Chapter 299: The Three-and-a-Half-Day War (Part 1)
D-0, 5 minutes after the attack began.
Kumogakure, Heavenly Transfer Technique Launch Base.
Kumogakure, having received the order, was fully mobilized. Under the organization of Yotsuki Arashi, all ninja in the village immediately dropped non-essential tasks and entered combat readiness.
The Cloud Village alone possessed three Heavenly Transfer launch bases, and there were eight more in other cities across the Land of Lightning.
Inside the base, several researchers were conducting final checks on the equipment. Once the war started, the Heavenly Transfer base was destined to be the busiest place.
Inside a glass enclosure, a massive golden slug, several meters tall, acted as an information receiving station, constantly relaying messages from all over the ninja world.
"Emergency Deployment Mission! Authority Level: Highest! Request Type: Offensive Support!"
"Everyone! Action immediately! Coordinates (367, 726). Deployment Mission: Covering Suppression - Type I!!!"
"Duration: Unlimited! Deployment Density: Standard Random Timing!"
A familiar researcher's pupils constricted.
"These coordinates... it's Konohagakure!"
As immobile special targets, the coordinates of all major ninja villages and key cities in the ninja world had long been precisely mapped by the Cloud.
Beside him, an older superior shouted sternly, "Look alive! The war has begun!! Let the ninja world hear the thunder of the Cloud!!!"
"OSU!!!!"
Countless personnel sprang into action.
At the end of Ninja World Year 45, unable to tolerate the Cloud's long-term transformation any longer, the nations and villages united to stop its continued rise. The Cloud's Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, who had been drifting in the outer seas for a long time, was attacked by several powerhouses who had plotted for a long time. Unable to hold out alone, and after multiple failed rescue attempts by the Cloud, Kumogakure chose to launch attacks on the Land of Fire and Land of Earth.
This battle and its subsequent developments swept across the entire ninja world at a jaw-dropping speed. Almost all major factions were dragged into it. Its scale and intensity qualified it as a full-scale ninja world war, yet its duration was extremely short.
Afterward, this event was considered the fuse and the first shot of the Third Great Ninja War, as well as the most thrilling few days of the long conflict.
Later known as: "The Three-and-a-Half-Day War."
D-0, 9 minutes after the attack began.
Konohagakure.
Shikaku Nara was in the Hokage's office, deploying troops.
"Is Hokage-sama not done yet?"
"The enemy's resilience far exceeded expectations."
"The Cloud will likely retaliate! Move all perimeter scout squads eastward; increase the surveillance range!"
As they spoke, several shooting stars flew in from the horizon.
Before anyone could react, the meteors tore through the clouds and crashed into Konoha.
BOOM!
Violent explosions followed. Multiple delivery pods ignited flames across Konoha without any pattern. One landed in the Hyuga clan compound, another just tens of meters from the Hokage building.
The rainbow lights in the sky fell like incessant rain.
Shikaku Nara, also in the intelligence division, roared:
"Raise the barrier immediately! Sound the evacuation alarm! Everyone! War is here!!"
Large numbers of ninja, who had been on standby near major roads and important buildings, simultaneously executed Konoha's unique barrier jutsu.
"Barrier: Four Violet Flames Formation!!"
One by one, purple barrier cubes rose from the ground, enveloping the core areas of Konoha.
Although no one had witnessed the Cloud using the Heavenly Transfer Technique for direct bombardment, as a ninja village whose profession was combat, it wasn't hard to guess the Cloud would develop in this direction. Using barriers to defend against Heavenly Transfer meant intercepting whatever the enemy sent, be it people or objects.
This was Konoha's strategy against the Heavenly Transfer Technique. For a year, they had secretly trained a large number of ninja capable of using the "Four Violet Flames Formation."
Soon, delivery pods arrived with a roar, slamming headfirst into the barriers.
The massive kinetic energy made the barriers groan, but their powerful stopping force and extreme heat successfully detonated the pods carrying explosive tags mid-air!
"Don't relax! It's far from over! Evacuate civilians immediately!"
