Two days later, Konoha's advance forces, led by Orochimaru and Jiraiya, left the village. They headed for the coastline near the Uzumaki Clan's former settlement, where Konoha would set up a defensive line. If Mist Village dared to attack Konoha, this area would become the main battlefield. The goal was to keep the fire of war away from the Land of Fire. The former Uzumaki Clan territory, the surrounding islands, and the sea itself would serve as the battleground.
Konoha's response was strong. They refused to hand over Sakumo Hatake and even sent more troops to the border, clearly preparing for any sudden assaults from Mist Village. The damage from the ambush during the Second Shinobi World War by Sand Village was still fresh, and Konoha was determined to avoid a repeat of such losses.
With tensions escalating, the whole shinobi world turned its attention to the direction of the Uzumaki territory. Konoha moved quickly, but Mist Village was not far behind. As soon as Konoha's advance forces arrived, a shocking announcement spread across the shinobi world -Mist Village, led by the Third Mizukage, had officially declared war on Konoha.
In a hidden underground chamber, Black Zetsu phased through the wall, slipping into the room.
"Lord Madara, it seems Tobi has gone a bit too far. He's declared war on Konoha."
"Oh?" The sleeping Uchiha Madara slowly opened his eyes, sounding a bit surprised. He didn't expect Tobi to be so bold. He had said to make use of any means, but Tobi had pushed it all the way to open warfare.
"If this becomes a prelude to other conflicts, perhaps it will spark a broader war, weakening all the Great Shinobi Villages. That would be helpful for my plans," Madara mused.
"Let him play his games then," he concluded.
Whether Mist Village fought against Konoha or not, Madara didn't care. As long as his plans proceeded without a hitch, nothing else mattered. Besides, a weakened state for all five of the Great Shinobi Villages would only be beneficial to him. Having said that, Madara closed his eyes again.
Black Zetsu, meanwhile, contemplated whether to further stir the pot and drag the other villages into this escalating conflict.
Currently, Mist Village and Konoha were mobilizing their forces, while Sand Village, Stone Village, and Cloud Village watched intently from a distance.
They were watching, waiting for the right opportunity. Stone Village and Cloud Village had long coveted the fertile lands of the Land of Fire, but they had never found a suitable moment to strike. Now, opportunity seemed to be knocking at their door.
As for Sand Village, they were the most likely to make the first move. They were growing tired of paying war reparations. In just a few years, it was impossible for them to compensate Konoha with such vast sums of money. The Third Kazekage had tightened the village's belt, scouring for precious minerals to repay debts, but life in Sand Village was becoming increasingly difficult.