บท 209: CH - 204 Let's Attack Sand Village!

Today dawned with another picturesque morning, the gentle breeze and warm sunshine painting a serene backdrop. Since the declaration of war against the Grass Village, the village had found itself mired in a web of misunderstandings, with even the Daimyo dispatching emissaries to probe the situation.

However, for the future of the Sand Village, Rasa stoically bore the brunt of all pressure alone. He understood that as long as all Four Great Ninja Villages were embroiled in conflict, the true weight would fall squarely on Konoha's shoulders. The Grass Village's focus would intensify on Konoha, leaving the Sand Village with the opportunity to compel the Grass Village's compliance. Their demands were reasonable, and perseverance was all that was required.

As the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa harbored no illusions about the war's duration. The Four Great Ninja Villages needed time to recuperate, and the Sand Village's objectives were crystal clear. Upon achieving their goal, they would swiftly withdraw their forces. However, if circumstances permitted, they wouldn't hesitate to exploit any advantageous openings.

Thus, Rasa patiently awaited the pivotal moment in the conflict between Konoha and the Grass Village. At the opportune juncture, he planned to mobilize his army, exerting pressure on the Grass Village and compelling them to accede to the Sand Village's demands. In doing so, the Sand Village's requisites for expenses and supplies would be duly compensated.

Rasa's grip tightened around the cup as he took a contemplative sip, his gaze fixed on the intelligence spread across the table. "You'll understand soon. Everything I do is for the Sand Village," he murmured to himself, a determined glint in his eyes.

The situation with the Daimyo of the Wind Country weighed on his thoughts. If not for the Wind Country's foolish Daimyo, the Sand Village's current predicament might not be as dire.

Turning his attention to the ongoing conflict between Konoha and the Grass Village, Rasa noted the absence of a critical turning point. Though the Grass Village's leader had yet to make an appearance, Grass Village remarkably held its ground against Konoha, and the conflict hadn't reached a critical juncture.

Before he could delve deeper into his thoughts, an urgent interruption shattered the silence. A Sand ninja burst into the room without the courtesy of a knock, their voice trembling with urgency. "Kazekage-sama!"

Frowning at the interruption, Rasa's displeasure was evident. "Baki, what's the urgency?" he inquired sharply, his demeanor demanding an explanation. "You were tasked with monitoring the border. Has the situation escalated to a critical point? Are we to advance towards the Land of Rain?"

"No, no... not yet, my apologies, Kazekage-sama," Baki hastily clarified, his tone apologetic. "The conflict between Konoha and the Grass Village hasn't escalated to a critical juncture. It's just..." He trailed off, his expression troubled.

"Just what?" Rasa inquired, his brow furrowing with concern. "Currently, our focus should be on the Grass Village's movements. We're well aware of the potential repercussions once the issue regarding the Sand Village comes to light."

Rasa continued, his tone tinged with sarcasm as he quipped, "So, what's causing this urgency if not that? Unless, of course, the Grass Village has redirected its aggression towards us?"

However, as the words left Rasa's lips, Baki's eyes widened in astonishment, silently looking back at Rasa.

Observing Baki's uneasy demeanor, Rasa grew silent, pondering the implications. After a moment of contemplation, he cautiously inquired, "Could it… truly be an attack? On us?"

"Yes, it is," Baki affirmed, his voice tinged with tension and uncertainty.

The notion of the Grass Village targeting the Sand Village instead of Konoha left Rasa momentarily dumbfounded before his instincts kicked in.

"Summon reinforcements immediately!" Rasa, embodying his role as the Fourth Kazekage, reacted swiftly, urgency evident in his tone. "We must intercept the Grass Village's advance at all costs."

Through gritted teeth, he muttered, "These lunatics!" They still didn't follow the usual tactics.

…

As onlookers from the Stone Village and the Cloud Village observed the unfolding conflict, they appeared to be mere spectators, reveling in the spectacle of the war between Konoha and the Grass Village. They were well aware that, from the onset, the central figures in this conflict were the Grass Village and Konoha.

