Jiraiya traveled the world, witnessing firsthand the coming of a chaotic era. Conflicts between nations escalated, invasions and civil wars constantly erupted, and the entire world was in turmoil.
War was not just between Ninja, but also between ordinary people. Various Ninja Villages, as indispensable military forces of their countries, meant that victory in a war between Various Ninja Villages signified victory for the country.
The Hidden Cloud Village of the Land of Lightning was the first to act. Cloud Ninja forces led by Third Raikage A silently landed in the Land of Wind via the sea, launching a surprise attack on the Hidden Sand Village.
A's objective was simple: since you, Sunagakure, once said I had ideas about your One-Tail Jinchuriki, then this time I'm here to seize your Jinchuriki!
Another point was to avenge the Cloud Ninja who died in Land of Whirlpools. This operation was a settling of both old and new scores.
The actions of Kumogakure undoubtedly lit the fuse of the Ninja World War, officially starting the Ninja World War!
Sunagakure detected Kumogakure's movements, and the Third Kazekage led Sunagakure forces to engage with the Cloud Ninja forces led by Third Raikage A.
"Third Raikage, what is the meaning of this!"
Black Iron Sand surrounded the Third Kazekage. He glared at A. Kumogakure's repeated actions had gone unavenged by Sunagakure, yet Kumogakure had instead actively attacked Sunagakure.
"Need you ask? Of course, it's to seize your Village's One-Tail Jinchuriki!"
A was covered in an armor of Lightning Release Chakra. He couldn't gain an advantage against the Third Kazekage. Even his strongest Hell Stab: One-Finger Spear was still blocked by the seemingly endless Iron Sand.
The Third Kazekage also found A very troublesome. A's speed was too fast, making it difficult for his Iron Sand to hit A. He had to concentrate to manipulate the Iron Sand, otherwise, A might break through the Iron Sand's defense, and he didn't want to experience the power of A's Ninja Body Technique.
Black Iron Sand and blue lightning clashed. The Third Kazekage and A would find it difficult to determine a winner in a short time.
Suna Ninja and Cloud Ninja fought a brutal war with the desert as their battlefield.
While Sunagakure and Kumogakure were clashing, the Hidden Mist of the Land of Water tentatively dispatched Hidden Mist forces to attack Iwagakure in the Land of Earth.
During the First Shinobi World War, the Second Mizukage Hōzuki Gengetsu of the Hidden Mist Village and the Second Tsuchikage Mu of Iwagakure perished together, which had always been a pain for the Hidden Mist Village.
The Third Mizukage believed that taking advantage of Sunagakure and Kumogakure fighting was the best time to act against Iwagakure.
The elite Ninja who died in Land of Whirlpools and the revenge for the Second Mizukage Hōzuki Gengetsu.
Coincidentally, Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki thought the same. The Second Tsuchikage Mu was Ōnoki's teacher and taught him Dust Release. He had never forgotten his teacher's death, plus the elite Ninja who died in Land of Whirlpools during the previous operation there.
With both new and old grudges combined, the Iwagakure forces and Hidden Mist forces met on the inevitable path to each other's Various Ninja Villages. War was on the verge of breaking out, and the Land of Hot Springs became the battlefield.
The Ninja of Hot Water Village, who had already suffered heavy losses from fighting the Ninja clans of the Land of Rice Fields, were ordered by the Land of Hot Springs's Daimyo to drive out Iwagakure and Hidden Mist, who were using the Land of Hot Springs as a battlefield. This caused Hot Water Village to suffer another heavy blow. What was once a somewhat famous Shinobi Village was now completely in decline.
With the outbreak of war, aggression and civil wars between nations intensified. The great powers naturally had no time to send Ninja to help smaller nations, which was the best time for those forces wanting to expand their territory and usurp countries to act.
The drizzling rain extinguished the burning flames. Jiraiya, with his travel bag, walked through a country that had just undergone a civil war. What met his eyes was a scene of devastation: the smoldering remains of buildings, unburied rotting corpses, and abandoned broken swords.
The rain grew heavier. Jiraiya ran to a dilapidated temple to take shelter, where he met a man also seeking refuge from the rain.
"Young man, why do you travel?"
The man looked at Jiraiya's travel bag, realizing he was traveling. In such a chaotic world, traveling surely required extraordinary abilities.
"To explore my destiny..."
Jiraiya looked at the heavy rain outside the dilapidated temple and the surrounding ruins. He was doubting the Great Toad Sage's prophecy, and also doubting whether his choice to leave Konoha and travel was correct.
During his travels, he also learned about the war between the Four Great Shinobi Villages. If the war hadn't yet reached Konoha, he would have already returned.
A baby's cry sounded, attracting Jiraiya's attention. He looked at the man, seeing him holding a baby in his arms. He pulled out a milk candy from his pocket and offered it.
"Want one? This is a milk candy."
The baby suddenly sprang from the man's arms, bit the milk candy in Jiraiya's hand, and spun to the ground. Only then did Jiraiya realize it wasn't a baby at all, but a puppet in the shape of a baby.
"A puppet?"
Jiraiya realized this person was also a Ninja.
The puppet's mouth quickly opened and closed several times.
"This child is saying that destiny doesn't need to be sought. For destiny that has already arrived, one can only choose to accept it. The time of war has already come. Puppet-making techniques, useless in peacetime, might also be sold at a high price to a Daimyo of some country."
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