The sky was pitch-black, with rolling clouds blotting out the moonlight and stars.
Hundreds of shadowy figures darted through gaps between the trees, startling the birds and beasts in the forest.
Suddenly, a horn sounded. The Konoha Shinobi Army came to a halt, each shinobi stopping among the trees and on the forest floor, warily scanning their surroundings as if some beast might suddenly spring from the darkness.
The commander who had ordered the troops to stop stood on a treetop, gazing into the distant night.
Orochimaru licked his lips. "As expected, something's not right."
By now, Konoha's forces had advanced deep into territory controlled by Kumogakure, but the expected interception had never come.
Some Cloud shinobi were patrolling the edge of the Byakugan's range. They weren't harassing the marching troops, seemingly only intent on confirming the Konoha Shinobi Army's position.
"What exactly is Kumogakure trying to do? Do they want to swallow this entire force in one bite? No, that's impossible."
Orochimaru dismissed the idea. It wasn't that it was impossible; it was simply the worst possible approach for Kumogakure.
Kumogakure had the advantage of striking first this time. While the Konoha Shinobi Army was still making its way there, they had already begun building a fortress on the border of the Land of Fire. They'd have to be idiots to pick a direct fight with Konoha now.
And based on the intentions Orochimaru had deduced from the very start, Kumogakure was never going to be that reckless.
"And yet, they're still acting as if they're ready to settle this in one decisive battle."
Orochimaru wore an intrigued expression as he murmured, "So they don't intend to wipe out this force at any cost. They just want to stop us from securing a stronghold, no matter what it takes."
From Kumogakure's perspective, that was indeed the most advantageous course.
If Konoha's forces didn't occupy a fortress, they would always have to guard against a surprise attack. Kumogakure could decide whether to harass them or launch a full-scale battle.
Unless they withdrew from Kumogakure-controlled territory, they could only wear themselves out running around here.
Orochimaru had considered that, too. At first, he'd thought the enemy would harass and intercept them, slowly bleeding them dry. He hadn't expected them to aim for a single decisive strike.
Orochimaru looked toward the depths of the forest. In the shadows, a beast seemed to be lurking, waiting for its chance to attack.
Kumogakure had indeed seized on the Konoha Shinobi Army's weakness.
Destroying was always easier than protecting. Even Orochimaru couldn't guarantee he could keep the fortress safe under a full-scale assault from Kumogakure.
And that wasn't even considering that the enemy had two Jinchuriki capable of undergoing Tailed Beast Transformation.
Kumogakure was greedier and bolder than he'd imagined, intent on an all-out clash from the very beginning.
Orochimaru shook his head. The situation was far too clear, and that was no good.
Kumogakure was keeping its forces focused on surveillance rather than harassment. It wouldn't be easy to make a move right under their noses.
They needed to stir things up before they could fish in troubled waters and find a chance to activate the fortress's defensive barrier.
With that in mind, Orochimaru said, "Fugaku, assemble the Barrier Team."
He planned to split his forces earlier than he'd originally decided.
Unlike ordinary fortresses, Konoha's highest-grade strongholds were not only extremely well-hidden but also built according to the strategy of the wily hare with three burrows. There was more than one.
When one was built, two decoys were constructed alongside it to conceal the real one and mislead the enemy.
Orochimaru had intended to use the shinobi army and a decoy fortress as cover while activating the real fortress's defensive barrier. But with Kumogakure watching them so closely, that plan had little chance of success.
At Orochimaru's words, Fugaku Uchiha gave an order to the clan members beside him. Before long, four four-man squads appeared before Orochimaru.
Orochimaru picked two of them and then gave instructions to the bodyguards beside him.
"Shisui, Kakashi, each of you take a squad of elite jonin and escort them to the designated location. Make sure the fortress's formation is activated."
"Yes!" Two figures leaped out of the crowd, each leading a squad as they vanished into the woods.
A trace of worry flashed in Fugaku's eyes. "Lord Orochimaru, splitting our forces at a time like this may—"
"Don't worry. This was never a contest of strength."
Orochimaru glanced at Fugaku and said calmly, "One squad will cover the other, so the chances of success are high.
"They're both among our finest jonin. They know what to do."
"Besides, with us here to hold them in check, Kumogakure won't—and can't—spare too much attention elsewhere."
"Put aside any unnecessary thoughts. We still have a fierce battle ahead."
In the deep night, a figure leaped out of the darkness and respectfully reported, "Lord Raikage, Konoha has indeed split its forces. One squad headed southeast."
The Fourth Raikage didn't even look up. In a deep, rumbling voice, he asked, "How strong are they?"
"Four Chunin and four Uchiha jonin. They're a formidable group. One of them seems to be 'Body Flicker Shisui,' and there are also two four-man squads who appear to belong to the Barrier Team."
The Cloud shinobi sounded certain despite his speculation, clearly very familiar with Konoha's shinobi. "Our surveillance squads didn't dare give themselves away. They withdrew as soon as they'd tested the waters, and are now watching from a distance."
Beside them, Yugito Nii suddenly spoke up. "Sir, given the size of Konoha's forces, four Uchiha jonin are a significant force. Their destination must be a fortress they intend to activate."
The Fourth Raikage nodded. "That's possible, but we can't rule out that this squad is meant to cover the main force."
Yugito sounded confident. "Sir, let me take care of them. They're only four jonin. I can handle them on my own."
Against four ordinary jonin, a Two-Tails Jinchuriki wouldn't have much trouble. But these were Uchiha...
The Fourth Raikage frowned. "Yugito, take a squad of jonin with you as backup."
Before she could insist, the Raikage added, "Whether you eliminate them doesn't matter. Your top priority is destroying the target fortress."
Yugito opened her mouth, but under the Raikage's stern gaze, she could only reply, "Yes!"
With that, she leaped away and disappeared into the night. A jonin hurried after her, followed by three Chunin.
"Yo, yo, Big Bro, wanna make a bet?" Killer B asked in his odd, singsong voice. "You think that squad's heading for the real fortress?"
"Real or fake, they won't succeed. Yugito will take care of them."
The Fourth Raikage glared at Killer B and said gravely, "Besides, we won't let them succeed on our end, either..."
Before he could finish, a tremendous explosion rang out from the forest. Then a conspicuous beam of light appeared in the dim night sky.
Looking up at the beam, impossible to miss in the darkness, the Fourth Raikage grinned savagely. "Is Konoha declaring war on me?"
"Killer B, come with me. Let's pay them a visit!"
Several miles away, with the Barrier Team's help, Orochimaru had dressed up a building so that its sole function was to shine brightly.
Fugaku's eye twitched. "Lord Orochimaru, that's way too obvious."
"Heh. That's the point," Orochimaru sneered. "Even if everyone knows it's fake, Kumogakure won't dare treat it as a fake."
Thanks to Bandaru for the donation.
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