Tsunade didn't send a single ninja, except to abide by the agreement between herself and Mufasa.
The second reason was to give Yoshimitsu a warning.
'Don't think I'm easy to push around. You know exactly what you've done.'
Yoshimitsu, however, was completely oblivious.
He thought Kazuma only intended to teach Konoha a lesson.
He never expected that Kazuma's true goal was to annihilate Konoha.
When he listened to Kazuma explain his plan, he was stunned.
"Idiot!"
Yoshimitsu was so furious that he grabbed the massive sword from his attendant and swung it at Kazuma.
"You fool! Who gave you permission to destroy Konoha?"
Yoshimitsu was no naive child. He had been a recognized force for years. How could he not understand Konoha's military power?
Konoha was the backbone of the Land of Fire.
Kazuma, without so much as a word, wanted to cripple an entire limb of the of the Land of Fire.
Unforgivable.
Kazuma saw Yoshimitsu's blade flash toward him.
A fleeting sadness crossed his eyes.
The very land he had sworn to protect—his home—didn't understand him.
Konoha and Sunagakure were advancing toward industrialization. How long could the feudal system last?
Kazuma had already resigned himself to his fate.
If the king demands the death of his subjects, they have no choice but to obey.
He closed his eyes.
The blade whistled through the air.
Then—the distinct clang of metal clashing against metal.
Yoshimitsu stumbled back, eyes wide with shock.
"Who the hell are you?!"
Kazuma's eyes shot open.
Standing between them was a man in an orange, spiral-patterned mask. He wore a black cloak adorned with red clouds.
A single kunai had stopped Yoshimitsu's massive blade.
The newcomer chuckled. "Hee hee, the name's Tobi. But you can call me Tobi-senpai from now on. I've always wanted to be a senpai."
Kazuma's mind raced. He had kept his eye on Konoha's every move, but this man—this masked ninja—had appeared out of nowhere.
Meanwhile, Yoshimitsu's rage boiled over.
"You bastard! Get out of my way!"
He swung his sword again.
Tobi grabbed Kazuma and vanished in an instant.
A swirling distortion consumed them both.
When Kazuma opened his eyes again, he was no longer in that house.
He now stood atop a secluded hill, face to face with the masked man.
"Who are you?" Kazuma demanded, gripping his staff tightly.
Tobi tilted his head. "Like I said, the name's Tobi. But I'm here representing the Akatsuki."
Kazuma stiffened.
He had heard of Akatsuki before. An underground group made up of rogue S-rank ninjas from various nations. An organization spoken of in hushed whispers.
"We're recruiting," Tobi continued. "And I think you'd be a perfect fit."
Kazuma scoffed. "I have no interest in joining a bunch of criminals."
Tobi laughed. "Criminals? Aren't you an outcast now, too?"
Kazuma froze.
Tobi's voice took on a teasing edge. "Oh wait—you're not just a rogue ninja. You're a discarded pawn."
Kazuma's grip on his staff tightened in fury.
With a flick of his wrist, his weapon shifted into a chain whip, lashing out at Tobi.
But the attack phased right through him.
Kazuma narrowed his eyes. Even his four-bladed iron claws passed harmlessly through Tobi's form.
This man was no ordinary ninja.
Realizing that brute force wouldn't work, Kazuma calmed himself.
Tobi clapped his hands. "Good. Now we can have a proper chat."
Kazuma folded his arms. "What does your organization want?"
"Oh, nothing much." Tobi's tone was almost playful. "We just want to create a world without war. A world of lasting peace."
Kazuma let out a dry chuckle. "Big dreams."
"Aren't they?" Tobi agreed. "But tell me—does that future include Konoha?"
Kazuma's breath hitched.
Tobi shook his head. "Of course not. Konoha is a root of chaos. To make the world peaceful, it must be removed."
Kazuma fell silent, deep in thought.
A world without Konoha...
That was exactly the world Kazuma wanted.
Finally, he nodded. "Fine. I'll join."
Tobi's lone eye gleamed. "Welcome to the Akatsuki."
With that, Kazuma donned the black cloak with red clouds. He slipped on the Akatsuki ring.
The Akatsuki had gained a new recruit.
Meanwhile, the Fire Daimyo sat in his chambers, stewing in frustration.
Yoshimitsu, eager to capture Kazuma and the rogue ninja who had intervened, sent his envoy, Hosokawa, to Konoha to explain the situation.
Unfortunately for him, Tsunade was as unyielding as steel.
She barely glanced at Hosokawa as he made his plea.
"I don't care for your excuses," she said bluntly. "Tell me—has anyone invaded the Land of Fire?"
Hosokawa hesitated before shaking his head. "No."
"Then have you captured Kazuma?"
"...No."
Tsunade scowled. "Then why are you here?"
Hosokawa fumbled for words.
Tsunade folded her arms. "Go back and tell the Daimyo this: if the Land of Fire is not under attack, then Konoha has no reason to act. If an enemy dares to step foot in our territory, then we will handle it."
She leaned forward, voice unwavering. "If the Daimyo wants our help in dealing with the Land of River's problems, then he can request a mission like anyone else.
Konoha's forces are busy rebuilding. We do not have time to involve ourselves in this matter."
Her gaze hardened. "So leave. And if you come back, either bring me Kazuma's head... or show me an enemy who has dared to set foot in our land."
With that, she dismissed Hosokawa.
Hosokawa returned to deliver the message.
Yoshimitsu was livid.
Konoha had openly defied him.
