The third day after the war ended.
The people of the Land of Whirlpools began to return to their daily production and life.
However.
War inevitably results in deaths. Although preparations had been made early on and the casualties in the Land of Whirlpools were not heavy, some people had still permanently departed.
After the entire nation participated in a brief yet solemn funeral, life slowly returned to calm.
Death is the most common theme in the shinobi world, especially for these impoverished commoners who see death every day outside.
Starvation, freezing, illness, being killed by shinobi.
They are already accustomed to it.
Of course.
The ruins left by the attacks and explosions on the coast still illustrate the brutal situation faced by the military of the Land of Whirlpools during that war.
Countless chakra cannons were destroyed. Countless soldiers charged forward against the enemy's kunai, shuriken, and ninjutsu, and after that.
How many.
Lay down?
Especially recently, the hospitals were overcrowded. Many people went to visit the heroes who survived, bringing their heartfelt gratitude and small tokens of appreciation.
A word of thanks, some apples, a basket of eggs, or a bowl of rich chicken soup, plain congee.
These made the soldiers lying in hospital beds feel warmth, letting them know.
Their sacrifices were worth it!
Because they protected this nation, protected the simple and honest people of this country.
Various academies also organized student visits!
For a time, the nation's cohesion reached a new level. Everyone understood the difficulty of war. They could work steadily within the country to earn money, eat, wear clothes, have housing, and sleep, all because a group of admirable people silently bore everything for them behind the scenes!!
At the same time, recruitment slogans were quickly posted throughout the country.
"One person serves as a soldier, the whole family is honored!"
"Join the army to fulfill your duty, guard the borders and defend the nation!"
"..."
Seeing these, and the soldiers who sacrificed for the nation and its people.
Young people seemed to find their purpose, enlisting with the desire to protect the country.
Although the Land of Whirlpools was still immersed in sorrow, the.
Victory in the war was still an exciting event. Relying on a small island to resist the Five Great Shinobi Villages, and in the end, the Land of Whirlpools actually won!!
How incredible, yet something people had to believe!
The entire shinobi world was in an uproar, because.
The Land of Whirlpools achieved victory relying on its own strength. Although the Daimyo of the Land of Whirlpools finally intervened and wiped out Kirigakure by awakening the national treasure of the Land of Water, 'Frostmourne', it still cannot be denied that the Land of Whirlpools, just a small island nation, actually withstood the invasion of three great shinobi villages!!
This was the incredible thing!
Immediately.
Most of the small countries in the shinobi world began to doubt their own original one-country-one-village system and also prepared to re-examine the red ideology system of the Land of Whirlpools. What are its advantages?
Why could it allow a small island nation to rise so quickly and be called the Sixth Great Nation?
Even.
Some people even called it the number one great nation!!
Because the Land of Whirlpools won against the combined forces of the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
Of course.
While the entire shinobi world was contemplating the future path, what the red ideology path is, whether to embark on this path or not, and how to proceed, Konoha was facing a serious crisis.
Kumogakure took the lead in launching war on the border of the Land of Fire, citing Konoha's violation of the shinobi world's "Pacifism Pact" by privately leading the other three great shinobi villages to wage war on a peaceful small nation by the sea. As one of the guardians of peace in the shinobi world, Kumogakure condemned Konoha's immoral and uncivilized behavior, and.
Demanded that Konoha pay the price!!
Subsequently.
Iwagakure also declared war on Konoha.
As one of the only two Kage remaining among the four great shinobi villages that invaded the Land of Whirlpools.
The Tsuchikage, Onoki of the Two Scales, remained completely silent about what exactly happened during the war in the Land of Whirlpools. No matter who asked him, he remained silent and did not answer.
As for Sunagakure and Kirigakure.
After their Third Kage died, to stabilize the order within their villages, the higher-ups quickly selected their respective Fourth Kage.
Sunagakure selected a shinobi who could use Magnet Release, Rasa!.
As for Kirigakure.
They selected an adorable little boy with a scar on his face, Yagura Karatachi!
He seemed like a cute Mizukage with nothing particularly special about him!!
Immediately.
The families in the village who didn't know the truth were furious, suspecting behind-the-scenes manipulation. This Yagura Karatachi.
Which family is he from??
He looked like just someone randomly found from outside and pushed forward by the higher-ups!
But.
After the Fourth Mizukage invited them for a 'discussion' one night, everyone became calm and approvingly said.
