owlsbooks Chapter 463 The Fourth Shinobi World War
Chapter 463 The Fourth Shinobi World War
The peace of the ninja world was shattered on the first day of November in the fifty-fourth year.
At dawn, the sun had just risen above the horizon, casting its golden rays upon the sleeping earth.
Overnight, a brand new flag was quietly raised on the border between the Land of Waterfalls and the Land of Earth.
The flag is jet black, embroidered with a strange insect with outstretched wings—not a butterfly, not a bee, but a species never before seen in the ninja world. The insect's wings are covered with golden patterns, resembling a pair of burning, blazing eyes.
The Land of Waterfalls and the Land of Earth officially announced their merger, forming a new Land of Waterfalls. The news sent shockwaves throughout the ninja world.
Although the Land of Earth had long since changed regimes, it was still an independent country with its own ninja villages. Yet it was quietly annexed.
Within an hour of the news spreading, the underground of the Land of Earth was suddenly shaken violently, and all the gold exchange shops, underground boxing rings, and underground gambling dens that were scattered throughout the ninja world vanished without a trace overnight.
The four major underground families were the first to act. The clan leaders summoned their people overnight, packed their belongings and assets, and evacuated the borders of the Kingdom of New Dragonfly before dawn, using summoning beasts and transport supplies.
Gold exchange, underground boxing rings, underground casinos... these businesses, passed down through generations, were suddenly shut down and relocated to the Land of Fire. At the same time, they completely severed all ties with Ryuji Ida.
It is obvious that at this critical juncture, they have steadfastly chosen to stand with the old ninja world. This is because they know in their hearts that only the old order can provide them with a stable foothold.
The Land of Fire, Daimyo Prefecture.
Inside the round table council hall, the Fire Country's Daimyo was so angry that his face turned ashen. He slammed his hand heavily on the table, causing the teacups on it to jump up abruptly.
"Outrageous! Utterly outrageous!"
His angry shouts echoed in the empty hall, and several staff members lowered their heads and held their breath, not daring to breathe loudly.
"What exactly do they consider a tradition that has lasted for thousands of years to be!"
Almost simultaneously, a letter from the daimyo of the Land of Water arrived in the capital, with equally stern wording, ordering the Land of New Waterfall to immediately dissolve the merged government and restore the original border between the two countries.
The envoy from the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning arrived shortly afterward. Although he did not explicitly declare war, his attitude was clear: if they refused to disband, they would bear the consequences.
The joint statement from the three great nations and their daimyo is an extremely rare occurrence in the history of the ninja world.
The only response from the Land of New Taki was: "This is our internal affair, none of your business."
The message was signed by Naoto, who is rumored to be a spokesperson for Shisei Aburame. He personally signed the announcement, his attitude as firm as a rock, leaving no room for negotiation.
Enraged, the warlords of the Three Kingdoms smashed several tables and desks, their hands swollen and red from the blows. Later, they even picked up hammers and smashed objects to vent their anger. But beneath their rage lay a deep-seated fear—they had realized that the very foundations of their rule were teetering on the brink of collapse.
Three days later, the three major ninja villages jointly issued an official statement. The document followed the most orthodox official document format of ninjas, and was stamped with the official seals of the Hokage, Raikage, and Mizukage.
The content is concise and clear: The three major ninja villages have decided to form an alliance, unite as one, and formally declare war on the Land of New Waterfall.
At the same time, the statement included a piece of news that excited all ninjas: any ninja who joins the Ninja Alliance will receive a complete set of ninjutsu techniques for free.
It covers three categories of C-rank ninjutsu: attack, defense, and teleportation. It will also tailor-make suitable techniques based on an individual's chakra attributes and fighting style.
Anyone who joins the alliance will receive it for free immediately.
No money will be charged, nor will any binding contracts be signed.
The news spread throughout the ninja world, causing a stir among wandering ninjas and ninjas from small villages.
What does C-rank ninjutsu mean? For orthodox ninjas of the five great nations, it is merely a basic course that can be studied at ninja academies.
However, for wandering ninjas who have no village or school, no lineage to rely on, and who struggle to even make ends meet, a complete set of C-rank ninjutsu is enough to free them from unorthodox fighting methods and give them the foundation to stand as orthodox ninjas.
Registration points were opened simultaneously in the Land of Fire, the Land of Lightning, and the Land of Water. In just a few days, the number of registrants exceeded three thousand.
Inside the Daming Prefecture, the war preparation meeting was held as scheduled.
The daimyo of the Land of Fire sat in the main seat, with a giant map of the ninja world spread out in front of him, the paper densely marked with the deployment of troops and marching routes in various places.
He took a deep breath, his expression like that of a gambler who had staked everything at the gambling table.
"No need to worry about military spending; the budget will be doubled."
The finance minister beside him turned pale, his lips trembling slightly. He wanted to speak up and dissuade the daimyo, but when he met the daimyo's bloodshot eyes, he swallowed his words. The replies from the daimyo of the Land of Water and the Land of Lightning were exactly the same.
In the past, whenever there was a war, the daimyo of various countries would cut back on military spending at every level, reducing it by 10% one day and 20% the next, wishing they could send ninjas to the battlefield unarmed.
The situation is now completely different. This is no longer just an internal conflict between villages; in name, it is a change that concerns the very survival of the entire ninja world.
When Mizukage Mei Terumi saw the approved military budget, she was stunned for a full three seconds. Having held the position of Mizukage for many years, she had never seen such a massive amount of military spending.
The Fourth Raikage, A, reacted even more directly. He slammed the budget sheet onto the table, punching through it with his fist. This wasn't out of anger, but rather out of extreme excitement.
"I've never fought such a rich and rewarding battle in my entire life!"
A hearty laugh echoed throughout the council chamber, making the windows rattle.
Within half a month, the Allied Shinobi Forces' recruitment numbers surged to eight thousand. Members included wandering ninjas, ninjas from small and medium-sized ninja villages, and many wandering samurai skilled in chakra. Although the team was a mixed bag, with varying levels of skill, once integrated, it had become a formidable fighting force.
Tensions were high between the two sides, and a major battle was imminent.
The good times didn't last long. Just as the Ninja Alliance was in high spirits and ready for battle, the recruitment conditions of the Land of New Waterfall quietly came out.
The news spread quietly through underground channels, without any official documents or announcements, yet its speed of dissemination far exceeded that of the Ninja Army Alliance's public statement.
Joining the Land of New Waterfall not only grants you a set of strengthening pills, but also a free summoning insect with Chunin-level strength.
It is neither a temporary rental nor a wartime ration, but a direct distribution, exclusive to everyone, and permanently bound.
On the day the news spread, a large-scale exodus from the Ninja Army Alliance occurred at recruitment points across the country.
Those wandering ninjas who had vowed to fight to the death for the survival of the ninja world yesterday were already lining up in long queues in front of the recruitment point in the Land of New Waterfall by the next morning.
In fact, they never cared about the future of ninjas; they only cared about who gave more.