Escape From Konoha

Chapter 165: 161: Declaration Of War

Suna initiated a full-scale military mobilization.

The preliminary strategic objective of pressuring the Land of Rain had been largely achieved. While they still aimed to further weaken the Land of Rain, it would inevitably lead to direct confrontation with Amegakure.

When it came to dealing with the Land of Rain, Chiyo was unwilling to cross the line with the demigod, Hanzo.

Having faced Hanzo head-on in multiple past encounters, Chiyo fully comprehended the sheer power and dread that Hanzo wielded. Pushing him to his limits would only result in vengeful retaliation from Amegakute.

At this juncture, concluding the operation was the best course of action, leaving potential avenues for cooperation in the future.

"Elder Chiyo, reinforcements will arrive in two days."

At the end of the previous year, Suna had decided to launch a full-scale attack on the Konoha forces stationed in the Land of Rain by March of this year, with the intent of swiftly defeating Orochimaru's troops deployed in the Land of Rain as quickly as possible.

For launching an extended military raid in the Land Of Fire's territory, safeguarding the strength of their own forces was important. The most crucial part of this was the 2,000 ninja brigade dispatched from Sunagakure's directly.

After merging with the Suna forces, the total number would surpass 7,000, granting them a huge advantage over Orochimaru's ninja forces of less than 3,000.

The Land of Rain had been squeezed to its limit, leaving only one remaining goal, which was also a key strategic objective for this war – the invasion of the Land of Fire.

The vibrant world there awaited Suna's ninja after this success. Compared to the barren Land of Rain, the Land of Fire represented a true paradise.

"Thank you for your hard work. Are the medicines, equipments, and food supplies ready?" Chiyo's expression softened.

Ninja wars didn't always start as large-scale battles. Often, it consisted of skirmishes among small teams. Large-scale battles were typically reserved for specific objectives or when no other alternatives existed.

For instance, Suna's upcoming plan to invade the Land of Fire was already laid out in the Land of Rain, and there was no need to waste more time in engaging in a head-on clash with Konoha. Despite the potential for heavy casualties, the benefits obtained afterwards will be huge.

"Yes. Since last October, we've been secretly accumulating funds, enough to support a 7,000-strong army for a year. However, after purchasing medicines and ninja tools, the food shortage became critical. So, we borrowed a sum of money from the Purple Flower Merchant Association in the Land Of Demons to procure food," The Suna jonin reported truthfully.

Chiyo nodded.

During times of war, the cost of food increased far above peacetime rates.

Ninja tools were also expensive, with ordinary kunai costing up to a hundred ryo. High-quality kunai could fetch between three hundred and five hundred ryo, and the finest ones went for more than a thousand ryo.

A ninja typically carried between five and ten kunai, along with various special ninja tools such as shurikens and explosive tavs, not to mention ongoing maintenance expenses. Even if one considered minimal quality and quantity, the overall cost amounted to an astronomical figure.

Ninjas didn't only compete based on their skills and abilities but also the quality of their equipment. The quality of a ninja's gear could play a decisive role in battles.

This was a primary reason Chiyo had adopted the strategy of squeezing the Land of Rain. The Land of Wind was not as rich an prosperous as the Land of Fire, with most of its land consisting of barren deserts unsuitable for cultivation. Their economic and resource utilization ranked lowest among the five major nations. Even with the daimyo's full support, resource consumption often outstripped available resources.

In order to conserve scarce resources, squeezing the Land of Rain had proven to be a good move. It reduced the Land of Rain's threat, while also shifting the burden of Suna's huge military expenditure to the Land of Rain.

"As long as we win this war, we won't need to worry about repaying the loan. Currently, our focus should be on Konoha," Chiyo replied confidently.

She had a clear vision of the war's unfolding.

Konoha's forces were divided among three groups, and the number of Konoha ninjas stationed in the Land of Rain was fewer than 3,000. Konoha stood little chance against Suna's impending assault and would soon fall, opening the gateway to the Land Of Fire.

In Chiyo's estimation, borrowing funds from other countries to acquire all the necessary war resources wasn't a significant problem. Suna would soon use the Land Of Fire's resources to swiftly repay the loan and further increase the military might of Sunagakure.

Chiyo believed her plan was virtually foolproof, as she had meticulously considered every aspect of the situation.

At this moment, another Suna ninja entered the room.

"Elder Chiyo."

"What's the matter?"

"The leader of Amegakure, Hanzo, wishes to speak with you."

"The old man with the snorkel?"

Seated in her chair, Chiyo frowned, pondering Hanzo's intentions for seeking her out at this particular time.

