---
In the meeting room.
After the clan heads left, only the four members of the Konoha political group remained: the Third Hokage, Danzo, and the two Hokage advisors.
Tap, tap... The Third Hokage tapped his index and middle fingers together lightly on the table. After attracting Danzo's attention, he casually asked, "You seem to have been rather quiet today."
Danzo chuckled awkwardly, his expression a bit unnatural.
In the past, he wouldn't even need the Third Hokage's subtle hint. He would jump right in and attack the Uchiha clan head, voicing his own strong opinions.
But this time, Danzo felt that he had gotten the better of the Third Hokage with Kenshi, so he decided not to steal the Third Hokage's thunder in this meeting. He hadn't noticed the Third Hokage's subtle hint.
He couldn't tell the Third Hokage all this, of course.
Danzo could only explain, "I've been a bit tired lately."
The Third Hokage shook his head. He didn't believe Danzo's words. The guy was definitely up to something. But this wasn't the time to delve into Danzo's affairs. The matter of Sunagakure was the most pressing issue for the Third Hokage.
"Danzo, I'm putting you in charge of secretly negotiating with Hanzo of the Salamander."
The Third Hokage said seriously, "We absolutely cannot allow Amegakure to agree to Sunagakure's plan. That's the bottom line. Beyond that, if you can get Amegakure to side with us, that would be even better."
Danzo replied, "Understood."
The Third Hokage turned to Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, saying, "The Daimyo's Mansion will be left to you two."
With this incident, Konoha needed to report to the Daimyo's Mansion and also express their determination to prevent Sunagakure from succeeding. They could also take this opportunity to suggest an increase in Konoha's budget.
This was a good opportunity to get money. The Third Hokage wouldn't miss it.
Koharu and Homura nodded in response, "We know what to do, Hiruzen."
Konoha responded to Sunagakure's crazy plan one by one.
But before Konoha's response could be implemented, another explosive piece of intelligence, or rather, an event, instantly shocked the entire ninja world.
On the very night that Konoha's high-level officials were making their countermeasures.
The Land of Whirlpools, founded by the Uzumaki clan, was wiped out overnight.
No one knew who did it, and no force came forward to claim responsibility.
But the force that could wipe out a country silently couldn't be simple. It couldn't be done without the strength of one of the Five Great Hidden Villages.
In fact, as soon as the news came out, although the four nations of Cloud, Mist, Wind, and Stone all claimed that they hadn't done it.
Everyone knew that it was impossible to say that the four nations weren't involved.
The Land of Whirlpools was the first country to be wiped out since the end of the Warring States period. Its impact on the ninja world was profound.
Especially for those small countries sandwiched between the Five Great Nations, they all felt a strong sense of national crisis.
Armaments!
They had to increase them drastically!
At this moment, these small countries seemed to have finally come to their senses. They no longer had any illusions. If they didn't want to be wiped out overnight like the Land of Whirlpools, they had to drastically increase their military strength, make their own voices heard in the ninja world, and deter their enemies in the shadows.
Suddenly, the ninja world entered a frenzy before the war. It was a matter of who would lose their patience first and ignite the fuse of the Great Ninja War.
Many people originally thought that the Land of Fire, Konoha, would be the first to ignite the fuse.
After all, Sunagakure's crazy plan was to dig up Konoha's roots. The Land of Whirlpools, a long-time ally, had been wiped out. These were enough reasons for Konoha to start a war.
But to everyone's surprise, it wasn't the Land of Fire, nor any of the other four nations among the Five Great Nations, that started the Great Ninja War.
It was Amegakure, bordering the Land of Fire, Land of Earth, and Land of Wind, that ignited the flames of this Great Ninja War.
In an instant, news spread throughout the ninja world, shocking everyone. Hanzo of the Salamander, the Demi-God of the Ninja World, declared war on Konoha of the Land of Fire, Iwagakure of the Land of Earth, and Sunagakure of the Land of Wind, all at the same time, on behalf of Amegakure.
How dare he?
How dare Amegakure?
Countless people were stunned, momentarily unable to understand Hanzo's choice.
