Departure! Land of Rain

Late at night, Land of Fire, Konoha, Orochimaru's underground laboratory.

Orochimaru was meticulously making records.

Experimental Sample: Eight-Tails Gyūki Horn

Number of Experiments: 116

Analysis of Experimental Results:

1. Though it was only a single horn, it contained an enormous amount of chakra—several times more than an ordinary Jōnin.

2. Aside from yin and yang attributes, this chakra also contained a considerable lightning attribute, likely influenced by the Jinchuriki.

3. The chakra could recover after use, though rather slowly. The horn's chakra also had an upper limit, presumably due to the influence of the Eight-Tails' main body.

Possible Applications:

1. Cultivate a pseudo Eight-Tails Jinchuriki. This horn did not contain the Eight-Tails' will, so the Jinchuriki would not be affected by the Tailed Beast's consciousness. Drawback: it had an upper limit and could not provide much help to someone who had already reached Kage-level.

2. Use it as an energy source to create Mecha-type Puppets. Eight-Tails Chakra was extremely potent and could produce considerable power.

Drawback: the amount of chakra and its recovery rate were insufficient to sustain a Mecha for an extended period.

Current Handling Plan: Seal it away and wait for a better method of use.

Orochimaru looked at the experimental records in his hand, somewhat disappointed.

The Eight-Tails might have been powerful, but a section of horn clearly could not compare to the complete Eight-Tails.

Though the essence of the chakra was the same, its quantity fixed the upper limit.

Orochimaru put away the report and prepared to deal with the late-night snack he had set aside earlier:

An egg pancake.

But... it was cold!

Eggs were one of Orochimaru's favorite foods, but he normally disliked cold food. If it were not wartime, he would definitely have found a way to eat it hot.

After hastily reheating and finishing his snack, Orochimaru began preparing his ninja tools. Tomorrow, he would depart for the Land of Rain frontlines.

The next day, Konoha Training Ground Twelve was packed with ninja.

Training Ground Twelve had been planned before the war began.

But war broke out halfway through construction, and work had been suspended to raise funds. Still, it was spacious enough to accommodate the more than three thousand Konoha Ninja gathered there.

"Where the leaves dance, fire lives on. The firelight will continue to illuminate the village and allow new leaves to sprout..."

Orochimaru stared blankly at Hiruzen Sarutobi on the platform, dressed in old-fashioned armor as he delivered a pre-battle speech.

Sure enough, no matter where you went, leaders' speeches were always this boring.

Tsunade beside him yawned boredly, while Jiraiya was writing away on a sheet of paper.

The famous Icha Icha Paradise had yet to appear. What Jiraiya was writing now was the Hokage's famously failed novel, The Gallant Enduring Ninja Legend.

"For this operation, I will personally serve as commander-in-chief, while Orochimaru will serve as Deputy Commander."

Orochimaru was still spacing out, completely failing to notice that it was his turn to step forward.

"Orochimaru."

Mito Uzumaki beside him lightly patted Orochimaru to remind him.

Mito Uzumaki was a ninja from the same generation as the Three Ninja, and besides Tsunade and Jiraiya, he had been Orochimaru's closest companion back at the Ninja Academy. Later, he would become Orochimaru's most valued and trusted subordinate.

Only, in the future of the original timeline, after Mito Uzumaki died in battle, he would entrust Anko Mitarashi to Orochimaru.

With a leap, Orochimaru landed before the platform.

"Orochimaru, are you prepared to lead the Konoha Ninja?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at his most prized disciple and asked.

"I won't disappoint you, Teacher."

Orochimaru habitually grinned and washed his face with his tongue, a gesture he often revealed when emotionally excited.

Turning around to face the Konoha Ninja before him, he raised a hand and shouted:

"I will... make Konoha... great again!

Konoha will win this battle!"

"Konoha will win!"

"We will win this battle!"

The ninja, whose emotions had already been stirred by Hiruzen Sarutobi's speech, shouted along with all their strength.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, already in his forties, stood there and gazed deeply at Orochimaru before him. Orochimaru was filled with the image of himself in his twenties.

When the Second Hokage had led the Konoha Ninja into battle and looked at him as Deputy Commander back then, he must have felt the same way.

The Third Hokage could not help feeling touched by himself.

Hiruzen Sarutobi felt that his understanding of the Will of Fire had risen to a new level.

On the stage, the Third Hokage smiled warmly at the crowd below, then raised a hand in a calming gesture. The audience immediately fell silent.

"That's all. Set out!"

In the front-line main camp of the Land of Rain, inside the high command conference room.

"Hiruzen! Give me a little more time—I'm about to win!"

Danzo stared at Hiruzen Sarutobi before roaring inwardly:

Damn Sarutobi! You must have seen that I'm about to win. Though I don't know why I'm about to win, the fact that you came means I must be close to victory. You're here to steal my credit!

Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed away on his pipe, smiling pleasantly at Danzo.

He liked seeing Danzo in such a frantic state. Whether now or in their younger days, Danzo had always been this impatient.

