Meanwhile, Hyuga Shin and Uchiha Miya continued their sparring in the woods.
They had reached the final stage.
"To be fair, that mysterious man is truly ruthless."
"He didn't dare attack the strongest member of the Sarutobi Clan, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and only killed the elderly..."
"How strange."
"The Sarutobi Clan has no Kekkei Genkai. Their most valuable assets should be their inherited Fire Release techniques, extensive knowledge system, and the Summoning Beast clan, Enma."
"Why kill a bunch of old men?"
"Shin, I feel like things aren't that simple."
Uchiha Miya spoke gravely, holding forth at length.
Hyuga Shin nodded slightly. "I feel the same way. It's just that we have too few clues right now. Want to get something to eat?"
"Sure."
At that moment.
Inside Hyuga Shin, Su Nuo was immersed in studying the Scroll of Seals. His level of Fuinjutsu was rising rapidly, and he had even created a large number of Yin Release sealing techniques.
The situation was tense, so it was not suitable to go out.
Su Nuo did only two things every night. First, he deciphered the sealing techniques in the Scroll of Seals. Second, he applied Yin Release sealing techniques to the "Scroll of Seals."
During the day, he studied Fuinjutsu.
Twenty-eight hours after obtaining the Scroll of Seals.
Su Nuo had already obtained his first forbidden technique—Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu.
But afterward, Su Nuo continued analyzing it until he had learned all the forbidden techniques within.
Moreover, the process would go quickly. Once he cracked the first technique, the ones that followed would be much easier to decipher.
At that moment.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had become frantic. He directly signed the highest-level order issued by the Hokage, demanding that all ninjas participate in the investigation!
Inside the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi smoked furiously.
"Hiruzen... The enemy has probably already left the village with the Scroll of Seals. Searching the village is meaningless now," Utatane Koharu advised.
"We need to issue a wanted notice throughout the Shinobi World and offer a bounty to anyone who provides information," Mitokado Homura said.
"I'll cooperate with the investigation. All Root forces outside the village are at your disposal." Even Danzo said this.
Danzo was in a terrible mood. Although this was a massive blunder during Hiruzen Sarutobi's term, the enemy was clearly vicious beyond measure.
He had killed an elder of the Sarutobi Clan and stolen the Scroll of Seals.
If he dared to kill members of the Sarutobi Clan, then what about the Shimura Clan?
The forbidden techniques in the Scroll of Seals had been created by their teacher, Senju Tobirama. Every one of them was sinister to the extreme.
Shimura Danzō let out a long sigh.
For once, he did not attack Hiruzen Sarutobi.
That was because he understood Hiruzen Sarutobi very well.
Danzo did not even need to attack him. By now, everyone in Konoha, civilians and ninjas alike, had begun to feel deep dissatisfaction with Hiruzen Sarutobi...
To eliminate the fallout.
Hiruzen Sarutobi would probably have no choice but to go to war!
Then, after the war ended, he would hand the position of Hokage to the War Hero who rose to prominence during it!
A flicker passed through Danzo's eyes.
He quickly thought of Namikaze Minato, who had recently been shining on the front lines and had already killed countless Cloud Village Ninjas.
So... if I want to become the next Hokage, my rival will be Namikaze Minato?
Danzo pondered...
Meanwhile.
Although Third Raikage A gloated over Konoha's chaotic situation, the existence of Namikaze Minato stood before him like a towering mountain, making him burn with anger.
Even his dark skin seemed to be turning red with heat.
He summoned his elite ninjas to discuss a countermeasure.
"Namikaze Minato's Flying Thunder God Technique is far too absurd. Too many ninjas have already died by his hand. Does anyone have a suitable solution?"
Raikage A's gaze swept over everyone, his expression stern.
A ninja spoke. "Lord Raikage, we can try setting traps on the battlefield. Perhaps we can restrict Namikaze Minato's movements."
Raikage A thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Namikaze Minato's sensory abilities are extremely powerful. Ordinary traps will have a hard time deceiving him."
Another person spoke. "Or perhaps we can only advance in formation, moving forward little by little. When we camp at night, we can use Spatial Sealing Jutsu to set up a barrier. Wouldn't it be better to advance steadily like that?"
"That would be far too slow..." the other ninjas complained.
"Is there any better way?"
"This..."
Third Raikage fell into deep thought.
Just as the people of Kumogakure were racking their brains over how to deal with the Golden Reaper, Namikaze Minato, a ninja hurried into the conference room and whispered a few words into Third Raikage's ear.
Raikage A's expression instantly darkened until it seemed capable of dripping water. He slammed his hand onto the table, and it let out a strained, mournful creak.
"Someone is provoking us at the border of Kumogakure and has killed several of our patrol ninjas!"
"Damn it!"
Everyone exchanged glances.
Raikage A paced back and forth, burning with rage. Namikaze Minato had already left him at his wits' end, and now trouble had arisen at the border as well. He felt as though he had fallen into a massive swamp.
No... War itself was a swamp.
"It seems someone is doing this deliberately, trying to scatter our forces. Whoever they are, we cannot let them succeed!" Raikage A said through clenched teeth. "Send an elite squad to the border and deal with those provocateurs. End it quickly! Everyone else will continue discussing strategies for dealing with Namikaze Minato."
However.
By the time the ninjas of Kumogakure arrived, the provocateurs had already disappeared.
And provocateurs appeared somewhere else.
Just as Third Raikage A thought this was one of Konoha's tricks—
Third Tsuchikage—Ōnoki.
Sent an envoy.
"Tsuchikage?"
Raikage A narrowed his eyes.
The envoy brought a message—
To turn hostility into friendship.
Everyone should join forces against Konoha!
After Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki received news of Konoha's internal turmoil, he did not hesitate at all. He immediately deployed troops to harass the border of the Land of Lightning.
He also timed everything carefully, preparing to negotiate with Third Raikage A.
He would console Raikage A and mention his dead son, then forge an alliance against Konoha.
"Ha..."
"The foolish brute has finally paid the price."
Ōnoki sneered.
At the beginning of the war, the Third Kazekage died, leaving Sunagakure leaderless.
The world only knew that Kumogakure had been the first to launch a large-scale invasion of the Land of Wind. They did not know that Iwagakure had been the first to act.
They had simply stopped once they had gained enough.
Under Ōnoki's command, Iwagakure struck first, then stirred up Kumogakure's ambitions.
As expected, Kumogakure launched a large-scale attack.
Afterward, Sunagakure struggled to deal with both countries. Once Iwagakure had gained enough benefits, it withdrew.
At that time, Ōnoki had already wanted to ally with Kumogakure.
Ōnoki judged that Konoha was the strongest force in the current landscape.
Iwagakure and Kumogakure were both challengers.
To change this order, they ought to unite.
Yet he had never expected Third Raikage A to be such an idiot. After Kumogakure launched a massive invasion of the Land of Wind and gained enormous benefits, Third Raikage A had actually begun invading Konoha in the Land of Fire and the Stone Ninja in the Land of Earth at the same time!
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