Hanzō's Frantic Probing

Yuan Shi generally agreed with Qing Si's plan, but he wanted to refine it further based on Qing Si's proposal, considering every possible scenario and preparing contingency plans.

"All right, organize your ideas and write me a formal report. Once I've revised it, I'll speak with the Mizukage."

"Yes!" Qing Si answered respectfully, his tone carrying a hint of excitement that his plan had been recognized by his grandfather.

However, Qing Si could not have imagined that two people would disrupt the operation in the Land of Whirlpools: one was Konoha's pot-shadow, Danzō Shimura, who would provide him with the best possible assist, while the other was Madara Uchiha, secretly fanning the flames from the shadows.

Yuan Shi was also a man of action. After Qing Si handed him the proposal scroll, he spent another day making more detailed revisions before meeting with Bing, the Third Mizukage, and ultimately persuading him.

Time flew by, and soon it was June of Hidden Mist Year 34.

Qing Si's strength had already come extremely close to Kage Level. Even against a Kage Level expert, he would not be at a disadvantage. After all, he was an Otsutsuki Clan member, and the only thing he lacked was a pair of "eyes"...!

Although Qing Si could clearly sense the power around his eyes constantly growing, and his connection to the Daikokuten Dimension left behind by Isshiki becoming increasingly distinct, he still had not awakened eyes of his own.

Perhaps what he needed was some kind of opportunity...!

In July of Hidden Mist Year 34, Hidden Rain, led by Hanzō of the Salamander, launched attacks in every direction. On July 1, he led his ninja in seizing two towns along the Land of Grass border. Seeing that the nearby Land of Earth and Land of Fire merely verbally condemned his actions without taking any real measures, he struck again on July 10, occupying every town along the Rain-Grass border. The pitiful fence-sitting Land of Grass had been abandoned by the two great nations of Earth and Fire.

As for Ōnoki, the Third Tsuchikage, he simply was not prepared yet and had no desire to face Hanzō while he was at the height of his momentum. On Hiruzen Sarutobi's side, after a round of analysis from the crouching dragon Homura Mitokado and fledgling phoenix Koharu Utatane, they concluded that Hanzō would stop after conquering the surrounding minor nations. They did not believe in the slightest that he intended to wage war against the Land of Fire and Konoha. Poor pot-shadow Danzō Shimura was ignored once again.

On July 23 of Hidden Mist Year 34, Hanzō moved out once more. This time, he targeted the Land of Birds, and before other nations could react, he swiftly occupied the entire country.

The Land of Birds had no ninja village. Relying on a group of wandering ninja and samurai, it fell before it could mount any effective resistance. Its daimyo and nobles fled in disarray to the Land of Wind, seeking refuge with its daimyo.

Once they came to their senses, the Land of Earth and Hidden Rock, along with the Land of Wind and Hidden Sand, hurriedly issued condemnations against Hanzō, demanding that he return the occupied Land of Birds. They also each sent envoys to Hidden Rain, hoping to uncover Hanzō's true intentions.

Having so easily doubled the territory controlled by the Land of Rain and Hidden Rain, Hanzō became ever more swollen with the thrill of expansion. Within the Land of Rain and Hidden Rain, from the daimyo and nobles down to the village's ninja and ordinary civilians, everyone cheered for the hero who had led them to open new lands: Hanzō of the Salamander, the demigod.

Seeing that the great nations still had taken no concrete action and were limiting themselves to verbal condemnation, Hanzō decided to make one final probe.

On August 8 of Hidden Mist Year 34, Hanzō of the Salamander held a large-scale exercise near the border between the Land of Rain and the Land of Fire. After the exercise ended, he claimed that three ninja had gone missing—two Chunin and one Jonin. Using that as an excuse, he demanded entry into the Land of Fire to search for them.

Naturally, the Konoha ninja stationed at the border sternly refused. Yet relying on his immense strength, Hanzō forcibly entered the Land of Fire while surrounded by Konoha ninja, swaggered about for a while, then left unharmed.

When the news reached Konoha, pot-shadow Danzō Shimura clearly stated that Hanzō was very likely preparing to attack Konoha and strongly advocated taking the initiative to wage war against Hanzō and Hidden Rain.

But after another round of analysis from the crouching dragon and fledgling phoenix, Hiruzen Sarutobi still believed Hanzō was merely making a show of force and would not truly attack. Helpless, the pot-shadow could only leave behind another, "Hiruzen, you'll regret this!" before slamming the door and leaving.

Another ten days quickly passed. Seeing that Konoha showed no reaction whatsoever, Hanzō got the answer he wanted and finally made up his mind.

(The original work's setting for ninja numbers is rather contradictory. During the Third Shinobi World War, the Third Raikage died of exhaustion after being besieged by ten thousand Hidden Rock ninja. An old man as shrewd as Ōnoki would not have brought too many ordinary Genin, would he? Therefore, I think at least half of those ten thousand ninja should have been Chunin or above.)

(So, at the beginning of the Second Shinobi World War, Hanzō led Hidden Rain in suppressing both Hidden Sand and Konoha at once, and even defeated them. The average quality of Rain ninja was certainly inferior to that of the great ninja villages, so apart from Hanzō's own formidable strength and the Salamander's poison being suited to large-scale battles, the only explanation is that Hidden Rain had overwhelming numbers at the time.)

(The Rain ninja were relatively weak, though. Most Jonin were probably ordinary Jonin, with very few Elite Jonin. Their main advantage was sheer numbers. And whether it was Hidden Sand, Hidden Rock, or Konoha, none of them could possibly send all their ninja to the battlefield at once. They had to leave people behind to guard their homes and remain wary of other villages.)

(Hidden Sand and Hidden Mist both followed elite-focused policies. They had more elite ninja, but fewer total ninja than Konoha. Hidden Cloud was about the same as Konoha, while Hidden Rock was particularly good at mass-producing troops and fought in legion formations, so it might have had more Genin and Chunin.)

(Here's an interesting calculation for everyone. During the Fourth War, the Shinobi Allied Forces had eighty thousand ninja. Konohamaru said Genin had to remain in the villages to protect civilians and were not allowed to fight, so the weakest participants were Chunin. Even if the five ninja villages and the Land of Iron split those people evenly, each side would have sent thirteen thousand. So guess how many Jonin and how many Chunin there would be among those thirteen thousand? Kishimoto doesn't know a damn thing about Naruto. He's a manga artist, and he never made the numbers clear...)

(Those of you reading can leave comments and discuss it. This original setting really is a massive pitfall.)