Three days later, in Land of Birds.
A Hidden Sand Village Ninja force and an Iwagakure Ninja force stood facing each other across a river.
The Hidden Sand Ninja commander, with a cold expression, demanded, "Will you Iwagakure Ninja hand over our Kazekage!"
However, the Iwagakure Ninja commander immediately began to curse at the Hidden Sand Ninja, making their faces turn green.
The Hidden Sand Ninja, united in their hatred, also began to curse back.
Everyone spewed out the most malicious and foul words they could think of.
The cursing battle lasted for a full 15 minutes.
The Hidden Sand Ninja commander roared, "You Iwagakure scoundrels truly have no shame! After ambushing and killing our Kazekage, you're still so arrogant! Everyone! Charge with me!"
The Iwagakure Ninja commander saw the Hidden Sand Village charging towards them, and his expression was full of mockery.
"Living in the desert and being constantly blown by sand, it seems your brains are also filled with nothing but sand. Everyone, use Earth Release Ninjutsu to change the terrain!"
The Iwagakure Ninja were extremely skilled in Earth Release Ninjutsu, which could alter the terrain to create advantageous positions for them.
As the Iwagakure Ninja performed Earth Release Ninjutsu, large sections of the terrain in front of them were directly altered.
The Hidden Sand Ninja's advance was obstructed; they needed to cross obstacles to continue approaching the Iwagakure Ninja.
The Iwagakure Ninja seized the opportunity to occupy advantageous positions and continuously used various Earth Release Ninjutsu to attack the Hidden Sand Ninja.
The Hidden Sand Ninja immediately fell into a disadvantage.
However, the Hidden Sand Ninja were exceptionally united now, and their commander was not to be underestimated. Under his command, the Hidden Sand Ninja stabilized the situation and continuously counterattacked with their proficient Wind Release Ninjutsu.
This battle between Hidden Sand Village and Iwagakure in Land of Birds also effectively declared the official start of the Third Shinobi World War.
At the very edge of the main battlefield where the Hidden Sand Ninja and Iwagakure Ninja were clashing.
Seven figures were hiding in the shadows, observing the battle.
These seven individuals were the team led by Orochimaru, sent to Land of Birds to observe the situation.
"Lord Orochimaru, the battle between Hidden Sand Village and Iwagakure has begun. Should we return to Konoha to report to the Sandaime, or should we send the intelligence back to Konoha directly using Ninja beasts?"
Orochimaru squinted his eyes, looking at the fiercely contested battlefield ahead, and did not answer immediately.
Initially, when Orochimaru was sent to Land of Birds to observe the situation, he was very displeased.
Because he had just released the Eight-Tails from Hidden Cloud Village and thought he could return to Konoha for a period of research.
But after only a few days of peaceful research back in Konoha, he was sent to Land of Birds again, causing one of his experiments to be halted midway.
But now...
Seeing the tragic battle between the Hidden Sand Ninja and Iwagakure Ninja, with bodies lying on the ground, in Orochimaru's eyes, these were not just corpses, but precious experimental materials!
Orochimaru was quite short on experimental materials, and after this battle ended, he would surely be able to collect many excellent materials.
Orochimaru immediately made a decision: "Send the intelligence back to Konoha using Ninja beasts, and then we will remain here to observe the movements of the Hidden Sand Village and Iwagakure Ninja forces."
A few days later, Hiruzen Sarutobi, having received intelligence from Land of Birds, took several puffs from his pipe.
"Alas, war has come again. But this is also good; we no longer need to worry anxiously about the war starting from our Konoha."
Hiruzen Sarutobi summoned a Ninja and instructed him to find Danzo, the Hokage Advisor of Konoha, and the two Advisors, Utatane Koharu and Homura Mitokado.
Since it was a Ninja World War, Konoha joining the battle was only a matter of time, so Konoha also needed to conduct pre-war mobilization, assemble its Ninja forces, and be ready for battle at any time.
...
Hidden Cloud Village.
The Third Raikage was very excited when he learned that Hidden Sand Village and Iwagakure had started fighting.
Because of the Eight-Tails' rampage, the atmosphere within Hidden Cloud Village, which had suffered severe losses, was very low, and it needed a battle to boost morale.
The relationship between Hidden Cloud Village and Iwagakure was already poor, and Raikage Ay and Ōnoki naturally disliked each other.
Now that Iwagakure had entered the war first, how could he be polite?
The Third Raikage immediately assembled a Hidden Cloud Ninja force, intending to go to Land of Earth to attack Iwagakure from behind.
...
And Hidden Mist Village, having learned that the two great Ninja villages, Hidden Sand and Iwagakure, had started fighting, also began to stir.
Although Hidden Mist Village was still under the rule of the Third Mizukage, the Third Mizukage had already implemented the blood mist policy.
However, the current blood mist policy in Hidden Mist Village was not as bloody and cruel as it would be in the future when Obito, wearing a mask, manipulated the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi.
The current blood mist policy in Hidden Mist Village was based on the principle of survival of the fittest: the strong possessed everything, while the weak had nothing.
Since he had implemented the blood mist policy to enhance Ninja strength, it had to serve a purpose, right?
And the purpose of the blood mist policy would naturally be demonstrated in war.
The Third Mizukage also realized that the Third Shinobi World War would come sooner or later, so the blood mist policy was also prepared for the Third Shinobi World War.
The Third Mizukage was also holding his breath because many people opposed the blood mist policy he promoted, but the Third Mizukage stubbornly insisted, forcefully implementing the blood mist policy despite immense pressure.
Therefore, as long as Hidden Mist Village achieved significant gains in this war, it would prove that his blood mist policy was correct. He wanted to see who would dare say his blood mist policy was a failure.
Thus, the Third Mizukage also immediately began pre-war mobilization, assembling Ninja forces, ready to join the war at any time.
...
Many other small countries and small Ninja villages also hoped to gain some benefits from this war.
The big Ninja villages ate the meat, so they should at least get some soup, right?
But small countries like the Land of Hot Springs, the Land of Rivers, and Land of Birds, which were used as battlefields by the great Ninja villages, were naturally in terrible luck. It was already good enough if they could protect themselves; wanting benefits? Don't even think about it.
As soon as Hidden Sand Village and Iwagakure started fighting, the entire Ninja World immediately became lively.
Within Land of Birds.
The battle between Hidden Sand Village and Iwagakure continued for some time, with fierce and frequent clashes. More than a dozen major and minor battles took place within a month.
The Hidden Sand Ninja fought the Iwagakure Ninja as if they had no regard for their lives, fearlessly.
With such strong morale among the Hidden Sand Ninja, even if the Iwagakure Ninja were stronger, they were temporarily at a disadvantage.
Ōnoki was now extremely anxious.
Because what he feared had happened: a Hidden Cloud Ninja force had entered Land of Earth.
That scoundrel, the Third Raikage, had sent people to attack him from behind.
Now, because of the disadvantage in the battle with the Hidden Sand Ninja, Ōnoki had to send more Ninja to Land of Birds.
Now the Hidden Cloud Ninja were coming to attack Iwagakure from behind, and Ōnoki had to dispatch a force to intercept the Hidden Cloud Ninja.
If Konoha were to get involved as well, things would become troublesome.
Hidden Sand Village.
Rasa, Chiyo, and Ebizo stood at the top of the Kazekage Building, feeling the sand and wind of Hidden Sand Village.
"Fourth Hokage, the time is almost right. I think that fellow Ōnoki is now caught between two fires and must be in a desperate hurry. It's time to spread rumors and draw the war to Konoha."
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