Year 48 of Konoha, Year 20 of the Red July...
The Fourth Great Ninja War had already been going on for nearly two months.
This war was more brutal than any before. Over twenty countries in the ninja world, except for those still wavering and observing, most had participated in this war.
The forces were mainly divided into two sides...
The ninja village forces, led by the Five Great Ninja Villages, launched an attack against the Red Alliance Nations, led by the Land of Whirlpools.
Of course...
The Five Great Ninja Villages paid no attention to those small Red Alliance Nations.
Because they all understood in their hearts...
Perhaps if given a few more years, Redism might not be so easily extinguished. After all, overthrowing a system is not that easy. A single spark can still start a prairie fire. But the time from the formation of Redism until now...
Was still too short.
So, when the Land of Whirlpools perishes, Redism will perish!!
All the ninja village forces understood this point. No matter how powerful the Red forces are now, it still cannot deny the fact...
That these countries all originally developed from ninja villages.
And after the Land of Whirlpools perishes, the buds of the ninja village system revered within their countries will sprout again, stamping out the last sparks of Redism...
"Use this as an encirclement." The Konoha ninja operations commander, Nara Shikazo, took the cigarette from his mouth, pointed at the location of the Land of Whirlpools, and said, "Form a complete encirclement around the Land of Whirlpools, dispersing its military strength."
Looking at the Kage and ninjas from various villages around the table...
"According to the intelligence we have, the Land of Whirlpools only has reinforcements from three countries: the Land of Rain, the Land of Bears, and the Land of Snow. Their military strength is not strong."
"And on our side, we have the alliance forces of the Five Great Ninja Villages and over ten other ninja villages."
He took another puff of his cigarette...
"Our military strength is far superior compared to the Land of Whirlpools. So..."
He directly pressed the cigarette butt down onto the map at the location of the Land of Whirlpools, revealing a sharp gaze...
"Dispersing their forces is most advantageous for our operations."
This way, the military strength of the Land of Whirlpools that each village faces would be greatly reduced. Moreover...
The Five Great Ninja Villages are not truly that harmonious with each other.
If so many ninjas from different villages gathered together, everyone would be thinking about slacking off internally. Who knows what accidents might happen!
Therefore, it is best for the Five Great Ninja Villages to each lead smaller ninja villages friendly to them into battle.
He had analyzed the reasons for the failure of the last operation.
That was...
Uzumaki Jun!!!
He single-handedly killed the Kazekage in front of the three great ninja villages, captured Orochimaru, one of the Legendary Three Ninja, forced the Third Tsuchikage to retreat, and instantly crushed the alliance forces' morale. And the Fourth Hokage...
Nara Shikazo also suspected internally that after the Fourth Hokage landed on the shore, he must have destroyed too many chakra cannons, leading to the Land of Whirlpools' Daimyo personally capturing him!
And the Kirigakure side...
A single slash froze the entire sea, preventing the Kage and ninjas of Kirigakure from landing, sacrificing them on the vast ocean.
The Land of Whirlpools' Daimyo he...
Alone resolved all the powerful enemies and most of the ninjas!
But now...
The Land of Whirlpools' Daimyo is missing. What will they use to resist the forces of so many ninja villages?
Nara Shikazo is confident...
As long as the game-breaker doesn't appear, they will definitely win this time.
Just look at the probing attacks over the past month or so...
The Land of Whirlpools simply does not have enough military strength to participate in this monumental war...
Nara Shikazo lit another cigarette, looked ahead, and then said with a defeated expression, "My opinion is as stated."
He sat down, looking at the Fourth Hokage beside him, who had a calm expression and a consistently gentle smile on his face, and sighed internally...
The Fourth Hokage is indeed an excellent Hokage, and the Ino-Shika-Cho trio is indeed loyal to the Hokage, whether it's the Fourth or...
The Third...
But, the current Ino-Shika-Cho clans all depend on the Sarutobi clan for survival...
