For the next few days, there was no sign of Iwa-nin activity. Lock, enjoying the rare calm, spent his time training. The reconnaissance teams had reported nothing suspicious, so he took the opportunity to focus on physical conditioning.
His body had grown stronger over time, but he was far from satisfied. Ever since gaining access to the Eight Gates technique, he had only been able to open three of them.
The power boost from the third gate was noticeable but brief, and the resulting weakness afterward made it impractical in most battles. Lock wanted more — to open additional gates, increase his explosive strength, and elevate his combat potential to another level.
The Eight Gates were no ordinary taijutsu. They demanded far more than physical strength — they required discipline, resilience, and a body tempered through relentless training.
Many in Konoha possessed powerful physiques, yet few could ever touch this technique. Talent and perseverance both mattered; without both, success was impossible.
Lock's ability to open three gates in such a short time already proved his aptitude, but the fourth gate remained out of reach. He had tried countless methods, searching for a breakthrough.
When he first chose the Eight Gates from among several advanced techniques, it wasn't for the early stages — it was for the final three gates. That was where its true power lay. The last gates could unleash overwhelming might, capable of crushing even Kage-level opponents in moments.
But that kind of power came at a steep cost — and for now, Lock could only prepare his body and wait for the moment he was ready to bear it.
As he was in the middle of training, Jiraiya suddenly burst in with several others, his expression grim. Lock immediately sensed trouble.
"Jiraiya-sensei, what happened?"
"A major incident."
Jiraiya's voice was heavy. He led the group inside the tent, where the familiar faces of the Konoha command gathered once again. After a long silence, Jiraiya finally spoke.
"Just now, we received a message from the village — war has broken out in the west. The combined forces of Iwa and Suna have invaded the Land of Fire. Our western front couldn't hold… they've already been pushed back, and several territories are lost."
Gasps filled the room.
"And the timing," Jiraiya continued grimly, "matches the day Iwa attacked us here. In other words, they launched two offensives at once — one to tie us down, and the other in alliance with Suna to strike the western border."
"Our battle was just a feint," he said bitterly. "But the Western forces suffered a devastating blow. The daimyo and the nobles are furious, blaming the village for negligence. The country itself is in turmoil."
The room fell silent.
Lock's brows furrowed deeply. In the original course of events, it had been Iwa and Suna's joint invasion that sparked the Third Great Ninja War — but his earlier actions had already changed history. The death of the Third Kazekage had been exposed early, and Suna had no reason to blame Konoha for it. He had assumed that would prevent such an alliance.
Clearly, he had been wrong.
Even without the Kazekage, Suna's leadership wasn't willing to let such an opportunity slip away. And with Iwa's aggression, the two villages had found common cause.
Jiraiya's tone hardened. "The Hokage has already sent Tsunade to lead our main forces to reinforce the western front. We're to stay here and guard the border — in case Iwa tries another surprise move."
He paused before adding, "But according to the intelligence report, the combined army of Suna and Iwa numbers over ten thousand shinobi. The situation is dire."
The color drained from several faces around the table.
Ten thousand shinobi — such a force hadn't been seen since the First Great Ninja War. Their own border conflict had involved only a few thousand at most. This was on an entirely different scale.
Koharu's voice trembled. "I can understand Iwa having that many, but Suna? How could they possibly muster such a force? Their population can't compare to the other Great Nations."
"The invasion came through the Land of Wind," Jiraiya explained. "Which means Suna took the lead. Their numbers must be greater than Iwa's, but how they managed to assemble so many so quickly… I don't know."
Among the Five Great Nations, the Land of Wind had the harshest terrain and the fewest resources. Sunagakure's manpower had always been limited. That they could field such numbers was almost unthinkable.
Jiraiya continued in a low voice, "The Hokage's message was clear. Casualties are already in the hundreds. Suna and Iwa are advancing together toward our western front. Their ultimate goal is Konoha itself. The Hokage didn't order us to reinforce them — our task is to stay alert here and guard against any further deception from Iwa."
Sarutobi Shinnosuke frowned. "But if we don't send reinforcements, how can they hold the line?"
Jiraiya sighed. "Tsunade leads fewer than two thousand shinobi, but most are elite — from the great clans and special divisions. They can buy us time until the next wave of reinforcements arrives."
Still, worry filled every face. Even counting all stationed forces — the troops with Jiraiya, those under Orochimaru, and the small numbers guarding other outposts — Konoha barely had ten thousand active shinobi in total. And many of them were too young or inexperienced for the frontlines.
At least the major clans had set aside their rivalries this time and sent their best to support Tsunade. Even so, they were outnumbered five to one. No one could say how long they would last.
For the first time since its founding, the Village Hidden in the Leaves stood on the brink of disaster.
The Third Great Ninja War had begun — and this time, Konoha was surrounded.
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