"We made the Iwa Shinobi suffer such a huge loss this time. They're bound to retaliate. Lord Orochimaru, we should prepare in advance."
On the way back to Konoha's encampment, Jonin Moonlight followed close behind Orochimaru and voiced his concerns.
"Kitsuchi is their only top-tier fighter, and their Elite Jonin aren't strong enough to break through our defenses. Besides, since Chihane and the others succeeded, they'll now face the same problem we have. Without food or supplies, they'll have their hands full looking after themselves. How could they possibly have time to trouble us?"
Orochimaru astutely analyzed the current situation for Jonin Moonlight.
Had it been any other Jonin, Orochimaru would not have bothered explaining so much. Since when did I, Orochimaru, need anyone telling me how to do things?
But Jonin Moonlight was the only Elite Jonin Hiruzen Sarutobi had assigned to him. Elite Jonin were every village's strongest fighters below Kage Level; even Konoha, the strongest village, had only a handful.
Chihane might have made killing them look easy, but across the entire shinobi world, there were fewer than a hundred Elite Jonin.
"All we need to worry about is the arrival of their main force. Kitsuchi certainly won't let this slide then. But that's still several days away. Don't worry too much, Jonin Moonlight."
Whatever happened, they could not afford to let morale crumble now. They were already weaker than their enemy; if they lost unity as well, the war ahead would truly take a turn for the worse. So Orochimaru gently reassured Jonin Moonlight.
They soon returned to camp.
Upon entering, they saw Chihane and the others already waiting by the entrance.
When Uchiha Kageyama spotted Fugaku Uchiha behind Chihane, he gave Fugaku Uchiha a meaningful look, silently asking whether he had dealt with Kakkō of the Iwa Shinobi.
Fugaku Uchiha shook his head, then nodded, leaving Uchiha Kageyama utterly confused. This was urgent-it would determine whether they could claim the credit in front of all the shinobi in camp. After all, the achievement was enormous. The mission's success had already determined the course of the war.
Uchiha Kageyama then cast Sharingan Genjutsu on Fugaku Uchiha, intending to ask him exactly what had happened within the Genjutsu space.
A red light flashed in Uchiha Kageyama's eyes, immediately drawing a glance from both Chihane and Orochimaru. Then Uchiha Kageyama shuddered slightly, unable to conceal the shock on his face, and gave Chihane a long, searching look.
Fugaku Uchiha had told him everything within the Genjutsu space. Learning the truth had left him so stunned. He had truly never imagined that Orochimaru's praise of Chihane's strength was no exaggeration-that the young man before him really was that powerful.
Orochimaru looked at Chihane's spotless clothes, then at the bedraggled Uchiha beside him, and cast an expressionless glance at Uchiha Kageyama.
And you still claim everyone in the Uchiha Clan is elite? Good thing I didn't place too much hope in you.
"Looks like your mission went very smoothly, Chihane! Did you get all the supplies? How much food was there?"
He then turned to Chihane and asked with interest.
"I've always heard the village's shinobi say that every ninja village except Konoha is poor. But judging by these supplies, the Iwa Shinobi are pretty rich too."
Chihane chuckled softly, then handed Orochimaru a supply manifest that had also been found on Kakkō.
The more Orochimaru read the manifest in his hands, the happier he became, until he finally broke into a sinister smile.
"By a rough estimate, the food alone will feed our force of over two thousand for half a month. There are also five thousand military ration pills, ten thousand Explosive Tags, and fifty thousand Shuriken."
Seeing the expectant looks of the Jonin around him, Orochimaru stopped keeping them in suspense and revealed the figures with a quiet chuckle.
"Ha ha! Excellent! Even with the Iwa Shinobi's reserves, this must have dealt them a devastating blow!"
Jonin Moonlight chimed in happily beside him.
"It already has. All the Iwa Shinobi escorting the supplies were eliminated. Aside from Kakkō, the other three were Taiseki, Mahiru, and Sumashi."
After hearing Jonin Moonlight's remark, Orochimaru named the Iwa Shinobi who had escorted the supplies.
"What? Mahiru and Taiseki were there too? They're both Elite Jonin of the Iwa Shinobi!"
"They actually seized the supplies from three Elite Jonin!"
"..." × N
At Orochimaru's words, the Jonin nearby cried out in astonishment, their gazes involuntarily turning toward Fugaku Uchiha. Clearly, they all assumed he had seized the supply scrolls.
"Chihane killed the three Elite Jonin of the Iwa Shinobi. That was how we managed to seize the scrolls. Everything went according to Lord Orochimaru's plan."
Fugaku Uchiha immediately realized things were heading in the wrong direction. Why are you all looking at me? I'm just about to latch onto this master-and-student pair, and you're trying to ruin me! He hurriedly spoke up, slipping in some praise for Orochimaru along the way.
"What? It was Chihane Hatake?"
"Chihane Hatake actually killed three Elite Jonin?"
"How is that possible? He's so young!"
"..." × 1086
Though everyone was exclaiming in astonishment, their eyes unconsciously gathered on Chihane, as though he carried a black hole that drew in every gaze.
Their eyes held shock and a trace of fear, as though they were looking at the next Sannin, or the next "God of Shinobi"...
"Ha ha, there's no need for that, Jonin Fugaku! I'm sure Chihane couldn't have completed the mission alone without the Uchiha Clan's help. I'll report everyone's contributions to Lord Hokage."
Pleased that Fugaku Uchiha knew how to play along, Orochimaru responded cheerfully. This was the strongest proof yet that the Uchiha Clan was siding with him.
But he also knew that if a top-tier powerhouse emerged within the Uchiha Clan, their attitude would likely change completely. He would have to keep growing stronger to ensure he remained in control.
Time flew by, and two days passed in a continuous effort to lay traps.
All ten thousand Explosive Tags seized from the Iwa Shinobi had been made into traps, scattered across the battlefield and around their camp.
Who knew how the Iwa Shinobi would feel if they learned that the Explosive Tags killing them had come from their own village?
Night.
At the camp entrance.
Four figures suddenly came racing out of the distance through the pitch-black night.
The shinobi on night watch had already been notified by the guards stationed along the route and knew who was approaching. Even so, he shouted, "Halt! Password! Before my bed, the moon shines bright."
The leader of the four figures called back, "Two pairs of shoes upon the ground."
"Let them through!"
Although the guard had no idea why headquarters had issued that password, it matched, so he only needed to let them through.
Besides, this shinobi's appearance was not something just anyone could impersonate.
Before you continue