The year 41 of Konoha was an extremely turbulent year.
Over the course of the year, the relationship between the Five Great Shinobi Villages became increasingly tense, and the friction between them intensified, not counting the confrontation and clash between the Kumogakure and the Kirigakure at the beginning of the year.
The subsequent series of localized clashes between ninja villages alone gave the entire Shinobi World a sense of impending doom, turning the peace negotiations between major powers, which the Third Hokage had advocated in the middle of the year under the guise of the Chunin Ninja Exams, into a huge joke.
It can't be said to be entirely a joke.
At least during the talks, and just after they ended.
The Five Great Nations genuinely desired a period of peace. This was evident in the thoughts of Yagura, the Fourth Mizukage of Kirigakure, and A, the Third Raikage A of Kumogakure. Not to mention the Third Kazekage of Sunagakure, who had no intention of getting involved in the Shinobi World's turmoil and only wanted to quietly focus on development. While the Karatachi Yagura of Land of Wind was vast, a large portion of its territory, though not entirely useless, held little significance for ordinary people. With the country so underdeveloped, how could it support its ninja villages? Sand Ninja's poverty was notorious throughout the Shinobi World!
With no other ninja villages showing any intention of engaging in battle.
The Iwagakure alone couldn't really cause any significant trouble, which was also the Third Hokage's initial thought.
Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned.
No.
To be more precise, this was purely a man-made disaster.
It was Shimura Danzō's unauthorized actions that drew strong pressure from both Kirigakure and Kumogakure. While each village gained a considerable share of the profits, it also further fueled the greed of the two great ninja villages.
Perhaps the shadow can restrain itself.
But those below couldn't control themselves!
The Hozuki Clan, Kaguya, Minazuki Clan clans in Kirigakure are the best example of this.
Otherwise, how could it have directly incited the Mist Ninja to covet the Land of Rivers!?
The special conscription at the end of the year, followed by a local war in the Land of Rivers, further exacerbated the tense situation in the Shinobi World.
Throughout Konoha's 41-year history, the Shinobi World has never truly experienced a period of peace!
And this was also in line with the Sunagakure's counterattack.
In the Land of Rivers, endless attacks and assassinations raged between Sunagakure and Mist Ninja. More and more people realized that a new round of the Shinobi World War was about to begin, and it was very likely that it would be started by Sunagakure and Kirigakure!
Unlike previous conflicts between ninja villages, which had only a short interval, this time, starting in December and continuing into the following year, the entire Land of Rivers was still embroiled in a protracted tug-of-war!
Whether it's the Mist Ninja or the Sand Ninja, it's quite clear that neither side intends to give up on the Land of Rivers.
The previous two Shinobi World Wars were almost both launched in a similar manner, and other observers have good reason to believe that the battle between Mist Ninja and Sand Ninja is very likely to escalate into a full-scale confrontation between the two major ninja villages!
However, regarding this point...
The ninja villages in small and medium-sized countries were trembling with fear.
As for the other three great nations, Konoha's attitude was self-evident: to remain neutral. But Kumogakure and Iwagakure were different; they were sharpening their knives, fearing that the Mist Ninja and Sand Ninja wouldn't fight fiercely enough, especially the Iwagakure side.
The Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, had been keeping a close eye on the battle between Sunagakure and Kirigakure. As long as the scale of the battle expanded, the Third Tsuchikage would definitely get involved. Ōnoki's wooden pipes were always focused on Sunagakure!
It was under these circumstances, which attracted attention from all sides, that this occurred.
The battle between the Sand Ninja and the Mist Ninja in the Land of Rivers has reached its most intense stage, and the blood of the ninja from the two great villages has already soaked the entire land of the Land of Land of Rivers.
Whether it's the Sand Ninja Village or the Mist Ninja Village.
As winter turned to spring, it was April of the 42nd year of Konoha's reign.
In the past few months, both ninja villages have suffered hundreds of casualties!
This localized war spans the western half of the entire Land of Rivers.
Indeed, this made the relationship between the two ninja villages more tense and dangerous than ever before.
Even if the climate has already warmed significantly.
But the hearts of the Mist Ninja and Sand Ninja fighting on the front lines of the Land of Rivers remained cold!
In their eyes, killing has become the only goal!
The Land of Rivers is located in the southwest, in a low-lying area.
"Keng"
"Ding ding ding ding!"
Several figures darted and weaved through the crowd inside.
The constant, sharp clanging of metal.
Water Release!
Wind Release!
And then there were those escape techniques, one after another, each with a different attribute.
And the constant, violent vibrations.
Anyone with even a little experience could clearly tell from the distance that there were ninjas fighting here!
Even ordinary people could feel the aftershocks of the battle from a great distance.
Anyone with a sound mind would stay away from it.
However, this battle clearly did not last very long, lasting less than ten minutes from start to finish.
After all sounds in the deep valley had faded away.
Within the deep valley.
Only a short figure covered in blood stood in the middle, exuding a chilling and fierce aura.
That figure was none other than Qi!
Around him lay the corpses of several Sand Ninja lying in pools of blood; these were the targets of Qi's ambush!
Two Chunin.
Three Genin.
Despite not being a particularly strong lineup, these five Sand Ninja actually caused Qi some trouble this time, because their teamwork was exceptional; when they joined forces, they could coordinate and cover for each other.
At the very beginning, Qi was locked in a stalemate with the five people.
But the gap in raw power is still there.
After spending a little time, Qi defeated these Sand Ninja one by one.
Looking at the resentment and unwillingness on the face Chunin the female Sunagakure who had died by his hand, Kei let out a soft breath, a faint, complex expression appearing in his pupils.
Qi is a selfish person, but he is not the kind of person who is absolutely cold-blooded, although he has become numb to killing.
But deep down, it's not so easy for me to accept.
Am I being dramatic?
How pretentious!
Is it pretentious?
That really does seem a bit pretentious.
But this is the beginning.
"This is war! It's either you die or I die!"
Qi took a deep breath, his eyes regaining their cool and detached expression.
" Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
With his hands Hand Seals, he unleashed a Fire Style technique that easily enveloped the corpses of the Sand Ninja!
In the blink of an eye, it was completely devoured.
It left behind only a thin layer of black ash, which drifted away with the wind!
Although Qi doesn't have fire-attribute Chakra, he can still use some low-level Fire Style techniques without much problem. At most, it will just consume more Chakra and be less powerful!
After all, when it comes to destroying evidence, Fire Style are the most direct and effective.