The chaos within Konoha's army didn't last long.
The earlier chain of explosive tags, while large in scale, had caused only four to five hundred casualties — the real damage was to their formation and morale.
And that horrifying wave of miniature salamanders afterward? It hadn't killed many either. But it had completely shattered the soldiers' mental state.
These were hardened veterans who had survived countless wars — yet none had ever seen anything like this.
Several ninja who'd had salamanders crawl into their clothes simply sat staring blankly at the sky, feeling as though life no longer held meaning.
Others had developed a sudden, incurable case of trypophobia.
Even the legendary Sannin — Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru — were seething, faces pale with fury.
Jiraiya's hands trembled uncontrollably, his blood pressure soaring as anger choked his throat.
Tsunade summoned Katsuyu once more to report the situation back to the command headquarters.
---
Konoha Command Headquarters — Land of Rain Frontline
"I have never seen a man that shameless!"
Even the usually composed Nara Shikaku couldn't help but curse as he read the latest intelligence.
"What's wrong, Shikaku?" asked Akimichi Torifu, his long-time comrade, standing beside him.
Shikaku tossed him a scroll. Torifu read for a moment — then grimaced.
"This is… disgusting."
"Do you have a countermeasure?" Torifu asked.
If anyone could think of one, it would be Shikaku — the same man who, with minimal intel, had previously deduced that Sunagakure and Amegakure had formed an alliance and that a coordinated decapitation strike was in motion.
Two days ago, headquarters had confirmed his deduction: in the Land of Rivers, Konoha's special operations squad had clashed with Suna assassins led by Chiyo herself.
And now, they would once again need his intellect to turn the tide.
Shikaku stroked his chin, frowning deeply.
"My earlier analysis that Sunagakure and Amegakure were in league is now confirmed. Salamander Hanzō is clearly buying time for the Suna. We're facing a joint front — Ame and Suna united.
"Iwagakure, for some reason, has stalled at the border — no movement at all. That gives us a window.
"Sunagakure's main camp defenses are still incomplete. This may be our only chance to strike — to destroy their headquarters, kill their command, and cut off supplies. If we can seize the Ame battlefield, the Suna will be forced to retreat into their own territory, and Konoha will regain the initiative."
He paused, exhaled slowly.
"I expected Hanzō to intervene and stall us, but with the Sannin restraining him, Amegakure would have to mobilize at least two thousand shinobi to delay our five-thousand-strong army. That's nearly seventy percent of their total strength.
"If we pivot immediately and counterattack the Ame forces instead, our numerical advantage will be overwhelming. Even if they fight to the death, they'll be annihilated — and with that, Amegakure will be crippled, effectively removed from the war.
"And if, by luck, Orochimaru and the others manage to keep Hanzō occupied long enough, then Konoha's main army could actually finish him off.
"Without Hanzō, Amegakure would lose both its leadership and its deterrent power. At that point, we could ignore Sunagakure entirely and occupy the entire Land of Rain. Victory here would be a certainty."
He sighed heavily.
"But I never expected Hanzō to resort to such revolting tactics. Those stunts have broken my troops' morale, and the army's formation is in complete disarray. It'll take time to reorganize and calm the soldiers down.
"Even so, we still have time. What worries me is whether Hanzō has other disgusting tricks up his sleeve.
"And honestly, who was the idiot that wrote in our intel files that he was a man of 'Honor'?!"
Shikaku pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'll need to think carefully. This shouldn't turn into a total disaster… not with the kind of methods he's using."
Before he could finish, a scout burst into the tent, panting.
"Lord Nara! Urgent report! Intelligence confirms Salamander Hanzō himself is leading a force toward our location! You must evacuate immediately!"
Shikaku and Torifu froze. Their camp's defense numbered barely five hundred men. If Hanzō came personally—
Torifu clenched his fists. "Nothing in this country escapes his eyes. It was only a matter of time before we were found. We've already been exposed. He'll need some time to get here, though. Start evacuating supplies now!"
Shikaku nodded sharply. "We'll withdraw some distance — not too far. If we can stall Hanzō here, even briefly, it'll ease the pressure on our front-line troops immensely. That alone is worth the risk."
