Chapter 27

Year 33 of the Wooden Leaves, February.

This year's winter was colder than usual, with snowflakes drifting down from the sky, turning even the sky pale.

The cold wind ravaged every corner of the Wooden Leaves Village. In such a cold season, most people would choose to stay at home, huddled around the fireplace, to get through the cold winter if they didn't have anything particularly important to do.

However, for the students of the Ninja Academy, school still had to go on as usual.

In Class 4A, Ryūri wore a black long-sleeved shirt and pants, with a white scarf around her neck. Her long black hair, smooth like silk, flowed down to her waist. She propped her chin on her palm and, through the transparent glass, admired the snowy scene outside.

The playground was already covered in white. In such a season, she really wanted to skip school and spend the whole day at home.

Suddenly, a noisy sound came from outside.

The quietness of the classroom was broken. Ryūri frowned in annoyance; these guys were still buzzing around like flies as usual.

"Does it bother you?"

Shiraishi returned with a convenience bag, which contained hot milk tea and hamburger meat.

Of course, it was paid for with Ryūri's money.

"Of course. But they can only be happy at school."

Ryūri took her share of the hot milk tea and hamburger meat from the convenience bag.

"Rin, do you want some? I bought an extra one."

Shiraishi turned to look at Rin on the other side.

"No, thank you."

Rin smiled apologetically, stood up from her seat, and walked out of the classroom.

Shiraishi watched Rin's retreating back and sighed, "I feel like she's even more isolated than you, Ryūri. We used to play together before."

Ryūri's eyes glinted dangerously as she looked at the convenience bag in Shiraishi's hand and asked, "When did I allow you to use my money to feed irrelevant people?"

"Uh... well, I thought we're classmates, so... this..."

"Are you planning to go hungry tonight and tomorrow morning? Do you think someone is supporting you now?"

"...Got it."

"Remember to inform me in advance next time. I hate it when people use my things without asking."

"Is that what you're worried about? Got it, I'll let you know next time."

Shiraishi sighed again, sat down at his desk, and took a sip of the milk tea, then took a bite of the hot hamburger meat.

"By the way, what was all the noise about outside just now?"

Ryūri asked Shiraishi while drinking her milk tea.

"Didn't you know? Some fourth-year students want to graduate early. Today is the special recruitment day for early graduates. I heard that three people from our class want to graduate two years early. Oh, and Minato Namikaze from the next class is one of them."

Shiraishi told her what he knew.

"That blonde sissy, you said he's the top of Class B."

"Even if he's the top of Class B, he can't be a match for you, the top of Class A."

Shiraishi said with confidence in Ryūri's abilities.

"I won't underestimate anyone."

Although she said that, she still appreciated Shiraishi's flattery.

Soon, class started. The homeroom teacher, Fujimura Daigoro, entered the classroom and began the lesson.

The indoor subjects for fourth-year students were more complex than those for first to third-year students. There was a lot for fourth-year students to learn, which could be very helpful for ordinary civilian students. However, for someone like Shiraishi, who could already graduate by self-study, both indoor and outdoor classes were meaningless.

Therefore, except for the lessons on the Will of Fire, Shiraishi and Ryūri would do what they wanted.

Shiraishi took a pen and ruler and started drawing on the notebook in front of him, adding annotations and formulas.

This was an important experiment to be conducted that evening. He was performing theoretical derivations here and then applying them in practice.

It had been more than three months since he started researching natural energy.

In those three months, Shiraishi had successfully guided natural energy, but the guided energy was not particularly stable.

Moreover, even if he successfully guided the natural energy, without the appropriate means, the natural energy would quickly dissipate and become untouchable air, returning to nature.

Therefore, the next experiment was to extend the time that natural energy remained in a physical form, giving him enough time to understand and successfully utilize it.

Time passed quietly.

◎

Early March.

Occasional snowflakes still fell from the sky, and the weather was slightly warmer but still very cold.

On this cold day, an unexpected event occurred, breaking the peace and tranquility of the Wooden Leaves Village.

— The Sand Hidden Village launched a raid on the Fire Country's border, causing heavy losses to the Wooden Leaves forces stationed there, and formally declared war on the Wooden Leaves Village.

Just over a year after the end of the Rain Country War, the flames of war once again engulfed the Fire Country.

Moreover, the declaration of war came from the Sand Hidden Village, one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages.

Led personally by the Third Kazekage, a large number of Sand Hidden Village ninjas launched an attack on the Wooden Leaves Village.

The village was enveloped in a visible atmosphere of tension and heaviness.

The Rain Country War had just ended in October of the previous year, and now, after just half a year, war had once again swept in.

This time, the opponent declaring war on the Wooden Leaves Village was the Sand Hidden Village, whose overall strength far exceeded that of the Rain Hidden Village.

As one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, their mobilization speed and the quality of their ninjas were not comparable to those of the Rain Hidden Village.

The prosperity and decline of the Rain Hidden Village depended on its leader, Hanzo.

The Sand Hidden Village, on the other hand, was led by the Third Kazekage, one of the Five Kage, known as the strongest Kazekage in history.

Under his command were many talented individuals, including the elder advisor Chiyo and her brother, both powerful ninjas renowned in the ninja world.

Moreover, the Sand Hidden Village had established a formidable puppet corps, which had caused great trouble for the major ninja villages in previous wars.

This time, the Sand Hidden Village's attack was fierce and not easily dispelled.

It seemed that the Rain Country War was just the opening ceremony for the Wooden Leaves Village's formal entry into the Second Great Shinobi War. The real war was just beginning.

This sense of impending doom weighed heavily on all the ninjas of the Wooden Leaves Village. The upper echelons of the Wooden Leaves Village, led by the Third Hokage, held an emergency meeting.

That evening, a large number of registered Wooden Leaves Village ninjas left the village to support the Fire Country's border.

The major ninja clans also dispatched their elite ninjas to engage in battle with the Sand Hidden Village ninjas.

The war was about to break out.