The peaceful dawn illuminated the boundary between earth and sky.
At six in the morning, the Land of Demons' air force once again assaulted Windmill Town from the skh.
The buildings in the town, battered by days of relentless bombardment, had already been reduced to uninhabitable ruins. Yet, the Suna ninjas persisted tenaciously amid the town's wreckage.
"Again?" Baki sighed, looking at the sky.
The Land of Demons' air force initiated their attacks every night and morning with unfailing precision. Each time, the assault involved a standard 50-man army.
After days of these intense engagements, Suna troops were on the verge of running out of arrows and explosive tags.
If the Land of Demons launched another airstrike tonight, they would lack the resources to confront them the following morning. Deprived of their air-to-air capabilities, Suna's troops would then become vulnerable targets for the air forces.
The Land of Demons' air force treated these strikes more as opportunities for actual combat practice, they've been using the thousand Suna ninjas as stakes to gain actual experience.
Their capabilities improved daily, growing more adept in their operations.
During the previous day's airstrike, the Oni ninjas lost only six aircraft, but dozens of Suna ninjas paid the price with their lives.
Currently, less than half of the Suna ninjas survived, with many wounded and few retaining full combat effectiveness.
The hum of aircraft engines filled the air as they began another round of high-altitude bombing.
"Don't let your guard down! Once we endure the morning attack, reinforcements will arrive in the afternoon! That's our prime opportunity to strike back!" Baki's words resonated, boosting the morale of the Suna ninjas.
After days of relentless bombings, a deep psychological shadow had formed within their hearts regarding the Land of Demons.
Baki's promise of reinforcements in the afternoon rekindled hope among the Suna ninjas. Surviving the morning bombing meant an end to days of humiliation and poverty. They anticipated attacking the Land of Demons' capital with pride.
Having rallied the troops, Baki grabbed a radio communicator and began directing the battle. However, he discovered something was wrong.
A hoarse and sharp sound echoed suddenly from the communicator. This sound was like the sound of a stone scratching through a glass, it was exactly the same as that sound.
"Third division, what's the situation on your side? Can you hear me? Please respond!" Baki asked quickly.
The hoarse, sharp voice grew louder, but there was still no responses, drowned out by ferocious artillery fire.
Baki stared blankly southeastward, where the third division were stationed. Flames and sand obscured everything, plunging the area into an eerie silence.
Radio... malfunctioning?
Baki reluctantly accepted this despair-inducing reality. Why had the radios failed? He hastily grabbed a spare radio, but the only response was the same hoarse noise. The team's voices were completely blocked, rendering communication and command operations impossible.
"This, what's happening here?" Baki couldn't fathom why the radio failed at such a critical moment, and even the backup radio was malfunctioning at the same time.
This occurrence couldn't be a mere coincidence. Baki was clueless about what the Oni ninjas did to cause their radios to fail together.
Without unified command, what fate awaited Suna ninja in the ruins of Windmill Town? The mere thought sent shivers down Baki's spine. His eyes turned red as he observed the Land of Demons' air force still sending explosive tags and other attacks from the air. The intense anger in his heart found no release.
The erratic launch of arrows from the ground disrupted the Suna ninja's air-to-air capabilities against air force, significantly weakening their effectiveness.
"Baki-sama, be careful!" A kunai wrapped with an explosive tag fell dangerously close to Baki.
Momentarily lost in extreme fright and anger, Baki was thrown to the ground by the vigilant Suna ninja, preventing a potential accident.
Boom!
The impact of the exploding tag swept them away, leaving them disheveled and embarrassed.
Coughing up blood, Baki gritted his teeth, staring at the Land of Demons' troops in the sky with a heart full of reluctance and bitterness. Reason told him that the disunited Suna ninja troops would succumb one by one in the upcoming air strike. The overall situation was decided..He had envisioned the Suna's defeat due to factors like insufficient food and water or the rapid depletion of resources. However, he never anticipated the failure's root cause would be the malfunctioning radio communication device.
The Suna ninja troops were now effectively divided by the Land of Demons ninjas, facing the unified onslaught of the air force. Defeat seemed inevitable.
