Over the past two years, the Hidden Sand had thoroughly mapped the geography of the Land of Rivers.
With the Leaf providing almost zero defense for their ally, the main Sand forces occupied the territory with ease, eventually seizing the capital.
The process was remarkably smooth. To the north, the Uchiha clan stationed within the Land of Fire's borders made no move to intervene, as if the Sand's actions in the Land of Rivers had nothing to do with them.
In reality, for the Uchiha, as long as the Sand did not step onto Leaf soil, their actions were outside the clan's jurisdiction.
A massive war fan icon hung at the entrance of the southern encampment. Unlike standard Leaf camps, every gate here bore the Uchiha crest, signaling that these were the private forces of the Uchiha rather than a generic Leaf military unit.
Fugaku Uchiha, the young head of the clan, flipped through intelligence reports. He knew the Sand came prepared; a premature clash would cost the Uchiha dearly.
He judged that Shiraishi's primary goal was the Land of Rivers itself.
At that moment, two young children pushed aside the tent curtain. Fugaku smiled upon seeing them.
"Father..." "Lord Patriarch."
The young Itachi Uchiha and Shisui Uchiha had been brought along for field experience. Though barely four years old, they already showed the brilliance that marked them as the future of the clan.
Fugaku would not waste his family's blood on a war that served no purpose for the Uchiha's internal standing.
"Father, the Sand has halted its advance. They are staying within the borders of the Rivers," Itachi noted, his brow furrowed as he watched the distant Sand ninjas and their strange puppet brigades.
He couldn't understand why the Sand would break the peace treaty so soon.
"Greed is endless, for both the Leaf and the Sand," Fugaku replied. "No matter how large Black Mist Shiraishi's appetite is, he can only swallow the Rivers for now—assuming he can survive the inevitable counterattack."
As the battle at Kannabi Bridge drew to a close, it was only a matter of time before the Leaf turned its attention back to the Sand. Until then, both sides maintained a tense restraint.
The Land of Rain
Meanwhile, in the Land of Rain, a small nation where the downpour never ceases, the atmosphere was even grimmer. The world knew little of this place other than its constant civil wars and xenophobic security.
The Hidden Rain Village (Amegakure) was a place of mystery. Its ninjas were pushed to their limits, developing unique assassination techniques that made them highly sought after as mercenaries.
Their leader was the legendary Hanzo of the Salamander, the man who bestowed the title of "Sannin" upon Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya.
Hanzo, known as the "Demi-god," was famously cautious. He never underestimated even a nameless rookie, always choosing the most reliable method to eliminate a foe.
His legend was rooted in a dark past: as a child, he had the venom sac of a black salamander implanted in his body, granting him immunity to poison but making his very breath lethal to those around him.
This forced him to wear a respirator at all times.
When the Sand entered the Land of Rain, Hanzo's messenger met with Shiraishi. Shiraishi, clad in his silver combat suit, spoke coldly: "I require the Ota District to redirect water to the Land of Wind."
"Are you joking, Excellency?" the messenger stammered.
To openly invade and demand territory from the "Demi-god" was an insult to Hanzo's authority over the Rain.
"Relay that to Mr. Hanzo," Shiraishi dismissed him.
Shiraishi had come to the Rain personally because he calculated the Uchiha would stay put for now.
The Ota District sat on the edge of the map, but it housed a massive natural reservoir. Shiraishi wanted that water to irrigate the northern Sand territories—specifically, his fruit-tree development zones.
In the Hidden Rain Village, Hanzo sat on his throne, his eyes showing no emotion as he listened to the report.
"Black Mist Shiraishi... does he think defeating a few Mist Swordsmen makes him invincible? This is the Land of Rain, not his desert!"
Hanzo believed Shiraishi's power was tied to the desert. In this wet environment, Shiraishi's Magnet Release and "Black Mist" would surely be hampered.
"If the Sand wants to provoke the Rain, then we shall fight! Let me see how much you have grown in these two years, Black Mist Shiraishi."
With thousands of Rain ninjas mobilizing and the advantage of the home turf, Hanzo felt confident. He didn't know that between the ages of sixteen and eighteen, Shiraishi had undergone a profound metamorphosis.
In a hidden corner of the country, a young man with orange hair watched the gathering storm and sighed. The Land of Rain was once again becoming a playground for the Great Nations.
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