"Lord Orochimaru, you're the supreme commander on the front lines. Coming all the way to the Kirigakure front at a time like this—isn't that dereliction of duty? You've left the entire Sunagakure front in the hands of that old bastard Danzo. Are you really not worried? Aren't you afraid he'll stab you in the back?!"
"The front-line situation is none of your concern. Since I can't kill you, I'll let it go. Suifeng, I look forward to seeing you again!" Since Orochimaru couldn't capture Suifeng, killing him was out of the question. He didn't want to waste any more time here.
"Lord Orochimaru, you came all this way. Wouldn't it be a shame to leave without accomplishing anything?!"
"Oh? Is there something else, Suifeng?!"
"Could I ask you for a favor?!"
"What do you need my help with, Suifeng?!" A curious glint appeared in Orochimaru's yellow, slit-pupiled eyes.
"You're the commander of the Sunagakure front. I hope you can transfer me there. I should be able to help you out?!"
"I approve of your strength, Suifeng. Having you join the Sunagakure front would be ideal!" A strange light flashed in Orochimaru's eyes. He stuck out his tongue and licked the tip of his nose.
"I need to make a trip to Amegakure. While I'm away, I'll need you to cover for me, Lord Orochimaru!"
"Heh heh heh. Danzo handles intelligence in Amegakure. What, are you thinking of joining Root?!"
"An eye for an eye. Danzo's been making trouble for me all this time, so I want a chance to return the favor. Do you understand what I mean, Lord Orochimaru?!"
"Of course, of course. I'm the commander of the Sunagakure front. I need Danzo's intelligence for my operations, and I need him to keep the Land of Rain stable. So what do I gain from you going after him?!"
"Danzo's old. He's been useless for ages. He can't even handle the Land of Rain—what good is he?" Suifeng said without mincing words. "He's no use there. He can't beat Hanzo, so all he can do is negotiate. I'm different. I can kill Hanzo. If Hanzo dies, I doubt you'll be so interested in the Land of Rain anymore, Lord Orochimaru?!"
"You're very fast, but Hanzo isn't an ordinary ninja. If speed alone were enough, the White Fang would have killed him long ago!" Orochimaru looked at Suifeng. "Suifeng, aren't you a little too confident?!"
"Then let's make Hanzo's head the price. When you need it, I'll hand it over to you, and you'll cover for me. How does that sound?!"
"Hanzo's head? Very well. I'm curious to see what you'll do, Suifeng." Orochimaru smiled. He didn't question Suifeng's boast that he would take the Demigod of the Ninja World's head. Instead, he glanced at Suifeng with amused interest, as if looking forward to the show. Then his body melted into the ground like a candle. "Your transfer orders will arrive in three days. Be ready!"
As one of the Third Hokage's students and a front-line commander, Orochimaru wielded far more authority than the Uchiha Clan did at present. When the transfer orders arrived at the Kirigakure front, Uchiha Fugaku was taken aback. He couldn't believe his eyes.
"Suifeng is a member of the Uchiha Clan and a member of the Military Police Force. He should be operating with us. Why is he being transferred to the Sunagakure front—and why is he going alone?!" Staring at the Anbu messenger, Fugaku's eyes were bloodshot, as if he might devour him.
"I'm only here to deliver the orders. Uchiha Suifeng is to report to the Sunagakure front within three days!"
"That's impossible! I'll report this to the higher-ups. Suifeng can't leave the Kirigakure front!"
Uchiha Fugaku declared firmly.
"I'll go, then!" A breeze stirred, and a blur flickered. The transfer orders were suddenly in his hand. Neither Uchiha Fugaku nor the Anbu courier had seen Suifeng move.
"Suifeng, this isn't something you can decide on your own!" Uchiha Fugaku had grown used to Suifeng's uncanny appearances, but he still tried to stop him.
"I have a technique I can only test on a real battlefield. Just tell the clan that," Suifeng said. "It's only the Sunagakure front. I'll be fine!"
