Orochimaru gave the order to retreat.
The Konoha ninja fighting in Hidden Hot Water Village retreated while fighting, all the way back to the village entrance.
Orochimaru swept his gaze over the remaining Konoha ninja, his brow slightly furrowed.
There had been fewer than a hundred of them when they arrived—around ninety-something.
Now, at a glance, including the injured ninja, there were at most forty left.
Though this surprise attack on Hidden Hot Water Village was about to succeed, the price they had paid was also exceedingly heavy.
There was only one final step left before the operation could be considered successful: Kuroiwa Tatsuji's neutrality.
Jiraiya, covered in blood as well, walked over to Orochimaru and asked, "Orochimaru, how did that old man respond? Did he agree?"
"I don't know. But no matter what, we should retreat. We can't keep fighting."
Jiraiya nodded gravely. They truly could not continue fighting.
Orochimaru believed that Kuroiwa Tatsuji would definitely agree to his proposal.
If he did not, then Hidden Hot Water Village would have no need to continue existing afterward.
Orochimaru announced, "Wait here for five minutes. Hold this position and wait for the rest of our comrades to join us. After five minutes, we retreat no matter what!"
Time passed second by second.
The ninja stationed here, including Orochimaru and Jiraiya, all unleashed ninjutsu toward Hidden Hot Water Village, preventing the Cloud Ninja and Hot Water Ninja from closing in.
The most active person here now was Minato Namikaze.
Relying on his mobility, Minato Namikaze darted back and forth without pause, rescuing a Konoha ninja on each trip.
Minato Namikaze was already exhausted beyond measure.
Yet he still forced himself onward, thinking that saving one more person was better than saving none.
Just as Minato Namikaze prepared to go in again