They had run for who knew how long before night fell completely. The mountain night was bitterly cold, and Orochimaru's sixty-man assault team finally stopped behind a massive boulder, sheltered from the wind.
"We're here."
He spoke softly, yet his voice was exceptionally clear in the silent surroundings.
"The plan is simple."
Orochimaru's voice was low and hoarse, yet it reached everyone's ears clearly.
"I will charge directly into the center of the camp and create chaos. You—"
His gaze swept over Baiyun Zaojian, Uchiha Ran, and the other Jonin.
"Once the chaos erupts, Baiyun Zaojian will lead you through the breach on the western side. Your targets are to destroy their command structure, supply depots, and kill as many enemy combatants as possible."
"Uchiha Ran, take the Chunin group. Use Explosive Tags and shuriken to create even more chaos, cover the main force's advance, and move quickly."
"If you find that Hidden Sand has overwhelming numbers, retreat immediately."
"Understood!"
Everyone responded in lowered voices, and the atmosphere instantly tightened like a drawn bowstring.
Uchiha Ran's palms were faintly sweaty, his heart pounding powerfully in his chest. This was war. There were no drills, only life and death.
Orochimaru said no more. He formed a hand seal, and his body seemed to merge with the darkness like flowing water. Soundlessly, he slid down the rock and crept toward the distant Hidden Sand camp, where faint lights glimmered amid heavy defenses.
If Uchiha Ran had guessed correctly, it was an Earth Release ninjutsu—Subterranean Voyage.
As the night deepened, most of the camp's lights had already gone out. Only the patrol torches and several key sentry posts remained lit.
While the Hidden Sand ninja slept.
Suddenly!
A blinding violet light erupted from the center of the camp!
A huge, intricate summoning array instantly spread across the ground, and violent chakra fluctuations swept in every direction like a hurricane!
"Summoning Technique!"
Orochimaru's distinctive hoarse voice pierced the night sky, carrying a cold and ruthless authority.
"Rumble—!!!"
Amid an ear-splitting crash and billowing clouds of dust, an enormous purple serpent appeared out of nowhere!
Its savage head rose high, nearly blocking out the moonlight. Its cold vertical pupils gleamed with brutality. It was one of the Three Great Snakes—Manda!
"Hiss—!!!"
"Orochimaru! Damn it, I was still asleep! If there aren't two hundred sacrifices this time, don't think we're even!"
Manda let out an earthshaking roar, and its enormous tail swept out like a pillar of heaven!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The Hidden Sand camp's tents, hastily built fortifications, and even some ninja who had just awakened and failed to react in time were as fragile as paper before Manda's destructive power, instantly crushed and flung aside!
"Urgh, aaah!"
"Attack!"
"It's Orochimaru of Konoha's Three Sannin!"
Screams, cries, and alarm calls instantly tore apart the night's silence. The entire central area of the Hidden Sand camp descended into flames and chaos!
"Quick! Wind Release squad, Attack Formation C! Use combined Wind Release to suppress this thing!"
"Yes!"
"Wind Release: Net!"
Great nets formed from raging winds descended directly over Manda's body.
"Now!" Jonin Baiyun Zaojian's eyes sharpened as he gave a low shout. "Everyone! Assault!"
The Konoha ninja, who had long been poised to strike, shot out from the boulder's shadow like arrows loosed from a bow!
Uchiha Ran took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed his jitters at facing a large-scale battlefield for the first time. His Three-Tomoe Sharingan activated instantly, his scarlet eyes especially striking in the darkness.
"Chunin group, follow me!"
He let out a low roar and took the lead, guiding thirty Chunin as they lunged like phantoms toward the outer western side of the camp.
Sure enough, Manda's rampage and the upheaval in the central area had thrown the defenses here into massive confusion, opening a huge breach.
"Explosive Tags! Blanket throw!"
Uchiha Ran gave the order calmly. He precisely sensed the areas with the densest chakra fluctuations, where enemies were attempting to organize a counterattack.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Dozens of Explosive Tag kunai were flung with precision. Like butterflies of death, they scattered down over clusters of Hidden Sand ninja, groups of tents, and suspected supply stockpiles.
"Art is explosion!"
Boom! Boom! Rumble—!
A chain of explosions instantly erupted throughout the western camp! Flames soared into the sky, heat waves rolled outward, and screams rose one after another.
The explosions not only inflicted direct casualties, but also rapidly spread panic and chaos toward the outskirts.
"Throw every last shuriken, kunai, and Explosive Tag you have! Forget about saving anything for later!"
Uchiha Ran gave another order.
His hands flashed as he instantly hurled more than a dozen kunai fitted with Explosive Tags. His Sharingan's dynamic vision was pushed to its limit, and the kunai traced tricky arcs as they shot precisely toward several Hidden Sand ninja forming hand seals to cast ninjutsu.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Explosions rang out, blood splattered, and the Hidden Sand ninja's techniques came to an abrupt halt.
The other Chunin also began throwing shuriken and kunai. The dense whistles slicing through the air were like the whispers of the Grim Reaper, pinning down the Hidden Sand ninja who tried to show themselves amid the chaos.
"Kill your way in!"
After all, they had been selected from among thousands. Even as Chunin, they coordinated seamlessly. Some used powerful ninjutsu to clear the field, while others fought at close range. Their target was the important facilities deep within the camp, as well as the Hidden Sand commanders attempting to organize resistance.
The battle instantly reached a fever pitch!
Flames blazed throughout the camp. The flashes of colliding ninjutsu rose and fell one after another, while the sounds of clashing metal, explosions, and screams merged into a cruel symphony of war.
While directing the Chunin group to continue their long-range harassment and suppression, using Explosive Tags to ignite fresh fires and create further chaos, Uchiha Ran vigilantly observed the battlefield with his Sharingan.
He spotted a Hidden Sand Jonin leading several Chunin, attempting to disperse the thick smoke with Wind Release and organize a counterattack. Without hesitation, Uchiha Ran formed hand seals.
"Fire Release: Great Dragon Flame Technique!"
Uchiha Ran's chest swelled sharply as chakra surged violently through his meridians. Scorching breath burst from his mouth!
A ferocious roaring fire dragon, radiating an aura of destruction, tore through the night sky with the force to burn everything in its path and lunged toward the Hidden Sand Jonin and the Wind Release squad behind him!
The searing heat wave twisted even the surrounding air.
The Hidden Sand Jonin's expression changed drastically. Clearly, he had not expected Uchiha Ran's Fire Release to be so swift and fierce. In his haste, he could only gather Wind Release chakra before himself to form a rotating wall of wind.
"Wind Release: Gale Wall!"
Rumble—!!!
The fire dragon slammed viciously into the wind wall! Violent wind and scorching flames collided and tore at each other! The wind wall shook violently, letting out a wail of strain.
The deadlock lasted only an instant before the wind wall shattered with a roar! The remnants of the fire dragon, still carrying overwhelming force, slammed into the Hidden Sand squad!
"Urgh—aaah!"
"Scatter!"
Piercing screams instantly rang out! The Hidden Sand Jonin bore the brunt of the attack. Though he did his best to evade it, half his body was still swallowed by flames, giving off the stench of charred flesh as he screamed and rolled across the ground.
The several Chunin behind him fared even worse. Some were vaporized outright, while others became human torches and struggled frantically, instantly losing all ability to fight.
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