Konoha's three armies marched day and night, swiftly arriving at their respective designated battlefields.
The Land of Whirlpools was already a scorched earth. As far as the eye could see, there were only ruins and broken walls, with dilapidated remnants scattered everywhere. There was no trace of any ninja activity, and even ordinary residents had long since fled in all directions, leaving the entire island desolate and uninhabited.
Sakumo Hatake surveyed the scene, a flicker of regret passing through his heart. He didn't even draw the short sword at his waist, knowing that in this barren land, resorting to force was utterly meaningless.
After a thorough investigation, Sakumo Hatake immediately ordered five hundred ninjas to set up defenses on the spot. He also dispatched scouts from the Hyuga clan to reconnoiter and keep watch toward the Hidden Mist Village, guarding against a surprise attack by Kirigakure while Konoha constructed defensive fortifications in the Land of Whirlpools.
Once everything was arranged, Sakumo Hatake had the craftsmen summoned from the opposite shore brought before him.
"The defensive fortifications of the Land of Whirlpools will now be entrusted to all of you," Sakumo Hatake said earnestly.
Seeing the famed Konoha White Fang treat them with such humility, the craftsmen hurriedly waved their hands in deference. They dared not show the slightest arrogance toward such a renowned figure.
"Lord White Fang, you jest!"
"Everything we do is for Konoha!"
"For Konoha!"
Their resounding cries echoed across the empty skies of the Land of Whirlpools, igniting the entire land with their fervor. Each craftsman wore a determined expression, vowing to transform this ruined Land of Whirlpools into Konoha's impregnable barrier.
Meanwhile, Minato led his army into the territory of the Land of Grass. Yet, as they advanced, they encountered no resistance whatsoever. Even the civilians of the Land of Grass merely watched Konoha's army pass by with indifference, their faces devoid of any emotion.
The sight left Minato deeply puzzled, unable to grasp the situation.
Beside him, Nara Shikaku wore a helpless expression and explained, "Years of war have already inflicted immense suffering upon them. All that remains now is numbness and apathy."
"This is the tragedy of small nations."
"They are forever the buffer zones in the struggles of great nations, the sacrifices on the battlefield."
"All the suffering ultimately falls upon the civilians."
Nara Shikaku's words plunged everyone, including Minato Namikaze, into silence, their hearts heavy with sorrow.
Seeing the numb expressions of the Land of Grass civilians, Minato immediately ordered the entire army not to harm innocent civilians and to advance at full speed toward Kusagakure.
Since the civilians of the Land of Grass showed no intention of resistance, there was no need to attack them—they were merely victims of war. By crushing Kusagakure's active forces, the entire Land of Grass would fall effortlessly into their hands.
"Full speed ahead!"
"Advance toward Kusagakure with all your might!"
Minato's army raced forward. Meanwhile, within Kusagakure, Grass Shadow Harukusa Mura casually glanced at the secret report in his hand before tossing it aside indifferently.
"Lord Shadow, should we not take action?"
"Konoha's ninjas have already invaded the Land of Grass!"
"Are we to let them run rampant within our territory?"
Hearing his subordinates' doubts, Kusagakure's leader furrowed his brow, his heart filled with irritation. He sharply rebuked, "You fools! If you want to die, don't drag the entire Kusagakure down with you!"
"What level do you think Kusagakure is?"
"What do we have to resist Konoha's ninja?"
"Use your brains before you speak!"
Kusagakure's leader looked at these ignorant subordinates before him, growing angrier the more he scolded. He was even considering how to defect to Konoha without leaving a trace. The ignorant are fearless, but he only wanted to live a few more years.
After all, in the conflicts between major nations, small countries like Kusagakure had always been treated as mere battlefields—they were long accustomed to it. These small nations and hidden villages simply couldn't afford to provoke the warring major powers.
After venting his anger, Kusagakure's leader felt slightly relieved and waved his hand to dismiss his subordinates. He never expected that Konoha's target this time wasn't Iwagakure, but the Land of Grass.
Soon, the army led by Minato Namikaze arrived outside Kusagakure. Minato looked at the village before him and couldn't help but compare it to Konoha—the difference between the two was like clouds and mud.
To fulfill Aoki's wish and achieve true peace in the Ninja World, they had to follow Aoki's plan step by step.
At this moment, Minato Namikaze had no hesitation left in his heart. He directly issued the order to attack. In an instant, a thousand ninja launched a fierce assault on Kusagakure.
"Kill!"
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
"Water Release!"
"Shadow Imitation Technique!"
"Multi-Size Technique!"
"Mind Body Switch Technique!"
Ninja from various prominent clans unleashed their ancestral secret techniques. In the direct confrontation, Kusagakure's defenders were instantly overwhelmed. The sounds of battle cries filled the entire village, echoing without end.
"Lord Kage!"
"Konoha's target this time is us!"
"We can't hold them off!"
"Konoha's forces are too powerful! Lord Kage, retreat quickly!"
Hearing his subordinates' urgent reports, Kusagakure's leader froze in place. Who would have thought that Konoha, which always advocated peace, would attack a small country like theirs? Panic instantly spread across his face—he didn't want to die.
"Go! Hurry! Find the Daimyo!"
Kusagakure's leader turned to flee, but several Konoha ninja had already blocked his path. Leading them was none other than Minato Namikaze.
"Oh? Where do you think you're going?"
Meanwhile, in the Land of Rain, after Aoki led his army across the border, they encountered no resistance either, advancing smoothly all the way.
Soon, the army arrived outside Amegakure. Aoki discovered, to his surprise, that there were no defenses here at all. It seemed Hanzo of the Salamander also believed Konoha's target wasn't Amegakure.
Two Amegakure ninja guarding the village entrance were idly playing cards.
This wasn't really their fault—who would set their sights on this land of perpetual rain? Perhaps only vampires in the twilight would be interested. Maybe only Edward could be disliked as much as Sakura.
As the two turned around, they happened to see Aoki leading the Konoha army appearing before them. The massive formation completely surrounded Amegakure.
"When did they get here?!"
"Hurry! Report to Lord Hanzo!"
"Konoha's target this time is us!"
The sudden appearance of Konoha's army set off alarm bells throughout Amegakure. The Rain Shadow, Hanzo of the Salamander, quickly geared up and rushed toward the village entrance.
Facing the imposing Konoha army, all the Amegakure ninja took a deep breath and stood ready for battle. Soon, Hanzo, having received the news, arrived at the village entrance.
The previously panicked Amegakure instantly calmed down after Hanzo's arrival—their pillar of strength had arrived.
"Fourth Hokage, what brings you here with such a large army?"