"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"
"Konoha is ambushing us!"
"Quickly report to Elders Chiyo and Ebizo!"
With the Third Kazekage missing, all affairs in the Hidden Sand Village were currently being managed by Elder Chiyo. The news quickly reached the Sand Hidden building. Chiyo and the others were still discussing how to plunder resources on the Kirigakure battlefield when they heard of Konoha's assault. Their faces instantly turned pale, and the entire leadership fell into panic.
"Say that again?"
"Konoha's army is attacking our Sand Hidden border outpost!"
"What about the Anbu? The patrol ninjas?"
"What have you all been doing!"
Faced with Chiyo's rapid-fire questioning, the ninja who came to report hurriedly bowed his head in apology. He knew full well that assigning blame now was useless—Konoha's army was already at their gates.
"Hurry! Summon all ninjas in the village!"
"Everyone, follow me to the village entrance to defend against the enemy!"
"Set up defenses using the terrain!"
At this critical moment, Chiyo dared not delay in the slightest. She issued several commands in succession, and everyone immediately rushed toward the village entrance. Fortunately, the Sand Hidden's main gate was built on a steep mountainside, with only a single narrow passageway. For Konoha to launch a frontal assault would be no easy task.
On the way, Chiyo suddenly thought of something. After a moment of hesitation, she quickly made a decision and called over an Anbu member: "Immediately contact Pakura's unit! Relay my order: she is to return with her troops at once! We will attack Konoha from both front and rear! Perhaps this time we can take a bite out of Konoha!"
The Anbu member accepted the order without delay, rushing off to deliver the message, hoping to get it to Pakura as quickly as possible. Soon, Chiyo and the others arrived at the village entrance. From a distance, they could see Konoha's army already camped outside the village walls.
"Damn Konoha!"
"These bastards were prepared! In that case, the one who assassinated the Land of Water's daimyo must also be from Konoha!"
With just one glance, Chiyo was furious. It was clear Konoha had long planned to attack Sand Hidden, taking advantage of Sand Hidden's army being deployed to Kirigakure to immediately send their own forces to strike.
"Hmph! Trying to set your sights on my Sand Hidden? Let's see just how big Konoha's appetite is!"
Following Chiyo's command, the Sand Hidden ninjas immediately began constructing defensive fortifications. At the same time, Chiyo used a secret technique to swiftly send the news to the Kirigakure battlefield. Upon receiving the message, Pakura's face changed dramatically. Konoha's sudden stab in the back completely disrupted their plans. The other Sand Hidden ninjas in the camp, learning that their rear was under attack, were all greatly alarmed.
The troops immediately began gathering supplies and preparing to return, but Pakura reconsidered. If they didn't leave a detachment to cover their retreat, they might be ambushed by other Hidden Villages on the way back.
"Leave one squad to cover the retreat! The main force will pack all portable supplies and depart at once!"
At Pakura's command, the Sand Hidden Village army quickly gathered their belongings and followed her out of the Kirigakure battlefield.
"Huh?"
"What's going on? Why are the Sand forces retreating?"
"Great!"
"We survived…"
On the battlefield, the Kirigakure ninja breathed long sighs of relief as they watched the Sand forces withdraw. Pressure on all fronts eased significantly, allowing them to finally redeploy troops to support other battlefields. The Third Mizukage also let out a heavy sigh of relief. After days of fighting on multiple fronts, Kirigakure's combat strength had been severely depleted. Now, at last, the situation was taking a turn for the better.
Meanwhile, outside the daimyo's palace in the Land of Earth:
"Isn't the daimyo's palace guarded by the Twelve Ninja Guardians?"
"Why don't we sense any powerful ninja in this rundown place?"
"Never mind, killing the daimyo is even better. Let's finish the mission quickly!"
