Aramaki's operation was underway.
Meanwhile.
On Iwagakure's side, the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, personally led ten thousand Iwagakure ninja into the Country of Birds, which bordered the Land of Wind.
As for A, the future Fourth Raikage.
Only around twenty-five years old, he led five thousand Cloud Village ninja.
They traveled through the Land of the Moon, Land of Hot Water, Land of Sound, Land of Iron, Land of Waterfalls, and Land of Grass—numerous small countries wedged between the Land of Earth and the Land of Fire.
They officially stationed themselves in the Land of Rain beside the Country of Birds.
This time, they did not need to take a massive detour by sea, making the journey much more comfortable.
After all, the daimyos of the four countries had jointly issued a declaration of war against the Land of Wind. For the time being, they did not have to worry about other countries obstructing their passage through the Shinobi World.
As for the small countries along the way, some chose to ignore them, such as the pacifist Land of Hot Water, known as the "Land That Forgot War," as well as the neutral Land of Iron.
Others actively cooperated. The Land of Grass and the Land of Waterfalls, for example, not only provided food, fresh water, and medicine, but also asked to send some ninja to participate in the campaign.
The intentions of those two countries were simple.
They believed that with the four major Ninja Villages joining forces, the Land of Wind had no chance of victory. By contributing a little now, they might receive preferential access to the major countries' resources afterward.
To put it bluntly, they wanted to kick a dog when it was down.
A was rather disdainful of the actions of those two countries.
Still, they