The declaration of war came in an extremely barbaric and undisguised manner.
Without diplomatic notes or ultimatums, just hours after Obito made his decision Obito in the Land of Rain, countless pale, repulsive mushrooms emerged from the shadows, underground, and ditches of the capitals of the Five Great Nations, major ninja villages, and even some important towns.
Ignoring the guards, they breached the barrier and charged towards the offices of various national figures in a suicidal manner. Before being defeated or captured, they screamed in a unified, hollow yet deafening voice...
"In the name of ' Madara Uchiha ' and 'Akatsuki,' I declare war on you mediocre mortals and your corrupt nation!"
" The Fourth Shinobi World War begins immediately!"
"Wail in despair, plead in destruction! Only the dream of the Eye of the Moon Plan is your final resting place!"
After the shout, these strange creatures known as " White Zetsu " quickly turned into a pool of white slime, evaporated and disappeared, leaving behind only shocked and angry people from various countries and ninjas on high alert.
The news spread throughout the Shinobi World with explosive speed. Panic spread like a plague, but after the panic came the utter rage and the resolute determination of the ninjas.
The Land of Iron, a neutral land, the Great Snowfield.
The call to the Five Kage Summit was issued with unprecedented efficiency.
Just three days later, the Five Kage and their guards had gathered in the huge circular council hall provided by Admiral Mifune of the Land of Iron. The atmosphere was so tense it was almost palpable.
"A madman! A complete and utter madman!"
The Fourth Raikage A, slammed his fist into the heavy ironwood table, leaving a clear dent. His body crackled with lightning as he roared in fury, " Madara Uchiha? That ghost who should have died at the Valley of the End? How dare he provoke us like this!"
"Whether they are spirits or not still needs to be verified," Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, his short frame hovering above his seat, his face grim. "But the power of Akatsuki is undeniable. Deidara, Sasori of the Red Sands, Kakuzu, Hidan, and other S-rank missing-nin have all fallen at their hands. Now they dare to openly declare war; they must have something to rely on. Those white monsters are definitely not ordinary clones."
"Their goal is clear," Mei Terumi flicked her long red hair, " The Tailed Beast. Or rather, they want to collect all the Tailed Beast to achieve some unknown and terrifying purpose. They easily captured the Six-Tails from Kirigakure; they are very strong."
"It's not just strong, it's utterly shameless."
Seated in the main seat, Tsunade, who had officially taken over Hokage, placed her hands clasped on the table, her expression serious and her brows furrowed with solemnity. "Their attack on Konoha caused immense destruction and casualties. If Nagato hadn't been moved by their actions and used a forbidden technique to revive all the victims, the consequences would have been unimaginable."
"This is no longer a simple terrorist organization, but an evil source that will drag the entire Shinobi World into war." Her words were tinged with relief; the survival of Kakashi, Shizune, and other Konoha elites was a stroke of luck amidst the disaster.
All eyes finally fell on the Fourth Kazekage Rasa. Compared to several years ago, Rasa's demeanor had undergone a subtle yet profound change.
The lingering gloom and coldness were replaced by a solemn dignity, and his eyes became much clearer.
He spoke slowly, his voice steady yet carrying an undeniable power:
" Sunagakure was the first ninja village to be directly attacked by core members of Akatsuki. Deidara the Azure Dragon and Sasori the Virgin Sasori of the Red Sands have been killed outside Sunagakure."
His words caused the other Kage to freeze in shock. They had all heard of Sasori of the Red Sands's fearsome reputation.
"Their target is Shukaku, the One-Tail beast within Gaara."
Rasa continued, "They failed, and paid the price with their lives. But that doesn't mean the threat is over. On the contrary, it proves Akatsuki's madness and obsession. According to our intelligence, and information shared with Konoha,"
He nodded slightly to Tsunade. "The leader of Akatsuki, the Masked Man who calls himself ' Madara Uchiha,' has plans that go far beyond collecting the Tailed Beast. What he intends to launch is a ' Eye of the Moon Plan ' war aimed at cleansing the existing world order and reshaping the world. This war is not about interests or territory; it is a war for survival, a war for the world's continuation."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present. " Sunagakure proposes that the five nations set aside their past grievances and immediately form an allied Allied Shinobi Forces under unified command to jointly combat Akatsuki and its White Zetsu army, as well as any other potential threats."
"The Allied Forces Headquarters may be located in the Land of Iron. Sunagakure will provide full support, including new reconnaissance puppets, long-range communication technology, some anti-air capabilities, and special tactics for large-scale army operations."
