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"What—what?! Big Brother Hayato, you're a rogue ninja from Konoha?!"Konan's eyes went wide, staring at Hayato in disbelief.
"I was an orphan back then. Later, I awakened a kekkei genkai. But… as you know, mine came with some serious flaws. So… I fled Konoha. They sent ninjas after me, but I killed every last one of them—including Danzo, the leader of Root, and Sakumo Hatake, the head of the Anbu, along with plenty of Konoha's elite. And this time, the real reason they're coming after us is because they don't want a sixth great ninja village rising in the world."
Konan blinked, stunned silent for a moment. Then she shook herself and straightened, her voice sharp with determination."So what? We'll just fight them head-on! Hmph! Do they think us Ame-nin are scared of those guys?"
Seeing her fired-up expression, Hayato chuckled. By now, Amegakure wasn't just a village anymore—it was practically the entire Land of Rain. Almost half the people in the country had become ninjas. On average, one out of every two citizens carried shinobi training. That was Hayato's policy, something like "mandatory education," except for ninjutsu.
And no one in the Land of Rain went hungry anymore.
Once starvation was no longer a problem, the next thing people demanded was education. With the nation thriving, Hayato proposed the idea of compulsory schooling. Konan had embraced the idea wholeheartedly, setting up a ninja academy where every child could enter for free at age six to train as a shinobi.
Of course, not everyone who studied could become a ninja—talent and aptitude varied. The first two years focused on fundamentals. Those who lacked ability or struggled after that were redirected into other professions: animal husbandry, construction, trade, and so on.
Even though only a single graduating class had finished so far, the Land of Rain had already gained a large number of shinobi. Most were still genin, but with enough numbers, geniuses inevitably appeared—kids who graduated two, three, even four years early. Individually rare, but multiplied by the sheer size of the student body, it added up to a surprising pool of talent.
"It's just a shame we don't have more time," Hayato muttered, shaking his head. "Give us a few more years, a few more graduating classes, and the Land of Rain would be unstoppable."
Sure enough, not long after Iwa and Suna announced their alliance against Ame, Konoha declared war too—accusing Hayato of betraying the Leaf and slaughtering their forces in Rain.
In an instant, three of the five great villages—no, six now—had all declared war on Ame.
The news set the entire country ablaze. The people had barely enjoyed ten years of peace, and now three great villages wanted to drag them into war again. Veterans of the Second Ninja War clenched their teeth in rage. Some shinobi trembled in fear at the thought of three great powers coming at them at once. Others, strangely enough, grew restless, even eager for battle. Human nature had no shortage of contradictions.
But the Ame-nin didn't collapse under the pressure. Their loyalty to Hayato bound them together, tighter than ever.
Of the six great villages, four had now taken the field. The only ones still silent were Kumogakure and Kirigakure. But those two were far from the Land of Rain. If they did join the war, the one who'd feel the most threatened would actually be Konoha, since those two villages bordered the Leaf.
"Nagato, just imagine it. Suna, Iwa, and Konoha all declaring war on Ame together! What a sight!" Zetsu cackled beside him.
From his high vantage point, Nagato gazed across the Land of Rain as tension thickened in the air. A thin smile spread across his face."Hmph. My only concern is that Hayato might find a way to survive this."
"Hehehe… even if he's powerful, against three villages' worth of shinobi, he's doomed. With so many enemies, even if they just stood still and let him cut them down, he'd drop dead from exhaustion sooner or later."
"You're right," Nagato murmured, eyes cold and cruel. "Let the war begin."
"Konan, you'll take the Ame forces against Iwa and Suna. Your job is to hold their coalition back. Defense comes first."Hayato's voice carried calm authority as he laid out the plan. He sent Konan and the Four-Tails, Son Gokū, to different battlefronts: Konan against Iwa, Son Gokū against Suna on the Wind Country's border. The bijū had grown used to life in the Land of Rain, and the Ame-nin had grown used to him, so it was only natural. Konoha, of course, would be Hayato's own battlefield.
"Got it! But, Hayato, shouldn't you bring more people with you?" Konan asked worriedly. Of the three fronts, Hayato's forces were the smallest.
"It's fine. If I wasn't worried about Konoha's invasion, I'd have gone alone against them anyway," Hayato said with a grin. He had absolute confidence in himself. Even without transformation, his power was immense. Once he unleashed his Hulk-like form, he became a walking war machine.
"Still… you have to be careful!" Konan's voice softened, her concern slipping through despite her tough front.
"Alright, alright, Konan. Relax! The boss is stronger than anyone. If he didn't have the strength, how could he be my boss?" Son Gokū bellowed with a laugh, unable to stand Konan fussing like an older sister.
"....."