With the official declaration of war, the entire Land of Fire began to operate at full capacity.
Unlike traditional shinobi warfare of the past, mass production of the Ankor Vantyn—a type of aerial fortress—had begun several years ago under Kakashi's orders. Today, the Land of Fire possessed a fleet of twelve such vessels.
Thanks to the power of the Gelel Stones, a single cubic meter of the mineral could provide enough energy to power one of these behemoths for a full half-month.
Furthermore, the Chakra technology recovered from the ruins of the Land of Sky had long since been integrated. Beyond the Ankor Vantyn's inherent weapon systems, the technology had undergone several generational leaps through the research of Katasuke Tōno and Dotō Kazahana.
Compared to the Ankor Vantyn, the naval warships were less breathtaking. Aside from recreating thirty-six vessels based on the designs of the original warships from years ago, there hadn't been much significant change. Time was simply too short to develop even more advanced equipment.
Katasuke Tōno and Dotō Kazahana were only two men. Even with a research team comprised of mechanical experts from within the Land of Fire, they had focused primarily on deep-level development of ground forces per Kakashi's instructions.
However, since the only village currently proficient in naval combat was Kirigakure, a fleet equipped with three Ankor Vantyn units was more than sufficient.
"This... this is what you've been working on these past few years?"
At a military base within the Land of Fire, several people stood with their eyes wide as they stared at the massive machine before them.
It stood about three meters tall and ten meters long, its hulking body gleaming with a cold, metallic luster. A thick cannon barrel sat menacingly atop the iron beast. Below, the treads used for movement left deep ruts in the ground with every step, a testament to its immense weight.
"To be precise, it's the result of the research team led by Katasuke Tōno and the others," Kakashi said, patting the cold iron surface with satisfaction as he looked at the group.
While the appearance of a tank in the shinobi world felt somewhat jarring, it was a minor oddity compared to the Ankor Vantyn and the naval warships.
The original gunpowder shells had been replaced by Scientific Ninja Tool scroll-cartridges designed by Katasuke. According to shinobi theory, what were originally fire-attributed shells now possessed great diversity. With Five-Element shells—Wind, Lightning, Water, Fire, and Earth—this machine gained the capability to adapt to a wide variety of battlefield scenarios.
The power source was likewise replaced by Gelel Stones. Even if they ran out of Scientific Ninja Tool shells, they could utilize the Land of Sky's technology to fire the Gelel energy directly as a laser beam.
"How many of these do we have?"
Jiraiya asked, circling the massive iron beast with curiosity.
Aside from him, others like Hayama Shirakumo, Itachi Uchiha, and Might Guy had already seen the weapon.
"Two hundred units," Kakashi replied.
The number sent a jolt through Jiraiya's heart. Two hundred. Four battlefields. That meant fifty units per front.
"What about the power?" Jiraiya pressed.
"Within eight hundred meters, one shot has roughly the power of a Tailed Beast's blast."
A Tailed Beast's blast, not quite a Tailed Beast Bomb. But that power was more than enough.
Jiraiya nodded slowly. Even if they only fired a single volley, fifty simultaneous blasts of that caliber would bring any opponent to their knees.
Thinking of this, Jiraiya's heart skipped a beat, and he suddenly looked at Kakashi.
"What is it?" Kakashi asked, noticing his gaze.
"Nothing." Jiraiya shook his head.
Looking at the cold iron beast glinting in the sunlight, his feelings were complicated. The moment this thing appeared, the landscape of war in the shinobi world changed completely. The role of the individual shinobi would begin to shrink, eventually being replaced by these behemoths on the battlefields of the future.
However, if that were the case, it would also reduce the sacrifices made by shinobi. Jiraiya didn't know if this change was good or bad, but for the current Konoha, it was the most powerful weapon they could ask for.
Seeing Jiraiya's melancholy expression, Kakashi guessed his thoughts and shook his head with a smile.
It was almost impossible for these machines to completely replace shinobi. A common person might think so, but a transcendent combat unit like a shinobi could never be truly replaced—not even if nuclear weapons were introduced.
These things were meant to deal with conventional shinobi. Against high-level masters like Hayama Shirakumo or Guy, they were essentially useless.
Developing tanks was simply Kakashi's tool for a war of unification. Once the shinobi world was unified, Kakashi would issue a call to all talents in this field. The tanks would be replaced by even newer equipment at the fastest possible speed.
"On the battlefield, you can have corresponding shinobi units coordinate with the tank units for a synchronized advance," Kakashi instructed Jiraiya.
In other words, infantry-tank coordination.
