Second Shinobi World War... The War Begins!

Land of Rain.

Konoha ninja camp.

Looking at the "thing" on the operating table, Orochimaru's expression was somewhat unsightly.

It was a mass of black matter that constantly twisted and writhed, emitting a dull, muffled humming sound, with gray puppet fragments mixed between its tentacles.

The fragments came from the shattered remains of the Chikamatsu Ten Puppets, each piece carrying the wisdom and lifeblood of two generations of the strongest puppeteers.

After collecting them, Orochimaru had dismantled them and embedded them into the Earth Grudge Fear tentacles in a specific order.

Furthermore, based on the characteristic of Earth Grudge Fear being able to extract Chakra from hearts, Orochimaru had used ninja body tissues collected from the battlefield as filling and adhesive material.

It had taken two months to assemble this... indescribable, gray-black monster that possessed no human form.

"You've ruined the Earth Grudge Fear."

Kaminazuki spoke with a flat expression.

Orochimaru remained silent for a long while, his gaze shifting away from the monster on the operating table.

"It isn't ruined; this is merely part of the construction process... you know, newborn babies are never pretty, but they perfect themselves as they grow."

"No, according to the photos my mother left behind, I was good-looking even as an infant."

"Individual cases cannot serve as a rebuttal to experimental data, and your belief that you are good-looking is purely a matter of self-perception, lacking objectivity..."

"Cut the talk, just tell me when I can use it."

Kaminazuki rolled his eyes at Orochimaru.

Ever since the encounter with Chiyo, Kaminazuki had returned to the camp to familiarize himself with developing techniques, while Orochimaru had gone off to execute missions with Jiraiya and the others.

Not long after, Orochimaru had returned with the fully charged Earth Grudge Fear, saying he wanted to test that crazy hypothesis of his.

Namely, to transform the Earth Grudge Fear into a humanoid cursed tool capable of autonomously absorbing Chakra.

Regarding Orochimaru's ideas, Kaminazuki was generally quite indulgent.

Orochimaru pondered, his pale fingers rubbing his chin as he whispered: "The problem now lies in stabilization; it lacks a shell to contain it..."

"Apologies, you likely won't be able to use the Earth Grudge Fear anytime soon; I require more experiments."

"It is fortunate that this is a battlefield, so there is no shortage of experimental subjects..."

"How long have you been conducting human experiments?" Kaminazuki asked suddenly.

Orochimaru let out a soft breath: "The first time was about six years ago... it was an experiment involving the First Hokage's cells."

"I wouldn't say I participated; Danzo allowed me to observe a few times."

"This is a top-secret matter of the village, you... never mind, that project was halted anyway."

"After the First Hokage passed away, the Second Hokage, in order to recreate the invincible power of Wood Release, set to work on researching the First's cells."

"After the Second Hokage sacrificed himself, Hiruzen, who succeeded him, led the transplant experiments of the First's cells to address the village's lack of combat power."

"However, even the Senju clansmen could not withstand the First's cells, resulting in numerous sacrifices, and the experiment was terminated."

A look of fascination appeared in Orochimaru's eyes as he exclaimed: "It is unimaginable... to maintain such vitality years after death; how powerful must the First Hokage have been while he was alive!"

As he spoke, he suddenly stopped and looked at Kaminazuki.

"Are you repulsed, Kaminazuki-kun?"

"I don't like it, but it is understandable."

"However..."

Kaminazuki looked at Orochimaru with deep meaning, his voice soft: "If anyone dares to lay a hand on my family, I will slaughter everyone involved, the Hokage included."

Jiraiya and Tsunade often felt his methods were too ruthless.

That was only because they hadn't spent enough time with Kaminazuki.

Orochimaru coughed a few times to ease the awkwardness: "How could that be? The Uchiha are important companions of the village. Regarding the research on the First's cells, Hiruzen also obtained Mito's consent..."

He dared not mention that among the Second Hokage's experimental materials, there were records of Madara Uchiha.

If Kaminazuki found out, the Second Hokage's grave would likely be in trouble.

Orochimaru sealed the hissing, twisted product from the operating table into a scroll, and the tent suddenly became much quieter.

He felt that letting a child like Kaminazuki see something so... unbeautiful required a gentler topic.

He said softly:

"Kaminazuki, do you miss your parents?"

Before Kaminazuki could answer, a curve tugged at the corners of Orochimaru's mouth: "My parents were Konoha shinobi who sacrificed themselves during the First Shinobi World War."

"So much time has passed that I have almost forgotten what they looked like..."

The guy who would eventually transform into a cold-blooded monster revealed a trace of imperceptible sorrow in his eyes.

Kaminazuki strode toward the exit and pulled back the heavy curtain.

Not wanting to answer, are you...

Orochimaru gave a shallow smile and was about to turn away.

"The sorrow brought by missing someone is also a beautiful feeling."

Sunlight spilled onto the boy's face, the wind stirred his hair, and light and shadow flickered across his features.

Compared to that shout, this calm voice left a deeper mark in Orochimaru's heart.

He couldn't help but shake his head with a wry smile.

"Kaminazuki... ah..."

--

--

--

Another year and more passed.

Early in the 32nd year of Konoha.

Friction between the three great nations in the Land of Rain gradually escalated.

Iwagakure poured a massive amount of troops into the battlefield, forcing Konoha to increase its own defensive forces.

The Land of Earth had a harsh environment with little land for growing crops; those who could survive in such brutal conditions could essentially be turned into combatants just by being handed a set of ninja tools, whereas the borders of the Land of Fire were filled with farming households.

Once Iwagakure seized the Land of Rain, there would be no buffer between the two great nations, which would be extremely disadvantageous for the Land of Fire.

Sunagakure went without saying; they were even poorer than the Land of Earth.

Even if they couldn't invade Konoha, just fighting in the Land of Rain was enough for them to recoup their costs.

The factor that ignited the war was profit, and what sustained the war was hatred.

And the civilians of the Land of Rain...

In this game of chess between great nations, they bore the greatest pain.

Incidents of shinobi accidentally killing, or deliberately slaughtering, Amegakure civilians occurred constantly.

Regarding this...

The leader of the Land of Rain, the long-suffering Hanzo of the Salamander, officially declared war on the three great nations!

"Hanzo? That guy who wears a respirator?"

"Hahaha! What a joke, who does he think he is!"

"Just because he beat a small country like the Land of Iron, he thinks he can talk back to the great nations? How ignorant!"

"A leader of a mere small ninja village should just hide in a corner and struggle to survive; why is he acting so tough!"

"Exactly, remember when we were in the Land of Grass, the way the Kusagakure leader was so timid? It was hilarious!"

"Don't say that, Hanzo is still quite strong; ordinary jonin are likely no match for him."

"So what?"

"How many jonin does Amegakure have? How many shinobi do we have?!"

"No matter how strong he is, can he withstand our Iwagakure army of thousands?!"

The shinobi of the three great nations didn't take Hanzo's declaration of war seriously at all, treating it as nothing more than the barking of an incompetent dog.

Half a month later...

The world witnessed what kind of terrifying power this shinobi, who had grown up amidst the toxic fumes of the Salamander, truly possessed.

In a single night.

The Iwagakure shinobi stationed within the Land of Rain suffered heavy casualties, with thousands of them routed and fleeing!!

One against a thousand, a total victory!

The name of Hanzo of the Salamander shook the shinobi world!

Thus, the Second Shinobi World War...

Began!!