Check out advanced chapters on P@treon: [email protected]/CosmicKaminari
----------
Facing the doubts, the Land of Wind daimyo remained unconcerned.
He merely waved his hand, his face full of confidence as he said, "I've met the Land of Fire daimyo!"
"Although he is young, he still acts according to rules and won't do things recklessly."
"Think about it, he even captured the Raikage and the jinchuriki, yet he only imprisoned them and was even willing to sit down at the negotiating table."
"Even this current alliance, he only sent troops under a righteous cause."
"What does this show?"
"It shows that he is a ruler who follows rules!"
"The Land of Fire daimyo is greedy, that's true, but who isn't greedy?"
"However, he values being legitimate more than acting without shame."
The Land of Wind daimyo's eyes gleamed with shrewdness.
"Besides, do we have any other choice now?"
"Two and a half billion ryo went down the drain, we were played for fools by the Land of Earth, watching them take all the benefits!"
"If we don't seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, are we going to continue putting up with this?"
"By then, our Land of Wind will likely become the laughingstock of the entire shinobi world."
"Which is more important, I think you should be clearer on that than I am."
These words made Rasa fall silent.
Yes.
The daimyo was right.
They had no other choice.
To refuse meant a complete loss of money and becoming a laughingstock.
To accept, while a huge gamble, had on the other side enormous benefits that could make the Land of Wind rise!
If they won the gamble, the Land of Wind would instantly become one of the biggest winners of this war!
But what if they lost the gamble... Rasa dared not think further.
He looked up, meeting the confident face of the Land of Wind daimyo.
After a moment of thought, all worries and hesitation vanished.
"I understand." Rasa nodded seriously, then turned to face all Sunagakure high-ranking officials, his voice firm and powerful. "Pass on my order!"
"Sunagakure, all combat units, immediately strengthen the eastern border!"
"Prepare to launch an attack with our... allies!"
"Yes, Kazekage-sama!"
The order was given.
In an instant, countless shadows moved swiftly between the buildings in Sunagakure, and the Land of Wind's war machine began to run at high speed.
A war that would determine the future fate of the Land of Wind was about to begin.
When the reply from the Land of Wind, agreeing to grant passage, reached Shin's hands.
The two thousand Konoha shinobi secretly transferred from the Land of Water border had also arrived at the Land of Wind's border.
A massive storm aimed at completely tearing apart the Land of Earth's defenses was about to begin.
And within the Land of Earth, those rogue shinobi recruited by Shin had already sharpened their blades.
They were just waiting for the Land of Earth's interior to be empty. That would be their time to act.
Land of Wind, eastern border.
Yellow sand filled the sky, and the scorching sun was like fire.
A temporary military camp rose from the vast desert.
Thousands of shinobi from Sunagakure gathered here.
A murderous aura soared into the sky, tearing apart the clouds on the horizon.
Inside the commander's tent in the center of the camp.
Rasa and the Land of Wind daimyo were anxiously waiting.
"They're here!"
A Sunagakure shinobi on lookout suddenly exclaimed.
Rasa and the daimyo's spirits lifted, and they immediately walked out of the commander's tent.
In the distance, a black line appeared on the horizon.
That black line rapidly thickened, and an aura, clearly different from Sunagakure's but equally powerful, rushed toward them.
It was the Konoha shinobi!
When that force of two thousand Konoha shinobi appeared before the Sunagakure camp.
All Sunagakure shinobi instinctively tightened their grip on their weapons, their eyes filled with watchfulness and caution.
Although the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind were allies.
They had also clashed many times in past Great Shinobi Wars.
The relationship between the two countries was far more complex than it appeared on the surface.
Now, a Konoha army of such a scale appearing before them made them instinctively feel threatened.
"No need to be nervous." Rasa's voice sounded in time. "They are our allies now."
He exchanged glances with the Land of Wind daimyo, then together they stepped forward to greet them.
The Konoha forces stopped in front of the camp.
Leading them was Orochimaru, who had not shown himself for a long time.
He was originally in his laboratory in the Fire Capital when the reply from Sunagakure agreeing to the alliance arrived.
The Land of Fire daimyo had called him over and told him a story, as well as what he needed to do.
The story was called: Lending a Road to Conquer Guo.
This story instantly lit up Orochimaru's previously sleeping heart.
He was already impatient to see what kind of new world the daimyo had described to him would turn out to be.
"Fourth Kazekage, Land of Wind daimyo."
Orochimaru bowed slightly, his posture elegant, but his snake-like eyes were full of danger.
"By order of the Land of Fire daimyo, Konoha has come to meet up with your forces."
"You've had a long journey." The Land of Wind daimyo smiled and said warmly. "Our allied forces have come a long way. We have already prepared a banquet to welcome you."
"Thank you for your kindness." Orochimaru smiled and politely declined. "However, the military situation is urgent, so it would be better to discuss the battle plan first."
The Land of Wind daimyo nodded and said, "Very well, the war is most important. Let us go into the tent to discuss in detail first."
"Good."
Orochimaru nodded, then turned and issued an order to the Konoha army behind him.
"All forces, rest in place! No conflicts with allied forces! Violators will be executed!"
"Yes!"
The Konoha shinobi responded in unison, their voices neat and orderly, obeying orders strictly.
This made Rasa, who was nearby, secretly shiver.
The Konoha people were even more disciplined than they had imagined.
Inside the commander's tent.
A large military map was spread out on the table.
Rasa, the Land of Wind daimyo, Orochimaru, and the commanding officers of both armies, including Ibiki Morino, gathered around the map.
"According to our intelligence."
Rasa pointed to a mountainous area in the western part of the Land of Earth on the map, and said in a deep voice.
"Iwagakure's Western Corps has a total strength of about two thousand men."
"Although the number is not large, they have set up several defensive strongholds relying on this continuous mountain range, which can support each other."
"We tried several small-scale raids before, but they were all pushed back."
Orochimaru's gaze swept across the map. "Who is their commander?"
"Iwagakure jonin, Ishikawa."
Rasa replied. "Although this person is not well-known, he is extremely cautious in his use of troops and excels at defensive counterattacks."
"He's a tough opponent."
"No matter how tough the opponent, in front of our two allied armies, they are merely trying to stop a chariot with their arms." The Land of Wind daimyo said confidently from the side.
"We now have a force of nearly five thousand men, more than twice their number!"
"As long as we attack with all our might, we will surely be able to defeat them in one strike!"
Orochimaru propped his chin, appearing to listen carefully, but his snake-like eyes gleamed with a strange light.
Rasa glanced at the silent Orochimaru and finished. "...That's roughly the situation. Ishikawa is cautious in his use of troops and relies on the mountains, making him a tough nut to crack."
"Kazekage-sama, you've worked hard, the intelligence is very detailed." Orochimaru spoke, his tone gentle. "However, before I came, the daimyo told me that once we launch an attack."
"The other two fronts will at the same time launch attacks on the Land of Earth."
"Therefore, no matter how cautious Ishikawa is in his troop use, we just need to go all out."
"Naturally!"
"Then, how about we set the attack time for dawn tomorrow?"
"Agreed!"
The next day, at dawn.
When the first ray of sunlight pierced through the darkness and shone upon this vast desert.
The earth-shaking shouts of battle instantly broke the quiet of dawn.
The allied forces of the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind, like two unstoppable waves of steel, surged out of the desert and launched a fierce attack on the western mountainous region of the Land of Earth!
Fire release and wind release twisted together, sandstorms and giant fireballs danced together!
For a time, the entire western border of the Land of Earth was on fire and filled with the roar of battle!
War, in its most brutal form, suddenly came down!