Even the Cloud Village, with its demands for the Uzumaki Clan, sealing techniques, and reparations from the Grass Village, had relatively modest requests that allowed for negotiation.

While the Cloud Village had not directly allied with the Grass Village, numerous products from the Grass Village had found their way into the Land of Lightning. The Grass Village's reputation for providing high-quality and cost-effective goods had enticed many merchants from the Land of Lightning to engage in trade with them.

Thus, the Cloud Village knew that the Grass Village had likely amassed significant wealth in recent years, making the prospect of minor compensations seem inconsequential.

Certainly, the Cloud Village's modest demands for compensation were expected under the circumstances. In recent years, while Konoha engaged in wars, the Cloud Village also faced its own battles. Following the Nine-Tails incident, although the conflicts weren't as extensive or intense as those involving the three major villages, the Cloud Village inevitably incurred losses.

As a result, the Cloud Village urgently needed time to recover. Furthermore, the broader trend in the ninja world leaned towards peace in recent times. Even the historically tumultuous Land of Rain had embraced a newfound stability. Given this context, unless another all-encompassing Ninja World War erupted, drawing all ninja villages and clans into conflict, engaging in further conflict would be unwise.

The recent minor war between the three major villages had demonstrated the significant losses that even a small-scale conflict could incur. As such, the Cloud Village understood the futility of the current war. Its outcome seemed predetermined: the Grass Village would meet the same fate as the once proud Rain Village. Ultimately, they would succumb to the might of the Four Great Ninja Villages and be compelled to negotiate terms of surrender.

All eyes were fixed on the anticipated clash between Konoha and the Grass Village, awaiting the eruption of the most pivotal battle.

Yet, contrary to expectations, as the conflict between Konoha and the Grass Village intensified, with Grass Village's forces deployed to defend against the other three major villages, a surprising turn unfolded. Instead of continuing their engagement with Konoha, the Grass Village redirected its assault toward the Sand Village.

The sudden turn of events left onlookers bewildered and questioning the Grass Village's intentions. What could be the reasoning behind this unexpected attack on the Sand Village?

…

In an unexpected turn of events, the Grass Village, in collaboration with the Rain Village, launched a sudden assault on the Sand Village, catching them off guard as they traversed the rugged mountains into the Land of Wind.

"I never thought we'd make it this far," Hanzo remarked in awe, observing the swirling sands ahead. Reflecting on their past clash with the Sand Village, which resulted in their humiliating retreat into the Land of Rain, he couldn't help but shake his head in disbelief.

"It appears the Sand Village isn't as prepared as we thought," he commented, noting the lack of strong defensive forces and overall readiness.

"It seems they weren't planning for a genuine battle but rather to seize the opportunity," Akihiko added, shaking his head in response.

"Is the Fourth Kazekage planning to stage a fake war like we did?" Hanzo mused, recalling the deception employed during the Third Ninja World War. With a chuckle, he observed the retreating Sand ninjas before him, finding amusement in their actions.

He erupted into laughter. "Hahaha! I can just imagine how furious that old hag must be. And speaking of which... her grandson seems to have disappeared without a trace. She can't seem to find him anywhere. Oh well, Forget it."

His expression smug, Hanzo continued, "I can't wait to see the look on her face. After all, she once managed to counter my poison."

'You tangled with that old lady?' Akihiko raised an eyebrow, intrigued by Hanzo's revelation. 'I wonder what her reaction will be when Scorpion's identity is exposed.'

Shaking his head in bemusement, Akihiko turned his attention to the defeated Sand ninjas before them, narrowing his eyes. "Next... the Fourth Kazekage must be having a headache."

He still couldn't comprehend how they dared to intervene without adequate strength. He speculated that this incident would only fuel the Wind Country Daimyo's already burgeoning resentment towards the Sand Village.