September is the season of scorching sun.
The Third Ninja War is in full swing.
As disaster areas where wars converge - due to their awkward geographical locations, the Country of Grass and the Country of Rain can be said to have been poisoned by the wars between great powers.
The domestic economy was declining year by year, and the daimyo and nobles only cared about protecting themselves. Even the ninja village focused on self-preservation, and there was a deep taboo about getting involved in the war between the great ninja villages.
Because anyone with a discerning eye can see how huge the gap is between the Ninja Village of a big country and the Ninja Village of a small country.
And this huge gap cannot be restored by one or a few people.
Compared to the Kingdom of Grass, the Kingdom of Rain suffers from wars more frequently and to a greater extent.
It was the break of dawn, and the new day did not usher in the sun shining down on the world. Instead, there was cold, continuous heavy rain, which washed away the blood in the air.
There were corpses, weapons, blood, and mutilated pieces of flesh everywhere.
Several huge snakes wreaked havoc on the battlefield.
"Rush over!"
Orochimaru stood on the head of a big purple snake covered in blood, surrounded by several spotted pythons. A random swing of a python of this size could cause an attack that was not weak to ninjutsu.
The strength of the Sannin is obvious.
Being able to control huge psychic beasts, coupled with their own secret ninjutsu, they are a disaster for their enemies.
Compared to the battlefield in the Kingdom of Grass, the battlefield in the Kingdom of Rain is more bloody and brutal. Sunagakure's offensive is becoming more fierce day by day, and the frequency of battles is also higher.
Sharp wind blades sprayed out one after another, and kunai with detonating talismans also aimed at the big snakes.
They all knew that only by completely defeating Orochimaru could they achieve victory, break through Konoha's defensive formations in the Land of Rain, and rush into the Land of Fire in one go to rob everything there.
Orochimaru also understands this, but as the commander-in-chief, he cannot retreat here.
Once he falls here, the consequences will be disastrous.
He is very clear about his situation in the Kingdom of Rain, and being undefeated is the greatest victory.
His mission was only to stop Sunagakure's troops in the Land of Rain. What he would sacrifice for this was not within his scope of consideration.
Treating a few people as victims, setting traps, and exchanging a small number of casualties for a large number of Sunagakure casualties was all worth it in his eyes.
The battle lasted until noon, and the Sunagakure troops were once again repelled. Konoha's side was not happy at all.
If we continue to fight like this, it will be very detrimental to Konoha.
Because the troops deployed by the Kingdom of Rain continue to be used up like this, it will be a matter of time for Sunagakure to break through the defense formation here.
However, there was no better way. Sunagakure no longer carried out a small group combat strategy, but directly used a large force to crush them and charge head-on. This was a high-pressure strategy that caused a thousand losses to oneself and eight hundred to the enemy.
No matter how clever the trap Orochimaru set, it would not cause any effective losses to Sunagakure's large army.
In fact, on the battlefield of Rain Kingdom, Konoha has no retreat.
"Is there still no support? If this continues, we won't be able to hold on for long."
At the jounin meeting in the camp, a jounin said tiredly.
Compared to Sunagakure's surplus, there are already less than three thousand Konoha ninjas in the Land of Rain.
As for the troops that Sunagakure has invested in the Rain Country, there are at least 5,000 people.
"There are still many teams performing patrol missions in the Country of Fire, but they are to prevent Sunagakure's elite team from sneaking into the Country of Fire to cause trouble, so they cannot be easily mobilized. And in the village, it is estimated that only five hundred people can be sent out at most. , to support the battlefield of the Kingdom of Rain."
Another jounin analyzed objectively.
The battlefield on the Iwagakure side cannot be ignored, and the pressure is equally great.
Moreover, there was Kumogakure's Chen Hyōtō no Kuni to the east, which also dispersed some of Konoha's forces and went to be vigilant.
When Kumogakure and Iwagakure went to war, they did not forget to create obstacles for Konoha.
Otherwise, if the Konoha ninjas who defend Kumogakure's troops are transferred to the Land of Rain, the situation will be much better.
"Five hundred people can't solve any problem at all."
"What else can we do, we can only continue to fight. If I had known this, I shouldn't have hastily negotiated peace with Sunagakure Village during the last ninja war."
