After Enichi and Tsunade's manoeuvres, the initially straightforward punishment of Momojiro by the Sand Ninja took on another layer of meaning. It became a battle of pride between Enichi, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, and Konoha.
With his wealth and influence, Enichi employed the tactic of throwing money around and managed to recruit numerous ninjas and ninja clans to participate in defending the Land of Rivers.
Ten days they were quickly passed.
At the border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Rivers, Muzake's troops had already assembled. They did not attempt to conceal their movements.
Muzake's route was clear: they would begin by taking control of Wangdu River, a tributary of the Moonlight River, and occupy the area along the river. From there, they would march straight into Flower City, where Muzake planned to have a heart-to-heart talk with Momojiro.
Thus, Muzake's entire army gathered at the mouth of the Wangdu River, where it flowed into the Land of Wind.
The first and second squads were the main force, while the third and fourth squads supported and cleared the flanks. The fifth squad was tasked with occupying riverside towns and maintaining order.
Muzake peered through binoculars at the Wangdu River, noticing the empty banks and lush forests nearby. He listened to the intelligence report from his Anbu operative, Jieshang.
Muzak was puzzled, "Why are there still fishing boats on the river?"
He had spotted fishermen still at work on the river.
"Did the Daimyo of the Land of Rivers not inform them to take cover?"
Jieshang replied, "No, in fact, they believe that uninformed civilians will slow down our advance, and they could also provide cover for ninjas."
"Currently, the Land of Fire has sent a large force of troops and ninjas to assist the Land of Rivers."
Muzake was even more perplexed.
"Do they not realize that numbers are meaningless against my Ten Thousand Machines of Truth?"
Immediately, he grew angry.
Damn it. These bastards don't see the ordinary people as human beings. They're treating them like trees, like human trenches!
Hmph. I even gave them ten days. I overestimated their sense of responsibility. Indeed, some things never change.
The intelligence officer continued, "We're not sure what their plan is. As of now, most of their forces are concentrated on defending Flower City, but there are numerous ninjas scattered along Wangdu River and Moonlight River."
"My lord, there are many of them, and the Land of Rivers is full of dense waterways and forests, making it easy for them to hide."
The Land of Rivers was quite different from the Land of Wind. In the vast desert of the Land of Wind, it was difficult to conceal one's movements. In the Land of Rivers, however, someone could simply dive into a river or hide in the forests.
Muzak turned to Gaara, Sasori, Sasuke, and others.
"So, do any of you have suggestions?"
Gaara responded, "Annihilate everything in sight. Let there be no trees, no grass for ten miles."
Muzake rejected the idea, "That's far too extreme. We're here to punish Momojiro, not the people of the Land of Rivers—or the fish in the river."
"The Land of Rivers is our future source of water and a key transportation hub. There's no need to create enemies out of the people here."
"The cost of maintaining peace afterward would be too high."
No one else had any better suggestions. After all, they were all ninjas, and fighting a conventional war was not their expertise.
Muzake glanced at the Wangdu River. If this were the ocean, he could simply deploy a carrier, load everyone up, and sail straight to Flower City.
"Alright, we'll proceed as planned."
"Don't fear sacrifice."
"If anyone dares block our way, kill them."
"Yes, my lord."
Anyway, with Konoha's medical resources available, they could handle any casualties.
The first to advance were the tank units of the first and second squads. The two forces moved along both banks of the Wangdu River.
The loudspeakers on the tanks continuously broadcast:
"People of the Land of Rivers, do not panic."
"The Sand Ninja Army will not harm you."
Behind the tanks followed various other vehicles, including Muzake's command vehicle. The Sand Ninja army had become fully mechanised.
The fishermen on the river were bewildered by the sight of these steel monsters emerging from both sides of the river.
What on earth were these?!
The mercenary ninjas hiding in the forest, waiting to ambush the Sand Ninjas, were equally curious about the tanks.
What kind of ninja tools were these?
They were so huge! And made of steel—how could they be destroyed?
The tanks' show of force was short-lived, however, as they soon encountered a problem. The muddy ground along the banks of the Wangdu River couldn't support the tanks' weight, and the first tank got stuck.
Seeing the Sand Ninja tanks come to a halt, their wheels sunken into the mud, the ninjas hiding in the forest couldn't help but laugh.
What a joke. These things can't even move properly.
However, the Sand Ninja tank crews were well-prepared for this situation. The ninja crew members disembarked from the tanks and assessed the situation. One of them pulled out a jutsu scroll.
Earth Style: Earth Platform Technique.
An earthen platform lifted the tank, allowing it to reverse out of the mud.
The forty tanks on both banks then assumed a battle formation, four tanks per row for a total of five rows. Drones took off to clear the road one kilometre ahead, driving away civilians and livestock.
The fishermen and farmers of the Land of Rivers, who had never seen flying, talking machines before, mistook them for monsters and fled in terror.
"One kilometer ahead, cleared."
"Prepare to solidify the ground."
"Prepare to solidify the ground."
"Fire Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet artillery."
"Commence fire."
The twenty tanks in the front row fired Earth Dragon Bullet artillery.
The mercenary ninjas hiding in the forest were stunned as they saw the tanks' cannons flash with fire, followed by forty shells exploding in midair. The Earth Dragon Bullets rained down, covering a thousand-meter area in front of them.
Once the area was covered, the rear twenty tanks opened fire.
This time, they used Fire Style: Fire Dragon Bullets.
The fire dragons baked the earth, turning it into mud.
Then, another volley of Fire Style shells evaporated the remaining moisture.
After several minutes of cannon fire, a brand new, solid concrete road appeared before the Sand Ninja army.
Muzake watched as the tank units swiftly completed their tactical manoeuvre. He felt very pleased.
"Open the way with cannons."
"Fire at will!"
Muzake shouted.
The convoy rumbled forward.
The earth trembled.
The river surged.
The forest shook.