The flames of war reignited across the entire shinobi world.
Even Orochimaru's newly established Otogakure could not resist stirring up trouble.
In collaboration with Danzō's Root, Orochimaru orchestrated numerous covert and overt schemes within the borders of Asuka District.
When the Kazekage sent envoys to negotiate with Orochimaru, referencing their past friendly cooperation, Orochimaru merely sneered sinisterly and replied to Sunagakure's emissary: "A treaty is nothing more than a façade to lull the enemy into complacency. From now on... history will be rewritten."
"If Sōmi were still alive, then naturally, we would remain amicable partners!"
"But unfortunately, no one in Sunagakure is qualified to work with me anymore. However, I am still quite interested in what Sōmi left behind, especially those Sharingan..."
Upon receiving the envoy's report, the Kazekage was furious but powerless.
The mere existence of Kirigakure's two Jinchūriki was already enough to keep Sunagakure on edge.
If Otogakure and Danzō were to join forces against them, Sunagakure, caught between multiple enemies, would quickly be reduced to its former destitute state.
Years of painstaking development in Asuka District and Ryukawa District would be reduced to ashes.
Thus, the Kazekage swallowed his anger and bitterness, ultimately sending the majority of Sōmi's preserved Sharingan to Orochimaru.
In exchange, he requested Orochimaru's assistance in "inoculating" more of Sunagakure's shinobi with Cursed Seals.
Although Sōmi had previously warned that, without his supervision, Orochimaru would undoubtedly "tamper" with the Cursed Seals, the desperate Sunagakure had no choice but to take the risk.
As the flames of war grew fiercer, the younger generation of Konohagakure began to make their mark on the battlefield. Among them, the most dazzling figure was, of course, the Fourth Hokage's son: Naruto Uzumaki.
Naruto's performance astonished the shinobi of Kumogakure, as he wielded the legendary Wood Release—once the domain of the God of Shinobi himself.
Kumogakure also discovered that another masked Anbu operative from Konohagakure could use Wood Release, though the two displayed vastly different styles.
Naruto's Wood Release brimmed with vitality, exuding a sense of boundless life. The trees he conjured could drain Chakra from those they ensnared, resembling the First Hokage's legendary techniques.
In contrast, the masked Anbu's Wood Release... according to rumors, was mainly useful for constructing houses.
This discovery left Kumogakure on edge. The entire village reached a consensus: they could not allow another "God of Shinobi" to rise in Konohagakure.
Thus, Kumogakure's elite forces were deployed en masse. The Fourth Raikage, along with the Eight-Tails and Two-Tails Jinchūriki, all set their sights on Naruto.
However, as the war progressed, they quickly realized something alarming.
Even after suffering significant losses in the previous war, including the "death" of Minato Namikaze, Konohagakure's strength remained formidable.
The new head of the Uchiha Clan, Itachi Uchiha, had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan at a young age. On the battlefield, his crimson aura earned him the title of the "Red War God." Wherever his gaze fell, enemies were swiftly consumed by the inextinguishable black flames of Amaterasu.
Additionally, Kumogakure was shocked to discover the combat prowess of Konohagakure's Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, Kushina Uzumaki.
Capable of overpowering the Nine-Tails in a "Chakra tug-of-war," Kushina could enter the "Kurama Mode" at will. Her exceptional skill in Sealing Techniques allowed her to hold her own against two Jinchūriki simultaneously.
Naruto, having been raised under the meticulous guidance of Minato Namikaze, Kushina Uzumaki, and Yamato (Tenzo), displayed a personality markedly different from his counterpart in the original timeline.
While he usually exuded the same sunny and lively demeanor as Minato, Naruto became cold and ruthless in battle.
After witnessing his spared enemies kill his comrades, Naruto quickly abandoned any naive notions.
Meanwhile, under the mentorship of Kakashi Hatake and his "true brother" Sasuke Uchiha, Sasuke's strength and temperament also underwent a complete transformation.
Of course, what remained unchanged was Sasuke's ever-present aura of "coolness"—his "Heavenly Radiance."