One of the Jonin said something too garrulous.
Everyone's expressions also began to change.
After all, this incident made them somewhat regretful.
After all, Konoha had the upper hand when they fought Sunagakure in the last great shinobi war.
The White Fang team, which penetrated directly into the enemy's heartland and stirred up chaos, was suppressed by Konoha's large forces from the front, and the double advance made Sunagakure can only cower and fight. Even the Third Kazekage had no way to deal with them Konoha.
However, after the Jonin meeting in the village, he did not want to make any more sacrifices, so he entered into peace talks with Sunagakure.
After that, the situation in Konoha became bad.
White Fang Hatake Sakumo committed suicide, the White Fang team fell apart, and defectors appeared in Uchiha and Hinata, further weakening Konoha's overall strength.
If the last great ninja war had hit Sunagakure until Sunagakure was exhausted, Konoha would have paid a certain price for it, but it would still be better than the current situation of neither gaining nor falling. At least Sunagakure Village does not dare to provoke Konoha anymore, thus eliminating hidden dangers here.
Just concentrate on dealing with Iwagakure and guarding against Kumogakure.
Allocating troops to the three fronts, even those with deep knowledge in Konoha, found it extremely difficult.
At this moment, a Chuunin who was responsible for delivering emergency orders broke into the tent where the meeting was taking place and said to Orochimaru: "Lord Orochimaru, Elder Danzo is here to pay his respects."
Danzo?
All the jounin who heard this name became thoughtful.
Although I don't really like dealing with this Shinobi's Dark, if the other party can support him at this time, it may play a key role in defending Sunagakure's offensive.
The Jonin meeting ended, leaving Orochimaru alone waiting for Danzo.
About a few minutes later, Danzo walked in from outside the tent, and the root jounin who followed him was guarding the outside to prevent anyone from entering.
"Danzo, if you don't help Jiraiya over there in the Land of Grass, why are you here with me? I don't have time to trade with you right now."
Orochimaru said in a hoarse voice.
"Come here to help you defeat Sunagakure. Compared with the battlefield of the Country of Drafting, the situation here in the Country of Rain is more urgent."
Danzo said.
"It's impossible for the people you brought, combined with all the Konoha ninjas here, to confront Sunagakure head-on. The overall combat power is too different, so we can only barely resist."
Orochimaru's face was calm, not feeling happy about Danzo's support.
He was not happy at all with the harsh challenges Konoha was facing now.
"Victory means victory without defeat. This is your mission in the Country of Rain. Kumogakure's sudden intervention dispersed part of the village's forces. At this critical moment, the key to breaking the situation lies in the Country of Rain, not the Country of Grass."
"Breaking?"
Orochimaru frowned.
"According to my investigation, half of Sunagakure's grain reserves are provided by the Land of Rain as protection fees to protect the daimyo and nobles."
"I know that."
"Expand the scale of the war and completely pull the Kingdom of Rain into the water."
Danzo only said this sentence, and he believed that Orochimaru understood what he meant.
White Fang's suicide, Uchiha and Hinata's frequent accidents caused Konoha's combat power to be much weaker than the last ninja war at the beginning of the war.
Coupled with Sunagakure and Iwagakure coming prepared, the situation in Konoha will only get worse as time goes by.
"You mean..."
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes.
A figure appeared in my mind.
Standing on the head of a giant Sansho fish, with a high and powerful attitude, the ninja who calmly gave him the name of "Sannin" - Sansho Hanzo.
The demigod of the ninja world.
Every time he thinks of this incident, Orochimaru can feel a sense of humiliation from the bottom of his heart.
In that battle, not only was he completely defeated, but he was not even able to fight back. He was also given the title of Sannin, which was very glorious in the eyes of outsiders.
What a shameful memory.
So he has always hated this rainy country.
Including the old man with the snorkel who controls the Sansho Fish - the ninja demigod.
"Yes, just as you guessed. Drag the Rain Hidden Village into the battlefield, completely disrupt the situation in the Country of Rain, and let the Rain Hidden Village and Hanzo share some of the pressure for us."
Danzo said.
