Chapter 347: Before Us, There Are No Enemies
Outside the gates of Konoha, a massive ninja army of nearly sixteen thousand strong had assembled.
More than eighty percent of them were civilian ninja, with the rest composed of elite members from the various clans.
Although the civilian ninja were numerous, past ninja wars had shown that the true deciders of battle were the clan elites. They were the ones who could turn the tide.
However, with the establishment of Kyosuke's "Ninjutsu Library," this dynamic had fundamentally shifted. In just over a month, every civilian ninja had mastered at least one jutsu from the library, and the talented or diligent ones had mastered two or more.
One should not underestimate the difference one or two jutsu could make. On a battlefield of this scale, Konoha's combat losses would undoubtedly be lower than in any previous war.
This, along with high-end combatants like Cho and Shisui, was the source of Kyosuke's confidence in challenging the coalition of the Four Great Nations.
Looking down from the high platform at the dense crowd below, Kyosuke, the commander-in-chief, stepped forward. Shisui and the other commanders stood solemnly behind him.
His sharp gaze swept over the faces of the assembled shinobi. Infused with chakra, his deep voice resonated clearly in everyone's ears.
"Soldiers! As you can see, the enemies who have been watching us from the shadows have united once again. They intend to destroy our village and slaughter our families."
"The enemy is a coalition of the Mist, Sand, Cloud, and Stone. We cannot afford any carelessness, but there is no need for fear."
"Do not be arrogant, do not be hasty. Fight with all your strength, and victory will belong to Konoha."
"As long as we stand together, before us, there are no enemies!"
Schwing!
Kyosuke raised the Kusanagi Sword high above his head. Taking a deep breath, his roar echoed across the land.
"Hear my command! All forces, advance!"
"Tear. Them. Apart!"
"YES, SIR!!!"
Not long after the Konoha army departed, the Anti-Konoha Alliance, under the guidance of the Ninshu members, also mobilized to meet them.
Based on reports from the vanguard, the first clash would likely occur on the Sand front, while the Mist front, traveling by sea, would engage last.
Even with the fastest marching speed, a war of this scale wouldn't truly begin for another ten to fifteen days. During this time, Kyosuke still had preparations to make.
This war was an anomaly, not part of the original history, and Kyosuke had no intention of letting it drag on for years like the Third Great Ninja War.
Aside from Minato, whose power would shock the world, Kyosuke planned to deploy the secret unit training at the Moon Palace right from the start.
His goal was to end the battle on one front as quickly as possible, breaking the deadlock and opening up the entire war situation. And his chosen target was the Sand Village forces led by Mr. Mon.
"Hah!"
Outside the Moon Palace base, Kyosuke and Ukyo watched the "Thunder God" squad train. These thirty individuals were the result of their meticulous selection process.
To join the Thunder God squad, they had to meet several criteria. First, most of them had awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan. even those who hadn't would likely do so soon, thanks to the nourishment of the Hashirama cells.
Second, they all possessed a high aptitude for Lightning Release chakra, making it easier for them to learn Kyosuke's improved Lightning Release Armor.
Third, they were all veterans of the Third Great Ninja War, many having fought alongside Kyosuke personally. Their familiarity with combat was far beyond that of an average shinobi.
Imagine it: Three-Tomoe Sharingan + Hashirama Cells + Lightning Release Armor. This secret squad's destructive power was enough to terrify any faction.
Kyosuke planned to use them to deliver a fatal blow to the incoming Sand forces, making those who dared to betray the alliance regret their decision deeply.
"So, how is their performance? Not bad, right?" Ukyo raised an eyebrow at Kyosuke, clearly proud of the elite unit he had cultivated.
"Indeed, very good. Their mastery of the Lightning Release Armor is even better than I expected." Kyosuke didn't hold back his praise, making Ukyo's smile even brighter.
"In a few days, you can lead them into the Land of Rivers. I want the Sand forces crushed in the shortest time possible." With calm words, Kyosuke decided the fate of the Sand army. Ukyo revealed a bloodthirsty smile.
"Just watch."
Land of Rice Fields, Ninshu Dimension.
Awakened once more, Tōrira learned of the current state of the ninja world through a human puppet sent by Mr. Mon.
Although Mr. Mon and the others insisted that a mere Konoha Village could not withstand the combined assault of four nations, Tōrira held a different view.
In his opinion, regardless of how close the target was to Konoha, for a village to protect him against the entire ninja world meant they must believe they had a chance of winning. It was a gamble.
To avoid any unexpected outcomes, Tōrira decided to dispatch Ninshu members on a large scale to join the war.
Of course, while the Ninshu had a long history, powerhouses like Mr. Mon were few. The majority were members with average talent who had joined because they believed in the Ninshu's philosophy.
However, under the personal guidance of Tōrira and the others, their combat ability was considerable. Their addition would surely aid the war effort.
Furthermore, Tōrira learned that the target possessed space-time abilities. To him, this was actually good news. A powerhouse with such an ability would undoubtedly intervene in a critical battle. When that happened, Tōrira could personally step in to eliminate him.
Even if the target's strength was exceptional and Tōrira alone couldn't completely suppress him, Tōrira had other backup plans. As long as Kyosuke dared to appear on the battlefield, victory would belong to the Ninshu... Tōrira firmly believed this.
And so, the "Anti-Konoha Alliance" war, engulfing the entire ninja world, officially began.