Konoha Year 39, August.
To lull the Hidden Leaf Village into complacency, Sunagakure sent out a false signal that it wanted peace. It dispatched diplomats to the Land of Fire and signed a non-aggression pact with Konoha.
One week after the pact was signed.
Konoha Year 39, September 1.
Sunagakure secretly mobilized its forces and launched a surprise attack on its neighbor, the Land of River, before the surrounding nations had time to react.
The Land of Fire, another neighbor of the Land of River, got word of the attack. To prevent Sunagakure from annexing the Land of River and threatening its own territory, it responded swiftly, sending troops into the Land of River on September 17.
On October 6, the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire occupied the entire territory of the Land of River.
After the battle in the Land of River ended, the Hidden Leaf Village had intended to maintain peaceful relations with Sunagakure.
It gave Sunagakure a warning to withdraw from the Land of River within 48 hours.
But, unexpectedly, Sunagakure tore up the non-aggression pact and launched a surprise attack on the Hidden Leaf Village's forces, inflicting heavy casualties. Nearly 500 Leaf shinobi were killed or wounded.
When the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi heard the news, he flew into a rage. Realizing Sunagakure's treacherous ambitions, the Hidden Leaf Village declared war on Sunagakure on October 8, Konoha Year 39, and sent a force of 5,000 shinobi led by Hatake Sakumo into the Land of River.
From that day on, the Hidden Leaf Village and Sunagakure were once again plunged into war.
Inside the Hokage Office of the Hidden Leaf Village.
The Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk.
Two senior Advisors, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, along with the Hokage Assistant, Shimura Danzō, sat across from him.
Hiruzen slammed his palm onto the desk, shattering it with the blow.
Anyone could see how furious he was.
"Damn that Third Kazekage! Has he forgotten who he is? He actually dares to wage war against Konoha!"
Those were five hundred shinobi!
Damn the Third Kazekage! Did he have any idea how long it took me to train five hundred shinobi?!
"By the way, what was the Third Kazekage's surname again?" Mitokado Homura asked at just the wrong moment.
Utatane Koharu furrowed her brows, sensing something amiss. "He had a name?"
"That's enough! Both of you shut up, you idiots!"
Why had I ever made you two Advisors?
What about Torifu?
I must've been too young back then. You fooled me with that air of cleverness. I should've chosen Torifu Akimichi!
At least I'd made one good decision back then.
Thinking of this, Hiruzen looked at Shimura Danzō.
"Danzō, what do you think?"
"Let me go, Hiruzen!" Shimura Danzō looked at him eagerly.
You really never give up, do you?!
After a long silence, Hiruzen said reluctantly, "All right. You'll be in charge of the battlefield in the Land of River."
The Land of Wind was the second-largest nation after the Land of Fire. Hiruzen didn't trust the younger generation to command the battlefield.
And the Land of Fire lay at the center of the nations. He had to stay in the village to guard against other countries.
As for Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, it was enough if those two deadweights didn't get in the way. They'd be even less reliable on a battlefield than the younger generation!
After a moment's thought, Hiruzen added, "I'll send Orochimaru and Tsunade to assist you."
"Understood. Have them get ready. We'll leave for the Land of River in three days." Shimura Danzō didn't refuse; he accepted Hiruzen's order.
Danzō was already delighted to be going to the battlefield. It was a great chance to earn prestige.
But he couldn't ask for more. Hiruzen wouldn't agree to any other demands.
Three days later, Konoha assembled another force of 3,000 shinobi. Led by Shimura Danzō, Tsunade, and Orochimaru, they set out for the battlefield in the Land of River.
This time, each shinobi clan sent some of its members to join the force.
What's more, the Uchiha Clan finally got the chance to fight in a war that they had long dreamed of. They sent more than three hundred shinobi to take part.
It was said that Shimura Danzō had secured the opportunity for them.
The next morning.
Senju Genma, Uzumaki Kushina, and Uzumaki Mito arrived outside the clan compound. Six Jonin from the Senju Clan followed behind them.
The transfer of the Nine-Tails was confidential. Aside from Genma and the others, only Hiruzen Sarutobi knew about it.
So the Jonin only knew that they were escorting Uzumaki Mito somewhere. They had no idea what would happen once they got there.
The group arrived at Konoha Forest, outside the village.
Hiruzen, dressed in a black combat uniform, had been waiting there for some time.
Standing beside him was a broad-built man: Torifu Akimichi.
Genma sensed at least three Anbu squads guarding the area around the forest.
Uzumaki Mito walked past the two men with Genma and Kushina, leaving the Senju Jonin behind.
Hiruzen and Torifu remained silent, their heads bowed like children who had done something wrong.
By the time Uzumaki Mito entered the forest, Torifu's eyes had already reddened.
Hiruzen raised his pipe to take a puff and calm himself, only to realize he'd crushed the stem in his grip.
"Hiruzen, the sealing is about to begin. I'll go patrol the north side." After saying this, Torifu turned and strode away.
Hiruzen watched Torifu's carefree retreat and cursed his own weakness. He quickly composed himself and personally began patrolling outside the forest.
Only the Anbu hidden in the shadows saw that Torifu Akimichi, usually so imposing, was now crying like a three-hundred-jin child.
"Isn't this place a little too bare-bones? There's only a simple barrier set up by the Anbu. It doesn't feel very safe." Senju Genma kept surveying his surroundings, speaking with some uncertainty.
Uzumaki Kushina was also surprised. Surely something as important as transferring the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki should have been prepared for with the utmost care.
Uzumaki Mito gently answered their questions. "The transfer of the Nine-Tails is important, and this is wartime. A Tailed Beast is a terrifying force that can destroy a nation by itself, so the fewer people who know about this, the better!"
"Besides, transferring the Nine-Tails isn't as complicated as you think. The most important thing is that we don't make any mistakes. Hiruzen and the others are here as an emergency measure in case something goes wrong."
Genma nodded. Though he trusted Uzumaki Mito's abilities, he still left his Flying Thunder God Formula on the outskirts of the forest.
He knew how powerful the Nine-Tails was. Even half of it could fight six opponents at once, making it the strongest Tailed Beast beneath the Ten-Tails. If someone became its Perfect Jinchuriki, their power could reach Super Kage Level. He couldn't afford to be careless.
After walking for two or three minutes, the three of them reached the center of the forest.
A formula had already been drawn on the ground in chakra-infused ink. A few braziers stood on frames around it. The setup was extremely rudimentary.
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