The Draft Goes Out, and the Horns of War Are About to Sound

"Because the Land of Rain's military power keeps expanding, it poses a threat to the surrounding countries, including Konoha."

"Think about it. When a nation's shinobi village strengthens itself without restraint, what happens once that village's military power reaches its peak?"

"War!"

Minato understood immediately.

Would war really break out?

His own guess startled him.

"Yes, war."

Jiraiya nodded gravely.

"When a village's military strength reaches its peak, if it wants to keep developing, there is only one path left: launch a war against the outside world."

"Use war to plunder resources and population, annex the territory of other nations, and strengthen itself."

"Amegakure in the Land of Rain is currently in that state."

Minato had never experienced the flames of war, so he naturally did not understand war's cruelty.

But Jiraiya knew all too well that once war broke out, it would sweep across the entire shinobi world.

"Lord Jiraiya, the forward squad has encountered an Amegakure shinobi force. They are requesting reinforcements."

An Anbu shinobi rushed into the cave.

Jiraiya sighed. His trouble had arrived.

The signs of Amegakure launching a war outward were becoming increasingly obvious. Konoha had continuously sent shinobi into the Land of Rain to gather intelligence.

As a result, the friction between the two sides had grown greater and greater.

They had even begun fighting in earnest.

"Amegakure is making a show of force. Hanzō's goal is to warn Konoha."

"According to intelligence obtained by the Anbu, Root, and our spies, under Hanzō's leadership, Amegakure's strength is no weaker than that of the Five Great Shinobi Villages.

"Once war breaks out, the Fire Country will definitely be the first to suffer its ravages."

"Therefore, I suggest we eliminate the danger before it grows. We absolutely cannot allow Amegakure to expand and wage war against Konoha."

Danzo slammed the table and roared:

"Hanzō sent people to surround and kill Konoha shinobi. He is warning Konoha.

"Hiruzen, at a time like this, do you still expect Hanzō to sit down calmly and negotiate with you?"

Konoha's intelligence operations against Amegakure had never ceased, and this seemed to have angered Hanzō, the leader of Amegakure.

Under Hanzō's orders, Amegakure shinobi began hunting down Konoha's people.

They even ignored Konoha's request for negotiations.

Were they really going to start a war?

And Konoha would be the one to start it!

This was not the outcome the Third Hokage wanted, but circumstances were forcing his hand.

Last year, the Land of Rain had merely shown some aggression, seemingly intending to make a move against the Land of Grass.

As Konoha's ally, the Land of Grass could not simply be abandoned.

When Anbu and Root shinobi entered the Land of Rain, along with intelligence transmitted by spies, they all told the Third Hokage the same fact.

Hanzō had no interest in the Land of Grass. What he had his eye on was the Fire Country!

If Amegakure wanted to touch the Land of Grass, Konoha would not allow it. Let alone Hanzō trying to use the Fire Country as his target!

Did he really think he was one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages?

That was also why Danzo was so furious.

Hanzō was looking down on them.

Even their request for negotiations had been ignored. It was a complete slap in the face.

"Once Konoha launches a war against Amegakure, the flames of war will inevitably sweep across the entire shinobi world. Have you all considered the consequences?"

Danzo was a hawk. He believed Konoha should strike first and not allow the flames of war to burn into the Fire Country.

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura believed Danzo had a point.

Since Hanzō did not know his place, Konoha would teach him a lesson.

Even if Konoha was willing to preserve peace through negotiations, Amegakure was unwilling. Hanzō had directly ignored them.

"Would the flames of war not spread to other countries just because Konoha does not declare war on the Land of Rain?"

Danzo sneered as he looked at the Third Hokage.

"Hiruzen, do not forget that since the First Shinobi War, the strength of every nation's shinobi villages has recovered. Amegakure is not the only village showing signs of launching a war outward. The other shinobi villages are the same."

"If Konoha does nothing, we can only take beatings passively."

"Will you choose to strike first, or wait until we are attacked before fighting back?"

The Third Hokage frowned.

He had yet to make up his mind.

Once war broke out, the situation could spiral beyond Konoha's control at any moment.

As the man steering Konoha, he did not want to see such a situation arise.

One wanted war, while the other wanted negotiations.

The Third Hokage and Danzo argued without reaching an agreement.

In the end, Utatane Koharu, a member of the Elder Council, offered her opinion.

"Hiruzen, even if Konoha does not take the initiative to declare war on Amegakure, we must still guard against their actions. The flames of war absolutely cannot be allowed to burn within the Fire Country."

"Therefore, I suggest dispatching troops to station at the border and prevent Amegakure from launching a surprise attack into the Fire Country."

"I agree."

Mitokado Homura cast his vote for Utatane Koharu's proposal.

If they did not want to rashly start a war, then they would send shinobi forces to station at the border and prevent Amegakure from suddenly attacking the Fire Country without warning.

"Hmph!"

This was clearly not the result Danzo wanted. What he wanted was to launch a war directly, not prepare defenses.

Unfortunately, the Third Hokage did not support starting a war, and Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, who had originally stood with him, had changed their stance. Danzo was deeply displeased.

The Third Hokage lit his pipe, took several deep puffs, and after careful consideration, finally made his choice.

"In that case, issue the draft and dispatch troops to station at the border."

Sending a shinobi army to station at the border was also a kind of invisible provocation and precaution, but provocation was still better than declaring war outright.

As the order left the Hokage's Office,

the announcement quickly spread throughout Konoha.

Drafting shinobi to station at the front lines—was war about to begin?

For a time, the entire village was filled with the atmosphere of war.

"Looks like the Second Shinobi War is about to break out."

When Chiyue saw the announcement, he knew the Second Shinobi War was approaching.

Amegakure was truly powerful during this period, especially with Hanzō, the endlessly swelling demigod.

With even the slightest disturbance, war between Konoha and Amegakure would inevitably break out.

Konoha's movements would also draw the attention of the other shinobi villages. The major villages, having recuperated for many years, would not miss this opportunity to expand outward.

In many people's eyes, the Fire Country was always the side that got attacked first, then fought back passively.

Little did they know that Konoha was the side that took the initiative in starting the Second Shinobi War.

The atmosphere of war grew heavier and heavier, and everyone in the village could not stop discussing it.

As Konoha's shinobi forces stationed themselves at the border, the Land of Rain's reaction was even more intense than Konoha's. They also stationed a large shinobi army at the border, confronting Konoha head-on.

Amegakure also stepped up its efforts to hunt down Konoha shinobi who had entered the Land of Rain.

In addition to Konoha's shinobi, shinobi from the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth were included as well.

Hanzō seemed determined to turn the Land of Rain into an impregnable fortress, strictly forbidding shinobi from other countries from setting foot within it.

For the Five Great Shinobi Villages, this was unprecedented.

The lofty Five Great Shinobi Villages felt that they had been provoked—provoked by a minor shinobi village.

Now, it was not only Konoha that had designs on Amegakure. Even Sunagakure and Iwagakure had begun to find Amegakure displeasing.

Inside the Kazekage's Office of Sunagakure in the Land of Wind,

the Third Kazekage, known as the strongest Kazekage, felt this was an excellent opportunity.