Chapter 245: The War Begins
Frank words always hurt the most.
What Ryosuke meant was almost like telling Shanks, You're not that important. The world keeps turning without you. Don't flatter yourself into thinking you're irreplaceable.
But the truth is—even Ryosuke doesn't see himself as irreplaceable.
Maybe he's powerful in Hyuga and across the ninja world. Maybe he could shift the course of history with a single command.
But if there really is a space-time gate connecting countless worlds, then his power is no longer absolute.
Perhaps... in the worlds beyond that gate, there are beings who surpass the limits of mortals—powerful entities born as gods.
To them, Ryosuke might be nothing more than a speck.
And maybe they are just specks in the eyes of even higher beings.
In this game that stretches across the universe, everyone is just a player being pushed forward.
"...Maybe that's the case."
Shanks was silent for a moment, then downed the last of the sake in his cup. "But I still want to see it for myself."
As a pirate and adventurer, he wasn't just here to determine if this world posed a threat to his own. He was here for the thrill—the chance to meet strong warriors from other worlds with his own eyes.
"It just so happens I came to find out whether there are opponents worth my attention."
Ryosuke chuckled and looked at him. "Together?"
"He really is a battle maniac. Let's go with him."
Shanks nodded. "I hope this battle opens my eyes. In our world, large-scale naval clashes happen every day."
"I won't let you down."
Ryosuke stood up.
Although he hadn't fought Shanks directly, every time they crossed paths, he felt the man's aura growing fainter and fainter.
Even now, he barely noticed the Conqueror's Haki Shanks unintentionally emitted.
Maybe… he'd already figured out what level Shanks was on in this world. And through him, he now understood where the One Piece world stood in the grand scale of power.
---
"According to the infiltration reconnaissance team's report, the enemy remains within Hidden Mist Village and has not made any move to escape."
In the Land of Water, Jimu Town stood just three towns away from Hidden Mist. It had been designated as the headquarters for the Allied Shinobi Forces.
"The village appears stable from the outside," the Fourth Kazekage said, fingers interlocked on the table as he addressed the other Kage. "But it's on complete lockdown. No one is allowed in or out—not even civilians."
He glanced around the round table.
"The Daimyo of the Land of Water reported that Hidden Mist has enough food reserves to last them a year."
Fifth Hokage Jiraiya added solemnly, "In addition to the supplies brought by our forces, the Land of Water has agreed to provide more food and materials for the war effort. I ask for your understanding regarding their prior ignorance of the situation."
Since this was a joint operation, there was no room for infighting. To ensure a unified front, the five great villages had already integrated their forces during the pre-war summit.
Each shinobi, regardless of origin, was assigned based on combat ability to different divisions—logistics, perception, sealing, intelligence, and combat.
The logistics division included food, weapons, and medical support.
Combat teams were further divided into long- and mid-range fighters, mid- and close-range squads, and pure taijutsu units.
Leaders of each major village had assigned trusted personnel to oversee these units.
Tsunade, standing behind Jiraiya, was appointed as the head of logistics. Thanks to her reputation and expertise in medical ninjutsu, no one raised objections.
"The Akatsuki blocked their intel channels," Mifune of the Land of Iron said. "As civilians, they couldn't have known. I understand."
The other nations nodded in agreement.
The blame rested squarely on the Akatsuki. The Land of Water had already offered restitution. Pursuing it further was pointless.
"Now the question is—who makes the first move?" Darui asked, scanning the room. "Do we strike first? Deploy the entire army?"
"…Perhaps we should be cautious."
Ōnoki rubbed his chin. "They only have a year's worth of supplies. If we surround Hidden Mist from multiple angles and harass them without launching a full-scale attack, we can prolong the standoff."
"The longer it drags on, the worse it gets for Akatsuki. Eventually, we win without wasting troops."
A swift war is rare. Unless one side is overwhelmingly stronger, short wars usually mean brutal, large-scale battles with heavy casualties.
A siege without assault is the natural choice when time is on your side.
"I agree," said Kazekage Rasa, raising his hand.
As the weakest of the five major villages, the Sand Village had rarely seen victory. Last year, they had lost heavily when Akatsuki captured one of their tailed beasts.
Reducing losses in this campaign was in their best interest.
"I agree as well. It may take time, but the outcome will be worth it," Jiraiya nodded.
With Ōnoki's proposal supported by the Kazekage and Hokage, the plan should have been finalized.
But the Mizukage and Raikage remained silent.
Everyone at the round table, including Mifune, turned to the two remaining Kage.
But they didn't react. Even their guards—Ao and Mabui—stood motionless behind them.
"Mizukage," Ōnoki said, frowning. "You don't agree? Don't you realize delay works in favor of Kirigakure?"
Across the table, the Raikage's eyes also narrowed as he stared at Mei Terumi. He suspected her silence had nothing to do with hesitation. For him, delay meant risking an attack on Iwagakure.
So what was she hesitant about?
"…I don't think this is a good idea."
Mei Terumi finally spoke, voice calm but uncertain. "Maybe we shouldn't be asking how to defeat the Akatsuki—but how to win… even under their attack."
Her words stunned everyone at the table.
"Although... from the outside world's perspective, our coalition forces seem overwhelming, dominating the battlefield in this war..."
"But everyone here should understand—we're not fighting from a position of absolute advantage. We may, in fact, be at a disadvantage."
Mei Terumi's voice was firm as she swept her gaze across the room.
"If that masked man is truly Uchiha Madara, then we'll need to commit at least half of our forces just to hold him back—possibly more."