Orochimaru closed his eyes and thought for a while, then opened his eyes, with a sinister smile on his lips, and his tone became hoarse: "Okay, this is indeed a good idea, but how do you get that old guy Hanzo to intervene? That old guy This guy obviously intends to be a coward in this war. Otherwise, when Sunagakure came to the Land of Rain, he would have jumped out on his own."
Therefore, from Orochimaru's point of view, this may also be a test for Hanzo by Sunagakure.
After all, in the early days of the Second Ninja War, Sunagakure Village was also beaten by Hanzo to the point where he knew nothing about the east, west, and north. Later, when they attacked Konoha, they also attacked the Fire Country from the direction of the Kawa Country, rather than passing through the Rain Country.
This shows that the senior management of Sunagakure also have their own considerations. Or maybe, at the beginning of the war, Sunagakure reached some agreement with Hanzo.
"According to my tip, Hanzo has become suspicious in recent years and has become more cautious in his actions. The mess in the Country of Rain and Hidden Rain Village has also made him physically and mentally exhausted. Compared to protecting the Country of Rain, he is probably more concerned about protecting the Country of Rain now. I want to protect my reputation as a 'demigod'."
"... Danzo, are you kidding me? If so, how can we get him to take action and share the pressure of Sunagakure for us?"
Orochimaru frowned.
He didn't bother to care about what happened to Hanzo.
But as Danzo said, Hanzo's fighting spirit has declined. He only wants to protect the honor of his "demigod" and is no longer enterprising. How could such a person intervene in a dangerous war and share the pressure on behalf of the wood industry?
"No, this is just right. If Hanzo doesn't want to take action, then we will force him to take action. Unlike Hanzo, in this time of national crisis, there are many young people from the Country of Rain who are not afraid of death and want to protect this country that is riddled with holes. Country. Use them as a springboard to force Hanzo out of Amegakure Village."
In this way, it will not only reduce the threat of Sunagakure, but also weaken the power of Amegakure, making the environment around Konoha more stable.
"Then let's do it this way, Danzo."
Orochimaru's eyes were cold.
The biggest difference between him and Jiraiya is that no matter how despicable the strategy is, as long as it can bring victory to Konoha, then he will do whatever it takes. In this, who and how many people are sacrificed is just a cold number.
Danzo nodded.
He admired Orochimaru's attitude of demanding victory by any means necessary. Jiraiya would never have agreed to this.
"Don't worry, I'm here just for this. Gen will bear this darkness!"
◎
Yuyin Village.
The land on the water surrounded by the inland sea, the towering towers are like a jungle of steel arches, exposed to the heavy rain.
In the tavern, the members of the 'Akatsuki' organization crowded together in a single room.
The content of their meeting was very simple. It was still mainly about helping the poor people of the Rain Country, and dissuading Konoha and Sunagakure from continuing the war, so that the Rain Country could recover its economy as soon as possible.
Currently, half of the people in the Kingdom of Rain are living a precarious life, and this situation will become worse and worse as time goes by. The only way is to stop the war between Sunagakure and Konoha.
But this result was not ideal, because in the past few months, Yahiko went to negotiate with the ninjas of Konoha and Sunagakure more than once, but he was turned away every time, and even the command level there was not seen. He was kicked out violently.
Even though he encountered such a bad thing, Yahiko did not feel disheartened, but he also understood that Konoha and Sunagakure did not care what happened to the Rain Country because of this war. This made Yahiko angry and helpless.
He has always believed that people can understand each other, and no matter how difficult this road is, he will continue to walk unswervingly.
But so far, Konoha and Sunagakure's refusal to talk has completely rejected his passionate will.
Why is no one willing to sit down and negotiate calmly? Yahiko couldn't understand this.
Obviously war will only bring serious trauma. Both the enemy and yourself will be injured because of the war. The feeling of losing a family member is the same.
In this case, Sunagakure and Konoha still insist on fighting, fighting each other on the battlefield, not only hurting the enemy, but also becoming painful themselves, which Yahiko cannot understand.
Seeing how everyone was in trouble, Nagato knew exactly what kind of difficulty Xiao was facing.
In the final analysis, it is still a problem of insufficient funds.