"Yeah, I get it."
Faced with this new invention, Jiraiya opened the hatch and climbed inside, looking around at the interior.
"Alright, all of you are now the commanders for various fronts. Everything that follows is in your hands."
The appearance of tanks dictated that traditional large-scale shinobi tactics would be minimized, but the presence of enemy masters still required counterparts of the same level to eliminate them.
"We will not let you down," Hayama Shirakumo and Itachi Uchiha said respectfully.
"Jiraiya, I'm not worried about the Suna and Kumo battlefields," Kakashi said, looking at the Sannin. "Only you and Tsunade facing Iwagakure requires the most attention. Although the Third Tsuchikage is old, his Particle Style is not to be underestimated. Furthermore, they have the Four-Tails and Five-Tails Jinchuriki."
"If you can't handle it, I can go there personally," Kakashi added.
He needed to stay in Konoha to oversee the overall situation. If any battlefield fell into a disadvantage, he would rush there at maximum speed.
However, according to Kakashi's projections, with the exception of the Kirigakure, Iwagakure, and Amegakure fronts, Suna and Kumo were of little concern.
Currently, Kirigakure was still under the control of Obito Uchiha. Given the imminent war, it was unlikely that Mei Terumī would choose this moment to overthrow the Fourth Mizukage's rule. Barring any accidents, Obito was highly likely to appear on the Kiri front.
Aside from Ōnoki of the Both Scales and Obito Uchiha, the Amegakure battlefield was the true key to this war of unification.
Pain and the Akatsuki he led were in the Land of Rain. Although the original "Suzaku" of Akatsuki had been intercepted by Kakashi, the organization remained formidable even without Itachi Uchiha.
Kakashi planned to team up with Tenzo to deal with Akatsuki. He had originally considered having Guy join them, but considering that Kumo's Killer B was a perfect Jinchuriki—arguably the only master in the world currently comparable to Pain—he had sent Guy to the Kumo front to counter him. Even with the Raikage already fallen at the hands of Konoha, Kumo could not be taken lightly.
Indeed. In Kakashi's view, this wasn't a four-front war against the Winds, Lightning, Water, and Earth nations. It included a fifth: the Land of Rain.
The combined strength of the four great nations only equaled that of the Land of Rain. There was no complex reason for this—it was simply because of a single pair of eyes.
The Rinnegan.
Kakashi intended to personally solve this ticking time bomb.
"With that, you may depart. And Itachi, Guy—remember to bring the 'gifts' I've prepared for Suna and Kumo."
At this, a slight smirk played on the corners of Kakashi's lips.
"Understood," Itachi Uchiha and Might Guy replied instantly.
Waging a five-front war against Suna, Kumo, Kiri, Iwa, and Ame was a challenge even for the current Konoha. However, the emergence of the tank units compensated for the lack of Konoha's lower-level combat numbers. Although the two hundred tanks were spread thin, with fifty per line and the support of three Ankor Vantyn ships, it was sufficient to handle the current situation.
Tsunade and Jiraiya led their troops to the Land of Grass front against Iwagakure. Itachi Uchiha and Shizune headed to the Land of Rivers front against Sunagakure. Might Guy and Hayama Shirakumo each led their own forces to the Land of Frost and Land of Whirlpool fronts against Kumogakure and Kirigakure, respectively.
In an instant, the military might of the Land of Fire was entirely deployed by Kakashi. Currently, the vast Konoha was left with only eight hundred shinobi as a garrison. It seemed to have fallen into its most vulnerable period in history.
Yet, with Kakashi and Hikari stationed there, the village remained an impregnable fortress. If anyone thought this was a good opportunity to send an elite squad to raid the heart of Konoha, Kakashi wouldn't mind handling them himself.
Standing alone on the roof of the Hokage building, Kakashi looked at the village that had been changing every day since he took office, pondering his next moves.
He had included the Akatsuki of the Land of Rain as a hostile force, but he hadn't actively declared war on them yet. He was waiting. He would wait until the Land of Wind and Land of Earth, which were closest to the Land of Rain, were halfway through the fight and sought help from Ame. Then, he would lead Tenzo to the Land of Rain himself.
When the lips are gone, the teeth get cold. If the Land of Wind and Land of Earth fell, the Land of Rain would find itself trapped in an unprecedented, massive encirclement. Whether it was Hanzō of the Salamander (assuming he wasn't dead yet) or Pain, neither would allow such a thing to happen.
Therefore, the Land of Rain was destined to be Kakashi's enemy. And by entering the Land of Rain himself, Kakashi would also be tying down the enemy's most powerful allies, preventing them from supporting the other fronts.