What a universal excuse!
Back when he'd dealt with the Great Elder, no matter what the issue was, all he had to say was that he had a technique to research, and everything would be put on hold. But that trick didn't seem to work as well now.
"Suifeng, I don't care what technique you want to research. Going straight to the battlefield is far too dangerous. I can't agree to something so reckless!"
Fugaku was adamant.
Was this some kind of joke? Suifeng was the Uchiha Clan's greatest genius. His contributions to the clan were beyond those of an ordinary ninja. On the Kirigakure front, he was supposedly Fugaku's bodyguard, but in reality, Fugaku was the one protecting him. If anything happened to Suifeng, Fugaku wouldn't be able to shoulder the responsibility. He might even lose the clan head position that was nearly his. Even if he didn't, his standing in the clan would suffer once he became clan head. How could he let Suifeng do as he pleased in a matter this important?
"Lord Orochimaru isn't just the commander of the Sunagakure front. He's also the supreme commander of this war, so his authority outranks yours!" Suifeng smiled and put away the transfer orders. He turned to the Anbu. "I'll be at the Sunagakure front soon!"
"Good!" The Anbu replied and left without lingering.
"Suifeng!" As soon as the Anbu was gone, Fugaku exploded. "How could you agree to this? And besides, you—!"
"Big Brother Fugaku, Orochimaru came to kill me three days ago, but he failed!"
"What?!"
Uchiha Fugaku's expression stiffened. His furious face froze.
Orochimaru had come to kill Suifeng, but failed?
Who was Orochimaru? One of the Konoha Sannin, a powerful figure among those at Kage Level, and the commander of the Sunagakure front. In theory, Suifeng was even his subordinate. Why would he come to kill Suifeng? Could it be...
A shadow suddenly flashed through Fugaku's mind. He looked at Suifeng. "Are you sure it was Orochimaru?!"
"If it wasn't, why would he issue these transfer orders?!" Suifeng raised the orders in his hand. "He couldn't kill you here, so why would he transfer you to the Sunagakure front to kill you there?!" Fugaku's voice brimmed with anger.
"No. He failed to kill me, but he saw my strength and decided the Sunagakure front needed someone like me. That's why he issued the orders," Suifeng said. "Orochimaru's a madman, too. If I refuse, the entire Kirigakure front will be in trouble. If I go, I just have to avoid giving him the chance to come after me. And even if I can't handle things, I can still run."
"Suifeng, this world is full of countless jutsu and strange powers. Orochimaru is famous for researching forbidden techniques. If you go to the Sunagakure front, he'll have plenty of opportunities to target you!"
"I won't give him the chance," Suifeng said. Red light flickered in his eyes as the Three-Tomoe Sharingan appeared. "So what if he's one of the Sannin? Against these eyes, he's nothing!"
"You—you've already awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan?!" Uchiha Fugaku felt as if his whole life had been wasted. Suifeng had awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan at eight. Fugaku, who had also been a peerless genius of his generation, hadn't awakened his eyes at eight—or had he? No, he'd awakened them at nine, and that had already been called genius. So what did that make the eight-year-old in front of him?
In the Uchiha Clan, the Three-Tomoe Sharingan represented the strength of a jonin. Once you awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, you had the strength of a jonin, because only a jonin-level chakra reserve could meet its demands. That meant Suifeng's chakra had already reached jonin level. And considering his speed and the techniques he'd developed...
It seemed...
Maybe...
Possibly...
He really had...
He was strong enough. He really could protect himself from Orochimaru!
And he was only eight!
With that thought, Fugaku took a deep breath and spoke solemnly to Suifeng. "I'll report this to the clan right away. And no matter what you decide to do, protecting your life must come first. Understand?!"
"I understand. But it'd be better not to tell the clan that I have the Three-Tomoe Sharingan!"
"Why?!"
"The clan has spies from Root. Most of my information has already leaked!" Suifeng said coldly. "I got this information from Orochimaru!"
Before you continue