Chapter 28: 27: The Second Coming of War


    Konoha Year 33, February.


    This winter was colder than previous years. Snowkes fell from the sky, painting the sky a pale hue.


    The cold wind swept through every corner of Konoha. During this cold season, most people preferred to stay at home, huddled around the stove, unless there was something particrly important to attend to.


    However, for the students of the academy, attending sses was still a requirement.


    In ss A of the fourth grade, Ruri wore a ck long-sleeved shirt and trousers, with a white scarf wrapped around her neck. Her long ck hair flowed down to her waist, resembling silk and satin against the snowy backdrop.


    The yground was already covered in a silver nket. During this season, one would rather spend the entire day at home instead of going to school.


    Suddenly, a loud noise erupted outside.


    The noise disrupted the silence in the ssroom. Impatiently, Ruri furrowed her brows. These people were always buzzing like flies.


    "Isn''t it noisy?" Shiraishi returned with a convenience bag containing hot milk tea and hamburger meat, courtesy of Ruri''s money.


    "Of course. But they can only be happy at school," Ruri responded, retrieving her own hot milk tea and a hamburger from the bag.


    "Ayane, would you like to have one? I bought an extra," Shiraishi turned to Ayane, seated nearby.


    "No, thank you," Ayane smiled apologetically, stood up from her seat, and walked out of the ssroom.


    Shiraishi watched Ayane''s retreating figure, sighed, and said, "I can''t help but feel that she''s more out of ce than you, Ruri. We used to y together."


    A dangerous glint shed in Ruri''s eyes as she looked at the convenience bag in Shiraishi''s hand, questioning, "Since when did I allow you to take my money and invite unrted people to eat?"


    "Uh... well, I thought they were ssmates at the same table, so..." Shiraishi stammered, trying to exin.


    "Are you nning to go hungry tonight and tomorrow morning? Who do you think is supporting you now?"


    "...Understood."


    "Just remember to inform me in advance next time. I hate it when people do things without notifying me."


    "Is that what bothers you? I get it. I''ll inform you in advance next time."


    Shiraishi sighed once again, settled into his seat, took a sip of the milk tea, and then bit into the hot hamburger.


    "By the way, what was thatmotion outside just now?" Ruri asked Shiraishi while sipping her milk tea.


    "Don''t you know? Some fourth-grade students want to graduate early, and today is the day for special recruits. I heard that three students from our ss want to graduate two years early. Minato Namikaze from the neighboring ss is also among them" Shiraishi revealed.


    "That blond pretty boy? I heard he''s the top student in ss B."


    "Even if he''s the top student in ss B, he can''t be your top rival in ss A" Shiraishi expressed his confidence in Ruri''s abilities, smiling.


    "I won''t underestimate anyone."


    Nevertheless, Shiraishi''spliments pleased her.


    The ss soon began, and the homeroom teacher, Fujimura Taiga, entered the ssroom, initiating the formal ss.


    The indoor subjects for the fourth grade were moreplex than those in the lower grades. There was much to learn in the fourth grade, which would greatly benefit ordinary students. Whether it was an indoor or outdoor ss, Shiraishi and Ruri were free to pursue their own interests.


    Holding a pen and ruler, Shiraishi began drawing on the notebook in front of him, annotating texts and forms.


    This was an important experiment to be conducted in the evening, involving theoretical derivations and practical applications.


    Over three months had passed since they started studying natural energy.


    During this period, Shiraishi had sessfully channeled natural energy, although its stability remained a challenge.


    Even if natural energy was sessfully guided, without the proper means, it would quickly dissipate and be intangible, returning to the environment.


    In the uing experiment, Shiraishi aimed to extend the duration in which natural energy manifested as a tangible form, allowing him more time to understand and sessfully harness its power.


    Time passed quietly.


    ...


    Early March.


    asional light snow fell from the sky, and the weather slightly warmed, although it remained quite cold.


    On thiste winter day, something unexpected urred, shattering the peace and tranquility of Konoha Vige.


    The Suna ninjasunched an attack on the Land Of Fire''s border, inflicting heavy losses on Konoha troops stationed there and officially dering war on Konoha.


    Just over a year had passed since the war in the Land of Rain, yet the mes of war once again engulfed the Fire Country.


    Moreover, the deration of war targeted Sunagakure, one of the Five Great Ninja Viges.


    The Third Kazekage personally led arge contingent of Suna ninja, provoking a war against Konoha.


    A visible atmosphere of tension and heaviness loomed over Konoha Vige.


    The war in the Land of Rain had only just concluded in October of the previous year, yet within the past six months, war had erupted once more.


    The adversary this time, the Suna ninja, possessed overall strength far superior to that of the Amegakure ninjas.


    As part of the five major nations, their mobilization speed and the quality of their ninja were unmatched by the Ame ninja.


    The rise and fall of the Amegakure relied heavily on their leader, Hanzo.


    Suna was different. Their leader was the Third Kazekage, one of the Five Kages, known as the most powerful Kazekage in history.


    Under hismand were numerous talented individuals, assisted by the likes of Elder Chiyo and her brother. They were all renowned and powerful ninja within the ninja world.


    Furthermore, Suna had established a formidable puppet corps, which had inflicted significant losses on major ninja viges in previous wars.


    This time, Suna''s attack was fierce, far from a battle that could be easily dismissed.


    It appeared that the Land of Rain War was merely an opening act for Konoha''s official involvement in the Second Great Ninja War, and the true war had just begun.


    This oppressive feeling of an imminent storm and the approaching rain, pressuring all Konoha ninja, led the high-ranking Konoha leaders, headed by the Third Hokage, to convene an emergency meeting.


    The night following the meeting, numerous Konoha ninja left the vige to support the Land of Fire''s border.


    The major ninja ns also dispatched their elite ninja tobat the Suna forces.


    War was on the horizon.