Let's not forget, Konoha also played a part in making the Land of Rain the way it is now.
If Konoha hadn't tried to drag Amegakure into the conflict, the Land of Rain wouldn't have ended up in such dire straits.
Orochimaru, sitting beside Takashi, wore a faint smile on his lips. However, the smile seemed more mocking than anything else.
Noticing someone looking his way, Orochimaru turned to meet Takashi's gaze. The two exchanged smiles.
Perfect—they shared the same views. Since they were already involved, there was no need to justify themselves or seek praise.
What is wrong with you two?
Everyone else was condemning Sunagakure, yet these two were grinning away.
If it were anyone else, Nara Shikashin would have immediately reminded them to mind the occasion.
But he knew he couldn't control either Takashi or Orochimaru.
"Everyone."
Nara Shikashin raised his voice, interrupting the ongoing arguments. "Sunagakure's retaliation isn't just targeting Amegakure. They're also focusing heavily on plundering resources. Don't forget their purpose in starting this war in the first place."
"From here on out, Konoha's strategy will shift from offense to defense. Let's hope Sunagakure and Amegakure exhaust each other for a while."
Since Sunagakure intended to retaliate against Amegakure, Konoha would simply alter their approach and let them wear each other down.
Retreating entirely wasn't an option. If Konoha were to do so, Sunagakure and Amegakure would undoubtedly stop fighting each other and refocus their efforts.
This war was a chaotic free-for-all; anyone attempting to back out would become a target.
The change in strategy had little to do with Takashi. As a medical ninja, his mission was to stay in the camp, not to fight on the frontlines.
Unless the enemy breached the camp, or unless Konoha was on the verge of collapse, Takashi didn't need to concern himself with the battlefield.
As for the innocent civilians of the Land of Rain, Takashi had no sympathy for them either.
Like he always said, if Sunagakure were the main villain, then Konoha was the accomplice. It wasn't his place as an accomplice to feign sympathy for the victims.
At this stage, his primary focus was on doing his job well, accumulating as many puppets as possible, and dedicating himself to learning Senjutsu.
---
Faced with Sunagakure's frenzied retaliation and pillaging, Hanzo of the Salamander was enraged to the point where the poison sacs inside his body nearly exploded. In his fury, he slammed his hand on the table and shouted:
"Damn old hag!!!"
Hanzo and Chiyo had known each other for years, and they never got along. She called him an "old venomous snake," and he called her an "old hag."
Sunagakure's retaliation had undoubtedly pushed the demigod to his breaking point.
And the cost of angering a demigod?
---
"What did you say?"
Takashi almost thought he'd misheard. He raised a hand to scratch his ear and asked, "Amegakure declared war on us?"
"Yes, not just us. They declared war on Iwagakure and Sunagakure as well."
Jiraiya, who had just returned from the battlefield for some rest, scratched his unwashed hair and sighed.
"I don't know what kind of stimulus that demigod received, but he just declared war on all three Great Ninja Villages at once. Doesn't he fear retaliation?"
Jiraiya couldn't make sense of it.
Good grief, Hanzo of the Salamander ended up following the same path as in the original story. Knowing the unwinnable situation, wouldn't it have been better to conserve his strength? But no, he chose to declare war on all three Great Villages in a fit of rage.
Even more astonishing was that the Amegakure ninja, led by Hanzo, launched a series of mad attacks against the territories occupied by Konoha, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure.
Faced with Hanzo's seemingly crazed assault, the three Great Villages were caught off guard.
How dare he?!
To the three Great Villages, Amegakure was nothing more than a sacrificial pawn in their games. Otherwise, Konoha wouldn't have deliberately dragged them into the conflict. They clearly didn't take Amegakure seriously—their size and power were not even in the same league.
Even Hanzo, a so-called demigod, wasn't respected. The Third Kazekage had humiliated him, wanting him to become his pet.
From beginning to end, none of the three Great Villages had considered Amegakure's feelings or potential reactions.
The result? The very village that the three Great Villages treated as expendable had declared war on them.
Not only that, but Amegakure declared war on all three villages at once and launched attacks against them.
Where did Hanzo of the Salamander get such audacity? Did he really think himself a god?
In the original story, Hanzo did declare war on the three Great Villages, but the impact was far less dramatic because, at that point, Amegakure had been pushed beyond endurance.
Back then, the great conflict among the three Villages had almost run its course.
But now?
The war had only just begun.
And here Hanzo was, jumping into the fray.
