Luring the Snake from Its Hole

"Are you sure Roshi will come?"

Orochimaru leisurely sat down beside Uchiha Mai and asked casually.

Sarutobi Hiruzen had ordered Uchiha Mai to return to Konoha immediately, and he did not have much time left on the front lines. This was their only chance to join forces and take down Roshi.

Orochimaru took it rather seriously.

"I'm absolutely certain Roshi will come."

Uchiha Mai counted on his fingers. "From before the official engagement began until I pulled back, they sent out at least four waves of intelligence shinobi.

Even if three of those four groups defected, at least one would still be able to deliver the news to Roshi. As long as nothing went wrong with your arrangements, Roshi will definitely come."

That was good.

Beneath the dark canopy of night, Ishikawa raced through a small forest.

As an intelligence shinobi from Iwagakure, Ishikawa possessed exceptional reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance abilities.

He also had a ninja hawk whose top speed was four or five times that of an ordinary shinobi. Within a hundred kilometers, it was unmatched at relaying information.

That was precisely why Sato had entrusted Ishikawa with the important task of delivering intelligence to Roshi. Delivering information was not as simple as standing still and releasing a hawk.

At the very least, he had to escape some distance and make sure the ninja hawk would not be intercepted.

By now, Ishikawa had already fled five or six kilometers from the battlefield.

Only after repeatedly confirming that there were no pursuers did he use the Summoning Technique to call forth his ninja hawk, write down the intelligence, place it into the bamboo tube strapped to its leg, and release it.

After watching the hawk spread its wings and soar away, Ishikawa turned around and charged back toward the battlefield.