The eerie calm had indeed lasted only a few days.
Three days later, Sunagakure could no longer suppress the internal strife dividing the village into two factions. The suna-nin Elder Council, led by Elder Chiyo, decided to turn their internal conflict into an external one.
Otherwise, before the war even began, Sunagakure would likely fall apart on its own.
Thus, Sunagakure announced to the entire Shinobi World:
Their Third Kazekage, hailed as the strongest Kazekage in history, was dead!
The moment this news emerged, the entire Shinobi World was thrown into an uproar.
A Kage was the highest leader of a village, its symbol, the pillar supporting all its ninja. The Third Kazekage had been in his prime—how could he simply die?
What stirred the Shinobi World even more was Sunagakure's claim that the culprit behind the assassination of their Third Kazekage was Konoha!
They had openly pointed the finger at Konoha. Their intentions were obvious.
Sunagakure and Konoha had long harbored irreconcilable conflicts. During the Second Great Ninja War, countless suna-nin had died at the hands of Konoha Ninja, including Elder Chiyo's two daughters-in-law, both exceptionally gifted Kage-level experts!
The man who had killed them and risen to fame in that battle was Hatake Sakumo, known as the "Konoha White Fang."
Although White Fang was now dead, Chiyo's hatred for Konoha had not diminished in the slightest.
For Chiyo, who wielded immense influence in Sunagakure, her grudge against Konoha naturally became Sunagakure's grudge against Konoha.
Thus, the first bird everyone in the Shinobi World had been waiting for finally emerged.
It was neither the ever-restless iwa-nin nor the mist ninja, whose intentions had been the most obvious, but the suna-nin, who had quietly kept their heads down all this time.
But whoever it was, their appearance was good news for the other Hidden Villages.
Sunagakure unanimously approved this explanation.
Though many people could see that the Third Kazekage's death was highly suspicious, no one dared speak up under the circumstances. With everyone's hostility directed outward, their internal conflicts naturally dissolved.
The very next day, Elder Chiyo and Ebizo led Sunagakure's forces into the Land of Rain, pressing directly toward the Land of Fire's border.
At the same time, Ōnoki of Both Scales, the Third Tsuchikage and leader of Iwagakure, announced to the entire Shinobi World that the iwa-nin were likewise declaring war on Konoha. He denounced Konoha's unjust act of assassinating another Hidden Village's leader.
Anyone with eyes could tell that Iwagakure was merely using this as a pretext. They had long been unable to hold themselves back.
The Third Tsuchikage was a crafty old schemer. It was his restless maneuvering that had first plunged the Shinobi World into turmoil. He created the impression that Iwagakure was about to attack Konoha while openly and covertly provoking the other Hidden Villages, forming the illusion that Konoha was about to be besieged and making war inevitable.
The simultaneous declarations of war from the suna-nin and iwa-nin placed Konoha in an extremely passive position.
But misfortunes never came alone. What truly dragged Konoha into the mire of war was its ally, Kumogakure, unilaterally tearing up their alliance and attacking Konoha with an army led by the Third Raikage!
For a time, three of the Four Great Hidden Villages surrounding Konoha had launched war against it.
Ironically, Kirigakure, which had been so active before, fell utterly silent at this moment. No one knew what Kirigakure was considering.
The Shinobi World, once peaceful, had become like this in the span of merely three or four days.
The minor Hidden Villages and ordinary civilians alike lived in constant fear.
The entire Shinobi World was gripped by panic over war.
Konoha.
The highest conference room in the Hokage Building.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, Shimura Danzō, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura—the four highest leaders of Konoha—presided over this meeting.
Every Jonin currently in Konoha attended.
Danzo, seated beside Hiruzen Sarutobi, looked at him with unconcealed resentment in his eyes.
Again.
It had become like this again.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's indecisiveness had put Konoha in the awkward position of facing three Great Hidden Villages at once.
If Hiruzen Sarutobi had listened to him sooner and launched the first attack, crushing any one of those villages, Konoha would not have become so passive.
Even against the powerful Iwagakure, Danzo was confident that in a one-on-one fight, Iwagakure would never be Konoha's match.
Destroy one to intimidate the remaining Three Great Hidden Villages. Once Konoha recovered, it would possess the strength to swallow the entire Shinobi World whole.
Unfortunately, it was all too late.
Hiruzen Sarutobi knew of his old friend's resentment, but he did not regret it. He had his own principles, his own ideals.
Those things stood above everything else.
After briefly explaining the situation to all the Jonin present, the entire conference room fell silent, while a faint killing intent steadily grew heavier.
Konoha did not like war and would not start wars, but that did not mean it feared war!
Hiruzen Sarutobi was very satisfied with this display of spirit.
This was what he had always stood for.
"Orochimaru, Jiraiya, Tsunade." Hiruzen Sarutobi called the names of his three most trusted disciples.
They were one of Konoha's greatest foundations.
A faint smile lingered at the corner of Orochimaru's lips as he licked them, saying nothing.
Jiraiya rose boldly to his feet, shedding his usual playful attitude toward the Shinobi World. When Jiraiya became serious, he was entirely trustworthy.
Tsunade's presence was not as imposing as those two, but she possessed a pair of formidable weapons neither of them could compare to. Once those weapons emerged, even gods would step aside.
"Orochimaru, the Land of Waterfalls. Jiraiya, the Land of Hot Water. Tsunade, the Land of Rain!" Hiruzen Sarutobi assigned the three their complex battlefields with concise clarity.
With a wave of his hand, he said, "Make your preparations and depart as soon as possible!"
The three nodded and turned to leave at once.
As they departed, many of the Jonin in the conference room left with them.
There was no excessive prewar mobilization. After preparing for war for so long, nearly everything that needed to be prepared had already been handled during the Chunin Exams.
Though they had not expected Sunagakure rather than Iwagakure to be the first to step forward, the result was the same.
After the large number of Jonin left, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Danzo.
As old partners who had worked together for decades, Danzo understood Hiruzen Sarutobi's meaning with a single look.
Though Danzo greatly disliked Hiruzen Sarutobi's indecisiveness, this was clearly not the time to argue.
He slowly rose while leaning on his cane. "If Kirigakure dares land on shore, none of them will be returning."
A chilling killing intent surged from the aged Danzo.
Looking at the conference room, now half-empty, Hiruzen Sarutobi let out a heavy sigh.
Whether Konoha could endure this crisis depended on whether their efforts over the years had borne fruit.
Whenever times like this came, Hiruzen Sarutobi could not help thinking of Hatake Sakumo.
If Hatake Sakumo were still here, Konoha would surely be able to face this far more calmly.
Though he was the Hokage, various reasons prevented him from taking the battlefield. He needed to remain behind in Konoha, overseeing the rear and coordinating the overall situation.
Once he took the field, it would mean Konoha had exhausted every last resort. It would be a signal that would provoke even fiercer assaults from the major villages.
"Everyone, let us protect Konoha together. Make every preparation so that our comrades on the battlefield can fight without worry."
"Yes!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Nara Shikaku. "Shikaku, I will leave the deployment of the supply lines to you."
"Yes!"
He could only hope that, in these chaotic times, Konoha would produce more heroes. More, and more, and more.
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