One day later.
At the border of the Land of Fire near the Land of Rain, a group of Hidden Leaf Village elite ninja led by Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Jiraiya arrived. The moment they got there, they received a report from the border patrol ninja and learned the approximate number of ninja in the Hidden Rain Village...
"Hmph!"
Tsunade sat inside the tent and snorted coldly. Upon learning that the Hidden Rain Village had brazenly displayed its military strength, she could not help but snap angrily:
"The Hidden Rain Village is far too arrogant!"
"But the Hidden Rain Village does have the capital to be arrogant right now. Over three hundred Rain ninja and more than three thousand cloned suicide soldiers, led personally by Hanzo the Salamander, the leader of the Hidden Rain Village—this lineup demands serious caution even from the Hidden Leaf Village! Not to mention..."
Orochimaru stood beside the map before him. As he spoke, he could not help but trail off.
"Not to mention what?"
Jiraiya asked in confusion from the side.
"Not to mention, the Hidden Rain Village forces attacking the Hidden Leaf Village are only one-third of their total strength. The other two-thirds are attacking Hidden Stone Village and Hidden Sand Village respectively!"
Orochimaru said gravely. Since the Hidden Rain Village had made almost no effort to conceal its movements, gathering intelligence had been exceedingly easy.
"Most Hidden Rain Village ninja possess Chunin-level strength. Although the cloned suicide soldiers are not particularly strong, relying on their Beastification ability and their fearless instincts, even a Chunin would find it difficult to quickly eliminate one..."
"And there are only three thousand ninja headed to the front lines this time, most of them Chunin and Genin. Even if we can stop the Hidden Rain Village's attack, it will