"Senior Ōnoki knows that man's strength better than we do. According to our elders, that monster can't be taken down by numbers alone."
"And even while dealing with Uchiha Madara," she continued, "the rest of our troops will have to face the Akatsuki, including Nagato with the Rinnegan, and the rebel forces from Kirigakure."
A flicker of concern appeared in Ōnoki's eyes. "Indeed, if that masked man really is Madara... then we have no advantage whatsoever."
Unlike the others, he had faced Madara in person. That encounter had inspired his growth—but also etched a deep-rooted fear into him.
"Madara's eyes weren't like those of an ordinary Uchiha," Ōnoki said quietly. "He had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. That means he could use the legendary eye technique—Susanoo."
"The dense, purple chakra formed an armor around him, fully encasing his body. His massive figure was even more intimidating than the tailed beasts themselves."
"With a single swing of his sword, he could cleave mountains. In the eyes of Susanoo, an army is nothing more than ants—easily crushed underfoot."
His words cast a brief silence over the room, dampening the morale. Still, Ōnoki knew the truth needed to be said.
Darui nodded solemnly. "I've never seen Susanoo in person, but I've heard stories… And I agree with the Mizukage. If that masked man really is Madara, we can't treat him as a rat trapped in a jar."
"Even though they're surrounded by the coalition forces, there's no guarantee they won't break through the encirclement. Especially when they wield some form of space-time ninjutsu."
"If they're desperate enough to attempt an escape with just a few people," he added, "it could be a disaster for the villages we represent."
Though unspoken, the weight of his warning was clear. But the message was cut off from Ōnoki—intercepted mid-transmission—so he failed to catch the hidden implications.
Jiraiya placed both hands on the table, his tone frosty.
"Whoever the masked man is, we can't afford to underestimate him. That being said, we—"
Before he could finish, the doors to the conference room burst open.
"My Lords!" a shinobi shouted. "We've just received intel from the frontlines. Yamanaka Santen of the sensory division picked up movement in the Hidden Mist Village half an hour ago. The enemy..."
He swallowed hard.
"...It looks like they're initiating the attack!"
A tense silence fell.
"The war has officially begun," Jiraiya muttered, exhaling slowly. "Looks like tactics are out the window now."
"If they're bold enough to strike first," he added grimly, "then maybe the masked man truly is Madara Uchiha."
Ōnoki, however, wasn't ready to let fear win.
"We must not underestimate him, but neither should we overestimate him."
He straightened, his old voice still carrying authority.
"At my age, I can barely engage in taijutsu. I rely mostly on ninjutsu now."
"And Madara… he's over twenty years older than I am. That would make him at least a century old by now."
"I believe all of you understand how much a centenarian's physical functions decline. Even the current Master of the Hidden Mist—he's nearly ninety and can barely fight anymore."
Among the Kage, Ōnoki was the oldest and most experienced. With only a few words, he managed to lift the oppressive atmosphere in the room.
Age—yes, age was something they hadn't truly considered.
No matter how mighty Madara once was, he was still a man. A man subject to time's erosion.
Throughout history, no shinobi had ever escaped the decay of age—not Hashirama, not the Second Hokage, not even Madara.
His body was no exception. With every year, his power must have waned. No matter how legendary, he was now just a relic of a bygone era. Not the unbeatable demon he once was.
---
"The war has begun."
Far from the chaos, atop a nameless mountain overlooking Jimu Town, Ryosuke sat on the cliff's edge, sipping tea with Shanks.
The icy wind howled through the peaks, but neither man seemed disturbed. Not even the tea set on the stone table was touched by the gale.
"Ninjutsu really is convenient," Shanks remarked with a grin as he lifted his steaming cup. "I didn't expect to enjoy tea in a place like this."
"No wonder they say ninjas can survive anywhere."
Their table and benches were crafted using Earth Release. The tea had been preserved inside a storage scroll, and the boiling water came courtesy of Water and Fire Release techniques.
"But that still requires a certain level of control," Ryosuke noted, eyes fixed on Jimu Town in the distance. "If the water comes from a sloppy Water Release, you'd better not drink it."
Shanks chuckled but noticed Ryosuke's focus.
"Their numbers are moving," Ryosuke said quietly. "Kirigakure's making a move."
While the ninja alliance had many skilled sensory types, none could detect Ryosuke anymore. Not since he awakened the Tenseigan.
"Shame I don't have eyes like yours," Shanks muttered, spreading his hands.
"So when you said I could watch the battle properly… were you expecting me to use this?"
He pulled out a compact telescope and gave it a playful shake.
"I didn't ask you to bring that," Ryosuke said, shaking his head.
"My plan was to make my eyes yours. To let you see what I see."
He reached out and touched Shanks' brow with a single finger.
Shanks flinched slightly but didn't stop him. A warm energy flowed from Ryosuke's finger into his body—and into his eyes.
A moment later, Shanks could see. Clearly. Every member of the ninja coalition gathering in the distance, as though he stood among them.
"This mountain is perfectly positioned," Ryosuke explained.
"Right between Jimu Town and Kirigakure. Ideal for observation. I've also concealed this space—we won't be detected unless the battle spreads this far."
"You can watch in peace. What's coming may very well be... the greatest battle in the history of the ninja world."
<><><><><><>
Read Advanced Chapters on:
~ [email protected]/FanficLord03
~ Every 100 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter!
~ Push the story in the rankings using your
[Power Stones]
~ https://discord.gg/MntqcdpRZ9