Land of Whirlpools.
Morning.
Today is a solemn day...
All major factories, enterprises, and workshops have halted operations.
The large square in the Land of Whirlpools was filled with people.
Before dawn, all the citizens of the Land of Whirlpools arrived at the square with heavy hearts, gazing at the center...
Where a group of soldiers stood stiffly upright, dressed in Land of Whirlpools military uniforms, their expressions serious...
Among them, many had lost their lower limbs due to the war and could not stand normally...
Yet they insisted on standing nonetheless...
Supported by their comrades, they held their heads high and looked straight ahead!!
At this moment...
No one would show fear or weakness, because they were soldiers, soldiers who protected their home and country!!
Therefore...
They would not let the citizens of their country see their inner fragility. Only this way could the people of the Land of Whirlpools have confidence in them, and confidence in the nation...
To live stable lives in the Land of Whirlpools.
"Nishiyama Kaiyue." Uzumaki Jun called out with a stern expression, "Step forward!"
"On the battlefield, he defeated two genin and one jōnin, held the enemy tightly with his body refusing to let go, and finally detonated an explosive tag to block the enemy's advance!"
The one coming to receive the medal was not Kaiyue...
But his sixty-year-old father!!
Kaiyue was not a graduate of the academy, but a rogue ninja who had come to the Land of Whirlpools from outside.
Uzumaki Jun looked at the old man whose hands trembled but still tried to stand straight, his heart aching...
Had he...
Done wrong?
"Sorry!"
Uzumaki Jun solemnly handed the medal over with both hands, silently uttering the words...
Then, he shouted, "Awarded..."
The old man also received the medal with both hands, trembling, and gave an unstandard military salute to Uzumaki Jun and everyone below. With tears in his eyes, he gazed quietly at the medal in his hand and murmured, "He was a hero..."
Don't worry, Kaiyue, I will take good care of Kaito.
Your father and your child will both be proud of you!!
Then...
He straightened his hunched body and slowly walked down...
Because...
He was the father of a hero, he could not shame his child!
Although he really wanted to cry...
But...
He held it back!
Holding the medal tightly with both hands...
And at this moment...
No one dared to mock this old man with a hunched back. His great, sorrowful, yet proud figure...
Caused everyone present who witnessed this scene to fall silent...
Peace...
Always comes at a price!!
No one knows how many people have sacrificed, how many things have been given up for this peace, and also...
No one knows how long peace can last...
Uzumaki Jun sighed inwardly...
Perhaps what he did was cruel, but...
This was a necessary process for a nation to grow strong...
A process of blood and tears!!
This war also exposed many problems. The newcomers who graduated from the academy and had not experienced the baptism of blood, most of them showed fear, trembling, and vomiting on the battlefield. Some were even too scared to move...
In contrast, those ninja who had already experienced war and the rogue ninja from outside were able to react more quickly, mounting defenses and even launching attacks against the enemy.
So...
Most of those who died were veterans!
They silently used their lives to teach these newcomers a lesson.
War...
Means death!!
Uzumaki Jun might feel sorrowful inside, but he did not regret his cold observation. For newcomers to become veterans, they must experience bloodshed.
Especially in this chaotic ninja world...
Fear...
Can get people killed!!
Within the scope of what he could currently see...
Guiding the Land of Whirlpools to grow step by step was his goal.
Otherwise...
What if one day an accident happened and he was gone?
"Chiba..." Uzumaki Jun's eyes showed determination as he called out the next name...
A nation's strength does not rely on just one person...
He is merely...
The daimyo of the Land of Whirlpools!!
...
End of June, Year 43 of Konoha.
War is imminent!
Especially for Kumogakure, which preserved its full strength in the war of the Land of Whirlpools...
They were feeling mighty now!
Having prepared for war early, they directly led the Kumo-nin westward, heading toward Konoha.
As for Iwagakure...
They did not dare to act recklessly anymore!!
The Third Tsuchikage remained silent throughout, dispatching a commander to the front lines, while he himself...
Decided to follow the example of the Third Hokage...
A wise man does not stand under a dangerous wall!!
Countless Kage throughout the ninja world had already demonstrated with their lives a truth...
Those who wander around die quickly.
Anyway, this time they were just going to pressure Konoha and cheer from the sidelines. As for the rest...
That was Kumogakure's business.
Who told them to retreat from the battlefield!
Among the five great villages that participated in the war of the Land of Whirlpools, only Kumogakure remained intact. Even if they successfully pressured Konoha this time, what about next time?
Probably it would be Kumogakure's turn!
After all...
Kumogakure was now simply too powerful...
And among the villages...
There was no true friendship. Who knew if Kumogakure would share the legendary swords after obtaining them? Since that was the case...
Why work so hard?
So, Iwagakure's war slogan this time was...
Play it safe if possible!!
...
At the same time, in Tsuchigumo Village...
A small village established by a single clan, much like Uzushiogakure of the past. However, unlike the Land of Whirlpools of the Uzumaki clan...
They were merely a small village living under someone else's roof.
A small village that sold its services to others in exchange for space to survive...
"Konoha?" The Tsuchigumo clan leader looked at the alliance petition sent by Konoha, pondered for a moment, and then asked the elders, "What do you think?"
"This..." One elder looked around at the expressions of the other elders, thought for a while, and nodded, "I think it's feasible!"
"Although Tsuchigumo is a ninja village, it's really just a single clan."
They knew their own situation...
The entire village had only about a hundred people, and most of them weren't even ninja.
So, forming an alliance with Konoha could be a good thing!
"After all, our forbidden technique is far too tempting."
The elder sighed and looked at the clan leader...
A technique that could destroy an entire city with a single use, who wouldn't want it?
But now...
The Tsuchigumo clan's population was declining, fewer ninja were emerging, and the clan's forbidden technique was difficult to master. If this continued, they would eventually be targeted by others.
So, forming an alliance with Konoha might be an opportunity?
After all...
A starved camel is still bigger than a horse. No matter what, as one of the five great villages, Konoha wouldn't be easily destroyed.
"Third Elder makes a good point." The clan leader nodded upon hearing the elder's words, "In that case..."
"Wait."
Suddenly...
Before the clan leader could finish speaking...
"This old man disagrees." The Second Elder spoke up, "Why is Konoha seeking an alliance with us now?"
Isn't it precisely because the situation they are facing is just...
Too messed up!!
After all, they're up against three great villages!
Especially with the balance of power shifting...
Konoha suffered heavy losses due to their defeat in the war of the Land of Whirlpools, while Kumogakure, on the contrary, did nothing and leaped to become the strongest village!
So, Konoha came to them to share the pressure...
Aren't they also eyeing the Tsuchigumo clan's forbidden technique?
And you must remember...
Konoha even dares to scheme against their own people!
Who knows if after the war ends, the Third Hokage would declare the Tsuchigumo clan's secret technique forbidden, prohibit its use, and then, in exchange, offer support when the clan is in crisis...
Using that to scheme the Tsuchigumo clan to their doom!
The Second Elder curled his lips slightly, looked around at the elders, and said, "I think we can learn from the Uchiha clan..."
"Go to the Land of Whirlpools!!"
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