Clash (Seeking Collection, Recommendations, Monthly Votes)

Qifeng's crow mouth proved true.

But the big shots inside the tent didn't hear it.

No help for it—the enemy attack was already at their doorstep. If they didn't rush out to stop the ambush, this advance force might be in serious trouble.

They all scrambled out of the tent.

As Orochimaru walked out, he cast a deep, meaningful glance at Qifeng.

Qifeng gave an awkward smile.

He followed the big shots out of the tent.

He'd really just been talking nonsense. How was he supposed to know the Iwa-nin were actually planning this? It instantly made things very awkward for him.

After all, this Konoha advance force was made up of highly experienced ninja. There was no way they wouldn't check the surrounding environment before setting up camp, only turning to build the camp after confirming there was no danger.

Especially since there were several Hyuga Clan ninja in the advance force. Under the sweep of the Byakugan, ordinary ninja had nowhere to hide.

"Damn it! What were the sensory ninja and the Hyuga's Byakugan doing? Didn't they notice anything at all?" Uchiha Shin couldn't help roaring as soon as he stepped out of the tent.

Hyuga Hanjian beside him looked grim but didn't argue back.

This time, the Hyuga indeed bore an undeniable responsibility.

Orochimaru didn't get angry. With a cold face, he took in the entire camp, roughly assessed the situation, and calmly issued orders.

"All Konoha ninja, abandon all supplies and assemble in front of the command tent!

Jonin on the outside, chunin on the inside. Taijutsu ninja on the outside, ninjutsu and genjutsu types on the inside. Lightning Style and Earth Style ninjutsu, prepare!"

Orochimaru's voice reached every Konoha ninja's ears.

The panicked advance force found their anchor the moment they heard him. The chaos in their eyes gradually faded as they gathered toward the command tent.

"Almost suffocated. The Hyuga's Byakugan are such a pain. Had to burrow underground like rats to dodge them, holed up for so long!"

The sudden appearance of the Iwa-nin dealt a heavy blow to the unprepared Konoha advance force. As they emerged from the ground, their smiles were vicious, their methods ruthless.

That misery paid off. Under the ambush, the ninja in the Konoha camp suffered heavy losses.

But with Orochimaru in Konoha's ranks, they still couldn't let their guard down.

Watching Orochimaru surrounded by Konoha ninja not far away, Tsuchikage, the commander of this Iwa-nin advance force, flashed a cold smile. "So it's Orochimaru leading this time. But this time, we'll make Konoha taste the pain of defeat!"

This ambush was his decision. To dodge the Byakugan and sensory ninja, they'd racked their brains.

They'd hidden as deep as possible in the rock layers underground.

As Iwagakure, which had been preparing for a long time, their advance force was the same. And their goal this time was simple.

Cripple the Konoha advance force, even try to annihilate it entirely—set a proper example for the entire shinobi world war!

Before long, the experienced Konoha advance force finally gathered near the command tent, facing off against the Iwa-nin standing not far away.

On the ground, everywhere were shattered rocks, burning tents, and fallen comrades.

The Konoha ninja were all covered in dust and grime, but after the initial panic, their eyes had turned into bone-deep hatred.

This ambush had cost Konoha far more than expected.

But that was fine.

Because they had Orochimaru!

The Cold-Blooded, Orochimaru!

No need for many words. On the battlefield, it would be the most brutal slaughter.

Orochimaru charged first, leading the way toward the Iwa-nin.

Konoha's heavy losses this time were his fault. So then, he'd just make the Iwa-nin suffer even heavier losses—simple as that.

Actually, retreating now might be the better choice.

If Qifeng had to choose, he'd retreat without hesitation. One ambush had already created a significant gap in numbers between the two sides.

But no one on Konoha's side, including Orochimaru, suggested retreat.

Because if they fell back, behind them lay the completely exposed Land of Fire!

This battle could not be retreated from!

Tsuchikage's expression shifted. He said in a low voice, "Earth Style!"

"Earth Style: Earth Flow River!"

The Iwa-nin moved in perfect sync. The moment Tsuchikage's words fell, the front row of Iwa-nin formed hand seals almost simultaneously, completing them together.

They crouched and slapped their palms to the ground.

Rumble!!

Massive earth walls rose in unison, forming a wide, sturdy barrier that stretched between Konoha and the Iwa-nin.

The Iwa-nin stood atop the earth wall, using its height advantage to unleash all kinds of offensive ninjutsu.

"Summoning Ninjutsu!"

Boom!

A massive purple serpentine shadow surged up from beneath Orochimaru's feet, carrying him toward the Iwa-nin ranks at even greater speed.

Like a sharp giant sword, it tore a massive gash through the Iwa-nin's defensive line.

Manda rampaged through, relying on his sheer size to ignore the Iwa-nin's ninjutsu attacks, wildly thrashing his body. On his own, he threw the entire tight Iwa-nin formation into chaos.

The Iwa-nin had wanted to use their numerical advantage to fight as a collective against Konoha.

That was their strength.

To put it bluntly, across the entire shinobi world, if anyone ranked second in collective coordination, group combat, and teamwork, Iwagakure dared not claim first.

But a powerhouse like Orochimaru simply didn't play by those rules.

He forcibly shattered the Iwa-nin's tactics, dragging them down into a direct, one-on-one confrontation with Konoha.

That was Konoha's strength.

With Orochimaru's breakthrough, the Konoha ninjas followed close behind, quickly pairing off with their own opponents, maximizing the destruction of the Iwa-nin's advantage.

Still, Konoha was ultimately at a disadvantage.

The Iwa-nin's individual combat ability wasn't as strong, but that didn't mean they lacked it entirely—and they still held a significant numbers advantage.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The next moment, four Iwa-nin Elite Jonin surrounded Orochimaru, bringing the total, including the commander Tu He, to five.

Such a lineup might not threaten Orochimaru, but it was enough to restrict his movements.

On top of that, Manda, after his rampage and repeated attacks on his massive frame, finally couldn't hold on and dispelled the Summoning Ninjutsu, leaving Orochimaru alone to face the siege of five Iwa-nin Elite Jonin.

"Hmph. Iwa-nin."

"Orochimaru! Today, your arrogance will cost you!" Tu He taunted.

Orochimaru's cold snake eyes gleamed with sharp light. His hoarse, low, magnetic voice rang out, "Just you lot? Not enough. If that old man Ōnoki came, maybe he'd have a chance."

"Arrogant!"

Ōnoki was the Third Tsuchikage. Soldiers fought soldiers, generals fought generals—a Kage should face a Kage!

Orochimaru lightly licked his lips. "Arrogant or not, you'll find out soon enough."

The moment Konoha and Iwa-nin clashed, the collision was brutal.

Every Konoha ninja unleashed their full strength, ready to die—even if it meant dragging a few Iwa-nin down with them.

But among the many Konoha ninjas, there was one exception.

For instance, Qifeng, currently crouched behind a rock wiping cold sweat, caught his breath while silently collecting the corpses around him.

Whether they were Konoha or Iwa-nin.

In his mind, he kept repeating, I'm just a Corpse Collector. I only collect corpses.