"So, what exactly do you plan, Simu?"
Hanzo's voice was flat, giving nothing away.
To maintain the illusion of neutrality, Amegakure wouldn't directly participate in the war. Simu didn't mind.
Leaning back in his chair, he spoke casually. "Amegakure just needs to provide intelligence support."
After all, this was Hanzo's territory. Even though Simu knew Amegakure and Konoha had been cooperating, there was no denying that Hanzo had the greatest control over the Land of Rain.
Hanzo nodded. "That won't be a problem. I'll ensure Amegakure's intelligence network fully cooperates with Konoha."
Simu smirked. "That would be ideal."
To be honest, he felt little respect for the so-called demigod before him.
Yes, in his youth, Hanzo had been the guardian of the Land of Rain.
But those days were long gone.
But after the Second Ninja World War, Hanzo had become nothing more than a mascot, deeply entrenched in the Land of Rain.
To maintain his rule, he repeatedly compromised the country's interests. In the end, he was just another failed politician.
After gathering enough intelligence, Simu and Aburame Shibi left.
As Simu disappeared into the rain, Hanzo's eyes darkened with a dangerous glint.
Once he was gone, Ishida Muramaro stepped forward and asked a startling question.
"Hanzo-sama, do we really want Iwagakure and Sunagakure to join forces?"
Hanzo clasped his hands together, his gaze icy as he looked at his deputy. "No. This isn't just about Iwagakure and Sunagakure. This is also about cooperation with the Fire Daimyo."
He paused before adding, "And perhaps… even with Konoha."
Ishida's heart skipped a beat.
Fortunately, he had the composure to hide his reaction and quickly adjusted his expression.
Ishida hesitated before asking cautiously, "You mean..."
Hanzo spoke calmly. "Konoha has grown too powerful—so powerful that even the Land of Fire, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure must join forces to weaken it."
"And Hanyu Simu is the thorn in everyone's side."
"No one wants Konoha to produce another Senju Hashirama."
Hanzo's thoughts drifted back to that era.
Two suns had once dominated the sky—one named Senju Hashirama, the other Uchiha Madara.
And in those days, there was only one ruler of the ninja world—Konoha.
Under Hashirama's overwhelming power, the world had known an unusual period of peace.
But outside of Konoha, no one seemed eager to return to that time.
Hanzo's voice turned sharp. "Not just other nations—even within Konoha, there are those who don't want another Hashirama to rise."
He leaned back and ordered, "Send the real intelligence from both countries to Konoha."
Then, with a smirk, he added, "And remind our 'friends' in both nations—I will act when the time comes. They shouldn't forget my reward."
After speaking, Hanzo closed his eyes.
As a former demigod, he refused to let the Land of Rain remain under another's rule forever.
This war presented a rare opportunity.
If the Land of Rain could cooperate with the Sunagakure and Iwagakure to severely weaken Konoha, it might finally break free from Konoha's control and reclaim its independence.
The aging demigod was ready to take a gamble.
After receiving Hanzo's orders, Ishida Muramaro withdrew.
In Hanzo's clouded eyes, a sharp glint flickered briefly.
Once outside, Ishida navigated through a series of twists and turns, eventually arriving in a small sake town—the home of the eccentric Luci.
The Land of Rain had little wealth, but one thing flourished—its entertainment industry.
Perhaps that, too, was a consequence of its struggling economy.
Some women in the Land of Rain had no choice but to survive through the entertainment industry.
As Hanzo's deputy, Ishida has a lot of face.
Without hesitation, he summoned the most popular singer in the town to accompany him.
One arm wrapped around the singer's slender waist, the other swirling a cup of sake, he staggered into a private room.
But the moment the door shut behind him, his drunken facade vanished.
"Hanzo is preparing to strike against Hanyu Simu," he said, his voice steady and sharp.
The alluring singer sat gracefully on the floor, pouring two glasses of sake. Her bright red lips parted slightly.
"As expected… Hanzo still can't resist trying to break free from Konoha's control."
Ishida Muramaro nodded.
"Lord Danzo foresaw this."
The singer took a slow sip of her drink, her eyes gleaming.
"Don't worry. Danzo-sama has already made his move. Once Hanzo acts, Hanyu Simu and the forces of the Land of Wind and Earth will have no way to escape."
A chilling killing intent filled the room.
Ishida hesitated before speaking. "But… if Hanyu Simu is killed, Konoha's military strength might—"
The singer's gaze turned razor-sharp, overflowing with murderous intent.
"Are you questioning Danzo-sama decision?"
Cold sweat broke out on Ishida's forehead. He quickly bowed his head. "I wouldn't dare!"
Meanwhile, after receiving intel from the Amegakure border, Simu immediately led his army forward.