No matter how much she thought it over, she couldn't discern Hanzo's motives. So, Chiyo rose from her seat and instructed the Suna Jōnin, "Lead the way. The old man isn't to be trifled with."

Most of the ninja in Amegakure were expendable, and while Ame had shone brightly during the Second Ninja World War, it was primarily due to Hanzo's efforts alone.

Thus, Chiyo wasn't thrilled about Ame's attitude but was merely tolerating Hanzo's presence to save face.

Afrr arriving outside the camp, the sky was obscured by dark clouds, and flashes of lightning lurked within. Occasional thunder rumbled, and the rain showed no sign of letting up.

About a dozen Ame ninjas accompanied Hanzo, all elite combat forces from Amegakure. They didn't enter the core of Sunagakure's camp but waited on the outskirts.

Nevertheless, there were numerous Suna ninjas lurking in the shadows, watching Hanzo with a mix of hostility and fear. Young Suna ninjas might have doubts, but those who had survived the Second Ninja World War knew just how formidable this seemingly frail old man was.

Even the Konoha Sannin, who now shone brightly in the ninja world, had been his defeated opponents. Through his own efforts, he had balanced the scales in the Land of Rain, even if it meant a defeat in the overall war. In the previous Ninja World War, his personal strength had reached unmatched heights.

"Hanzo, what brings you here at this time?"

Following a few Suna nins, Chiyo stopped roughly ten meters away from Hanzo and asked about the purpose of his visit.

Hanzo remained silent for a while, the expression in his eyes calm.

The sound of wind and rain surrounded them, chilling raindrops dampening his hair and his gas mask-clad face.

After a prolonged silence, just as Chiyo began to grow suspicious and tension filled the air, Hanzo finally spoke, "Are these three people your Suna ninjas?"

After Hanzo's words, the Ame ninjas behind him immediately shoved the three Suna ninjas, who appeared to have endured severe torture, forward. They stumbled a few steps and collapsed in pain as they were pushed onto the muddy ground.

Chiyo looked on in slight astonishment, puzzled by Hanzo's intentions. A Suna ninja beside her approached the fallen three, crouched down, and examined their injuries, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"Elder Chiyo, these are ninjas of our village. The team was out to perform a secret mission before."

The Jōnin turned to Chiyo, who nodded before fixing her gaze on Hanzo. Just as she was about to speak, Hanzo beat her to the question, "I would like to ask, what kind of secret mission they were carrying out?"

"I can't comment on such matters. Besides, why are they in your hands?"

When it came to future strategic plans, Chiyo wasn't about to reveal anything to an outsider like Hanzo.

"A secret mission?" Hanzo sought confirmation.

"Yes."

"They are ninjas from your village? Really?"

Despite her confusion regarding the situation, Chiyo openly acknowledged it.

"Now that you've admitted that they are indeed Suna ninjas, things have become easier..."

Hanzo's eyes remained devoid of emotion, and he reached for the sickle handle concealed behind his back. Chiyo's expression shifted slightly, revealing a vigilant expression.

Numerous Suna ninjas swiftly emerged from the sidelines, surrounding Hanzo and his companions, their faces taut with tension.

A vivid red liquid floated before their eyes.

The three Suna ninjas on the ground each bore wounds inflicted by the sickle. With a pull of a chain, the sickle soared through the air and returned to Hanzo's grasp, its blade stained with the blood of the three ninjas.

"Hanzo! What do you think you're doing?"

Chiyo's expression turned furious. How dare he kill ninjas from her village in her presence? She was a high-ranking adviser of Suna. Was he trying to instigate a war between Amegakure and Sunagakure?

"Are you angry? It should be this old man who shoud be angry. I tolerated you without question, but this is what I got in return. Look closely, this isn't a transformation jutsu, nor is it a scheme by Konoha."

"What in the world are you talking about? Are you out of your mind? This is outrageous!"

Chiyo clenched her teeth and fists, her furious gaze seemingly capable of swallowing Hanzo alive.

Hanzo paid no heed to her anger, nor did he concern himself with the hostile stares from the Suna ninjas.

Compared to all of them, only he had the right to be angry.

Unexpectedly, his forbearance had only led to more brutal oppression of the Land of Rain by the major powers. When would these major nations stop their senseless wars?

Hanzo's heart felt desolate.

"Don't be hypocritical here, this is the choice you forced me to make. Chiyo, let's use the blood of your Sunagakure to test whether my weapon is still sharp or not."

Hanzo kept his words brief and turned to leave with his Ame ninjas. There was no need for further negotiation, the next steps could be resolved on the battlefield.

"Killing the ninjas from our village, do you think we will let you off easily?"

The surrounding Suna ninjas blocked Hanzo and the other Ame ninjas, making it clear that they needed to provide a satisfactory explanation, if not an apology, to the Sunagakure.