No kidding, Hanzo leading Amegakure against the three Great Villages actually caused some real damage, particularly to Sunagakure, who were completely unprepared for such a fierce response.
"Our demigod is brave."
Takashi was silent for a moment, then offered Hanzo a simple evaluation: he was brave.
Other than that, Takashi really didn't know what else to say.
If it were him, he'd prioritize preserving strength and waiting until the three Great Villages had exhausted themselves before striking a fatal blow.
The Land of Rain was already ruined. Jumping into the fight now would just make them a prime target. It would be better to wait until the three Great Villages had almost finished each other off before making a move.
The three Great Villages, after all, were desperately trying not to become the target of everyone else. They fought without official declarations, battling silently.
But now, Amegakure had shattered that tacit understanding among the three Great Villages, laying everything bare.
Once the news spread, the entire ninja world would be shocked.
What happens next will depend on how the three Great Villages respond.
If they didn't do something in the face of Amegakure's declaration of war, they'd be humiliated.
And now that there was a prime target, the three Great Villages could finally unleash their full strength.
"Enough of that, just help me look over my manuscript."
Jiraiya had no thoughts about the ongoing situation; what he cared about was whether his manuscript was any good.
So, upon returning to camp, the first thing he did was find Takashi.
Not to report in. Not to rest.
Looking down at the manuscript Jiraiya had shoved into his hands, Takashi's face was full of question marks. "You wrote all of this?"
Jiraiya nodded. "Of course! I thought the story you told me before was great, so I added some details. Don't worry, once the book is published, you'll get a share of the royalties."
"No, I mean... when did you have time to write this?"
Takashi wasn't particularly interested in the royalties. Sure, it would be nice, but it wasn't his primary concern. What he was curious about was when Jiraiya found the time to write this.
He was supposed to be on the battlefield!
Not hunkered down in camp, writing.
"Oh, during those breaks in the recent battles, why?" Jiraiya asked, looking genuinely puzzled.
"..."
You're something else!
Other people go to the battlefield to risk their lives and fight the enemy.
And you, Jiraiya, found the time to write a book—and not just any book, but a risqué one at that!!!
This wasn't even the most impressive part.
The Land of Rain experienced constant downpours, and there were no tents on the battlefield for resting—usually, you had to grab whatever spot you could find for a quick break. Where did Jiraiya find the time to write a book? Where did he find a dry place to do it?
The manuscript was spotless—not even touched by the rain.
Takashi genuinely admired Jiraiya for his dedication. To create, to write such a risqué book, this guy really went all out.
Coming back drenched, he immediately produced a stack of written pages—how did he manage it?
"Ahahaha..."
Seeing Takashi give him a thumbs-up, Jiraiya smiled sheepishly.
You're something else, Jiraiya. Alright, let me take a look at this manuscript—I'll give it a review.
Takashi picked up the manuscript and began to read.
After reading a few pages, he glanced up at Jiraiya, then looked back down at the manuscript.
Jiraiya suddenly felt a pang of nervousness. Did he write it poorly?
Maybe the storyline wasn't smooth enough? But the plot of "The Pure Housewife Bai Jie" he had devised was pretty solid, wasn't it?
After reading a few more pages, Takashi handed the manuscript back to Jiraiya without hesitation.
"It's very well written. Keep it up, and once it's done, send it to a publisher. I'm sure it'll become a big hit across the ninja world."
This guy, Jiraiya, really is a master of risqué writing. He writes with true flair—though the protagonist, Bai Jie's first love interest, felt somewhat familiar.
"Really?" Jiraiya's heart nearly leaped out of his chest in joy as he jumped to his feet.
"Yes, really. Trust yourself, trust my judgment. If you still don't believe me, let Orochimaru take a look."
"Alright, I'll go find that conceited Orochimaru. Once I finish the manuscript, I'll have someone send it back to the village... or no, asking someone isn't safe. I'll have the toads help me deliver it for printing and publication."
With the manuscript in hand, Jiraiya dashed away, grinning from ear to ear.
Takashi rubbed his face to wake himself up. "Hopefully, that guy doesn't get beaten to death."
Bursting into the morgue, Jiraiya found Orochimaru resting. He proudly put on an arrogant expression and handed the manuscript over.
"This is my new book. Takashi said I should ask you to take a look."
"???"
New book?
Didn't you just head to the battlefield?
When did you find the time to write a new book?
Like Takashi, Orochimaru shared the same question.