Interestingly, despite losing his Sharingan, Kakashi's strength did not diminish. With his Chakra levels returning to normal, he fully unleashed his potential in Lightning Release.
The name "Purple Lightning Kakashi" began to spread across the battlefield.
On the side of the Land of Wind and the Land of Water, Rasa's cautious approach proved to have some merit.
Brashness alone could not translate into real power. When the Six-Tails Jinchūriki, Yagura, joined the fray, the tide turned decisively.
The two Jinchūriki unleashed a massive "tsunami" along the Ryukawa District border.
Even with his wife on the frontlines providing "rapid Chakra replenishment," and with the support of Sunagakure's top fighters, the Kazekage could not withstand Kirigakure's full might.
In this battle, Kimimaro, who had been implanted with the Byakugan and "inoculated" with a Cursed Seal, performed exceptionally well.
Additionally, a Taijutsu prodigy who developed the "Seven-Day Breathing Technique" astonished the Kazekage. This Forbidden Technique-level Taijutsu rivaled Konohagakure's Eight Gates.
Unfortunately, these talents were still in their developmental stages and could not change the course of the war.
Kisame Hoshigaki's terrifying Water Release techniques were simply too overwhelming. When he and Yagura combined their powers to unleash the "Tsunami of Corrosive Liquid," a towering wave of highly corrosive liquid over ten meters high engulfed and dissolved hundreds of Sunagakure shinobi.
Against such devastating techniques, sheer numbers were meaningless.
Using human wave tactics only served to bolster the reputations of these two monstrous shinobi.
Realizing this, the Kazekage ordered a retreat, adopting a strategy of trading space for time.
However, Kirigakure's leadership had anticipated this move.
They employed tactics such as subversion, coercion, and even capturing shinobi to implant Cursed Seals, further eroding Sunagakure's morale.
In the face of life-and-death decisions, even Sunagakure, with its relatively strong ideological indoctrination, saw many shinobi defect.
After all, many had witnessed the Kazekage's humiliating retreat firsthand. Kirigakure's propaganda only amplified this negative sentiment.
For the older residents of Ryukawa District, who ruled them mattered little. Their primary concerns were taxes and whether their property would be plundered. Everything else was merely fodder for idle chatter after a day's work.
This wave of defections accelerated dramatically after the fall of Ryukawa Castle.
As Kirigakure's forces advanced steadily, Sunagakure faced an existential crisis.
Kazekage's Office.
"Lord Kazekage!"
"Perhaps we should accept Kirigakure's terms!"
"Enough lives have been lost!"
"If we preserve our strength, there will always be a chance to rebuild!"
"If we all perish here, Sunagakure will end up like Iwagakure, a mere footnote in the history of the shinobi world!"
Rasa's gaze burned as he stared at the Kazekage.
In the previous battles, Rasa had led his entire family to the frontlines. Yet, despite their efforts, they could not overcome the overwhelming Chakra reserves of the Jinchūriki.
Even his youngest son, Gaara, had displayed exceptional talent in Magnet Release and Chakra capacity.
The Kazekage, his chest and abdomen wrapped in blood-stained bandages, gasped for breath.
Having fought on the frontlines himself, even his wife's Chakra replenishment could not sustain him. Only his ability to fly had saved his life.
His pale face occasionally contorted in pain. The corrosive liquid burns he suffered felt like his body was being roasted over a fire, layer by layer, the pain searing into his very bones.
Supporting himself weakly, the Kazekage looked out at the now verdant Sunagakure, his face filled with sorrow and defiance.
The once barren desert, painstakingly transformed into a livable environment, could not be allowed to fall under his watch.
At this critical moment, deep beneath Rōran Lake, the moss-covered toad statue began to crack.
Crack... Crack...
The fissures grew larger and larger until—
Boom!
The toad statue exploded, releasing an intense burst of white light.
The radiant light coalesced into an oval-shaped portal.
From within this portal, two pale hands suddenly grasped its edges...
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