"That's right, whether you're a demigod or not, we have enough people here to make you reconsider!"

"A mere Amegakure holds no value in the eyes of Sunagakure."

These defiant statements came from the younger generation of Suna ninjas who had recently joined the war. Seasoned Suna ninjas, who knew better, wouldn't engage in such rash behavior.

It was essential to know that the title of demigod was not self-proclaimed; it was bestowed upon Hanzo by many ninjas, including the Sannin during the Second Ninja World War.

"Is that what you're implying, old puppet woman?"

Ignoring the clamor from the young Suna ninjas, Hanzo refused to engage in verbal disputes with them. The strong demonstrated their power through actions rather than squabbling like bickering street vendors.

Chiyo felt the dampness on her face, unsure if it was rain or sweat. She chose not to respond to Hanzo's question.

"Are you trying to stall for time like this? It's a futile tactic. Let me guess, how long do you think it will take me to defeat all the ninjas here if I were to act alone? You, who have witnessed my true strength, should find this question fairly easy."

Seeing Chiyo's silence, Hanzo knew that she was trying to delay, awaiting the arrival of Suna hidden troops to surround him. The initial ten-meter distance he had maintained allowed Chiyo time to react and counter swiftly when facing a ninja him.

Hanzo exuded a cold, murderous aura, with the rain having cleansed the blood from his sickle, leaving it gleaming in the rain. It was a clear signal to Chiyo that he wouldn't permit the Suna's army to surround him. If they didn't clear the way, he would eliminate all Sauna ninjas on the scene. He had the power to do so before the Suna's hidden forces could mobilize.

Chiyo's expression changed, and she spoke earnestly, "Hanzo, I don't understand why you've suddenly targeted Suna, but I believe there must be a misunderstanding. I hope you will return and reflect on the situation, not falling into an enemy's trap."

She genuinely couldn't comprehend Hanzo's madness with Suma. What did these dead Suna ninjas represent? Hanzo hadn't explained, even suggesting that she, a high-level adviser of the Suna, was well aware.

This puzzled Chiyo greatly.

"No, there's no need. This old man has thoroughly investigated the matter. The identity of the Suna ninjas is confirmed. I won't compromise or tolerate you any longer. It seems that the only thing left for a ninja from life to death is to fight. Whether it's you or me, such a life is truly lamentable."

The final sentence was uttered to himself. Afterwards, no Suna ninja dared to obstruct Hanzo and the other Ame ninjas from leaving.

Hanzo led the Ane nins away, vanishing into the wind and rain as they returned to Amegakure.

After Hanzo's departure, Chiyo took a deep breath and issued orders with an ugly expression.

"Investigate! I want to find oyt what has happened in Ame as soon as possible. We can't let Konoha off the hook. Hanzo can't target Suna without a valid reason. There's no doubt that this must be Konoha's scheme!"

"Yes!"

The accompanying Suna Jōnin swiftly departed using the flicker, aware that the situation was growing increasingly serious. What had started as a favorable scenario could collapse due to Ame's intervention, resulting in unimaginable consequences.

...

In a tent within the Konoha Camp, Orochimaru laughed sinisterly.

"Amegakure has officially declared war on Sunagakure. You've acted faster than I anticipated, Danzo. I may have underestimated you and your Root."

Orochimaru knew that Root was known for its efficiency in completing missions, and the cost was of little concern to them. However, he hadn't anticipated that Ame would be drawn into the ear so quickly and breaking ties with Suna.

A situation that was previously unfavorable for Konoha had suddenly reverse.

"With Hanzo and his Ame army sharing the burden, it won't be so simple for Suna to enter the Land of Fire."

Danzo sat in his seat without saying a word, showing no hint of emotion.

"Now with Ame is gearing up for war with Suna, we can't afford to stand idly by. I will need to send someone to negotiate an alliance with Hanzo. If we use Hanzo's power effectively, we can quickly repel Suna. Your contribution this time is indispensable."

"This is a task for Root, and I see no problem with it. Next, I will arrange Root's missions."

"Please go head. I'll deal with the frontlines. Root is better suited for covert operations in the shadows. And remember to eliminate any traces, we can't afford to leave any loose ends."

Orochimaru had no intention of keeping Danzo as a guest for long, and he had his own pressing matters to attend to.

The strategy of luring Ame into the battlefield had succeeded, but the situation with resisting Suna was far from optimistic, it needed to bre treated with caution.

Danzo walked outside the tent, and his face was gloomy for a moment. What the h*ll was going on?

This situation was entirely different from Root's original plan. Why had Ame and Suna clashed so quickly?

According to the original plan, there were still two extremely important steps to be executed.