In warfare, a team losing cohesion and unity faced rapid defeat. Whether consolidating the formation or dispersing the enemy, prompt and rational decisions were crucial. The Land of Demons had effectively disrupted the tactical configuration of Suna, leaving Baki in despair.
Even if the Suna ninjas dispersed now to thwart the firepower of the Land of Demons, it seemed too late to arrange it.
Baki gazed at the Land of Demons' air force, effortlessly bombarding them with exploding tags from the outside, restricting the Suna ninjas' movements. The plan was to prevent their dispersal and gather them for a decisive victory.
Cutting off communication equipment – the La d of Demons had anticipated this step. They had crafted a flawless plan, leaving no room for the Suna to counterattack.
...
In Windmill Town, enshrouded in gunfire and dust, no place remained unscathed.
To conclude the morning's battle, high-intensity firepower suppression was employed this time. The assault persisted until the Suna ninjas were rendered incapable of resisting, unlike the previous military training activities with time limitations.
Ayane observed the smoke-filled town from a distance with vacant eyes. The town's original appearance had been utterly changed beyond recognition.
On the charred ruins, countless Suna ninja corpses lay strewn about. Some were still alive, writhing and struggling on the ruins, facing imminent demise.
"Continue, the final operation can be carried out. You don't need to attack those who are still alive. Bring them all back to Oni City and place them in prison for custody. The dead have no value."
"Yes."
Upon hearing this, the Jonin Squadron Leader vanished from Ayane's side, leading the charge for the collection.
.....
Back in Oni City, it was already three o'clock in the afternoon.
In less than a week, Ayane's forces had eliminated 731 enemies, captured 269 individuals, and seized some supplies. They lost 47 aircraft, with 31 people sustaining minor injuries and 3 people seriously injured. The sacrifice rate was zero.
While it took considerable time, achieving the feat of eliminating 731 enemies with zero sacrifices was a source of pride. This underscored the outstanding containment and air strike capabilities of the air force.
The high maneuverability of the force sparked optimistic visions for its future.
After reviewing Ayane's report, Shiraishi nodded slightly, finding it in line with his expectations. The time invested and results achieved closely matched his speculations.
The only disappointment lay in the official establishment of the Air Force, limited to 300 people. This restriction stemmed from both the cost of the latest combat aircraft and technical limitations. Unlike low-tech weapons like the Kunai gun, military combat aircraft came with a hefty price tag. Furthermore, training flight personnel incurred significant time and costs.
Despite these constraints, such forces, equipped with potent bomb-throwing weapons, could serve as a surprise attack, yielding unexpected outcomes. However, once the enemy understood the mechanisms, the threat would diminish significantly.
"Overall, this is a beautiful victory. Thank you for your hard work. By the way, there's nothing wrong with the prisoners, right?" Shiraishi inquired.
"Don't worry. On the way back, medical ninjas were in tow, and the wounded prisoners are all stable. I've already sent people to place them in prison. After the war, we can have Suna come over to provide their ransom," Ayane assured, already planning a celebratory meal for Suna.
Notably, the SunaJonin Baki was once again captured alive by the Land of Demons, making him a valuable asset.
"Leave the captives to me. With them in hand, we'll have the upper hand, even during negotiations. Our dominance will be apparent at the negotiating table," Shiraishi analytically asserted.
"If we intend to change the battlefield to the negotiating table, we still need to deal a significant blow to Sunagakure... Well, how's Ruri doing? Have she eliminated the fourth Kazekage?" Ayane inquired.
Shiraishi glanced at Ayane helplessly and sighed. "Where are your thoughts going? After all, he is one of the Five Kage. His death would create a serious problem."
"What's so serious? The Third Raikage died on the battlefield of Iwa back then," Ayane countered.
"Now is not different from the Third Ninja World War. All countries are in a state of peace to foster their well-being. For a village, the Kage represents not only strength but also the core of leadership. To avenge the Kazekage, Sunagakure will go to great lengths to attack us, creating a dire situation,"
"We have only a little over 10,000 people. With the cooperation of the three of us, blocking them won't be an issue," Ayane simplistically compared strengths. The trio, along with his clones, could confront 10,000 ninjas head-on and secure victory.
