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Compared to Iwagakure, Takigakure's strength was pathetically weak.
Their only high-end combat asset, the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki, was still in a state of defection.
Faced with the overwhelming might of Iwagakure's forces, Takigakure was utterly incapable of mounting an effective defense, suffering heavy casualties as they were pushed back step by step.
Don't be fooled by Takigakure's lackluster military power; the people living within the Land of Waterfalls enjoyed a far more comfortable standard of living than those of the Land of Earth.
Rich in resources and with a robust economy, the happiness index among the Land of Waterfalls' populace was extremely high.
Unfortunately, once the Iwagakure ninja army invaded the Land of Waterfalls, all of this became a fragile bubble, popping at the slightest touch.
A long-planned act of plunder had begun. Iwagakure tore off its mask, transforming into bandits and marauders, seizing anything and everything they laid eyes on.
"Bandits! Robbers! Iwagakure isn't seeking revenge; they are using war as a pretext to plunder resources and loot Takigakure's wealth!!! Even the excuse they used was fabricated from the start."
Kumogakure was the first to leap forward and condemn Iwagakure.
A simultaneously dispatched envoys to Konoha, reminding them that it was time to begin the operation.
Surely Konoha had no problem simply following the lead, right?
With Kumogakure's reminder, Konoha could no longer remain silent and continue watching the show.
The Hokage's administrative building soon issued a public statement condemning Iwagakure's unlawful actions. As one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, they should not be using war as an excuse to pillage neighboring minor nations.
Of course, Konoha was merely following the trend; there was no possibility of them actually clashing swords with Iwagakure for real.
That glorious task was best left to Kumogakure.
After all, A was itching to wield his blade against Iwagakure and avenge his father.
Given that, why should Konoha step into the spotlight?
As Kumogakure and Konoha began publicly criticizing Iwagakure, Sunagakure and Kirigakure, who were currently busy with their own war, also joined in.
Expecting them to seek justice for Takigakure was impossible, but they could certainly wag their tongues and engage in a war of words.
It didn't require any real effort; just moving their mouths was enough.
Once Sunagakure and Kirigakure added their voices to the mix, and after Kumogakure revealed the real reason behind Iwagakure's declaration of war, the way the shinobi world viewed Iwagakure changed.
So this wasn't about revenge at all; it was a resource grab.
No wonder Iwagakure was being so aggressive. Their internal village problems were too severe, their treasury was empty, forcing them to launch an external war.
Apart from being a clown, Takigakure was also a victim.
Condemnation arose within the shinobi world, but unfortunately, Iwagakure paid it no mind.
Such accusations were meaningless at best, only serving to tarnish Iwagakure's reputation a bit further and put numerous minor nations on guard, wary that Iwagakure might attack them next. That was all.
It did absolutely nothing to change Takigakure's current plight!
After all, if Iwagakure decided to attack the surrounding minor nations and villages, those villages simply couldn't withstand them.
Not every minor shinobi village possessed the audacity and strength of the old Amegakure, capable of engaging in a grand melee with Konoha, Iwagakure, and Sunagakure.
As the war continued, the loot plundered from the Land of Waterfalls was continuously transported back to the Land of Earth.
Ōnoki, who had been holding his breath all this time, finally allowed himself to relax somewhat.
The pressure on the village had finally eased.
Over in Takigakure, they were desperately resisting, but such a small village couldn't stir up much of a storm.
Furthermore, Iwagakure's goal wasn't to annihilate Takigakure; they merely wanted to seize resources and wealth.
Once they had plundered enough, Iwagakure would naturally withdraw.
At that point, Takigakure would be left to silently lick its wounds in some forgotten corner.
While reports from the Takigakure front kept arriving, Ōnoki didn't pay them excessive attention. His focus remained fixed on Kumogakure.
According to intelligence gathered by the village, Kumogakure appeared restless, poised to declare war on Iwagakure and launch an attack at any moment.
Especially now that Iwagakure's reputation was beginning to suffer, it was highly likely Kumogakure would launch a decisive, fatal blow.
Previously, Iwagakure could hide behind the excuse of Takigakure killing their men, but that pretext was no longer viable.
Anyone with eyes could see Iwagakure's true intentions: they had deliberately provoked a war to plunder everything from the Land of Waterfalls.
Staring at the maps of the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning, an unwell-looking Ōnoki coughed twice, his brows tightly knitted together.
With the village's pressure alleviated, he was confident they could withstand Kumogakure's assault.
At worst, they would simply have to fight Kumogakure. Setting aside other factors and looking purely at military strength, Iwagakure was not afraid of Kumogakure.
If a real war broke out, the most likely outcome would be a stalemate where neither village emerged unscathed. They would both suffer losses, trading blows in a brutal exchange.
What truly worried Ōnoki was Konoha!
If Konoha were still the old Konoha, Ōnoki wouldn't need to worry about them seizing the opportunity to stir up trouble.
Unfortunately, the Third Hokage, who had always advocated for stability, had been retired for several years now. Tsunade had become Hokage but paid little attention to affairs outside the village, leaving everything in the hands of the Hokage's Advisor, Uchiha Kazuki.
The mere thought of Kazuki—a man covered in sharp thorns who would prick your hand at the slightest touch—made Ōnoki involuntarily raise a hand to massage his temples.
The old Konoha, while powerful, had kept its fangs sheathed under the Third Hokage's leadership, restricting itself to the Land of Fire's borders.
At most, Danzō would make trouble here and there, but it was never a major concern.
The current Konoha, however, was like a venomous serpent—one that could lunge and sink its fangs into you at any moment.
Dangerous and deadly.
Yet, Konoha remained remarkably quiet. Ōnoki couldn't gauge whether Konoha harbored any intentions or plans for retaliation.
After all, during the Third Great Shinobi War, Iwagakure had inflicted deep wounds upon Konoha.
"Hah~~~"
Ōnoki let out a heavy sigh and lifted his head.
"Deploy personnel to monitor the movements of Kumogakure and Konoha at all times."
"Yes, Tsuchikage-sama!"
Since he couldn't predict their actions, the only option was to prepare defenses. Kumogakure was the primary focus, but Konoha could not be neglected either.
It was better to err on the side of caution. Iwagakure still had the manpower to spare for such surveillance.
Fortunately, Takigakure's strength was mediocre, so Iwagakure didn't need to commit too many troops to that front.
This also gave Ōnoki more leeway to deploy forces and prepare for a potential sudden assault from Kumogakure.
At the Border Between the Land of Iron and the Land of Fire.
The Raikage, A, accompanied by his guards, waited here.
"It seems the Raikage's speed remains as impressive as ever."
Kazuki, arriving with his own guards, offered a lighthearted tease.
Kazuki's presence here was also at the invitation of Kumogakure.
The plan had changed. A had decided to give the hopeless ally, Takigakure, a helping hand, to make them fight more desperately against Iwagakure.
The goal was to tie down more Iwagakure ninja within the battlefield of the Land of Waterfalls.