472. War Preparations

After the conclusion of the Four Kage Summit, the three major nations, the Land of Iron, and the various smaller nations that had finally reached an agreement began to mobilize rapidly.

Large numbers of shinobi and samurai forces were deployed, and supplies such as food and ninja tools were quickly gathered.

These drastic changes, of course, did not escape the notice of Konoha's spies scattered across the ninja world.

Soon, a flood of information was relayed through various embassies and nodes, quickly making its way back to Konoha's headquarters and being compiled in the Hokage's office.

Thanks to their extensive experience in warfare, Konoha's leadership quickly deduced one thing—the Fourth Great Ninja War was coming!

This conclusion didn't come as much of a surprise to Konoha's top brass.

After all, they had first drawn smaller nations like the Land of Rain and the Land of Rivers into their alliance.

Then, they had launched a blitzkrieg that crushed one of the Five Great Nations, the Land of Water, causing Kirigakure to switch sides and officially join the Konoha Liberation and Reform Alliance just yesterday.

In an instant, Konoha's prestige in the ninja world skyrocketed.

Whether in technology, military strength, finance, or territory, Konoha was beginning to show signs of unifying the ninja world.

Under such circumstances, it was only natural that the other nations would react. The most likely response was for them to unite and resist Konoha's expansion.

Thus, the outbreak of the Fourth Great Ninja War was almost inevitable.

The only question now was: When would this so-called United Anti-Konoha Front launch their attack on the Konoha Liberation Alliance?

This was the most critical issue at hand.

If Konoha could anticipate their plans, they could prepare more thoroughly for the war and seize the initiative in the upcoming battles.

To this end, Konoha's top brass were engaged in heated discussions in the conference room.

Some believed that the Four-Nation Alliance was riddled with internal conflicts and would need time to resolve them, making it impossible for them to launch an attack on the Land of Fire anytime soon.

Others argued that they would act swiftly, striking before Konoha could fully prepare by launching multiple simultaneous attacks.

Amidst this heated debate, Danzō Shimura, the "Father of the Land of Fire" and a figure of great renown across the ninja world, remained calm and composed.

Finally, the Hokage, Minato Namikaze, raised his hand to silence the argument and turned his gaze to Danzō.

"Elder Danzō, what are your thoughts on this war?"

Hearing Minato's question, Danzō finally opened his eyes. He lightly tapped his cane on the ground.

The sound of the cane hitting the floor instantly silenced the room.

Everyone knew that this old man was Konoha's true war god.

With his experience in numerous wars and his creation of countless military miracles, Danzō was an undisputed authority in this field—one that could not be questioned.

In the ensuing silence, Danzō finally spoke.

"One day, five days, ten days, half a month, a month..."

"Everyone's predictions have their merits, but predictions are just predictions."

"Since we can't accurately determine when they will start the war, why not follow our own plan?"

At this point, almost everyone in the room understood Danzō's intentions.

Including Hokage Minato Namikaze, everyone straightened their backs and waited solemnly for Danzō's orders.

"Tomorrow!"

"Tomorrow, I will lead an elite force to launch a surprise attack on the Land of Lightning, the strongest military power among them."

"Let's see who the real prey is!" With these words, Danzō's cane stabbed into the map hanging on the wall.

The spot it pierced was none other than the military and political center of the Land of Lightning—its capital!

As Danzō's orders were issued, the top brass quickly dispersed.

After all, each of them was in charge of a critical department in Konoha, and this was the moment to test their capabilities.

Although launching a war on such short notice would leave Konoha somewhat unprepared, the same could be said for the Five-Nation Alliance, which would be forced to start the war prematurely.

Under these circumstances, Danzō believed that the Land of Fire, under his leadership, would come out on top!

Soon, Konoha's various departments sprang into action.

Large quantities of supplies were mobilized, and the train stations were bustling with activity throughout the night.

Amidst the piercing sound of train whistles, one train after another, loaded with supplies and shinobi, headed for the front lines.

The platforms, usually filled with merchants and civilians, were now packed with Konoha shinobi.

Most of them wore the classic Konoha green combat vests, but a few units were clad in more imposing and majestic silver armor.

These were some of the latest scientific ninja tools developed by Konoha's research institute.

Not only did they significantly enhance the wearer's defensive capabilities, but they also came equipped with instant-activation ninjutsu formulas.

They were one of Konoha's elite forces!

In addition, a large number of armored units were transported to the front lines by train.

This included tanks, known as the kings of land warfare, armored vehicles, and various types of mortars and rocket launchers.

The latest model of aircraft carriers and a large number of aerial units were also on their way to the front lines.

That night, Konoha was plunged into an unprecedented state of busyness.

This naturally caught the attention of the residents.

Among them, spies from other nations also sensed that something was amiss.

Just as they were about to relay this information back to their countries, they discovered that Konoha had entered a state of lockdown.

Numerous Anbu shinobi were patrolling the area, and all exits were under strict control.

Without a direct order from the Hokage, no one was allowed to leave!

Additionally, the Barrier Team had erected a massive transparent barrier around Konoha.

Not only did it closely monitor all incoming and outgoing traffic, but it also completely blocked information transmission methods such as summoning techniques.

Following this, Konoha's Anbu, led by Kakashi, began a thorough purge and arrest operation targeting the spies who had long been on their list.

"The war is coming..."

Seeing this, many of Konoha's older residents couldn't help but sigh.

Of course, they weren't afraid.

In Konoha's decades-long history, such events had happened too many times.

Whether it was the First, Second, or Third Great Ninja War, Konoha had never lacked experience in fighting against overwhelming odds.

Not to mention, this time, they were being led by the "Father of the Land of Fire," Danzō Shimura.

To these citizens, Danzō's name was now on par with the legendary God of Shinobi.

As long as he existed, Konoha would never fall!!

This was the confidence of Konoha's citizens, the Land of Fire, and the entire Konoha Liberation Alliance!