Kirigakure's situation was already dire, and the Third Mizukage, driven to desperation, had resorted to a risky move—sending assassins to kill the daimyo of the Land of Earth. The ones tasked with this mission were none other than Kirigakure's Seven Ninja Swordsmen: Jūzō Biwa, Kisame Hoshigaki, and Kushimaru Kuriarare. The other four had been dispatched to the daimyo's palace in the Land of Lightning.
With their elite Jonin skills and formidable Ninja Swords, they swiftly carried out the assassinations. News of the daimyo of the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning being assassinated spread instantly.
"It's terrible! The daimyo has been assassinated!"
"Heavens! Those Kirigakure lunatics!"
"How dare they act so recklessly!"
In an instant, panic swept through the daimyo's palaces of the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning. The newly appointed daimyo hastily ascended to the throne but immediately issued an order to withdraw troops—for a simple reason: having just taken the position, with no time to enjoy its privileges, no one wanted to risk an early death from the relentless attacks of Kirigakure's mad assassins.
"A bunch of lunatics!"
"Father, what should we do now?"
Ōnoki turned to look at Onoki, awaiting his instructions. As the backbone of Iwagakure, Onoki pondered for a moment before issuing an order to the entire army: "No need to continue engaging with Kirigakure."
"But we've prepared for so long. If we withdraw now, who will bear the losses?"
"Obey the order! The entire army will withdraw to the Land of Waterfalls! From there, we will launch an attack on the Land of Fire!"
Minor material losses were nothing. Since Konoha had easily taken the Land of Grass earlier, this newly appointed Fourth Hokage was far too arrogant. Now was the perfect opportunity for Onoki to make a name for himself! From the Land of Fire, they would surely recover all their lost resources. Soon, the Iwagakure army withdrew from the Kirigakure battlefield, followed closely by the Kumogakure forces.
Upon receiving the daimyo's order to withdraw, the Third Raikage also led his troops away from Kirigakure. Kumogakure and the Land of Lightning's daimyo had always maintained a harmonious relationship. Though the Third Raikage was known for his impulsive actions, he was no fool. Seeing no gains from the war in Kirigakure and with Konoha making frequent moves, he naturally seized the opportunity to attack Konoha and reap some benefits.
After the Kumogakure army withdrew from the Kirigakure battlefield, the Third Raikage personally led the main force. The A-B Combo, which had shone brightly on the Kirigakure battlefield, also turned their spears toward the Land of Fire.
Seeing the two great Hidden Villages of Iwagakure and Kumogakure turn their forces toward the Land of Fire, the Third Mizukage was overjoyed. With the major Hidden Villages withdrawing from the Kirigakure front, only Konoha's troops remained stationed in the Land of Whirlpools.
"Hmph! It's time to counterattack!"
"Assemble the entire army! The Kirigakure forces, follow me into battle!"
Recalling the previous siege by the allied nations against Kirigakure, the Third Mizukage burned with rage. Now that Kirigakure's crisis had been resolved, this pent-up anger had nowhere to vent, and Konoha became the perfect target. All Kekkei Genkai clans in Kirigakure dispatched their ninjas, and the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were summoned by the Third Mizukage. The massive army marched toward the Land of Fire.
Soon, news of the four Hidden Villages' alliance attacking the Land of Fire reached the Hokage Building. Aoki looked at the intelligence, his expression still calm, and laughed heartily: "Hahaha, dealing with you was always just a matter of time! Minato, proceed as planned!"
Long before ordering the attack on the Sand Hidden Village, Aoki had anticipated this situation. For Konoha today, fighting one nation or an alliance of four made no difference. Moreover, with him, a Six Paths Level Combatant, holding the fort, even the combined forces of the four Hidden Villages were no match for Konoha.
Minato accepted the order and immediately deployed troops according to the plan. Two armies quickly assembled, led by Tsunade and Orochimaru respectively, heading to the battlefields of Iwagakure and Kumogakure.
The situation abruptly reversed. The target of the four-nation siege shifted from Kirigakure to Konoha, plunging the entire Ninja World into utter chaos!