The Three Great Nations were also confused.
The Three Great Hidden Villages were equally bewildered.
Was Amegakure that brave?
Did Hanzo of the Salamander really think that being the Demi-God of the Ninja World made him a god?
He was far from the true God of the Ninja World, Hashirama Senju. It was a difference of two dimensions.
Hashirama Senju, the man who single-handedly ended a centuries-long Warring States period.
The man who defeated the Asura of the Ninja World, Madara Uchiha.
How could Hanzo compare?
Did he want to end the era of hidden villages that Hashirama had created to prove that he was the true God of the Ninja World?
Why else would he dare to declare war on the Three Great Hidden Villages simultaneously?
In any case, no matter how people didn't understand Hanzo's decision.
The Great Ninja War was indeed initiated by him.
And it was even more chaotic than everyone had imagined.
They thought it would be the Three Great Hidden Villages besieging the Demi-God of the Ninja World, Amegakure.
But for some reason, it suddenly turned into a chaotic battle royale with the four hidden villages fighting each other.
Sunagakure was at war with Konoha, Iwagakure, and Amegakure at the same time.
Konoha was also at war with Sunagakure, Iwagakure, and Amegakure at the same time.
Iwagakure was the same, at war with three hidden villages simultaneously.
Amegakure became the main battlefield for the four-way war between the Three Great Hidden Villages and Amegakure.
In addition, Sunagakure and Konoha opened a second battlefield in the Land of Rivers.
...
Soon.
Summer of Konoha 38.
After a year of chaotic battles between the four nations of Fire, Earth, Wind, and Rain.
Small countries like the Land of Grass, sandwiched between the Five Great Nations, also began their own wars of annexation and chaos.
They hoped to grow stronger while the Three Great Nations were preoccupied, so that they could quickly gain territory and strength equal to the Five Great Nations.
The ninja world became increasingly chaotic, with most of the ninja world's countries engaged in a war.
Of the Five Great Nations, only the Land of Lightning and the Land of Water remained neutral.
But these two countries were also watching closely, not intending to sit back and watch. They were also preparing, waiting for the right moment to bite off the juiciest piece of the Great Ninja War.
The Three Great Nations couldn't ignore their existence and took corresponding countermeasures.
Konoha, in particular, couldn't let down its guard, as it was constantly being watched by the Land of Lightning.
A ninja force led by the Hokage advisor, Homura Mitokado, was constantly active on the border, monitoring the Land of Lightning's every move.
On the coastline bordering the Land of Water, there was also a ninja force led by the Hokage advisor, Koharu Utatane, specifically guarding against Kirigakure.
On the battlefield in the Land of Rivers, a ninja legion led by the Nara clan head, including Kakashi's father, Sakumo Hatake, and other powerful ninjas, was fighting against the ninja and puppet masters led by the Hidden Sand elder, Ebisu.
And on the most intense battlefield in Amegakure, it was Danzo, leading a ninja force that included the future Sannin and many strong ninjas from clans like the Hyuga clan, who was engaged in fierce battle with the other three hidden villages.
With multiple fronts, plus the need to defend against the Land of Lightning and the Land of Water.
There weren't many ninjas left in Konoha from the major ninja clans.
But within Konoha, the Uchiha clan, which hadn't joined the war, still retained all its combat power.
And the Sarutobi clan's Hokage Guard ninja legion, which had been left behind to deal with potential dangers, also retained considerable combat power.
In addition, the remaining strong individuals included the Third Hokage, the Nine-Tails jinchūriki, Mito Uzumaki, and the Uchiha clan head, three Kage-level strong individuals.
The ANBU and Root also had corresponding personnel guarding Konoha.
If you add the strong individuals from other clans who remained.
It seemed that, after all this, the remaining combat power in Konoha was still not something any random small country could match.
It must be said that this was the terrifying strength of Konoha, the strongest hidden village in the ninja world.
If anyone thought that Konoha was weak at this time and wanted to launch a sneak attack, they would definitely end up with their heads smashed.
So, the question is,
Are there any people that stubborn?
There are actually!
And there are two groups of them.
---
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