The Trigger Of the War.

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As Obito, expressionless under his mask, formulated his sinister plan, everyone fell into deep thought.

It had to be him—the one from Konoha. His plan was so devious, so treacherous.

Deidara, slightly blowing the bangs that covered his eyes, revealed a trace of scarlet light from his pupils.

Nagato Tendō's eyes remained calm and unreadable. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking or feeling in this moment.

However, Konan, with her lavender hair, furrowed her brows. If a war broke out between the two countries, the people of the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind would again suffer the horrors of war. Countless ninjas, civilians, women, children, and the elderly would perish once more. A trace of pity flickered in her eyes.

Nagato, sensing her thoughts, nodded slightly, understanding her concerns. He glanced at Konan and spoke softly. "For our great plan, sometimes small sacrifices are inevitable."

Yahiko, whose body was controlled by Nagato, let out a mechanical sound that echoed through the cave.

A flash of green light appeared in Kakuzu's eyes as he spoke. "I think Obito's idea is good and worth considering."

When Kakuzu spoke, Hidan nodded in agreement. He then glanced at Scorpion, whose expression remained blank, as if he had no care in the world.

Though Scorpion was originally from the Sand Village, he viewed the village and its emotions as obstacles to his growth. He had no hesitation in discarding these obstacles. Even if it meant going against his grandmother, Chiyo, he would do it without a second thought.

"Alright," Obito spoke, breaking the silence. "Let's start with the conflict between the Sand Village and Konoha. The plan is set; now we just need to implement it."

When Hoshigaki Kisame heard that there was action to be taken, his eagerness was evident. "Whoever proposes it will certainly carry it out," he said with excitement.

Deidara opened his mouth, his eyes flicking to Uchiha Obito.

Obito's red eyes remained emotionless as he slowly spoke, "Alright, now that we have our plan, Uchiha Obito, Hoshigaki Kisame, and Itachi will carry it out."

With that, Nagato gave the order, and everyone silently disappeared into the shadows.

Meanwhile, within the Sand Village, Chiyo's concerns weighed heavily on her as an internal meeting continued. The topic at hand was the alliance between the Wind Country and the Fire Country.

"Elder Chiyo, I fear Konoha will not give up this time," an elite jonin from the Sand Village spoke. "We should prepare ourselves."

"Our Sand Village needs a Kazekage who can take control of the situation. With the death of the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa..."

The jonin hesitated, casting a nervous glance at Chiyo. She knew what he meant.

The Sand Village was beset on all sides by external threats, and its internal troubles only compounded the issue. Looking at Gaara, who was standing silently, expressionless, Chiyo couldn't help but feel a sense of helplessness. Gaara's eyes reflected the anger of his deceased father, but he had learned to keep his emotions in check.

Gaara was still too young, both in strength and experience. While his chakra power, enhanced by Shukaku, the One-Tails, could rival elite jonin and even approach Kage level, it wasn't enough. Gaara lacked the credibility to lead the village, and Chiyo knew that for him to become the Fifth Kazekage, time and circumstances had to change.

As for how to approach Konoha, Chiyo still needed time to consider the situation. After all, the two countries had maintained friendly relations for many years. It shouldn't be the result of Orochimaru's manipulations that tore apart that fragile peace.

As Chiyo fell into thought, the elite jonin hesitated before speaking again. "What should our stance be toward Konoha?"

Chiyo, shaken from her reverie, slowly responded, "We will adopt a cold stance toward Konoha for now. No aggressive moves, and no biased actions from our ninjas. We'll wait and see."

With that, the meeting concluded. "If there's nothing else, you may leave. Gaara, stay."

The other ninjas filed out, leaving Gaara and Chiyo to discuss matters further. The two spent the rest of the night in quiet deliberation.

Two days later, three uninvited visitors dressed in Akatsuki uniforms arrived at the border of the Sand Village. They were Obito, Kisame, and Itachi—three members of the Akatsuki who were orchestrating the plan to instigate war between Konoha and the Sand Village.

As night fell, the three quickly formed hand seals outside the Sand Village gates.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

In a flash, their appearances and forehead protectors were altered. They now looked like Konoha ninjas, with Konoha headbands proudly displayed on their foreheads.

Kisame, now disguised as a square-faced Konoha ninja, smirked slyly. The three of them exchanged glances and immediately began their assault on the Sand Village, showing no intent to hide their presence.

Soon, Sand Village patrols discovered their intrusion.

"Who dares to trespass in our Sand Village at this hour?" a neutral-faced Sand ninja shouted in anger.

Before the words had even left his mouth, Kisame, disguised as a Konoha ninja, lunged forward.

Swish!

A kunai slashed across the man's throat, and blood poured from the wound.

"You..." The Sand ninja tried to speak but couldn't manage another word. His body crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

The other Sand ninjas watched in horror, stunned by the brutal scene. Their comrade had fallen so quickly, without any chance of resistance.

When they saw the Konoha-style clothing and forehead protectors, their eyes widened in shock and fear.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Sand Village, do you really think the war is over?" Kisame taunted under the moonlight.

"Three days from now, Konoha will mobilize in full force to annex your village. Let's see how powerful we really are."

"Why waste time with words?" Itachi's cold voice cut through the night. "Kill them all."

Without hesitation, the three of them sprang into action, swiftly cutting down the Sand Village ninjas.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Ninjas fell, one after another, as the three attackers moved like shadows in the night.

"Retreat! Retreat!" A Sand ninja shouted, but it was too late. The remaining Sand ninjas scrambled to flee deeper into the village.

Kisame, Itachi, and Obito, seeing that their plan had been executed, refrained from chasing after the retreating ninjas. They threw a few more kunai and shuriken at them before disappearing into the darkness.

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