A day later, they arrived at a mountain peak.
Aburame Shibi, standing beside Simu, studied the map and reported,
"Amegakure's intelligence confirms that Sunagakure forces are 50 kilometers west, while Iwagakure troops are 30 kilometers north."
"If we keep moving, we should reach the battlefield by tomorrow."
A slight frown crossed Shibi's face. "But we only have two thousand men… What's the plan?"
Simu stared at the map and asked calmly, "What's the terrain like?"
"Who are leading the forces from Sunagakure and Iwagakure?"
"For Rock Shinobi, it's Rai Murakami from the Explosion Corps—a skilled Explosion Style user."
"His older brother, Gari, was also famous in Iwagakure… until you beheaded him in the last battle."
"As for Sand Shinobi, their leader is Pakura, the Scorch Style user. You should be familiar with her."
Simu raised an eyebrow and nodded. "Of course. I beat her up during the joint Jōnin assessment."
Aburame Shibi's expression turned complicated.
Both Iwagakure and Sunagakure seemed to hold grudges against Simu. If curses could kill, he would have died millions of times by now.
Simu tapped his finger on Sunagakure's position on the map and said casually,
"Since they keep acting up, let's take them out first."
Aburame Shibi immediately tensed. "How do you plan to do it?"
Sensing the killing intent in Simu's voice, he knew things were about to get serious.
Simu grinned.
"Of course! We'll charge straight into battle!"
"Really...?"
Before coming here, Aburame Shibi already knew that Simu wasn't the type to rely on strategy.
His only tactic was simple—rush in and beat the enemy into submission.
"Don't worry, I'll handle it," Simu said, narrowing his eyes.
He was curious to see if these six thousand enemy ninjas could push the limits of his Blue Dragon Fruit.
Meanwhile, Konoha's two thousand ninjas were rapidly constructing fortifications as night fell.
The reconnaissance unit remained on high alert, monitoring any movement nearby.
Leading the scouting team was the son of the Hyuga clan's head—Hyuga Hizashi.
"Stay focused. We can't afford to be ambushed," Hizashi said calmly.
A fellow Hyuga clan ninja spoke up.
"Captain, I heard the combined forces of Iwagakure and Sunagakure have over 10,000 troops. We only have 2,000. Can we really stop them?"
Hizashi frowned.
Normally, this wouldn't even be a question. A six-to-one disadvantage was overwhelming. No matter how skilled or well-equipped Konoha's shinobi were, those odds were nearly impossible.
Especially since Sunagakure and Iwagakure had sent their elite forces.
But with Simu leading them, the situation was different.
After all, this man had never lost a battle.
"This isn't something we should be worrying about," Hizashi finally said.
Adjusting his forehead protector, he added coldly,
"Regardless of how well we've concealed our movements, there's always a chance the enemy will attempt a sneak attack. Stay sharp and focus on the mission."
"Yes, sir!"
Suddenly, a Hyuga ninja looked serious.
He pointed to the ground in a panic.
"Captain, there are plenty of signs of Chakra activity underground.
Hyuga Hizashi made a decisive decision: "Hurry up, the enemy is attacking, sound the alarm!"
The ear-piercing siren sounded from the Konoha camp immediately.
"Tch, those damn Hyuga eyes... it's really annoying."
A cold voice sneered just as the ground began to quake violently.
In an instant, the earth split apart, lifting sections of the camp into uneven fragments. The terrain was suddenly fractured, dividing the battlefield.
From the wide openings, a wave of Iwa Shinobi surged forward, weapons gleaming as they struck with lethal intent.
The knife in his hand exudes a cold breath, stabbing Konoha Shinobi with infinite killing intent.
But these Konoha Shinobi don't seem surprised.
On the contrary, they looked prepared, already holding a weapon in their hand, and launched a counterattack in an instant.
"Damn it… they were prepared for us?" One Iwa ninja cursed, realizing their surprise attack had failed.
What was meant to be a surprise attack had now turned into a brutal battle.
Yet, doubt lingered on the faces of the Iwa Shinobi.
Even with the Byakugan, Konoha shouldn't have detected them so quickly.
After all, they were the elite underground force, masters of stealth in the ninja world.
"Simu was right. A surprise attack was inevitable," Hyuga Hizashi muttered coldly.
At least a thousand Iwa Shinobi had already infiltrated the Konoha camp.
And through his Byakugan, he could see thousands more advancing from a distance.
Their entire route had been compromised.
There was a traitor.
But Simu wasn't surprised.
With his Observation Haki, he had already sensed the underground movement.
And Konoha's forces were ready.
His coat of justice billowed in the wind as he smirked.
"The war has begun."
.
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TO BE CONTINUED
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