Rasa's speech was concise and to the point, packed with information, and delivered with an extremely high level of composure. This was no longer the Kazekage who needed to calculate every single benefit and was always wary.
The Kage all sensed the changes in Sunagakure and the calm confidence in Rasa's words.
"I second that," Tsunade was the first to speak. " Konoha fully supports the formation of the allied forces and is willing to share all information regarding the abilities of the Akatsuki members, the characteristics of the White Zetsu, and that Masked Man, Madara Uchiha."
" Naruto Uzumaki, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Killer B, the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, are key targets for the enemy and also crucial to our forces. They must be properly deployed."
She emphasized "proper arrangements," which clearly indicates that she has already considered how to place these two "unstable" but powerful combatants, and that they are unlikely to be sent directly to the front lines.
Raikage A snorted coldly, but faced with such a clear shared threat, he said in a deep voice, " Kumogakure agrees. Killer B needs to be kept under control. However, the commander-in-chief of the allied forces must be capable and decisive!"
Ōnoki floated, a glint of light flashing in his old eyes. " Iwagakure can join. But the command of the allied forces, the allocation of supplies, and tactical arrangements must be fair and transparent."
Mei Terumi nodded. " Kirigakure has no objection. When survival is at stake, old grudges can be set aside for now."
General Mifune of the Land of Iron rose and solemnly declared, "Although the Land of Iron is a neutral samurai nation, at this critical juncture for the survival of the Shinobi World, we are willing to offer this place as the headquarters of the allied forces and dedicate the entire nation's resources to supporting the allied forces' logistics and bases. Our samurai are also willing to obey the allied forces' orders and fight together against the powerful enemy!"
"Then," Tsunade looked around at everyone, " the Allied Shinobi Forces are hereby established. As for the commander-in-chief of the Allied Forces..."
After a relatively short but intense and pragmatic discussion, based on seniority, strength, overall perspective and the current situation, the responsibility of the Allied Forces Commander-in-Chief ultimately fell on the shoulders of the Fourth Raikage A, A, with the Fifth Hokage Tsunade, serving as his deputy, responsible for medical care, logistics and tactical advice.
The Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, served as the chief advisor to the Allied Forces; the Fifth Mizukage Mei Terumi, was responsible for intelligence and special tactics coordination; Fourth Kazekage Rasa, was responsible for the Allied Forces' technical equipment, long-range support, and air combat command. Mifune of the Land of Iron was responsible for the logistics and liaison of all Allied Forces troops stationed in the Land of Iron.
With the framework established, detailed orders for the division of combat departments, troop reorganization, and resource allocation were issued like snowflakes from the headquarters of the Land of Iron, flying to all parts of the Shinobi World.
One of the important decisions was to temporarily place Naruto Uzumaki, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, and Killer B, the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, in a secret location behind the Allied Forces headquarters, heavily guarded, and strictly prohibit them from going to the front lines without authorization—a consensus reached with great difficulty by Tsunade and the Raikage due to concerns about their safety and controllability.
Half a month later, on the border of the Land of Iron, a huge plain was formed where the allied forces were assembled.
The wind was biting, but even more chilling than the wind was the oppressive and somber atmosphere in the air, and the silent determination that could ignite passion.
On the plain, the crowds were vast, yet orderly. According to the pre-determined areas, troops from the Five Great Nations of fire, wind, earth, thunder, and water, as well as many smaller nations and warriors from the Land of Iron, stood with their banners bright and their formations impeccable.
The ninjas of Konoha are predominantly dark green. They have sharp eyes, are highly disciplined, and although the wounds from Pain's attack have healed after the light of resurrection, their fighting spirit seems even higher.
Kakashi Hatake stood in the Jonin ranks, his eyes behind the mask calm.
Naruto Uzumaki was not in the main formation here; he and Killer B were being "protected" in the rear, but this was clearly not their intention.
The Kumogakure's troops exude the strongest murderous aura. Most of their ninjas are physically robust, with faint flashes of lightning. Under the leadership of the Fourth Raikage, they resemble sharp blades about to be drawn from their sheaths.
The formation of the Iwagakure was as steady as a mountain, their earthen-yellow attire seemingly blending into the earth. Ōnoki floated in the air, and although he was old, he exuded a powerful and imposing aura that could not be underestimated.
The Kirigakure's forces carried the unique hazy and cold air of the Land of Water. Mei Terumi stood at the front of the formation, her long hair fluttering slightly in the cold wind, her eyes filled with a resolute, icy light.
