Shinobi World.
Eastern border of the Land of Wind.
The Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, led an army of ten thousand from Iwagakure. Like a vast flood stretching across the mountains and plains, they surged out of the Country of Birds and poured toward the boundless golden sea of sand.
The entire force was divided into three sections: front, middle, and rear.
At the very front were the scouting units. They were mostly spread out over a wide area in four-man squads.
This was because Sand Village ninja were especially skilled at hiding in the sand.
They could also bury traps laced with deadly poison beneath it.
They had no choice but to proceed cautiously.
The central formation was the main combat force led by Kitsuchi, and it was also the largest contingent.
Most of them were genin skilled in using combined ninjutsu.
Iwagakure's style of warfare was just like this. They did not rely much on individual powerhouses and preferred to overwhelm their enemies through powerful teamwork.
The rear formation served as the command headquarters, with Onoki, the Third Tsuchikage himself, overseeing it.
Its core personnel consisted of several special units, including Iwagakure's ANBU, demolition corps, medical corps, and sealing corps. Naturally, there were also regular ninja units tasked with guarding them.
At the same time.
Over at the Hidden Rain Village.
The young A likewise led the five thousand Cloud Village troops he had brought with him, along with nearly eight hundred ninja from Hidden Waterfall Village and Grass Village who had joined later, charging fiercely toward the Land of Loulan.
At his side.
Was a man wearing a metal helmet with anti-poison properties.
Hanzō!
A powerful helper A had traded the Two-Tails for—a man whom most people in the current Shinobi World regarded as the "pinnacle of ninja"!
According