Because they want to restore the daily lives of the people, even if Sunagakure and Konoha stop the war, how to collect money is the top priority.
Xiao does not have such earning power.
None of them understand the business methods of making money.
Their income still comes from the rewards for completing tasks... If this is the case, in Nagato's opinion, it would be more profitable to go to the Kingdom of Ghosts and use the Samsara Eye to move bricks.
After the meeting, Nagato walked out of the dull room and stood on the balcony on the second floor, looking at the patter of rain outside the eaves.
"Is it Xiaonan?"
Nagato heard footsteps coming from behind and turned his head slightly.
"Yes. Nagato, what are you thinking about here alone?"
“Wondering how to get funding.”
Nagato thought about his answer.
"Sorry, it's all because of me..."
Xiaonan thought about the tens of millions of taels of debt she owed, and it was only through Nagato's help that she could barely pay it off.
It was also at that time that Xiaonan learned that Nagato had started working in the underground black market.
He hunts criminals from all over the world alone in the Land of Rain looking for business, silently supporting Akatsuki's actions behind the scenes.
Therefore, although Xiao's funds are not sufficient, the supplies purchased have not been reduced.
And only Xiaonan knows this secret.
Xiaonan is responsible for the procurement tasks and is very clear about the prices of medicines and other supplies. If another member is replaced to take over, he will soon know the financial problems.
"This has nothing to do with you. I just want to fulfill the dream we three share. This effort is nothing."
"Is there really no need to tell Yahiko and the others? Maybe they know about this and will..."
"No need. Compared with my work, he has to face more pressure. I don't want to increase his troubles."
As the leader, Yahiko is of course under a lot of pressure, and Nagato knows this very well.
Because of this, Nagato understands better that people have to face reality.
If Yahiko is the savior and dreamer in the eyes of everyone, then what he wants to be is the unknown person who silently sacrifices everything behind Yahiko, the dreamer.
Even so, it's a treat.
"I have always envied Yahiko's personality since I was a child. He is not discouraged no matter what setbacks he faces. He has the special power to infect others. He is a natural leader. In the past, he also saved me like this and became one of the people who followed him. Nameless person, these are my sincere words. No need to persuade me anymore, Konan. Yahiko will definitely change this country. I believe he has this power."
A smile appeared on Nagato's face.
Hearing what Nagato said, Xiaonan had no choice but to agree with his thoughts and nodded seriously.
Yahiko is indeed the kind of person who is overly optimistic, and because of this optimistic attitude towards life, he can hold his head high when facing any difficulties, and can selflessly dedicate everything he has to everyone around him.
It is for this reason that Xiao was established, allowing more and more people to recognize it and become a member of Xiao.
Hikaru will learn that complaining and hating are meaningless. Akatsuki's purpose is to change this country and this world where human nature has begun to become distorted due to constant wars.
◎
The top of the tower.
The sound of rain outside could no longer be heard inside.
Isolated from all disturbances in the outside world.
The candlelight flickered in the room, and through the window paper, a figure slowly sat upright.
He did not come out of the room. Outside the room, there were a large number of Amegakure ninjas wearing gas masks to protect him, 24 hours a day.
"Is there a problem?"
The old man's rather angry voice came from the room.
The Amegakure ninja who was in charge of the report knelt on one knee on the floor, wrapped in the silent atmosphere, with a look of respect on his face. He obviously had a heartfelt admiration for the person living in the room.
After all, this is the famous ninja, the great figure at the top of the ninja - the ninja demigod, Sansho Hanzo.
He is also the patron saint of their Rain Kingdom.
In the Second Ninja War, the greatest hero of the Rain Country defeated the ninjas of the three major countries in succession.
Today's new generation of Amegakure ninjas can be said to have grown up listening to this heroic legend.
For the living demigod in the legend, respect and worship will naturally radiate from the inside out.
Although after years of baptism, the energy is not as good as before, the will to protect the country and love peace still encourages the new generation of ninjas to move forward bravely, becoming the spiritual pillar for the young people of the Rain Country to live strong and aspire to peace.
"Master Hanzo, as Konoha and Sunagakure are currently fighting in our Rain Country, according to statistics, one hundred and thirteen villages, nineteen towns, and two cities have suffered varying degrees of damage."
