards the source of the sound, accidentally dropping the insect, which fluttered away to an unknown place.
The bird didn't mind, instead tilting its head to peer at the area from which the sound had come. In the dense white mist of the forest, dark figures gradually emerged near the dark tree trunks.
"Be careful, we're near Konoha now. Don't let a simple mistake expose our position!" a figure among the shadows whispered sternly.
Hearing this, one of the figures behind quickly bowed and whispered back, "I'm sorry, Captain Iwame. I'll be more careful."
The figure then glanced around at the others and the surroundings, cautiously adding, "Everyone, stay alert and avoid making unnecessary noise!"
The group tightened their expressions and moved forward cautiously. Seeing this, Iwame joined the team, advancing slowly.
If someone could look down from above the forest, they would see groups of shadows moving slowly through the mist, cautiously surveying their surroundings as they progressed.
At the rear of the group, a stern-looking, short old man was lightly floating in the air, his eyes as sharp as a hawk's, fixed intently on the end of the forest ahead.
Suddenly, a tall young figure floated below the old man, arms crossed. He stood firmly in the air by manipulating a mass of golden sand beneath his feet.
The old man glanced down at him and spoke in a low voice, "Rasa, shouldn't you be leading the Sand Ninja forces at this time?"
The young man's face showed no emotion, though his slightly darkened eye circles hinted at his fatigue. He replied softly, "Lord Tsuchikage, I've already scanned the forest ahead with my gold dust and found no traces of ninja. You can order the Iwa forces to move forward more quickly."
Onoki was silent for a moment before responding in a deep voice, "I forgot that your ability allows you to detect the magnetic chakra of ninjas. The existence of someone like you in Sunagakure is truly fortunate, Rasa. You might play a significant role in this war."
Rasa bowed slightly and responded quietly, "What I'm about to say may not be something you'd like to hear, but you should understand that the outcome of this war does not depend on Sunagakure or Iwagakure. The true determinant is the hidden Espada."
He looked at Onoki's frowning face and continued, "According to your information, Konoha should already be aware that Aizen will intervene in this war. However, this doesn't necessarily affect us. In fact, it might even significantly limit Konoha's available forces."
"After all, they'll have to allocate enough manpower to deal with that man."
"While I'm not sure what the Kazekage has in mind, I believe the most important thing for Iwagakure and Sunagakure right now is understanding that man's intentions."
"If the Espada doesn't fulfill their promises at the agreed time, both Iwagakure and Sunagakure will suffer great losses, and Konoha as well. In the end, the real winner will undoubtedly be that man."
Onoki's eyes flashed with sharp brilliance as he responded in a low voice, "Rasa, you're very clever, and your analysis is excellent, but there's something you might not understand."
Rasa's expression turned serious, and he appeared ready to listen closely.
Onoki spoke gravely, "The point you're missing is Aizen himself. You've never interacted with him, so you don't understand what a proud man he is."
"Do you think someone who ascended to the position of Fourth Hokage at such a young age, and then gave it up so easily, is an ordinary person?"
"I've met countless people in my life, and in the entire ninja world, only one person can compare to him."
Rasa fell silent for a moment before asking, "And who would that be?"
Onoki's face grew serious, his eyes gleaming as he replied slowly, "Uchiha Madara, who was once called the Demon of the Ninja World and helped the First Hokage Senju Hashirama establish Konoha."
Rasa repeated the name softly, "Uchiha Madara?"
As a member of the younger generation in Sunagakure, Rasa hadn't experienced the First Ninja War, so he wasn't familiar with the legendary figures of the past.
Onoki frowned slightly and said in a heavy voice, "You weren't born in that era, so you can't imagine what Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama were like."
"Decades ago, it was truly an era dominated by Konoha, and the reason for that was the existence of Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara."
As he spoke, Onoki's expression revealed a deep sense of regret and repressed anger.
Rasa didn't notice this and instead asked, "So, why do you compare Aizen to Uchiha Madara? Based on talent, wouldn't Aizen be comparable to the First Hokage?"
Onoki seemed to fall into deep thought, as if recalling some unpleasant memories. After a long pause, he spoke in a low voice, "That man also gave up the Hokage position."
"Though I'm not sure of the exact reasons, I can imagine it was due to some political disagreement with Hashirama."
"That's why I mention him. In many ways, Uchiha Madara back then is very similar to Aizen now. Their deep-seated pride makes them difficult to approach."
"Whether it's Aizen or Uchiha Madara, that's likely why they so easily gave up the Hokage title."
Onoki glanced at Rasa and added in a stern voice, "One day, when you meet that man in person, you'll understand. A true leader possesses more than just power; it's their extraordinary capacity that makes them stand above others."
Onoki's words seemed to be both a reminder and a warning to Rasa.
Rasa fell silent and spoke no more.
Meanwhile, as the joint forces slowly advanced toward Konoha, in a distant canyon, deep within a dark cave, a pair of pitch-black eyes suddenly opened.
"Zetsu, are Iwagakure and Sunagakure about to attack Konoha?"
A slightly hoarse voice echoed in the darkness.