chsdbacks Chapter 17 The Storm Is Brewing
Chapter 17 The Storm Is Brewing
The fierce conflict between Sunagakure and Kumogakure on the border was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly shattering the fragile peace that had been maintained among the five great nations for years.
The true root of the war lay deep within the so-called "peaceful" years following the end of the Second Shinobi World War.
After several years of recuperation and frenzied expansion, the military power of the five great nations, especially the number of ninjas, has reached an astonishing peak.
But behind this false prosperity lies a fatal contradiction: the ninja profession itself does not directly engage in production. The entire village's massive machine, from the supply of ninja tools to daily expenses, is extremely dependent on commissions earned from completing tasks issued by nobles and wealthy merchants from various countries.
The number and level of missions are limited, but the number of ninjas eagerly awaiting their arrival is constantly expanding.
The situation of too many wolves and too little meat became increasingly severe. In order to compete for the limited mission resources, the friction between the major ninja villages gradually evolved from the initial covert competition, slander and defamation to open accusations and insults, until they finally clashed directly with each other during the mission.
Along the border, small-scale skirmishes and probing have become increasingly frequent, like sparks constantly erupting in the dry summer heat. The smell of gunpowder permeating the five major powers has become so strong as to be pungent.
When internal development reaches a bottleneck and increasingly acute contradictions cannot be resolved or reconciled internally, expanding outwards and using a large-scale war to divert these contradictions, while also consuming excess "military forces" that may even backfire, becomes a ruthless option in the eyes of some ambitious individuals and those in power—a "win-win-win" or even "kill three birds with one stone" scenario.
This allows them to plunder resources from other countries to enrich themselves, and also to use others as pawns to kill, legitimately depleting the excessive number of civilian ninjas within the country, especially those lacking prominent backgrounds and whose sacrifices are less "painful," in order to maintain internal "stability."
Therefore, the first shot fired by Sunagakure and Kumogakure on the border was merely a puncture of the already riddled and crumbling window paper.
Once the war began, it quickly slid into a tragic abyss.
Between the endless deserts of the Land of Wind and the treacherous mountains of the Land of Lightning, the violent wind-style techniques and the booming lightning-style techniques intertwine, and the sounds of ninja tools clashing and ninjas shouting battle cries never cease day or night.
The forces deployed by both sides continued to escalate, and the casualty figures rose at an alarming rate, quickly turning the battle into a brutal tug-of-war.
However, both Sunagakure, whose initial intention was to divert internal conflicts, and Kumogakure, which was ambitious and sought to expand, gradually realized a fact after the initial frenzy.
If they continue to exhaust each other without reservation, bleeding each other dry, they will only allow the other three major powers, who are watching from the sidelines and remaining inactive, to reap the benefits.
In particular, the Hidden Leaf Village of the Land of Fire, which is rich in resources, has a unique geographical location, and has always maintained relative restraint, must not be allowed to remain uninvolved; it must be dragged into the quagmire of war.
Thus, the vortex of war began to expand and spread at a visible speed.
First, in the buffer zone bordering the Land of Earth, within the Land of Grass, there were frequent incidents of unidentified elite ninjas attacking Konoha mission teams. The traces left at the scene and the fighting style all seemed to point the finger at the Iwagakure village, which is known for its stubbornness and toughness.
Immediately afterwards, in the mist-shrouded coastal areas of the Land of Water, the activities of the mysterious Kirigakure ninja suddenly intensified. They appeared like ghosts and even began to tentatively attack outposts and patrols along the southeastern coast of the Land of Fire, and the sea breeze carried the salty smell of blood.
Within Konoha Village, the previously peaceful atmosphere has been replaced by an increasingly tense state of preparation for war.
In the mission hall, more and more bad news about border conflicts and squads being ambushed by unknown forces is emerging. Although the list of the dead on the bulletin board is still short, it is like a gradually widening scar, piercing everyone's heart.
The hospital began to receive wounded soldiers who had been urgently transported back from the front lines. Although the number was not yet large, the pungent smell of disinfectant mixed with the stench of blood, as well as the suppressed groans of the wounded soldiers enduring pain, clearly reminded every villager that war, this terrible beast, was approaching their homes step by step.
The lights in the Hokage's office often stay on all night.