The warriors of the Land of Iron, their armor gleaming and swords drawn half an inch, stood solemnly like a forest, their demeanor quite different from that of the ninja forces, yet equally resolute.
However, the most eye-catching force, which even drew gasps and sidelong glances from other countries' troops, was the Sunagakure's army from the Land of Wind.
They weren't the last to arrive, but the way they made their entrance stunned the entire audience.
First to descend were the skies. Not the traditional giant Summoning Beast, but three entire formations, more than fifty "Falcon"-style wingsuit golems!
These Puppet Strings, their metal shells gleaming coldly in the thin winter sunlight. With their wings spread, they flew in neat formation low over the assembly plain before landing orderly in the designated area. The puppet hatches opened, and the Sunagakure who stepped out moved swiftly and began setting up temporary command posts and defensive fortifications with expressionless faces.
These puppets not only carry personnel, but are also clearly equipped with various reconnaissance and weapon modules.
Immediately afterwards, the earth trembled slightly. On the newly laid temporary tracks at the edge of the plain, which shimmered with the faint light of Chakra, three uniquely designed " Sand Boat Gale" armored trains, each more than ten cars long, slowly drove in and stopped at the temporary platform.
The carriage opened, and a steady stream of Sunagakure, large puppet parts, and sealed supply crates were efficiently unloaded.
These ninjas were well-equipped, not with traditional ninja armor, but with more form-fitting " Shadow Assault " combat suits featuring clearly modular ports and protective designs. Many of them also carried foldable small hang gliders or jetpacks on their backs.
The Sunagakure Village's ninja formation may not be as numerous as those of Konoha or Kumogakure, but their morale and equipment level are astonishing.
Their ranks were perfectly aligned and silent, with only their eyes scanning their surroundings from beneath their Forehead Protector, observing intently.
Almost everyone was equipped with a standardized tactical vest, on which hung various ninja tool pouches, scroll cases, and small instruments that ninjas from other countries couldn't understand.
Many Chunin Jonin are accompanied by one or more combat puppets of various shapes, but they are obviously more exquisite, with flexible joints, and some even have red eyes that flash with sensory light.
These puppets are more like a combination of efficient killing machines and tools.
Even more striking were their "heavy" troops. More than twenty " Adamantine "-type heavy puppets, each three meters tall and resembling giant steel apes, strode heavily into the position, their arms adorned with rotating Chakra chainsaws or massive cannon barrels.
There were also dozens of " Sasori " self-propelled artillery puppets that resembled giant scorpions, with energy emitters radiating dangerous light at their tails.
The banner of Sunagakure fluttered in the cold wind, under which stood the first to Fourth Kazekage Rasa, Rasa, with Gaara, Temari, Kankuro, and other members of the new generation.
Their auras were calm and powerful, especially Rasa and Gaara, whose subtle but palpable pressure made those with keen senses tremble.
Within the Sunagakure team, those faces that clearly possess special bloodline limits or abilities have also attracted much scrutiny.
"So that's Sunagakure... It's completely different now."
"There are so many of those puppets, and they can even fly?"
"Their equipment looks so sophisticated..."
"I heard that their ' Blue Mountain Haze of the Sand ' Shira has single-handedly defeated numerous powerful individuals."
"With them around, I feel a bit more at ease."
Whispers circulated among troops from various countries. Surprise, curiosity, envy, and vigilance were all mixed together.
However, it cannot be denied that the Sunagakure troops' new look, strict discipline, and powerful technical equipment have given the entire coalition a strong boost of morale.
This is a transformed ally, brimming with unknown power.
Rasa's gaze slowly swept over the massive allied forces, finally meeting the eyes of the Raikage, Tsunade, and others on the distant high platform, where they exchanged slight nods.
The cold wind howled, swirling countless flags. Nearly 80,000 Allied Shinobi Forces stood like a steel forest on the vast snowfields of the Land of Iron.
An aura of impending doom rose into the sky, scattering the drifting clouds high above.
Meanwhile, behind the heavily guarded headquarters of the Allied Forces, Naruto Uzumaki paced anxiously, shouting something at the Kumogakure guarding him;
Killer B, meanwhile, was tapping out a strange rhythm with his fingers in the corner of the room, his eyes behind his sunglasses equally unsettled. The call to the front lines and the sense of duty within him were fiercely clashing with the prohibitions binding them.
The shadow of war is already looming over the city.
The blade is already drawn. Restlessness and determination surge beneath the calm surface.
The Fourth Shinobi World War culminated in this final gathering.
All that remains is for the tide of darkness to surge forth, and for the hidden flames to break free of their restraints!