Facing the doubts, the Daimyo of the Land of Wind remained unconcerned.
He simply waved his hand, his face full of confidence. "I've met the Daimyo of the Land of Fire."
"Although he's young, he follows the rules and doesn't act recklessly."
"Think about it, he captured the Raikage and the Jinchūriki, yet only imprisoned them and was still willing to sit at the negotiating table."
"Even this current alliance, he only sent troops under a just cause."
"What does that tell us?"
"It tells us he's a ruler who respects rules."
"Arashi is greedy, yes, but who isn't?"
"However, he values legitimacy more than blind aggression."
The Daimyo's eyes gleamed with shrewdness.
"Besides, do we have any other choice?"
"Two and a half billion ryo gone. We were played like fools by Iwa, watching them reap all the benefits."
"If we don't seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, are we going to keep enduring?"
"By then, our Land of Wind will become the laughingstock of the entire ninja world."
"Which is more important... I believe you understand better than I do."
These words left Rasa silent.
Yes.
The Daimyo was right.
They had no other option.
To refuse meant losing everything and becoming a joke.
To accept was a gamble, but one with massive rewards that could elevate the Land of Wind.
If they won, the Land of Wind would instantly become one of the biggest winners in this war.
But if they lost... Rasa dared not think about it.
He looked up and met the confident gaze of the Daimyo of the Land of Wind.
After a moment of thought, all worries and hesitation disappeared.
"I understand." Rasa nodded solemnly, then turned to all of Sunagakure's high-ranking officials, his voice steady and firm. "Transmit my order."
"All Suna combat units, immediately reinforce the eastern border."
"Prepare to launch an attack with our... allies."
"Yes, Kazekage-sama!"
The order was issued.
In an instant, countless figures dashed across Sunagakure's rooftops. The Land of Wind's war machine began operating at high speed.
A war that would determine the future of the Land of Wind was about to begin.
When the Land of Wind's reply granting passage arrived in Arashi's hands, the two thousand Konoha shinobi secretly transferred from the Land of Water border had also reached the border of the Land of Wind.
A massive storm aimed at completely tearing apart Iwa's defenses was about to begin.
And inside the Land of Earth, the rōnin recruited by Arashi had already sharpened their blades.
They were waiting for Iwa's interior to be emptied. That would be their time to strike.
Land of Wind, eastern border.
Yellow sand filled the sky, and the scorching sun blazed down.
In the vast desert, a temporary military camp had been erected.
Thousands of Suna shinobi had gathered here.
A murderous aura surged into the sky, tearing apart the clouds on the horizon.
Inside the command tent in the center of the camp, Rasa and the Daimyo of the Land of Wind waited anxiously.
"They're here!"
A lookout from Sunagakure suddenly shouted.
Rasa and the Daimyo lifted their spirits and immediately walked out of the command tent.
In the distance, a black line appeared on the horizon.
That black line thickened rapidly. A chakra presence distinctly different from Suna's, but equally powerful, surged toward them.
It was the Konoha forces.
When the two-thousand-strong Konoha army appeared before the Suna camp, all Suna shinobi instinctively tightened their grip on their weapons. Their gazes were sharp and filled with caution.
Even though the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind were now allies, they had clashed many times in previous ninja world wars.
The relationship between the two nations was far more complicated than it seemed on the surface.
A Konoha army of this size standing before them naturally put them on edge.
"No need to be tense," Rasa's voice rang out at the right moment. "They are our allies now."
He exchanged glances with the Daimyo, then stepped forward together to meet them.
The Konoha forces halted before the camp.
Leading them was Orochimaru, who had not shown himself in public for quite some time.
He had been in his laboratory in the Fire Capital when the response from Suna arrived.
The Daimyo of the Land of Fire summoned him and told him a story, along with what needed to be done.
That story was called: Lending a Road to Conquer Guo.
It instantly reignited Orochimaru's long-dormant heart.
He was already eager to see what kind of world would emerge from the plan Arashi had described.
"Fourth Kazekage. Daimyo-sama."
Orochimaru gave a slight bow. His posture was elegant, but his snake-like eyes were filled with danger.
"By order of the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, Konoha has come to rendezvous with your forces."
"You've had a long journey," the Daimyo of the Land of Wind said warmly. "Our allied forces have traveled far. We've already prepared a banquet to welcome you."
"Thank you for your hospitality, Daimyo-sama." Orochimaru smiled but politely declined. "However, the military situation is urgent. It would be better to discuss the battle plan first."
The Daimyo nodded. "Very well. War comes first. Let us enter the tent and talk in detail."
"Good."
Orochimaru nodded, then turned to issue orders to the Konoha forces behind him.
"All units, rest in place. No conflict with the allied forces. Any violators... will be executed."
"Yes!"
The Konoha shinobi responded in unison, their voices neat and orderly, discipline evident in every movement.
Rasa, who stood nearby, narrowed his eyes slightly.
The Konoha forces were more disciplined than he had imagined.
Inside the command tent.
A large military map was spread out on the table.
Rasa, the Daimyo, Orochimaru, and officers from both armies, including Morino Ibiki, gathered around it.
"According to our intel," Rasa said, pointing to a mountainous area on the western side of the Land of Earth, "Iwa's Western Corps has a total of around two thousand men."
"Although the number isn't high, they've set up multiple defensive strongholds in this mountainous terrain, and each can support the others."
"We've attempted several small-scale attacks, but they were all repelled."
Orochimaru's gaze swept across the map. "Who's commanding them?"
"Iwagakure Jōnin, Ishikawa."
Rasa responded calmly. "He's not well-known, but he's extremely cautious and good at defensive counterattacks."
"He's a difficult opponent."
"No matter how tough he is, against our two allied armies, he's just trying to stop a chariot with his arms," the Daimyo said confidently.
"We now have close to five thousand shinobi, more than double their number."
"As long as we attack with all our strength, we'll crush them."
Orochimaru rested his chin on one hand, quietly listening, though his snake-like eyes glinted with an unreadable light.
Rasa glanced at him and concluded, "That's the situation. Ishikawa is cautious and relies on the terrain. It won't be easy."
"Kazekage-sama, your intel is detailed. You've worked hard." Orochimaru's tone was gentle. "Before I came, the Daimyo told me that once we launch the attack…"
"The other two fronts will begin simultaneous offensives against the Land of Earth."
"So, no matter how careful Ishikawa is, we only need to push forward with full force."
"Naturally."
"Then, shall we set the attack for dawn tomorrow?"
"Agreed!"
...The next day, at dawn.
As the first light of the sun broke through the darkness and shone across the vast desert, a thunderous war cry shattered the calm.
The allied forces of the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind surged forward like two torrents of steel, launching a fierce assault on the western mountainous region of the Land of Earth.
Fire Release and Wind Release intertwined. Sandstorms and Great Fireballs danced across the battlefield.
In an instant, the entire western border of the Land of Earth was engulfed in flames and battle cries.
War, in its most brutal form, had arrived.
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
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