---
Meanwhile — In a Stone Cavern Somewhere in the Land of Rain
Hanzō sat cross-legged, breathing steadily, restoring his chakra reserves.
"Heh… That shadow clone and illusion projection should've fooled their scouts nicely. Judging from their reaction, they didn't realize it was fake. The clone's chakra should last about an hour…"
He closed his eyes.
"Time to recharge. I used up quite a bit earlier."
---
Konoha Village — Hokage Building
At the same time, back in the Leaf Village—
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, slammed a hand on his desk, fury erupting across his face.
"Ōnoki, the Third Tsuchikage, killed by Salamander Hanzō — and this intel arrives only now?! How could such a critical report be delayed?"
Though the message was only two days late, in wartime, that was unacceptable.
"There was an incident during transmission," Danzō Shimura replied in his low, cold voice.
"Our Ame-based informant was caught in a genjutsu. They didn't kill him — they just tampered with the timing. Whoever did it wanted us to learn late."
"Then this changes everything." Koharu Utatane frowned deeply.
"Hanzō's strength must be re-evaluated immediately. The Ame front could turn unstable fast. We need to dispatch additional elites. Your three students alone are no match for him. If the Rain battlefield falls, Fire Country itself will be endangered."
Hiruzen rubbed his temples. "Impossible. We're already stretched thin.
"Hatake Sakumo and Uchiha Furuta are in the Land of Fields countering Kumogakure.
The Kumo just launched a full invasion yesterday — even their Two-Tails Jinchūriki has entered the battlefield.
"Our troops there have already clashed with them — I can't pull any reinforcements from that front.
"As for the Hyūga and Inuzuka clans, I've stationed them on the coast to guard against Kirigakure's sea raids. The Kiri has started crossing the ocean."
A knock interrupted them.
"Report! A messenger from the Land of Rain has arrived for the Hokage and the Fire Daimyō. He left this letter and departed immediately."
"A message from the Ame at this moment?" Hiruzen frowned, accepting the envelope.
He broke the seal, scanned it—
Then his palm slammed down again.
"Salamander Hanzō… that arrogant fool! Does he think he's untouchable?! Have these small nations forgotten who we are?!"
Koharu, Homura, and Danzō looked up, startled. Hiruzen rarely lost his temper.
"What happened?" Homura asked.
Wordlessly, Hiruzen handed them the letter.
All three read it—then their faces turned livid.
"This bastard actually declared war on the Land of Fire?!" Danzō spat. "A minor nation challenges us?"
"This is an insult to our honor," Homura said coldly. "Never before has anyone declared war on the Fire Country. We've always been the ones dictating war — not the other way around."
Koharu snorted. "The Land of Rain only survived because we tolerated it out of respect for Hanzō's name. Now that same man spat on our faces."
In the shinobi world, formal declarations of war meant little — most wars began without them. Like the current battle between Suna and Konoha in the Land of Rain, no one had bothered with ceremony.
But this — this was about dignity.
If someone declared war on you and you didn't retaliate, it meant cowardice.
If you fought back and lost, it meant weakness.
Either way, your reputation was on the line.
And now, in the middle of a World War, being challenged by a small country like Ame was ridiculous and humiliating.
You're already fighting us, and now you're declaring war? What, are you mocking us for not hitting you hard enough?
Hiruzen's jaw tightened.
"Danzō — I know you still have forces hidden under your command. You're not keeping them back this time. Deploy them to the Land of Rain. Immediately."
Danzō's single visible eye narrowed, his pride wounded. "Understood. This time, I'll make sure to put the Land of Rain in their rightful place."
Before the Hokage could speak further, another messenger burst in.
"Report! Urgent intelligence from Sunagakure!"
The barrage of messages today made Hiruzen's head pound. He took the scroll, broke the seal, and read aloud.
"The Third Kazekage has gone missing — believed to be en route to the Land of Rain battlefield."
The room fell silent.
Then four hearts dropped in unison.
Hiruzen's face drained of color as he shot to his feet.
"This is bad!"
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150 Powerstones - Bonus Chap
300 Powerstones - Bonus Chap
500 Powerstones - Bonus Chap
700 Powerstones - Bonus Chap