"But what if they divide their troops and attack the Land of Demons directly? The scenario you mentioned is ideal for them to act independently and confront us directly. However, if they are strategic, they won't chose for that. Instead, they'll target the Land of Demons directly, causing widespread destruction, creating numerous refugees, and plummeting the economy to a state resembling that of ten years ago... This would be highly detrimental," Shiraishi cautioned.
After this explanation, Ayane seemed taken aback.
"But that's not the most serious concern. I worry that while we're engaged with Suna, other major powers might intervene, triggering the Fourth Ninja World War. The attitudes of Kumk and Iwa are unclear. If Konoha sides with Suna to eliminate us, it could escalate into a devastating conflict," Shiraishi's words sobered Ayane.
Indeed, beyond focusing on Sand Hidden, vigilance against Konoha was imperative.
"If Konoha intends to intervene in the battlefield, due to distance and supply constraints, deploying large-scale troops against us may be unrealistic. However, sending a small elite force to join forces with Suna for a decapitation operation should not be difficult."
"Hearing you say that, Shiraishi-kun, the pressure is truly increasing." Ayane wore a smile, but there was no hint of relaxation.
"We can no longer approach conflicts of interest between countries with a rebellious mindset. Our identity has changed. To achieve our goals without breaking the rules, we must abandon our previous practices quickly. We need to transition from the shadows to the open, adhering to surface-level rules."
While this shift posed limitations, it also presented opportunities.
"If the Fourth Kazekage were to discover that he narrowly escaped his catastrophe due to this reason, he might succumb to depression."
"No, I genuinely thank the Fourth Kazekage. His continued existence and commitment as a good Kazekage allowed us to control the direction of this war to our advantage. Instead of engaging in a life-and-death struggle with over 10,000 Suna ninjas, we can manage our losses."
Engaging in an all-out conflict-style war was not advisable.
Moreover, without Kazekage Rasa and no clear candidate for the next Kazekage, predicting the actions of Suna in a fit of rage was unpredictable. Shiraishi also worried about the Chiyo siblings emerging from the mountains. These two ancient figures had survived since the establishment of ninja villages and were the ones Shiraishi feared the most among Suna.
Rasa was still inferior to the siblings.
"Based on this situation, it's more valuable to leave the Fourth Kazekage alive. My directive to Ruri is to eliminate as many living forces as possible, excluding the Kazekage himself. Reducing a ninja village's military power doesn't solely rely on killing the Kage. Eliminating their Jonin and Chunin can also achieve the desired effect."
While the Five Kages were formidable in regular battles, facing the alliance of numerous Jonin posed a considerable threat even to them. Suna, with its substantial ninja population, had numerous Jonin beneath the Kazekage. Ignoring their roles due to the Kazekage's prominence would be a mistake.
These Jonin, scattered across the battlefield, played an immeasurable role.
"So, the goal is to maximize benefits at minimal costs?" Ayane grasped the strategy.
"Almost. Next, we'll employ the strategy of creating long-distance and short-term conflicts. We'll send missions to Kumo and Kiri, persuading them to remain neutral internationally by showcasing the benefits."
Needless to say, the dispatch of missions to Kirigakure was merely a formality, a facade to avoid suspicions. Kumo's neutral stance wa crucial. If Kumo was appeased and remained neutral, half the victory for the Land of Demons was secured.
"Then, my next mission..."
Ayane seemed to have an idea.
Shiraishi nodded, "You stay here to monitor Iwa. Konoha may not be swayed, and they might secretly support Suna and engage in covert actions. After securing a neutral agreement with Kumo, I will immediately head over to the Land of Wind and rendezvous with Liuli. We'll further expand our advantage on the Land of Wind battlefield, ensuring no unforeseen incidents. The final step is negotiating at the table."
While he wanted Ayane on the Land of Wind battlefield, sending her there would weaken domestic defense forces. Shiraishi remained wary of Iwagakure's Tsuchikage Onoki, he was a cunning old man skilled in strategy and deception.
Additionally, even with a neutrality agreement with Kumk, placing too much trust in them was unwise. Ayane's importance in staying in the country was highlighted.
