The main world.
Spring, Year 30 of Konoha.
The Land of Fire, at the border.
The snow had melted.
The ground was black, the mud soft enough for feet to sink into. On the distant hills, withered grass had yet to turn green and shivered in the wind. Spring had come, but spring on the battlefield was harder to endure than winter-the snow had melted, the roads were open, and the enemy's hoofbeats were drawing closer.
There had been several outposts along the border. Now they were empty. They had not withdrawn; they had died. The Land of Lightning's army had crossed the border three days earlier, fifty thousand strong, divided into three forces. One advanced along the northern route, targeting the granaries in the northern Land of Fire; one drove straight down the central route, targeting Konoha; one swept around along the southern route, aiming to sever the connection between the Land of Fire and Rōran. All three advanced together, like three sharp knives plunging into the Land of Fire's belly.
Konoha, the Hokage Office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood before the map with his hands clasped behind his back, wearing the Hokage hat and a white Hokage Ceremonial Robe. Before him was a map of the Land of Fire. On it, three red arrows extended from the Land of Lightning, piercing the Land of Fire's territory. The northern arrow had already crossed the border, the central arrow had already crossed the border, and the southern arrow had crossed it too. Vast stretches of land had turned red.
Mitokado Homura stood behind him, holding the battle report that had just arrived.
"Third Hokage, the northern line has fallen. Yuze Castle has been lost. Of the twelve hundred defenders, nine hundred were killed and two hundred wounded. The rest... ran."
Hiruzen Sarutobi