Compared to Konoha and Dawn Hidden Village, where the war on the front lines was brutal, Iwagakure, situated at sea, seemed as though no war had ever taken place. Large numbers of ninja had gathered in the rear to rest and recuperate. Due to Kirigakure's defensive measures, they had abandoned much of the surrounding sea, leaving not even battlefield missions in the area. This leisurely fishing life felt more like a vacation.
A group of Iwagakure ninja sat in a row on a boat, fishing rods in hand as they passed the boring afternoon. They yawned and chatted among themselves.
"Another boring day. Are we fighting some kind of fake Shinobi World War? This is even more comfortable than staying in the village. Without that fossil Tsuchikage keeping watch over us, this is the life I wanted."
"You dare badmouth the Tsuchikage behind his back? The Tsuchikage is the one who secured this life for us. The Fourth Shinobi World War isn't centered on us anyway."
"Thank goodness it isn't. I heard that plenty of people have already died at the heart of the war. Even the powerful Dawn Hidden Village has suffered many ninja casualties."
Quite a few of the ninja present had experienced the Second and Third Shinobi World Wars. Every war had inflicted severe losses upon their villages, and many of their friends and family had died in them. Thus, whenever war was mentioned, their hearts filled with revulsion and fear.
With the alliance's formation, they had thought the Fourth Shinobi World War would become even more brutal. Yet Kirigakure, their opponent, had no desire to fight at all, while Iwagakure followed Ōnoki's orders and idled around in the rear. The Fourth Shinobi World War seemed more like a conflict between Dawn Hidden Village and Konoha.
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