This is a good Mizukage!!
And because Kirigakure suffered the heaviest losses in this war!
The national treasure they worked so hard to buy on loan was awakened by the enemy.
Heartache!
The village fell into a deficit crisis again.
So they were not concerned about the war between the three great shinobi villages on the mainland!
As for Sunagakure.
As the shinobi village that loves to join in the excitement the most, how could they not participate?
After selecting the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa led the remaining part of Sunagakure's forces to the battlefield.
Indeed, the number of shinobi was a bit small, but this time they were just going to cheer from the sidelines. Although they despised Kumogakure's behavior of deserting on the battlefield in the Land of Whirlpools, now.
They absolutely cannot let Konoha obtain the Blaze of Joy!!
Therefore.
The Fourth Kazekage accepted Kumogakure's alliance, agreeing to condemn Konoha in the name of Sunagakure.
For a time.
Our Third Hokage smoked a few more puffs in his office!!
.
"Sigh!" Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at his team, the backbone of Konoha, the core leadership that led Konoha to strength, with a worried expression, and said, "What should we do now?"
He had never thought the alliance of the Five Great Shinobi Villages would lose.
And lose so completely!!
It was really unbelievable!!
Especially Kumogakure.
They actually had the nerve to declare war on Konoha??
If they hadn't deserted, the alliance of the Five Great Shinobi Villages would probably have already destroyed the Land of Whirlpools.
But now.
Most of Konoha's shinobi had been captured by the Land of Whirlpools. The representative figures of the younger generation, Orochimaru and Namikaze Minato, were also captured. As for Jiraiya and Tsunade.
No one even knows where they are fooling around right now??
Sarutobi Hiruzen felt so weary!
There wasn't a single capable fighter left in the village!!
"Will the Land of Whirlpools not return the prisoners from each village?" Utatane Koharu frowned and asked, "What do they want with so many captured shinobi?"
Wasting food?
You must know that when shinobi villages capture enemy shinobi, they either kill them all, or.
Ransom them for money!
But that usually doesn't involve too many, because too many enemy shinobi would cause chaos in the village.
So, Konoha's approach is.
Release them.
After all, Konoha is the messenger of justice!!
"After compensating for the 250 chakra cannons destroyed by Konoha, 100 million per cannon, plus 5 billion for the Land of Whirlpools' losses in the war, and 1 billion in subsidies for Land of Whirlpools shinobi casualties, they are willing to discuss the prisoner issue with us!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen said helplessly, "This is over 30 billion!"
How could Konoha possibly come up with that??
Especially since the loan they gave to Kirigakure last time hasn't been repaid yet, plus the weapons purchased for this war.
He had no more money to protect Konoha.
And.
It was heard that during the war, that batch of weapons seemed to have malfunctioned, which caused.
But now they simply cannot find the leader of the Akatsuki organization to demand compensation!
"."
Hearing Sarutobi Hiruzen's words, Utatane Koharu and the others fell silent. The Land of Whirlpools was simply.
Asking for an exorbitant price!!
These reparations alone amounted to tens of billions. What about the prisoners later?
Wouldn't that be hundreds of billions??
But now.
The initiative is not in Konoha's hands!
They have managed Konoha for so many years, from being ostracized by various families to becoming Konoha's leadership, leading Konoha to become the head of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, and have never encountered such a thorny situation.
"Kumogakure's goal is to force Konoha to hand over the legendary sword." Utatane Koharu frowned, thought for a moment, and said, "Has no one in Konoha awakened the Sword Spirit yet?"
If someone had awakened the Sword Spirit, then everything would be easier.
"No." Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head and said, "Shinobi throughout Konoha have tried."
Still, no one succeeded!!
Sarutobi Hiruzen showed a bitter smile.
He still didn't know how the Daimyo of the Land of Whirlpools awakened the Sword Spirit.
"In that case." Utatane Koharu sighed and said helplessly, "The only way is to hand over the sword."
Currently, the only two places known to possess such swords are Konoha and the Land of Whirlpools.
After seeing the power of the awakened sword wielded by the Daimyo of the Land of Whirlpools, many villages certainly began to itch, hoping that someone in their own village could also successfully awaken a Sword Spirit and lead the village to strength.
But.
The Land of Whirlpools showed its muscle in one war. Probably no one dares to provoke them now. And Konoha.
Suffered heavy losses, the village's strength greatly reduced. If not now, then when?
So now.
Handing over the sword is the only way.
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