It was like a competition on the field—first ensuring no points were lost, then considering scoring. This was Shiraishi's typical approach.
Fortunately, Ayane wasn't an overly aggressive ninja. If she and Ruri were swapped, with Ruri on defense and Ayane leading the main attack, the situation would be very different.
...
The meeting room was stifled by a dignified atmosphere.
The 2,000-man army led by Kazekage Rasa suffered heavy casualties after being in an ambush. The large amount of supplies carried by the troops were also lost and obtained by the enemy.
This unexpected setback was a bad start since no one had foreseen a surprise attack in the Land of Wind. Adding to the absurdity, the culprit of the sneak attack was a ninja who had betrayed Konoha more than ten years ago.
Playing the role of the clown on the stage was none other than their country.
"Declaring war on the Land of Wind... These traitors are certainly audacious."
A high-ranking Suna ninja crumpled a paper in his hand, teeth gritted.
For a smaller country to formally declare war on a larger one was a great shame and humiliation for the bigger country. The fact that a rogue ninja, who had broken away from their own ninja village, served as the representative of the declaration of war only intensified the humiliation for Suna.
"Konoha! The Land of Demons! We must let the Hokage and the Miko know we need a reasonable explanation for this current situation, otherwise this matter won't be laid to resy!" Another high-ranking Suna, with a pale face and gloomy eyes, expressed discontent.
Tolerating their rogue ninjas for more than a decade without resolution was a clear dereliction of duty on Konoha's part. Similarly, allowing a rogue to act as a representative of the military in the Land of Demons was more absurd than Konoha's lenient attitude. When would the rogue be held accountable internationally?
"Irrespective of what Konoha might say, their connivance of these rogue ninjas in the Land of Demons echoes the decision of the previous Miko. When it comes to the current generation, our appeal is likely to be minimal. Moreover, the Miko hold a special status. They are unlikely to explain or involve themselves in such matters, regardless of the outcome."
Rasa frowned in distress. When he thought about it now, he realized that most of Suna's actions had been passively led by the nose, played into by the Land of Demons. Starting from the trouble caused by debt collectors in the Wind Daimyo's Mansion, the Land of Demons had been setting up this situation.
In a daze, they had believed that the Land of Demons lacked the power to resist a great power, leading to a series of misguided policies. All of them couldn't escape the blame..Now, with an incident on their hands, most of Baki's troops in the Land of Demons were already in danger.
Such heavy sacrifices left Rasa deeply troubled.
"What is Kazekage-sama planning to do?"
"Next, I will lead the troops once again, attempting to drive Uchiha Ruri out of the Land of Wind."
The term 'as far as possible' hinted at Rasa's lack of confidence in the matter.
"Then, aren't you planning to negotiate with Konoha's Hokage and the Miko?"
"Naturally, we need to negotiate. Achieving results with the Land of Demons Miko is expected to be difficult. Ultimately, they might resort to force. However, Konoha might be of assistance."
"Konoha... assistance?"
All of Suna's high-ranking officials were thoughtful about Kazekage's statement.
"As far as I know, Konoha had never given up on finding Chiba Shiraishi, Uchiha Ruri, and Hyuga Ayane. The Nine Tails Rampage seven or eight years ago, leading to the death of Konoha's fourth Hokage Namikaze Minato, ties these three individuals inseparably. Therefore, compared to Suna, Konoha is the least willing village to see these three people take an international stand."
If Chiba Shiraishi and the other two firmly established themselves, Konoha would not only lose their pride and dignity but also gain a terrifying enemy.
As the saying goes, the enemy of an enemy is a friend,.
Rasa wouldn't mind a temporary cooperation with Konoha if they could be of help at this time.
"What if Konoha refuses to intervene?" An apprehensive high-ranking official inquired.
"Then inform them that Suna will be willing to negotiate peace with the Land of Demons and acknowledge the legal status of Chiba Shiraishi and the others in the Land of Demons."
This was a lie. The current conflict with the Land of Demons couldn't be resolved through simple peace talks. Neither Rasa nor the Daimyo would agree. However, Rasa didn't mind using such rhetoric to pressure Konoha into aiding Suna.
Because, the current Konoha couldn't afford to take risks.