In the mountains of the Land of Earth, large numbers of elite troops from the Rock Ninja Assault Force were mobilizing toward the border.
Several years earlier, this same elite force had attacked Kusagakure, only to meet its destined nemesis, the Yellow Flash. A series of small-scale raids had all but wiped it out.
Now, nearly ten years later, the Rock Ninja Assault Force had finally recovered and was reaching into the Land of Grass again.
The Land of Grass was covered in plains and forests. The Land of Fire might have thought little of it, but the Land of Earth considered it fertile territory.
Unlike last time, however, Iwagakure was not waging war on Kusagakure. It was helping it.
War took many forms. In this age of peace, an old fox like Ōnoki certainly would not hand others ammunition against him by casually starting a conflict.
Besides, Iwagakure had a better way to control Kusagakure than seizing its territory.
"Lord Ōnoki, are we really going to cross Kusagakure's border? If word gets out, public opinion will turn against our country."
After taking a head count, a Rock Ninja ANBU appeared before Ōnoki and asked cautiously.
"Relax. This time, we're helping the Grass Ninja repel an attack..." Floating in midair, Ōnoki smiled as he looked down at the Land of Grass below the mountains.
Under normal circumstances, they could not cross into Kusagakure's territory.
But after Konoha convened that conference, Iwagakure had also recognized the Akatsuki's "threat" and begun searching for its whereabouts within their country.
Their meticulous investigation had confirmed that the Akatsuki was active in Kusagakure and had colluded with it.
As for why he was so certain, a meaningful smile appeared on Ōnoki's face.
Several months earlier, he had happened across the Akatsuki, then followed the trail