Three days later, on the northern border of the Land of Rivers.
If the Ninja World had satellites, they would have spotted countless tiny dots appearing all along the border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Rivers.
Even without satellites, anyone standing somewhere high enough and looking out would have seen it.
In every direction, countless three-man squads of Sand shinobi were spread out, entering the Land of Rivers and then advancing toward the Land of Fire.
A dozen kilometers away, Hyuga Hoshishaku watched the invading Sand shinobi through his Byakugan, the corners of his mouth gradually curling into a cruel smile.
Standing beside him, Hyuga Yunfei and Hyuga Kenshi also had their Byakugan activated. They both caught the expression on their young lord's face and couldn't help shuddering.
By now, Hoshishaku could see that most of the Sand shinobi had already crossed into the Land of Rivers.
So he silently entered Sage Mode, then shifted into the "God of Paper" state.
He sensed the natural materials around him that he had tampered with.
Soil, flowers, grass, stones, trees.
Silently, he reestablished his connection to them.
Hoshishaku had visited the border of the Land of Rivers a year ago, specifically to lay his traps in advance.
And not just along the border of the Land of Rivers.
He had injected plenty of chakra into suitable battlefields along the borders of every country surrounding the Land of Fire, altering the natural materials there.
Using the ability Konan had given him, he could transform these natural materials into Explosive Tags with chakra, then turn them back into their original forms to disguise them.
When he wanted to use them, he only had to establish a connection to instantly switch the altered materials into the form of Explosive Tags.
In