February, year 33 of Konoha.
This winter was colder than usual, with snowflakes falling from the sky, dyeing even the heavens a pale white.
Cold winds raged through every corner of Konoha Village. In such a frigid season, most people would choose to stay indoors by a warm hearth, unless there was something particularly important to attend to.
However, students at the Ninja Academy still had to attend classes as usual.
In Class 4-A, Ruri wore a black long-sleeved shirt and trousers, a white scarf around her neck. Her long black hair, like silken strands, flowed gracefully down to her waist. She rested her chin on her palm, gazing out at the snowy landscape through the transparent window.
The playground was already covered in a blanket of silver. In this kind of weather, she really wished she didn't have to come to school and could spend the whole day at home.
Suddenly, a noisy commotion erupted outside.
Even the quiet of the classroom was broken. Ruri frowned, annoyed. These guys were as buzzing and irritating as flies, as always.
"Is it too noisy?"
Shiraishi returned with a convenience bag containing hot milk tea and a hamburger steak.
Of course, it was paid for with Ruri's money.
"Of course. But, they can only be happy in school, can't they?"
Ruri took her share of hot milk tea and a hamburger steak from the convenience bag.
"Ayane, do you want some? I bought an extra one."
Shiraishi turned to look at Ayane on the other side.
"No, thank you."
Ayane smiled apologetically, stood up from her seat, and walked out of the classroom.
Shiraishi watched Ayane's retreating back, sighed, and said, "I always feel like she's even more of a loner than you, Ruri. They used to play together."
Ruri's eyes flashed dangerously as she looked at the convenience bag in Shiraishi's hand and asked, "When did I allow you to use my money to buy food for unrelated people?"
"Uh... well, no, I just thought we're classmates, and, uh, this, that..."
"Are you planning to go hungry tonight and tomorrow morning? Who do you think is supporting you right now?"
"...I understand."
"Just remember to report it to me next time. I hate it when people use my things without saying anything."
"So that's what you're concerned about? Understood, I'll let you know next time."
Shiraishi sighed again, sat back in his seat, picked up his milk tea and drank it, then took a bite of the steaming hamburger steak.
"By the way, what was all that noise about outside earlier?"
Ruri asked Shiraishi while sipping her milk tea.
"You don't know? Some people in the fourth grade want to graduate early. Today is the day for special graduates. I heard there are three people in our class who want to graduate two years early. Oh, and Minato Namikaze from the class next door is also one of them."
Shiraishi truthfully recounted what he knew.
"That yellow-haired sissy, you said he's the best in Class B."
"Even if he's the best in Class B, he's no match for you, the best in Class A."
Shiraishi was full of confidence in Ruri's strength and said with a smile.
"I won't underestimate anyone."
Although she said that, Shiraishi's compliments still pleased her.
Soon, class began. The homeroom teacher, Taiga Fujimura, entered the classroom and officially started the lesson.
The indoor subjects for fourth graders were more complex than those for first to third graders. Fourth graders had a lot to learn, which might be very helpful for ordinary civilian students, but for someone like Shiraishi, who could already self-study and graduate, both indoor and outdoor classes were meaningless.
Therefore, except for lessons on the Will of Fire, Shiraishi and Ruri would do whatever they wanted.
Shiraishi held a pen and a ruler, starting to draw on his notebook, with explanatory text and formulas next to it.
This was for an important experiment to be conducted tonight, performing theoretical derivations here and then applying them in practice.
More than three months had passed since the research on natural energy began.
In these three months, Shiraishi had successfully managed to channel natural energy, but the channeled natural energy was not particularly stable.
Moreover, even if natural energy was successfully channeled, it would quickly dissipate and evaporate into untouchable air, returning to nature, if there were no corresponding means to contain it.
So, in the next experiment, Shiraishi wanted to extend the time natural energy appeared in a physical form, giving him enough time to understand and successfully utilize natural energy.
Time passed by quietly like this.
◎
Early March.
Occasionally, light snow still fell, and the weather warmed up slightly, but it was still very cold.
On this day of slight cold, an event occurred that took everyone by surprise and shattered the peace and tranquility of Konoha Village.
—Sand Hidden ninja raided the border of the Land of Fire, causing heavy losses to the Konoha troops on the border of the Land of Fire, and formally declared war on Konoha.
Just over a year after the war in the Land of Rain ended, the flames of war once again burned in the Land of Fire.
And the opponent declaring war was Sunagakure, one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
The Third Kazekage personally led a large number of Sunagakure ninja to provoke war against Konoha.
Konoha Village was enveloped by a palpable atmosphere of tension and gravity.
The war in the Land of Rain had only just ended in October of the previous year, and now, half a year later, war had swept in again.
Moreover, this time, it was the Sand Hidden ninja, whose overall strength far surpassed that of the Rain Hidden ninja, who declared war and provoked Konoha.
As a ninja group of one of the Five Great Nations, their mobilization speed and ninja quality were incomparable to the Rain Hidden ninja.
The rise and fall of the Rain Hidden ninja depended solely on their leader, Hanzo.
Sunagakure was different; its leader was the Third Kazekage, one of the Five Kage of the current era, known as the strongest Kazekage in history.
Under his command were numerous talents, assisted by the consultant elders Chiyo and her brother, both powerful ninja renowned throughout the ninja world.
Furthermore, Sunagakure had also established a powerful puppet corps, which had caused great trouble for various ninja villages in previous wars.
This time, Sunagakure came with a formidable force; it was by no means a battle that could be easily resolved.
It was as if the War in the Land of Rain was merely an opening ceremony for Konoha's official involvement in the Second Great Ninja War, and the true war had only just begun.
This oppressive feeling, like a storm brewing, weighed heavily on all Konoha ninja. The Konoha high command, led by the Third Hokage, convened an emergency meeting.
On the evening after the meeting, a large number of enlisted Konoha ninja left the village, heading to support the Land of Fire border.
Various ninja clans also dispatched their elite ninja to engage in battle with the Sand Hidden ninja.
War was imminent.