Escape From Konoha

Chapter 28: 27: The Second Coming of War

Konoha Year 33, February.

This winter was colder than previous years. Snowflakes 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 particularly important to attend to.

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

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

The playground was already covered in a silver blanket. 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 classroom. 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 classroom.

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

A dangerous glint flashed 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 unrelated people to eat?"

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

"Are you planning 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 that commotion 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 class want to graduate two years early. Minato Namikaze from the neighboring class is also among them" Shiraishi revealed.

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

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

"I won't underestimate anyone."

Nevertheless, Shiraishi's compliments pleased her.

The class soon began, and the homeroom teacher, Fujimura Taiga, entered the classroom, initiating the formal class.

The indoor subjects for the fourth grade were more complex 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 class, 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 formulas.

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 successfully channeled natural energy, although its stability remained a challenge.

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

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

Time passed quietly.

...

Early March.

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

On this late winter day, something unexpected occurred, shattering the peace and tranquility of Konoha Village.

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

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

Moreover, the declaration of war targeted Sunagakure, one of the Five Great Ninja Villages.

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

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

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 his command 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 villages 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 village to support the Land of Fire's border.

The major ninja clans also dispatched their elite ninja to combat the Suna forces.

War was on the horizon.