Led by the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Konoha high-ranking officials, though their faces were weary, had sharp eyes as they analyzed the rapidly changing situation, nervously deploying troops and strengthening defenses along the borders.
Diplomatic envoys were frequently dispatched in an attempt to make a final attempt at mediation, but these efforts yielded little result in the face of the iron-fisted logic of great power rivalry, like a stone thrown into a raging sea that barely created a ripple.
The shadow of the great war, like a thick, impenetrable cloud, hung heavily over the hearts of every Konoha villager.
On this day, the piercing assembly bell rang throughout the ninja academy.
All students, regardless of grade, were urgently summoned to the school auditorium.
An unusual solemnity and gravity permeated the air.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, stood on the stage, wearing a sacred robe embroidered with the words "Hokage" and a straw hat. His usual gentle demeanor as an elder was replaced by an unquestionable majesty.
His gaze slowly swept over the still-young faces below the stage, faces filled with innocent and hopeful dreams for the future. His voice was steady and powerful, yet carried the weight of a thousand-pound burden:
"Children!"
He began, and the auditorium fell silent. "I believe that even you, within the school, have already sensed the rapid and dangerous changes taking place in the ninja world. Peace is hard-won; we have cherished it immensely. But true peace is never something we beg for. It requires sufficient strength to defend it, unwavering determination to protect it, and even the preparation to make sacrifices!"
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink into the hearts of every young person.
"The war between Sunagakure and Kumogakure has not yet ended, and some unscrupulous forces are attempting to drag more countries, including us, into the quagmire of war. We, Konoha, love peace, but we are never afraid of challenges, nor will we stand idly by and watch our homeland be destroyed! To protect the land beneath our feet, to protect your friends and families, and to protect everything you cherish, the village needs to unite the strength of every ninja!"
The Third Hokage didn't explicitly say "graduate early" or "go to the battlefield," but almost all the students present understood the heavy unspoken meaning: war was no longer far from Konoha.
The likelihood of these still immature seedlings being pushed to the front lines is increasing infinitely.
The hall fell into a deathly silence. Yet, within that silence, countless complex emotions surged.
Some students turned pale instantly, their hands clenched into fists involuntarily, their nails digging deep into their palms.
Some, however, had a gleam of excitement and fighting spirit in their eyes, eager to prove themselves on the battlefield.
But more than anything, there was bewilderment, unease, and fear of the unknown fate that overwhelmed many young hearts like a tide.
Among the crowd, the future elites stood side by side, each with a different expression.
Genma's expression was calm, as if he had long anticipated this day, but a sharp glint flashed in his slightly narrowed eyes.
He noticed that Uchiha Obito beside him was also nervously swallowing and sweating, but his gaze kept and firmly drifting toward Nohara Rin in the group of girls not far away. It seemed that in that admiration, he had found the courage to face his fear and made some kind of decision.
Sarutobi Asuma pursed his lips and furrowed his brows. As the son of the Hokage, he felt the pressure from his father and the village's higher-ups more than anyone else.
Might Guy was so excited that he trembled slightly, his youthful passion seemed to be boiling inside him, and he almost shouted his signature slogan "Burn, youth!" regardless of the occasion. Fortunately, his father, Might Dai, who was wearing the same ridiculous bodysuit, held his shoulders firmly and signaled him to calm down.
Jingyin stood in the line of girls, her small hands clenched so tightly they turned white. Perhaps she was recalling the wounded she had seen in the hospital, her eyes filled with sympathy and worry about the cruel future she might face.
"Starting tomorrow..."
The Third Hokage's deep and clear voice rang out once more, breaking the silence of the auditorium. "All courses at the school will undergo a complete and thorough overhaul! Theoretical courses will be drastically reduced. Practical training, wilderness survival, tactical reconnaissance, trap setting and disarming, and squad-based coordinated operations—all content directly related to survival and combat—will become the absolute core of your future studies! I hope—no, I demand—that each and every one of you seize this last, and perhaps most precious, preparation time, giving it your all and squeezing out every last drop of your potential to improve yourselves! Because when the village truly needs you to step forward, what you bear on your shoulders will not only be your own life and death, but also the trust of your comrades, the honor of your clan, and the future of the entire village!"
After the meeting, the students walked out of the auditorium silently and in an orderly manner, without the usual noise.