How Had Konoha Reached the Brink of Destruction?

For the sake of a possible future defection, Masaichi had mastered the Body Flicker Technique to perfection.

Carrying Kakashi and Obito, he moved much faster than Rin, who was unburdened.

Though no one knew what Obito had stuffed into his backpack; it was bulging full.

The moment Jiraiya heard that Orochimaru and Minato had been captured alive by Rock ninja, he narrowed his eyes. Was it April Fool's Day?!

He and Minato had been fine fighting two Jinchūriki, yet Orochimaru and Minato had been captured alive because of a single battle?!

Had Ōnoki come?

Even if that old bastard Ōnoki had come, he still could not have beaten Orochimaru and Minato working together.

Then there was only one truth.

"You're lying!"

Jiraiya stared at Masaichi with a look that saw through everything.

Heh heh...

That was naughty of him.

You couldn't normally tell, but Orochimaru's student had quite the mischievous personality.

"I'm not lying. My teacher and Jonin Minato really were captured by the enemy."

Masaichi did not know that the Rock ninja who had made a deal with Orochimaru was White Zetsu. He merely took him for an ordinary Rock ninja. Orochimaru was courting death—walking along a cliff without a safety rope was one thing, but he had even jumped off it.

Being a student was truly too hard.

"Then if both of them were captured, why weren't you?"

Jiraiya keenly caught the flaw. Even Minato, who knew Flying Raijin, could not escape, yet Masaichi had?

Masaichi: "..."

He swore that everything he had said was true.

He had not lied a single word.

Though he did not know what kind of cooperation Teacher Orochimaru had reached with the enemy, it was dangerous regardless.

"Impossible. You can't fool me." Jiraiya proudly puffed out his chest. How embarrassing would it be if he got fooled by a child?

"Fuck you!"

"Did getting seen through on that boring little trick make you snap? Heh heh, you really are just a child. I played this kind of thing with Orochimaru countless times decades ago."

Masaichi went to fetch Rin and had her explain.

"The bridge-destruction mission was a huge success? Looks like our war with the Hidden Rock Village is about to end."

Jiraiya once again assumed the mission had been a great success. Minato had relaxed after the mission and gotten a little playful, intending to tease his teacher.

In reality, forget destroying the bridge—his beloved disciples had been captured.

Jiraiya refused to believe it no matter what, so Masaichi could only run back to report to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Minato's Team went with him, running back to the village to seek help.

The sky had truly fallen.

Obito said, "Our teacher is invincible. How could he have been captured?"

Even now, this innocent child had not realized there was something wrong with the bananas they had eaten. He only thought they had eaten too much and gotten dizzy from the carbs.

Kakashi was somewhat suspicious, but only somewhat. As an outsider, he saw things clearly. Obito and Masaichi were love rivals, while Minato and Orochimaru were political rivals. He had no grudge against either of them, so why would they mess with him?

"Teacher Minato..." Nohara Rin's face was full of worry.

Meanwhile, Masaichi was wondering what exactly his teacher was plotting.

But halfway through the journey, there was no need to notify anyone.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had arrived with more than half of Konoha Village's ANBU and the ninja left behind in the village.

His face was livid as he met up with Masaichi and Minato's Team.

On the day Masaichi and the others were rushing back, Orochimaru had a small snake from the Dragon Grounds deliver a photograph to Konoha. The subjects in the photograph were none other than him and Minato, both seized by the neck by White Zetsu Rock ninja.

Whether or not this matter had anything to do with Orochimaru—

Konoha Village's two greatest combat forces had been captured by the Hidden Rock Village. Even if Hiruzen Sarutobi had to spend everything he owned, he had to save them.

That was why the reinforcements included so many children.

Masaichi spotted his two subordinates, Kiba and Yujin.

"We'll talk on the way." Hiruzen Sarutobi wore black combat gear and led Masaichi and the others, who had just returned from the road, onward.

According to reliable intelligence!

Ōnoki had also learned that Orochimaru and Minato had been captured. He was likely bringing every resource the Hidden Rock Village possessed and was likewise on his way.

Hiruzen had already sent Jiraiya to lead people in intercepting them.

Orochimaru's operation had brought joy to one village and sorrow to another.

Ōnoki had laughed so hard he had not slept for two days and two nights as he rushed to provide support.

He wanted to see who was so valiant! To actually capture both Orochimaru and Minato in one stroke.

He had to reward him!

If that person was reliable! Giving him the position of Fourth Tsuchikage would not be out of the question.

"What happened?" Even Danzo, whose Root stayed underground every day, had come out. The importance of this matter was self-evident.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had been too anxious to sleep for two nights. Now, exhausted beyond endurance, he lay atop Enma's back as they traveled, conserving his strength for the coming battle.

Masaichi looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi riding Enma, and Danzo understood everything.

Orochimaru, were you really this insane?

For the sake of becoming Hokage, he was willing to throw the village into fire and water.

The strategy originally discussed by the higher-ups had been to drag things out. Other than the Land of Lightning, who had as much money as they did? With sixty percent tax revenue, Konoha had tremendous staying power. Once the other villages could no longer afford to fight, the Third Shinobi World War would naturally end.

But now, everything had been thrown into chaos.

They had to rescue Orochimaru and Minato before news of their capture spread.

Otherwise...

Once the Raikage, Mizukage, and Kazekage learned of it, they would launch a full assault on Konoha at the same time.

Konoha would truly be finished.

Even Danzo no longer dared to talk about laying low and preserving Root's strength. Only then did Masaichi realize the importance of this matter.

Holy fucking shit.

Teacher.

It did not have to go this far.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was biased. At worst, they could just seize the Hokage position back.

There was no need to destroy Konoha in the process.

This was insane.

The Land of Grass was the main battlefield of the war between the two villages. When two great powers went to war, small innocent countries like theirs suffered terribly.

The Hidden Rock Village was geographically closer to the Land of Grass. To prevent Ōnoki from reaching the front lines first, Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered Jiraiya to intercept the Rock ninja.

Jiraiya versus Ōnoki, Han of the Five-Tails, Rōshi of the Four-Tails, Kitsuchi... they had already begun fighting.

Madara, beneath Hidden Grass Village, felt somewhat melancholy.

Back then, he and Hashirama had founded Konoha together. Yet now, it had reached the brink of destruction.

All because of infighting among those at the top.

How innocent were the villagers below, yet they had to suffer the consequences as well.

Konoha...

He hoped they could hold on until his resurrection.

Madara hoped for things to have a proper beginning and end. Konoha had been founded by him, and it would also be destroyed by his own hand.

"Hashirama, if you were alive, you would be deeply disappointed too."

Every White Zetsu wandering throughout the Ninja World, as well as those underground, was dispatched by Madara.

He had only one order!

When Konoha and the Hidden Rock Village clashed! Drive Obito to the position directly above him at any cost.

He only wanted Obito!!