In a low-lying hollow of Mount Myoboku, the Toad Triad looked at the growing number of humans around them and listened to the cries of the toads ringing in their ears, rage burning inside them.
The hot-tempered Gamabunta blasted a great cloud of smoke from his nostrils.
"Humans! Where did you come from?! Why have you invaded the sacred land of Mount Myoboku?!" Gamabunta's yellow eyes swept over the ninjas opposite him.
He realized that not only were they numerous, they were also equipped with many weapons capable of firing kunai and even ninjutsu. Judging by their forehead protectors, however, they did not belong to any of the traditional shinobi villages of the Five Great Nations, but—Hoshinin!
"Ninjas from the Star Nation?" Gamabunta's expression turned grave.
He had a decent relationship with Jiraiya, and had once heard him mention that a newly risen nation had appeared in the west of the Shinobi World's continent. Not only had it annexed several small and mid-sized countries, it had even destroyed Sunagakure, one of the traditional Five Great Shinobi Villages, in the war several years ago and annexed the Land of Wind.
And now, they had actually found the passage leading to the sacred land of Mount Myoboku and led so many ninjas in to kill their way inside!
"We are Star Ninja." Hizashi Hyuga flickered through space and landed on a broad leaf not far in front of the Toad Triad. He took a paper investigation order from his sleeve and called out loudly to the Toad Triad, "As a nonhuman force existing outside the Shinobi World, Mount Myoboku should have remained independent from the Shinobi World. Yet now you have interfered in Shinobi World affairs and incited Iwagakure to wage war against the Star Nation. The evidence is conclusive. We are