Looking at Danzo like this always made him feel as though he had returned to the days when the Second Hokage was still alive and he himself was still young. The sky that year had been so blue, and Biwako had been so young and beautiful...

What puzzled him, though, was where Danzo had found the nerve to claim he was about to win.

Honestly, quite a few of Danzo's moves had been downright brainless.

He lacked skill but had plenty of ambition, and loved playing armchair commander. If not for Sakumo's outstanding performance, the situation would not have deteriorated to the point where even he, the Hokage, had to come to the front lines and risk his life.

Konoha's current situation was quite dire. There were not many reserves left, and the fresh recruits from the Ninja Academy had yet to mature. Even those slightly older had already been rushed through early graduation.

He had to resolve the Land of Rain battlefield as quickly as possible. This place had become a quagmire of war, draining far too much of Konoha's strength.

Ah, being Hokage is too difficult.

Hiruzen Sarutobi could not help sighing inwardly.

Ah, being Sarutobi's subordinate is too difficult! How did I end up with a Hokage who loves stealing credit?

Danzo could not help sighing inwardly as well.

"Don't worry, Danzo. I will resolve the Land of Rain battlefield as soon as possible. You should return to the village and handle intelligence work."

Hiruzen Sarutobi tried to persuade him.

"Hiruzen! You'll regret this!"

Danzo still made one last attempt. If he wanted to become Hokage, he needed enough accomplishments to his name.

"Danzo! I'm the Hokage!" Hiruzen Sarutobi shot back reflexively, without even thinking.

Danzo slammed the door and stormed out yet again.

The rain continued to fall in a steady drizzle.

"The Land of Rain truly lives up to its name as the Land of Tears. This rain really never stops."

Mito Uzumaki sighed.

Unlike Orochimaru, who had fought in the Land of Rain before, a considerable number of this batch of ninja, including Mito Uzumaki, had never been here. There were even young Genin who had graduated less than two years ago.

Tsunade seemed to have thought of Nawaki, who had died in the Land of Rain. She had remained silent ever since entering the country.

At that moment, a handsome Jōnin with long purple hair stood beside Tsunade, trying to comfort her.

Jiraiya had just been struck by inspiration and was writing a book in his tent. Clearly, someone had taken advantage of his absence...

Orochimaru did not concern himself with such trivial matters. As Deputy Commander, he had many things to handle.

From the battlefield situation to personnel assignments, from replacing personnel to dealing with wounded and disabled ninja, from logistics to intelligence—he worked alongside a middle-aged Jōnin named Kikume Kōtō, doing his best to familiarize himself with everything and take charge as quickly as possible.

Having just finished handling some matters, he received a notice from the Third Hokage summoning him to the conference room.

On the way, he saw a dark-faced Danzo stomping furiously out of the camp.

Inside the conference room, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat at the head of the table. The seat to his left was empty, presumably reserved for him.

Tsunade and Jiraiya were already seated in the second and third seats on the left, while scribes, quartermasters, and other non-frontline personnel sat to the right.

Once Orochimaru had taken his seat, Hiruzen Sarutobi cleared his throat and began the meeting.

More than six thousand Konoha ninja had originally been deployed to the Land of Rain battlefield. Now, only a little over three thousand remained. Danzo had taken more than a thousand wounded and replaced ninja back to the village this time, leaving fewer than two thousand.

With the more than three thousand newly arrived Konoha ninja, their numbers had barely surpassed five thousand. They were currently the largest force in the Land of Rain.

Sunagakure had been poor to begin with and had deployed only around three thousand troops to the Land of Rain throughout the conflict. After Sakumo's forces slaughtered them, only two thousand remained.

Because Kumogakure had to fight Iwagakure and had deployed more than eight thousand ninja to the Iwa Front, the forces it had committed to the Land of Rain battlefield had already been recalled.

Amegakure had it the worst. Hanzō had spent who knew how many years building up three thousand Rain Ninja. Their overall quality was already inferior to that of the Five Great Ninja Villages, and they had been specifically targeted by Konoha, the strongest among them.

Fortunately, they had the home-field advantage, so they had not been wiped out completely. Even so, their remaining numbers were estimated to be no more than fifteen hundred. If not for Hanzō's formidable strength, Amegakure would likely have been destroyed twice over by now.

Hiruzen Sarutobi planned to divide Konoha's five thousand ninja into two groups.

He would personally lead four thousand men to attack Amegakure. He could trade himself for Hanzō, and with the remaining four thousand facing fifteen hundred, they should be able to finish things quickly.

Orochimaru would lead the remaining thousand to intercept the Sunagakure Forces led by Chiyo, preventing Sunagakure from sending reinforcements to Amegakure.

Orochimaru was strong enough to hold back Chiyo, while Tsunade's presence could counter Chiyo's poison. With Jiraiya as well, their side held a considerable advantage in high-level combat power. Even with a thousand fewer men, their chances of victory were still high.

Four thousand against fifteen hundred.

This round, the advantage was mine!