In the 38th year of Konoha, after Sanshouo Hanzo declared war on Konoha. Although his boldness stunned the entire ninja world, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane—commanders on the battlefield—completely ignored him, going about their own way. It was clear they didn't take the threat seriously at all.
However, the commanders of the other two ninja villages were far more cautious. Knowing that their strength paled in comparison to Konoha's, the two villages not only shared intelligence but also sought to involve Ame as expendable cannon fodder. They issued orders to avoid harming civilians in Ame—a decision that eventually led Sanshouo Hanzo to unleash his wrath on Konoha's forces.
Under the command of Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, Konoha's shinobi unintentionally inflicted severe damage on Ame's people due to a lack of such restraint. Combined with their earlier actions, this finally pushed Sanshouo Hanzo into a rage.
It was at this time that Madara Uchiha replaced Nagato Uzumaki's eyes with a pair of Rinnegan he had awakened not long ago, asking Nagato to safeguard them temporarily. Continuing under Black Zetsu's guidance, Madara began planning the Moon Eye Project.
Initially, Madara had no intention of seeking out suitable candidates within Konoha's Uchiha Clan. As clan leader, he understood all too well the unpredictability of his kin. Instead, he turned his gaze toward his old Warring States Era ally—the Hagoromo Clan.
This meant looking toward Kirigakure. In fact, for this very reason, Madara even began plotting to manipulate the Third Mizukage. He intended to modify the "blood mist policy" established by the Second Mizukage, Gengetsu Hozuki—a highly secretive approach—into a nurturing system designed to cultivate exactly the kind of person he needed.
At this time, the young, impulsive, and deeply duty-bound Sanshouo Hanzo, furious at Konoha's attitude and actions, directly killed many enemy scouts around Ame Village—most of them belonging to Konoha. The number from the other two nations was only a small fraction of that, including members from both Homura Mitokado's and Koharu Utatane's clans.
The reason was simple: Homura and Koharu, concerned about losses among their own clansmen, used their authority to station most of their kin near Ame Village, giving them reconnaissance missions. In their minds, what danger could possibly exist in Ame? Would that boastful fool, Sanshouo Hanzo, actually dare attack? Deep down, Homura and Koharu held nothing but contempt for those who talked big but didn't act.
With no apparent danger from outside, Homura's and Koharu's clansmen started enjoying themselves, chasing comfort and pleasure. Naturally, the environment of Ame couldn't compare to Konoha's, so under the guise of reconnaissance, they gave in to violence, looting, and every manner of atrocity—like invaders ransacking a defenseless village.
So karma arrived. After these events unfolded, Sanshouo Hanzo exploded in fury, entering full slaughter mode and wiping them all out completely. When word reached Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, their reaction mirrored Hanzo's—they, too, were utterly enraged. At that time, Homura and Koharu were already arrogant beyond measure; how could they possibly tolerate such humiliation?
Without properly gathering intelligence on Sanshouo Hanzo, they recklessly deployed a force of 2000 soldiers stationed for defense, sending them unprepared straight into an assault on Ame Village, determined to erase it entirely.
However, the Toxic Mist released jointly by Sanshouo Hanzo and his summoned beast possessed not only tremendous power, but also an extremely wide range. It could take out all Chunin and lower ranks instantly, and anyone exposed for more than a minute would die on the spot.
Most Tokubetsu Jonin could still put up some resistance, though ultimately unable to withstand long due to their current weakened state. Under Hanzo's carefully prepared attack—his Kage-level Shifting Body Technique cooperating seamlessly with his sword skills—it was essentially one slash, one falling victim.
Only a few Jonin could still hold on, but even those faced certain doom once targeted by Hanzo. A small number managed to escape during moments when Hanzo chased after other teammates.
Therefore, in this battle, under the effects of Sanshouo Hanzo's Toxic Mist, nearly the entire force of 2000 ninjas was wiped out almost completely, with very few survivors. This event shocked the ninja world. Suna-nin and Iwa-nin opportunists flattered Hanzo excessively in an effort to damage Konoha's reputation, earning him the title of "Half-God" from that point onward.
Soon after, the shinobi forces of the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth launched a joint offensive. Seeing Hanzo's immense individual strength, they decisively entered negotiations with him as equals, agreeing to withdraw their forces and never disturb civilians. Thus, Sanshouo Hanzo tacitly approved their plan to attack Konoha's Allied Camp.
When news of the near-complete annihilation of the 2000-man unit returned, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane were thrown into total panic, gripped with fear. However, they soon regained composure, realizing that Suna and Iwa wouldn't miss such an opportunity. Immediately, they began setting up defenses while summoning remaining ninja forces for reinforcement.
Yet due to the severity of the 2000-man loss, Konoha's Main Camp now barely numbered over a thousand people, including support staff. Even counting nearby ninjas, numbers didn't reach 2000, and among them, there were very few Jonin left.
Thus, under the joint attack from the allied forces of the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth, despite having terrain advantage, Konoha quickly fell back. This rapid retreat was closely related to Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane's years without missions. Their combat capabilities had significantly deteriorated, making them fall back especially fast when facing enemy elite Jonin.
As the saying goes: A single rotten apple spoils the barrel—poor leadership can doom an entire army. Therefore, Konoha's defensive line quickly collapsed before reinforcements could arrive from nearby units. Otherwise, if they could just survive that first devastating blow, reinforcements continuously returning might've given them another shot.
The capture of Konoha's thinly-defended Main Camp led to a major defeat for Konoha's shinobi forces, inflicting heavy losses. Fortunately, at that time, the camp hadn't housed many people. Additionally, after capturing Konoha's base, the allied forces turned their attention toward fighting over resources inside the camp.
Unable to continue pursuit, the Konoha forces gained enough time to flee. However, fewer than one-third of those within the camp ultimately survived. They retreated to the border between Ame and the Land of Fire for regrouping, successfully linking up with scattered Konoha shinobi forces in Ame, building a new defensive line.
However, this failure gave rise to improper thoughts in many people. Hiruzen Sarutobi had already received the news—large numbers of Iwa-nin had been deployed within the Grass Country, their numbers far exceeding those of Konoha's forces. Though lower in quality, they still allowed Danzo to hold his ground for now. They say that when Danzo Shimura heard the news from Ame, he flew into a rage—cursing up a storm and even smashing a table.
Meanwhile, the Land of Lightning had also reinforced its presence in the Land of Hot Springs. Fortunately, the reinforcements were minor, seeming more like a symbolic gesture. Clearly, the Third Raikage had significant intentions regarding the Land of Earth, though other motives could not be ruled out.
As for the Land of Whirlpool, Jen Senju had managed to maintain the status quo on the battlefield.
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!
<><><><><><><><>
Want to read the subsequent content in advance?
Please follow my Patreon:patreon/Tansnovel
Tans Novel - The Fastest-Updating Naruto Fanfiction Account
Read 100+ chapters in advance, with at least 3 new chapters updated every day! More free chapters! 20+ Naruto fanfictions!
Just three steps:
1. Download and open the "Patreon" app
2. Search for "Tans Novel"
3. Click on the collection and enjoy to your heart's content
<><><><><><><><>