A storm was brewing

A few minutes later, the two returned to the Main Camp. Just as they were about to head inside, they ran into a squad coming the other way.

Yechen stopped, suddenly feeling that these people looked rather familiar.

"What is it?" Ito Miyuki asked in confusion.

Watching the squad leave, Yechen said,

"I think I saw those people at the town outpost. They should be the squad that relieved us."

"What?"

Ito Miyuki was startled and hurriedly looked after them, but they had already disappeared.

"That can't be right. It's only been a few days. Why are they back already? Aren't we supposed to rotate once a month? Did something major happen in town?"

At this, Ito Miyuki seemed to remember something. A trace of fear flashed in her eyes, along with grief she could not conceal.

Yechen shook his head. "Judging by their condition, they don't look like they ran into trouble."

"Then why did they come back early?"

"I don't know." Yechen was only a Genin with no access to inside information. There was no way they would let him know, either. Still, this development suggested one thing: the camp would be making a major move soon.

"In any case, we need to be careful from now on. My instincts tell me something big is going to happen."

"All right..."

Ito Miyuki nodded at his words.

Afterward, they each returned to their own tent to rest.

Over the next few days, Yechen asked around about developments in the camp, sometimes casually and sometimes deliberately. Unfortunately, he was only a Genin, and most people were unwilling to tell him much.

Even so, he noticed several things.

First, the number of ninja in the Main Camp kept increasing, and many were unfamiliar faces. They arrived travel-worn and dusty, clearly having covered a considerable distance.

Taking the squad they had encountered a few days earlier into account, Yechen guessed these were all squads recalled from the various outposts.

Second, the Main Camp had tightened its channels of contact with the outside. Anyone or anything entering or leaving had to undergo several inspections.

Even his trips to the training ground were now strictly forbidden, which was highly unusual.

Third, powerful sensory barriers surrounded the entire Main Camp and remained active around the clock. The slightest disturbance could draw the patrol squads' attention.

With all these signs, he would never believe the Main Camp wasn't preparing for a major operation.

His Byakugan had played a large part in helping him uncover this much. Any movement by the ninja in the Main Camp fell within his field of vision.

Of course, he did not dare look into the central area and only scanned the outskirts.

Although the Byakugan was powerful, he was still too weak. He could not conceal his mental energy from those Elite Jonin, let alone Orochimaru, one of the Sannin, who was also in the Main Camp.

Even knowing something big was about to happen, Yechen could do nothing but train quietly and improve his combat strength.

Only by becoming strong could he stop being a pawn.

One evening.

Inside a tent.

More than a dozen Konoha Jonin had gathered there, seated on either side in solemn silence.

A moment later, a thin man with deathly pale skin lifted the entrance flap and walked in.

He went straight to the seat at the head, sat down, and surveyed everyone present.

At the same time, everyone rose and called out respectfully,

"Lord Orochimaru."

"Mm..."

Orochimaru nodded slightly and waved for everyone to sit.

"Has everyone arrived?"

At his question, the Jonin seated first on the left stood and reported,

"As of now, more than eighty-five percent of the ninja have returned according to plan. The rest will arrive over the course of tonight."

"Very good." Orochimaru nodded, then turned to someone on his right.

"How is the information lockdown going?"

Seeing Orochimaru look his way, the ninja tensed and hurriedly replied,

"We have found no signs of any information leaking so far. However..."

"However, what?" Orochimaru's gaze sharpened.

"Sunagakure and Iwagakure seem to have noticed something lately. Our outer patrols have caught people trying to infiltrate several times, but we dealt with all of them in secret."

"Mm..."

Orochimaru looked thoughtful. "That is only natural. We have recalled so many people from the front lines, after all. It stands to reason that they would notice. We only need to ensure that the operation plan does not leak."

"Rest assured, Lord Orochimaru. There is absolutely no chance of the information leaking," the Konoha Jonin assured him.

"Good." Orochimaru nodded in satisfaction. He knew his subordinates' capabilities. If this man could give such an assurance, he must be confident.

After a moment's thought, Orochimaru turned his gaze to a black-robed figure in the corner. "How are things on your end?"

Everyone looked over. They all knew which organization this black-robed figure belonged to: Konoha's Anbu. More precisely, these were Danzo's subordinates, ninja of Root.

Compared to Anbu ninja, Root ninja were even colder and more ruthless. To complete a mission, they could abandon everything, even their own lives. They were nothing more than tools created to carry out missions.

They were all orphans Danzo had selected amid the wars and secretly trained from childhood, so they were loyal only to him.

Loyalty was not quite the right word. They had merely been brainwashed and controlled by Danzo.

Orochimaru had requisitioned this group from Danzo to support the upcoming mission and carry out Konoha's retaliation plan.

That was right: retaliation for Iwagakure and Sunagakure's last surprise attack.

The earlier offensive along the entire front had merely laid the groundwork for this plan. The coming operation was Orochimaru's true objective.

However, Konoha's current forces on the Land of Rain battlefield were insufficient to take on both hidden villages simultaneously.

Thus, Orochimaru had set his sights on Iwagakure, against whom they bore the greater grudge.

Still, they could not let their guard down against Sunagakure. The two villages' previous joint attack showed that they had reached some sort of agreement.

Even without cooperation between them, once Konoha made its move, the Main Camp would inevitably be left vulnerable. If Sunagakure launched a surprise attack on it, Konoha would suffer a crushing defeat on the Land of Rain battlefield.

Orochimaru was a proud man. He would never allow that to happen.

To keep Sunagakure from intervening in this operation, they had to stir up some trouble and divert its attention.

That was also why Orochimaru had brought in the Root ninja.