If the Fourth Hokage also had a powerful clan behind him, he wouldn't be as passive as he is now.
"Lord Fourth."
He said respectfully to Minato, "The Third Hokage hopes you can use the Flying Thunder God Technique to land on the shore first, to attract the Land of Whirlpools' attention for the fleet and destroy their chakra cannons."
The Kage of a village...
Their duty is to lead from the front. No matter what dangers or difficulties they encounter, protecting the ninja village is the primary goal, and they must lead the village to prosperity...
This is also the meaning of Konoha's Will of Fire...
"Ah?" Minato snapped back to reality, looked at the respectful Shikazo in front of him, smiled and nodded, saying, "I understand."
Then, he lowered his head and glanced at the map on the table, burned through by the cigarette butt...
He sighed internally and clenched his fist firmly...
He...
Should also take action!!
...
Land of Whirlpools...
Although the atmosphere of war still enveloped the country...
The citizens were used to it.
Haven't there been many wars experienced by the Land of Whirlpools over the years?
Haven't there been many times they were besieged by the Five Great Ninja Villages?
Each time, they felt anger, fear, terror..., and then...
They returned to their original peaceful way of life.
Through so many wars, not once has the Land of Whirlpools been destroyed. So, they also believe that this time...
The Land of Whirlpools will definitely be fine!
Although they are also very worried that Lord Jun has gone missing, they...
All believe...
Lord Jun will definitely return!!!
Just like the previous times, turning the tide at the last moment and driving all the invaders away...
"Director Hiruko." A middle-aged stall owner looked at the young man who always maintained a youthful face walking in and said with a smile, "What would you like today?"
"Just two large marrow bones and two jin of pork belly will do." Hiruko nodded slightly, a smile on his face, and said, "How has business been lately?"
He looked around...
It seemed like the atmosphere of war couldn't be felt here at all.
"Not bad!" The stall owner said while selecting the pork belly, "Everyone is used to it. Those ninja villages just can't stand us living a good life."
He cut a piece, weighed it...
"Always thinking about destroying the Land of Whirlpools, destroying the Land of Whirlpools."
"But after so many times, the Land of Whirlpools has always been able to drive them all away. So, everyone believes..."
"This time will be no exception!!"
His face carried a look of disdain, and he pouted, saying, "They only dare to come because Lord Jun is away on business. Otherwise..."
"A bunch of cowards, where would they dare to provoke our Land of Whirlpools!"
Then, he packed the pork and handed it to Hiruko.
"Yes!" Hiruko sighed and nodded, taking the pork, and said, "They are just cowards."
They are all cowards...
Afraid to change, fearful of change, worried that once changes are made, the ninja world will no longer be the familiar one they know...
But this time...
The Land of Whirlpools is truly in danger!
As the director of the Biology Institute, he had been to the battlefield. The situation there...
Was not as ideal as these people thought!
Compared to the massive armies of the Five Great Ninja Villages, the military strength of the Land of Whirlpools was far too small.
Once casualties occur...
The gap will become even more apparent.
He sighed, then showed a smile to the shopkeeper again...
"How much?"
"No need." The shopkeeper waved his hand and laughed heartily, "That brat of mine is both mischievous and disobedient. He's been trouble for you, Director, at the institute. Consider this a token of thanks. And also..."
He put down the cleaver, looked at the pork and bones on the stall, and fell silent for a moment...
"I heard the teachers from the institute are also going to the battlefield."
"The fact that we can do business peacefully inside the Land of Whirlpools now is all thanks to you all. So, thank you... all of you!"
However...
"That is our duty." Hiruko took out some money and placed it on the stall, smiling as he said, "A simple thank you is enough."
He picked up the packaged marrow bones and pork belly, turned around...
"Don't worry, the Land of Whirlpools will be fine!!!"
Walking on the road, looking at the peaceful scenery, he sighed with emotion and murmured, "I..."
Should also do something...
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