If it was just Jiraiya asking him to read it, he'd have refused outright and ignored him. But since Takashi had sent Jiraiya here, Orochimaru decided to at least glance at it.
Taking the manuscript, Orochimaru skimmed a few pages, his usually calm face suddenly darkening.
"Smack!!"
He slapped the manuscript down on the table with force, his entire body emanating a frightening aura. "Explain to me right now why the male lead is called 'Big Snake-Snake.'"
Jiraiya explained, "He's a genius! Just like you—a jack-of-all-trades. Takashi called him a 'hexagon warrior'—someone so well-rounded that Bai Jie would be irresistibly attracted to him. Isn't it great? It's just like you!"
"Get out!!"
Orochimaru kicked Jiraiya out of the room.
You idiot! You used me as a reference to write a risqué character, making me the male lead?!
Orochimaru couldn't remember the last time he'd been this angry.
Jiraiya, you jerk. Writing me as the male lead is bad enough, but you made the character so... unflattering.
"Don't be mad! Give me back my manuscript! Damn it, Orochimaru! My manuscript!!"
"Get out! Take this garbage with you!!"
"Don't be mad. I can even share some of the royalties with you..."
"Get out!!!"
In a fit of rage, Orochimaru chased Jiraiya down, delivering a solid beating. Fortunately, the manuscript was spared. Though Jiraiya was bruised and battered, he remained incredibly cheerful.
He figured that Orochimaru's anger meant his portrayal had been too spot-on.
The character must have been depicted perfectly, which is why it struck a nerve with Orochimaru.
Grinning ear to ear, Jiraiya made his way to the command center, where he eagerly asked, "Senior Shikashin, do I have any missions coming up?"
"There are missions, but I think it'd be better for you to take some time off."
Seeing Jiraiya's black eyes and bruised face, Nara Shikashin stifled his initial thought of assigning a mission.
This kid really has it rough—got beaten up like this and still wants to go on a mission.
"That's great! I could use some time to finish my manuscript. Senior, I'll head back for now."
With his time off secured, Jiraiya planned to finish the rest of his writing in one go and send it back to the village for printing.
Nara Shikashin: "..."
It seems the Hokage's student has a few screws loose. Should I report this to the Hokage?
Finding an empty tent, Jiraiya slipped inside. Not even bothering to change out of his wet clothes, he took out paper and pen and began furiously writing away, feeling more inspired than ever.
---
The Land of Rain was in turmoil, and Konoha wasn't much better.
With Amegakure having declared war, the ball was now in the hands of the three Great Villages.
The three Great Villages, which had been cautious before, could now freely unleash their full strength.
This was precisely what Sunagakure had wanted, but it wasn't something Konoha was too happy about.
Konoha had been on the defensive all along, previously using the lack of an official declaration of war to hold Sunagakure accountable for starting the conflict. Now, with Amegakure having shattered that dynamic, Sunagakure no longer had to worry about taking the blame.
"Everyone, Amegakure has declared war on us. How should we respond?"
The Third Hokage had been stressed to the point of losing a good amount of hair recently.
What in the world happened to Hanzo of the Salamander? What kind of provocation made him suddenly decide to take the blame for Sunagakure? Was it really worth it?
With war breaking out, the Land of Rain was already destined to become a casualty. It was only a matter of time before it got ravaged. But just after Sunagakure looted it, Hanzo couldn't hold back any longer?
The Third Hokage was frustrated, as Hanzo's actions had put Konoha in a difficult position.
"If Amegakure has the audacity to declare war on us, then as one of the Five Great Ninja Villages, we must retaliate fiercely," Koharu Utatane said, her fiery temper still in full swing.
The Land of Rain was plundered. If you want revenge, go after Sunagakure! Why drag Konoha into this?
Do you really think Konoha is that much of a pushover? Declaring war on us so directly...
"I believe Sunagakure and Iwagakure feel the same way. The pride and bottom line of the Five Great Ninja Villages cannot be challenged!"
"I agree with Koharu."
Homura Mitokado, who rarely spoke during meetings, voiced his support.
The ball had been kicked into their court—if they didn't strike back, people would think Konoha was scared of Amegakure.
Chubby, what do you think?
The Third Hokage glanced at Torifu Akimichi, who patted his round belly and smiled.
"Koharu makes a valid point. Regardless of the reason, since Amegakure has declared war, we must respond.
"But I suggest we hold off for now."
"What do you mean by that?"
Are you just trying to oppose us, Torifu?
Koharu seemed displeased.
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