As for whether he could win? Kakashi never even questioned it.
After years of accumulation and cultivating so many masters, it was time for a single battle to decide the fate of the world. Even if he lost, so what? As long as the foundation didn't crumble, he could simply recuperate and try again. A starved camel is still bigger than a horse; as long as the Land of Fire and Konoha's top-tier combat power and industrial system remained intact, even a loss would be enough to break the other nations.
Besides, Kakashi didn't believe he could lose.
"What are you thinking about?" An aged voice sounded behind Kakashi.
"Thinking about the future," Kakashi replied calmly.
The owner of the voice walked to Kakashi's side, looking out at the ever-changing village with him. There was a look of reminiscence in those clouded eyes. He vaguely remembered that when he took over the village from his teacher, it was nowhere near this prosperous.
"Konoha is fighting on four fronts. Are you certain of victory?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked quietly.
"Nothing is ever one hundred percent certain," Kakashi said. "But regarding this matter, I am eighty percent sure."
The remaining twenty percent involved Isshiki Ōtsutsuki, who was hiding somewhere, and Black Zetsu, who knew the secrets of a millennium. Isshiki couldn't use his full power currently, so that wasn't a worry for now. But there was no guarantee that Black Zetsu wouldn't stir something up.
Furthermore... Kakashi thought of the prophecy given by the Great Toad Sage when he and Jiraiya had entered Mount Myōboku.
A youth with the Rinnegan and Sharingan would curse him.
Did that refer to Nagato, Obito, or perhaps Madara Uchiha? Kakashi had no way of knowing. Moreover, Gamamaru's attitude toward him had been anything but friendly.
No one could remain a bystander. Did that mean Ryūchi Cave and Mount Myōboku would participate in this war? Or was it something even further in the future?
"Eighty percent?" Hiruzen nodded slightly. "That's enough."
An eighty percent chance to take over the shinobi world was well worth the attempt. In fact, even a fifty percent chance would have been enough to try.
"If there's anywhere you need me, you can tell me," Hiruzen said proactively. "This old man might be past his prime, but these old bones can still move a bit."
"I certainly believe that," Kakashi smiled. "But if Konoha still needs a retired old man to step onto the battlefield, wouldn't that just prove my incompetence?"
Just as he said, he believed in Hiruzen's capability. The Reaper Death Seal alone gave him the leverage to fight anyone. Even if the opponent was much stronger, he could force a stalemate. Even Madara Uchiha, if he didn't know about the Reaper Death Seal, might be caught off guard by Hiruzen.
"If that's the case, then never mind." Hiruzen laughed and said no more, though a hint of regret appeared in his eyes. Given that both the Second and Fourth Hokage died heroic deaths, his own tenure as the Third seemed somewhat... uneventful.
The moment Konoha's forces reached their respective battlefields, Might Guy and Itachi Uchiha simultaneously sent messengers to deliver the gifts Kakashi had prepared.
Land of Frost Kumogakure Base Camp Central Command Tent
The air fell into a deathly silence. The blizzard outside seemed less cold than the atmosphere inside the tent. Everyone stared breathlessly at the object on the commander's table.
It was a head. A head that had been preserved in salt.
Seeing this, the members of Kumo couldn't help but recall a day nine years ago. Konoha had sent back the head of their diplomatic envoy. Today, nine years later, Konoha had sent another head.
But compared to the envoy back then, the head delivered this time filled their hearts with both fury and a bone-chilling cold.
This was... the head of their Fourth Raikage!
The 'A' of the Kumo AB Combo. The 'A' who had once fought the Yellow Flash, Minato Namikaze, alongside the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, Killer B. The 'A' who had led them through the Third Great Ninja War.
His head was sitting right in front of them.
"Get out. Now," Dodai said, his face ashen as he looked at the messenger Konoha had sent.
He wanted to kill him—to chop off his head and send it to Konoha—but how could this man's life compare to the Raikage's? To do so would only show desperation and small-mindedness.
"Heh. The Hokage specifically told me to pass on a message."
The Konoha messenger smiled, showing no fear of the Kumo shinobi glaring at him. He hadn't expected to return alive when he took this mission. His family had been taken care of, his children would receive the highest level of treatment from the village, and his parents would be supported for the rest of their lives. After death, he would be hailed as a hero, his name etched onto the Memorial Stone just below the previous Hokage.
"What message?" Dodai asked coldly.
"Everyone... the Fourth Great Ninja War..."
"Has begun!"
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