Yet, given the circumstances, he could do nothing but grit his teeth and endure it.
"Fine. If Konoha won't help, I'll just hire other ninjas."
He sneered. "And when I win, I'll make sure Konoha regrets ever turning its back on me."
...
After some strategic manipulations by Yoshimitsu and Tsunade, the so-called disciplinary battle between the Hidden Sand ninjas and Momonosuke took on a whole new meaning.
What was originally a simple punishment became a full-scale battle of pride and power between Yoshimitsu and Konoha, turning the Land of Fire into a proving ground.
Using his wealth and influence, the powerful Yoshimitsu recruited a significant number of rogue ninjas, offering them lucrative rewards.
Various ninja clans joined the fray, preparing for a grand offensive and defensive clash in the Land of Rivers.
Ten days passed in the blink of an eye.
At the border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Rivers, Mufasa's forces had fully assembled.
They made no effort to conceal their movements.
Mufasa's objective was clear: begin at the Masukawa River, a key tributary of the Moonlight River.
From there, they would move upstream, secure Kawasaki Town, and ultimately confront Momonosuke face-to-face.
His army was strategically positioned at the mouth of the Masukawa River, prepared for the advance.
Teams 1 and 2 formed the primary offensive force.
Teams 3 and 4 provided support and cleared the flanks.
Standing atop a hill, Mufasa scanned the riverbanks through a pair of binoculars.
The shoreline was eerily empty, yet dense forests loomed just beyond.
An intelligence officer, a member of Konoha's Anbu, stepped forward to report.
Mufasa frowned. "Why are there fishing boats still out on the river? Didn't the local daimyo warn the civilians to evacuate?"
The intelligence officer, Jieshang, shook his head. "No, my lord. On the contrary, they believe that keeping civilians in place will slow us down. It also provides a natural cover for hidden ninjas."
Mufasa's frown deepened. "They're using their own people as human shields?"
"Yes, my lord. Additionally, reports indicate that the Land of Fire has deployed a large number of reinforcements to assist the Land of Rivers."
Mufasa scoffed. "Numbers mean nothing against my tactics."
Then, his eyes darkened. These bastards were treating innocent civilians as nothing more than disposable pawns.
Disgusting.
His grip tightened around his binoculars.
He had given them ten days.
And this was their response?
"What's their current defensive setup?" he asked coldly.
Jieshang straightened. "Most of their forces are concentrated in Kawasaki Town. However, there are numerous ninja units stationed between Masukawa River and Guangyue River, utilizing the forests for concealment."
Mufasa turned to his trusted warriors: Gaara, Sasori, Sasuke, and Yoruya.
"What do you suggest?"
Gaara's expression was cold. "Eliminate every last one of them. No survivors. Burn the forests to the ground."
Mufasa shook his head. "We're here to deal with Momonosuke, not to slaughter innocent people or raze the Land of Rivers to the ground. This region will serve as a vital resource hub for us in the future. We gain nothing by turning its people into our enemies."
He sighed. "We'll proceed as planned. Minimize unnecessary destruction, but if anyone stands in our way, they die."
"Understood, my lord."
At the forefront, the mechanized units of Teams 1 and 2 began their advance, moving along both banks of the Masukawa River. One group took the left flank, while the other took the right.
Loudspeakers mounted on the tanks blared messages as they rolled forward:
"Citizens of the Land of Rivers, remain calm. The Sand Ninja Army means you no harm."
Behind the tanks, convoys of various sizes followed, carrying supplies and additional troops.
Mufasa's command vehicle was among them.
The Sand Ninja had achieved full mechanization.
Fishermen stared in shock at the steel behemoths emerging from both sides of the river.
The rogue ninjas hiding in the trees, poised to ambush, also gawked at the approaching tanks.
"What the hell are those?!"
"How do we even fight something like that?"
Then, the tanks ran into their first obstacle.
The muddy terrain of the Land of Rivers wasn't built for heavy machinery.
The lead tank's wheels sank deep into the ground, halting the advance.
Seeing this, the ninjas hiding in the trees laughed.
"Tch. Useless! Can't even move through a bit of mud."
But the Sand Ninja tank crews had already anticipated this scenario.
A crew member jumped down, inspecting the sunken vehicle.
With a calm nod, he unrolled a scroll and placed his hands together.
"Earth Style: Earthen Platform."
A solid rock foundation rose beneath the tank, lifting it free from the swampy ground. The vehicle then reversed, repositioning itself onto more stable terrain.
Forty tanks lined up in formation, with four per row.
Above, drones soared into the sky, clearing the path ahead of civilians and livestock.
Panicked villagers gawked at the flying machines, mistaking them for creatures from another world.
"One kilometer ahead is now clear."
"Prepare ground solidification."
"Commence Earth Style bombardment."
Twenty tanks in the first row fired Earth Dragon Bomb shells.
From the forest, hidden ninjas watched in confusion as the muzzles of the tanks ignited with bursts of fire.
Then—BOOM!
Forty explosive rounds detonated midair, saturating the ground with hardened earth.
Moments later, another volley was unleashed—Fire Style: Fire Dragon Bullets.
The scorching heat melted the solidified earth into a smooth, hardened roadway.
Minutes passed as the cannons continued their systematic bombardment.
When the dust settled, a newly paved road stretched before them, ready for the army's advance.
Mufasa observed the seamless execution of his forces' strategy, a rare smirk forming on his lips.
"Good. Keep moving."
The cannons roared once more.
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Word count: 1862
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