What's more, one of the Root teams had gone missing for several days without a single word about their whereabouts, deeply troubling Danzo. If the matter was exposed, Ame might point fingers at Konoha.

After all, the missions Danzo had assigned to the Root ninjas exceeded the limit of what Hanzo could tolerate.

Yet what awaited him wasn't news of the missing Root team but was the public announcement of Ame declaring war on Suna. This immediately gave rise to a troubling idea in his mind. Another force was manipulating the Root and provoking a war in the Land of Rain.

Although provoking a war between Ame and Suna was precisely what Danzo had anticipated, this event had no apparent connection to Root.

It appeared that both he and the Root were being manipulated by a mysterious forces.

This mysterious force not only understood the actions of Root but also had an unknown agenda, causing Ame and Suna to clash.

The force was capable of instigating discord between Ame and Suna this time; next, they might provoke a rift between Konoha and Ame.

Such uncertainty could pose a significant threat to Konoha in the future.

The mysterious force lurking in the shadows needed to be identified and eliminated.

Danzo's eyes reflected a chilling determination.

...

Amegakure's intervention in the war and openly declaring war on Sunagakure, caught many by surprise.

The Land of Rain was, first and foremost, a small nation plagued by economic, diplomatic, and military constraints imposed by major powers. Moreover, its inconvenient geographical location destined it to become a battleground for major nations.

Were it not for the emergence of the ninja named Hanzo, the ninja village of the great powers would not have taken this small nation seriously. Hanzo was renowned throughout the ninja world as a formidable figure.

With his own strength during the Second Ninja World War, he had turned the tides in the Land of Rain, destroying the armies of the major nations, and bringing a glimmer of hope to the country.

This demonstrated that small countries should not be underestimated.

Even when taking advantage of their weaker position, one must remember that they have the potential to inflict significant harm on larger nations.

.....

In the Land Of Demons, far removed from the flames of war, Shiraishi learned that Ame had declared war on Suna.

The Land of Rain had dispatched some of the company's employees to establish a store there. The news of this critical development soon reached the Land of Demons through various channels.

Ame did not shy away from this matter or attempt to conceal it. Ame revealed all the atrocities committed by Suna in the Land of Rain, where many villages had been subjected to bloodshed to plunder supplies, resulting in countless casualties. This flagrant violation of international law, which prohibited ninja from harming ordinary people in any form, was disclosed in their declaration of war.

"I never expected Konoha to use this tactic to change the situation. Danzo led the Root to undertake such actions,"

Ruri said upon arriving at Shiraishi's office. She was deeply concerned about the ongoing war in the Land of Rain.

Understanding the current state of the ninja world through current events was crucial for the Land of Demons.

"Hanzo, the leader of Amegakure, while I've never met him in person, the title of 'demigod' is widely recognized by all the ninja who participated in the Second Ninja World War, including those from Konoha, Iwagakure, and Sunagakure. He managed to hold the front against the major nations with his strength alone. I don't think such a powerful ninja would fall into Konoha's trap so easily,"

Shiraishi said after sipping from his teacup. In his view, Hanzo would not have resorted to a split with Suna at such a critical juncture unless he had no other options.

"Do you think there might be other factors at play that compelled Hanzo to take action against Suna?"

"Yes, it's possible that Suna isn't only interested in the Land of Fire but also has its eyes on the Land of Rain."

"If that's the case, Hanzo might indeed have a standoff with Suna."

"Unfortunately, Hanzo's age is somewhat old, and he may have entered the natural decline that affects every ninja. His strength has likely declined significantly compared to the Second Ninja World War."

As far as Shiraishi knew, Amegakure lacked another powerful ninja capable of leading them. Hanzo's age marked the end of an era; there were no apparent successors to carry forth his ideals. Losing the guiding belief was a source of not only sorrow but also despair and resignation.

When a person, or a ninja, loses their guiding belief, they become like a walking corpse with nothing to fear.

"In that case, let's observe and see what unfolds. The Land of Rain is also a key element in our plan. In this regard, I must express my gratitude to Hanzo for regaining the dignity of a demigod at this moment."

With this turn of events, Shiraishi believed he could put his long-delayed plan into action without needing to discreetly ignite the flames with Konoha's aid.

"Speaking of which, there's something important I need to inform you. You should prepare yourself for it,"

Ruri thought for a moment before speaking.

"Important? What is it?" Shiraishi was puzzled.

Recently, Ruri had been focused on her training, so he couldn't fathom what significant development she needed to prepare for.

With a deep breath, Ruri placed her palm on her lower abdomen, casting a serious look at Shiraishi. She then spoke the words that would change their lives:

"I'm pregnant."

-----

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