This number can be said to be a very heavy loss for the Country of Rain.
Rain Country is a small country, and its domestic economy has not been very prosperous since the Second Shinobi War.
The continuous banditry for years, coupled with the Third Ninja War, has exacerbated the serious economic decline of the Rain Country.
Although it is the task of the daimyo and the nobles to appease the numerous homeless people of the Kingdom of Rain, the daimyo and the nobles are now unable to protect themselves. One can imagine what the fate of these homeless people will be.
"I understand. I will negotiate with the people of Konoha and Sunagakure and let them fight later. Try not to do it in a populated place."
Hanzo in the room was silent for a while, and then slowly said this.
The Amegakure ninja in charge of the report hesitated slightly, with a little hesitation on his face.
In fact, he would rather see Hanzo become furious after hearing the news, and wipe out the invaders in the Kingdom of Rain with absolutely powerful force.
Just like the Second Ninja War, the Rain Country can hold its head high in the international arena instead of just sending out a few letters of condemnation.
"Well, Master Hanzo..."
"Anything else?"
"In fact, many people in the village hope that Lord Hanzo will come forward and seek justice for us in the Kingdom of Rain. Once again, he will lead everyone to defeat the ninjas of Konoha and Sunagakure. Now many people in the Kingdom of Rain are living a precarious life. life."
The communication ninja's eyes showed hope.
He very much hoped that the ninja demigod he had admired since childhood could take on the fate of the country, become the country's hero again, and become the goal of young people's efforts.
Many ninjas in the Rain Hidden Village are now very dissatisfied with the practices of Konoha and Sunagakure in the Land of Rain. However, due to orders, they cannot attack Konoha and Sunagakure, otherwise they will be treated as defecting ninjas.
However, as the Amegakure ninjas swallowed their anger, Konoha and Sunagakure's behavior in the Land of Rain became more and more extreme, and many places reported that these two village ninjas had various misdeeds of entering residential houses and stealing.
Because there is little evidence, and the battles of ninjas are too brutal, ordinary people will definitely run away at all costs when encountering them. And due to the hasty escape, many things at home cannot be taken away, and they have to be left behind.
When I returned again, I found that many things in my home had been looted, especially food and money, and nothing was left.
The only ninjas of Konoha and Sunagakure could do such a thing.
"I will let the daimyo handle this matter. Although I sympathize with the plight of these people, as the leader of Yuyin Village, I cannot overstep my authority and interfere in such matters before the daimyo orders are issued. Alas. …”
Hanzo, who was in the room, gave such an answer in a compassionate and helpless tone after careful consideration.
The Amegakure ninja seemed to have something stuck in his throat. He couldn't say a word, and his eyes were slightly blank.
With his hard work and unremitting efforts, he stood out from the crowd and worked hard to climb to the side of admirers. Even if he was just an insignificant communications officer, he was proud of his job.
Disappointed?
Maybe it's disappointment.
More of a doubt.
He didn't understand why the ninja he admired continued to tolerate it at this time.
Or, are you really considering that the daimyo has no orders and it is inconvenient to handle this kind of thing?
The Daimyo of the Rain Country cannot protect itself at the moment. The nobles only care about their own enjoyment and do not care about the survival of the country. Hanzo-sama should have known this for a long time.
"Yes, Master Hanzo."
He sighed slightly in his heart.
He could only find various excuses in his mind for Hanzo not to interfere in this matter.
But no matter what kind of excuse it is, it is difficult to convince my heart.
Just as he was about to go out, another Amegakure ninja hurried in.
"It's not good, Master Hanzo."
He shouted anxiously, it was obvious that there was an emergency.
"Why are you so panicked? I'm not dead yet."
Hanzo's voice turned cold.
"Yes, yes." Frightened by Hanzo's sudden aura, the Amegakure ninja who came in later swallowed his saliva and replied:
"Lord Hanzo, the people in the village got into a fight with the envoy of Sunagakure who came to visit!"
"Sunagakure?"
Hanzo, who had never been seen in the room, frowned slightly.
What does it mean for the Sunagakure ninja to suddenly come to visit Amegakure instead of fighting the Konoha ninja?