D-0, 15 minutes after the attack began.
Land of Fire, a dense forest.
An Uchiha clan member led his squad, keeping watch in the forest.
It was a squad consisting of one Jonin and two Chunin.
They had been stationed here since yesterday, monitoring movement from the east.
Just now, several streaks of Heavenly Transfer light had flashed across the sky, heading toward Konoha, making the three uneasy.
"Movement!"
The captain activated his blood-red Two-Tomoe Sharingan and leaped to the top of a giant tree, looking into the distance.
Something was moving through the sea of trees.
The two subordinates below asked, "What did you find?"
"Possible enemy attack. Alert!"
Simultaneously, he summoned his ninja crow, ready to transmit the message.
Seeing the situation turn bad, the two below also entered combat readiness.
However, in the next instant, a kunai pierced the neck of one of them.
"What?!" The exclamation from below made the Uchiha ninja in the tree hesitate no longer. He released the ninja crow immediately.
As long as the message was sent, their mission was complete. But the bad news was, the enemy had gotten this close before being discovered.
He jumped down immediately, ignoring grief for his dead teammate, and fled rapidly with the other ninja.
"Captain, leave me. We split up; the survival chance is higher."
"Shut up!" the Uchiha ninja snapped. The usually stern captain gritted his teeth so hard they nearly broke.
Because while in the tree, he had caught a glimpse of the attackers.
Over a dozen Cloud ninja.
Every one of them was an elite with a powerful aura.
Sure enough, the pursuers were fast. Two Cloud ninja arrived at extreme speed.
One Cloud ninja used Body Flicker to appear behind the two Konoha ninja, slashing down with a blade crackling with electricity.
The teammate turned to block with a kunai, but the opponent's weapon was unbelievably sharp. It cut through the kunai like tofu, along with the hand holding it.
In the Konoha ninja's horror, his own blood splattered into his mouth.
The Uchiha ninja was furious. He turned to save his companion, but it was too late.
"Rie!"
The second slash fell. The ninja named Rie was decapitated, blood spurting meters into the air.
The two tomoe in the Uchiha ninja's eyes spun rapidly, on the verge of changing, but he was unaware, his face twisted in rage.
"Fire Release: Dragon Fire..."
A burly figure appeared out of nowhere, expression indifferent. He dispersed the forming jutsu with a wave of his hand, then grabbed the Uchiha ninja by the neck.
CRACK!
With a crisp sound, the spine was easily snapped. The Uchiha ninja felt a burst of intense pain, then lost all feeling below the neck.
Ignoring the venomous hatred on the enemy's face, the Third Raikage applied more force, silencing him completely, then tossed him to a subordinate.
"Pity, only two tomoe. Seal him up for now."
The subordinate obeyed and left.
Those familiar with him could see the Third Raikage was in a state of extreme rage. The attack on Blue Bee had completely infuriated him, leading to such ruthless actions.
After failing to reinforce Blue Bee, the Third Raikage wasted no time and charged into the Land of Fire. This was the third lookout post they had destroyed, showing Konoha had long been guarding against their counterattack.
"Sir, the ninja crow just now has been intercepted," a subordinate reported.
The Third Raikage naturally guarded against intelligence transmission from the lookout posts, having sent people to circle behind and intercept them long ago.
Rushing forward, solely to secure enough leverage to exchange for his brother's life before the situation with Blue Bee concluded.
Urgent beyond measure!
Konoha's main base was here. Attacking it forcefully would take unknown amounts of time, time Blue Bee didn't have to waste.
Even the weakest hidden village had thousands of combatants.
Moreover, despite the Third Raikage's burning anxiety, his rationality prevented him from planning a direct assault on Konoha. Blue Bee's life was important, but the lives of other Cloud ninja couldn't be wasted senselessly.
He needed a captive of sufficient weight, not just to cause casualties.
So he ordered the bombardment of Konoha merely to divert their attention.
He himself led the team toward the Fire Capital.
Right now, time was Blue Bee's lifeline.