The Third Shinobi World War soon began picking up speed.
The two prospective Fourth Kage of Konoha and Kumogakure clashed for the first time, and that battle showed Kumogakure just how formidable the Yellow Flash was.
Through sheer strength, Minato proved exactly why shinobi were permitted to abandon their missions and flee if they encountered the Yellow Flash.
Meanwhile, on the Land of Wind front, the plan to pass through the Land of Fire to reinforce the Third Raikage had failed. His situation on the front lines grew increasingly difficult, until he finally had to admit that his plan to attack the Land of Wind had been far too optimistic.
In the end, he withdrew from the Land of Wind with his remaining subordinates, abandoning his invasion.
Kumogakure's invasion had been successfully repelled, earning Rasa immense prestige. With full legitimacy, he dropped the "Acting" from Acting Kazekage and officially became Sunagakure's Fourth Kazekage.
The Third Raikage was a ruthless man, too. No sooner had he returned from his defeat in the Land of Wind than he gathered his forces and launched an attack on the Land of Earth.
At the same time, to retaliate against Konoha for refusing him passage, which had cut off his supplies on the Land of Wind front and forced him to abandon his invasion, the Third Raikage ordered his son to take Killer B and officially invade the Land of Fire, declaring war on Konoha.
War on two fronts. That took some serious balls.
At the Chiba Commerce Association's branch in the Land of Grass, Tetsuya clicked his tongue as he read the latest battle reports coming in from across the shinobi world.
"Things sure are lively. Kumogakure is something else. They're like a dog gone rabid, biting anyone they can get their teeth into."