A similar situation unfolded among the Cloud-nin. The Third Raikage, sharing Onoki's dismissive attitude toward the news about Wood Release, still greatly supported Danzo's plan to assassinate the Third Kazekage. Secretly wanting to test Konoha's reaction, he didn't reply but immediately reinforced his forces near the Frost Country—his intentions were obvious at a glance.
As for Kirigakure, now under Madara Uchiha's control, the current conflict was entirely his doing. His stance was therefore clear and direct—he immediately ordered all ninja in the village to march to the frontlines and begin attacking Konoha.
Back at Sunagakure, facing this situation, the two candidates receiving the most support for becoming the next Kazekage—Pakura and Rasa—held completely opposite views.
Pakura, an experienced and thoughtful ninja, firmly opposed this reckless campaign. She calmly analyzed the current situation, believing that compared to Konoha, the Sand currently had significant disadvantages. Launching an attack recklessly would be equivalent to seeking their own destruction.
Moreover, she worried that such a war might bring total disaster upon the Sand-nin, leading them into irreversible catastrophe.
In contrast, Rasa radiated youthful passion and vigor. At the peak of his life, he possessed unparalleled confidence and courage. He firmly believed that with his own strength, he could lead the Sand-nin into a better future.
No matter how powerful the enemy—even if it was the mighty Konoha feared by countless ninja—Rasa harbored no fear. He had full confidence to fight until the very end, defending the honor and dignity of the Sand Village with his own strength.
At this critical moment, the divide between Pakura and Rasa became sharper than ever, sparking fierce debates across the Sand Village.
Some younger ninja, inspired by Rasa's enthusiasm, expressed willingness to follow his lead and fight for the Sand's future;
Others leaned more toward Pakura's cautious approach, fearing the devastating consequences this war might bring to the Sand Village.
Even more significantly among Rasa's supporters was a hidden figure—his wife. Her combat prowess rivaled even Karura alongside Pakura, so gradually Rasa gained the upper hand.
Coincidentally, Chiyo then announced that the Third Kazekage had fallen to Konoha's Wood Release techniques, orchestrated by Danzo Shimura. This enraged all Sand-nin. Most of Pakura's followers shifted allegiance to Rasa; even Pakura herself eventually came around to Rasa's cause, as the Third Kazekage had once shown her great kindness, and she felt obligated to play her part in avenging him.
Thus, beneath Chiyo's leadership, the lower ranks of Sunagakure were now fired up, each eager for a fierce showdown against Konoha.
Likewise, those greedy profiteers within the upper echelons also showed eagerness. They clearly understood the benefits brought by war—be it wealth obtained through plunder or elevation of status—both enough to make their hearts race with anticipation.
Under these circumstances, with the push of two factions, Rasa eventually became a high-ranking general of the Sand-nin. The elders in the council also unhesitatingly entrusted him with the heavy responsibility of invading Konoha. This not only laid a solid foundation for Rasa to later become the Fourth Kazekage, but also marked the beginning of a journey full of turbulence and challenges.
The Sand's vanguard forces, under Rasa's command, marched toward the Land of Fire filled with a desire for vengeance, as if ready to trample both the Land of Fire and Konoha Village beneath their feet. When Rasa led his elite army into Chuan no Kuni (Country of Rivers), the entire situation instantly grew tense.
He resembled a long-dormant [Beast] waiting in ambush. Before Hiruzen Sarutobi could even react, Rasa surged forward like a tidal wave, launching a fierce assault on Konoha's border regions. His sole objective was to completely eliminate Konoha's border forces, thereby demonstrating the Sand-nin's dignity and might.
However, fate did not favor him. Just as he believed everything was within his grasp, Konoha's spies acted like lightning splitting through darkness, keenly detecting his battle plans and swiftly transmitting the intelligence elsewhere.
This crucial intelligence flowed like a cool spring into Konoha's border forces, allowing them to prepare in advance and await the enemy with full readiness. Then, this critically important intelligence passed like a baton all the way back to Konoha's core area at top speed, causing immediate commotion and uproar.
At that moment, the leader stationed at Konoha's border force truly possessed great resolve. When the Sand-nin's massive army appeared before him like a surging tide, he knew they were unable to resist the Sand-nin vanguard head-on, so he decisively devised a detailed and thorough retreat plan.
Nevertheless, he would not retreat without a fight. Thus, he personally commanded his soldiers to carefully set up numerous complex and diverse traps around the camp. These traps were like demons hidden in darkness, silently waiting for enemies to step inside.
Some traps seemed ordinary at first glance but actually contained hidden mechanisms; once triggered, they immediately unleashed powerful destructive force. Other traps resembled snares skillfully arranged by a cunning fox, making them nearly impossible to guard against.
Then, when Konoha's border unit truly encountered the stealthy nighttime attack from the Land of Wind, they did not fall into chaos as they had been fully prepared in advance.
Instead, they moved like disciplined elite warriors, methodically using those meticulously laid traps to block the enemy's advance. The moment the Sand-nin stepped into these traps, it was as if they had plunged into an endless abyss, immediately thrown into chaos and panic.
However, Konoha's reinforcements failed to arrive in time because the Sand-nin advanced far too quickly. Although the two sides initially appeared evenly matched, Konoha's Border Defense Unit gradually fell into a disadvantageous position, especially after Rasa himself joined the battlefield.
These once highly effective traps gradually lost their intended effect in the face of Rasa's miraculous Gold Dust. That golden sand seemed to possess magical power, effortlessly neutralizing the strength of the traps and rendering what had once been ferocious pitfalls utterly powerless.
Rasa's morale soared at the sight. With no mercy, he led the Sand-nin in a relentless series of brutal attacks, finally breaching Konoha's sturdy camp in a single, determined surge.
Fortunately, Konoha had seen this coming and already prepared the retreat plan. At the moment the camp fell, the Border Force soldiers didn't hesitate for a moment, immediately executing the retreat plan without delay, withdrawing swiftly and in perfect order.
They moved like agile cheetahs, weaving through the battlefield teeming with hidden perils, speeding toward the inner regions of the Land of Fire.
Even so, under Rasa's relentless and overwhelming pursuit, Konoha's Border Force still suffered heavy losses. Nearly half their forces fell in battle on that brutal field, while the survivors were all wounded to varying degrees.
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