Konoha, Year 33, February.
This winter is colder than usual, with snowflakes drifting down from above, painting even the sky pale.
Cold winds ravage every corner of Konoha Village, and in such a frigid season, most people choose to stay home by the fireplace unless there's something particularly important to attend to, enduring this cold winter.
However, for the students of the Ninja School, attending school as usual is a must.
In the fourth-grade class A, Ruri was wearing a black long-sleeve shirt and pants, a white scarf around her neck. Her long black hair, like a ribbon of silk, gracefully flowed down to her waist. Resting her chin on her palm, she gazed through the transparent glass, admiring the snowy scenery outside.
The playground was already draped in silver. In such a season, one truly wishes not to come to school and spend the entire day at home.
Suddenly, noises erupted from outside.
The quiet within the class was broken, and Ruri frowned with annoyance. These folks were buzzing around like flies, as always.
"Do you find it noisy?"
Hakushi returned with a convenience bag filled with warm milk tea and hamburgers. Of course, it was bought with Ruri's money.
"Of course. But, they can only be happy here at school."
Ruri took out her share of the warm milk tea and a hamburger from the convenience bag.
"Ayane, would you like some? I bought an extra serving."
Hakushi turned his gaze towards Ayane on the other side.
"No, thank you."
Ayane smiled apologetically, stood up from her seat, and walked out of the classroom.
Hakushi watched Ayane's retreating figure and sighed, "She seems even more unsociable than you, Ruri. We used to play together."
A dangerous glint appeared in Ruri's eyes as she looked at the convenience bag in Hakushi's hand and asked, "When did I permit you to use my money to treat unrelated people?"
"Uh... well, I thought since we're seatmates, um, you know, this and that..."
"Are you planning to go hungry tonight and tomorrow morning? Do you remember who is supporting you right now?"
"...Understood."
"Remember to inform me beforehand next time. I hate it when people help themselves to my things without saying a word."
"Is that what you're really concerned about? Got it, I'll greet you beforehand next time."
Hakushi sighed again, sat in his seat, took a sip of the milk tea, and then took a bite of the steaming hamburger.
"By the way, what was all that noise outside about?"
Ruri asked Hakushi as she sipped her milk tea.
"Didn't you know? Some students in the fourth grade are looking to graduate early, and today is the special graduation selection day. I heard there are three people in our class wanting to graduate two years early. Oh, and Namikaze Minato from the neighboring class is one of them."
Hakushi relayed the information he knew.
"That blond sissy, you mentioned he was top of class B."
"Even though he's top of class B, he can't be a match for you, top of class A."
Hakushi said with confidence in Ruri's abilities and smiled.
"I never underestimate anyone."
Though she said that, she still enjoyed Hakushi's flattering words.
Soon, class began, and the homeroom teacher, Fujimura Daiga, entered from outside and began the lesson.
The fourth-grade indoor courses are more complex than those in grades one to three. The things to learn in the fourth grade are numerous, which might help ordinary civilian students greatly. However, for someone like Hakushi, who could have self-studied to graduation, both indoor and outdoor courses held no meaning.
Therefore, aside from the lessons on the Will of Fire, Hakushi and Ruri would engage in whatever they wished to do.
Hakushi picked up a pen and ruler, then started drawing on the notebook in front of him, jotting down notes and formulas on the side.
This was an important experiment set to take place in the evening, where theoretical deductions were done beforehand and then applied in practice.
More than three months had passed since the research on Natural Energy began.
During these months, Hakushi had managed to successfully guide Natural Energy; however, the guided Natural Energy was not particularly stable.
Moreover, even if successfully guided, without corresponding methods, the Natural Energy would quickly dissipate and evaporate, turning into untouchable air, returning to the natural world.
Therefore, in the upcoming experiments, Hakushi aims to prolong the time Natural Energy can appear in a physical state, giving him ample time to understand and successfully utilize the energy.
Time quietly slipped by.
◎
Early March.
The sky occasionally still had light snowflakes falling, and though the weather had slightly warmed up, it remained cold.
During this minor cold spell, an event occurred, catching everyone off guard, shattering the peace and tranquility of Konoha Village.
—Hidden Sand Ninja raided the Land of Fire's borders, causing heavy losses to the Konoha Squad stationed there, officially declaring war on Konoha.
Just over a year after the war in the Land of Rain, the flames of conflict once again engulfed the Land of Fire.
And the entity declaring war was none other than Hidden Sand Village, one of the Five Great Ninja Villages.
Led personally by the Third Kazekage, commanding a large force of Hidden Sand Ninja, they initiated hostilities against Konoha.
Konoha Village was surrounded by a visible atmosphere of tension and weightiness.
Just last October, the war in the Land of Rain had concluded, and half a year later, war had descended upon them once more.
And this time, the aggressor challenging Konoha was the Hidden Sand Ninja, whose comprehensive strength greatly surpassed that of the Hidden Rain Ninja.
Unlike the Hidden Rain Ninja, whose rise and fall depended solely on their leader, Hanzou,
Hidden Sand was different, led by the current strongest of the Five Kage, the Third Kazekage.
Under his leadership were many talented individuals, supported by advisor elder siblings Chiyo and her brother, both of whom were renowned powerful ninjas in the Ninja Realm.
Moreover, Hidden Sand had established a formidable Puppet Squad, which in previous wars had caused great trouble for various other Ninja Villages.
This assault by Hidden Sand was by no means a skirmish that could easily be repelled.
It felt as if the war in the Land of Rain was merely an opening act for Konoha's proper involvement in the Second Great Ninja War, and the real war was just beginning now.
This oppressive feeling of a brewing storm loomed over all Konoha Ninja, prompting the Konoha leadership, headed by the Third Hokage, to convene an emergency meeting.
On the night after the meeting was held, many enlisted Konoha ninja left the village, heading to the borders of the Land of Fire for support.
Various prominent ninja clans also dispatched their elite ninjas to battle against the Hidden Sand Ninja.
The war was on the brink of eruption.