Shimura Danzō was removed from his position as leader of Root, Hiruzen Sarutobi arranged for Orochimaru, who had previously been sent to Root as the second-in-command to Shimura Danzō, to take over the position.
Root is Konoha's most important external intelligence agency, so Orochimaru couldn't possibly miss this meeting.
"I propose that Orochimaru be appointed commander and that the remaining elite troops from the village be dispatched to the Land of Orochimaru Springs to resist the Kumogakure Land of Hot Water."
Shimura Danzō spoke first.
He was the one who most wanted Orochimaru to take on this command role.
This is mainly because Orochimaru is currently temporarily in charge of Root. Although Danzo is confident that Root is still under his control, there are still many inconveniences after Hiruzen Sarutobi.
If Orochimaru leaves Konoha to take command at the front lines, the position of Root leader will inevitably return to his hands.
Secondly, there was the alliance between Danzo and Orochimaru.
Danzo very well that as long as Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, he would never allow himself to succeed Hiruzen Sarutobi. He could only support Orochimaru to become Hokage and then use the leverage he held over Orochimaru to force Orochimaru to submit.
Regardless of whether Orochimaru is easier to deal with than the Third Hokage, at least this is the plan that Shimura Danzō believes is most likely to make him Hokage. Therefore, it would definitely be beneficial if Orochimaru could achieve more military exploits and gain more prestige at this time.
"Orochimaru, he is indeed a suitable candidate. During the Second Shinobi World War, it was Orochimaru who replaced me as Hiruzen's Teuchi Kumogakure. He even successfully assassinated the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki. He has a good understanding of Kumogakure."
Mitokado Homura nodded in agreement.
Utatane Koharu, was the same.
Orochimaru frowned slightly.
He had finally managed to sort out the issues at the Root and refocus his energy on the experiments, so why did a whole bunch of troubles suddenly appear?
However, his experiments now depend on Danzo and the Root's power and resources to continue, and although he is dissatisfied with this, there is nothing he can do about it.
"Furthermore, I propose recalling Jiraiya. The village is currently engaged in a Kumogakure -front war with Suna on the front lines. The attitudes of Kirigakure and Iwagakure are unclear, but they are still very likely to intervene. Once Orochimaru leaves, the village will inevitably lack sufficient strength to deal with these troubles."
Utatane Koharu, said again.
The Third Hokage nodded in approval.
He now believes that Orochimaru has been led astray by Danzo and it's time to separate the two for a while to see if he can guide Orochimaru back onto the right path.
He still harbored deep feelings for Orochimaru, his prized disciple.
"Kumogakure has dispatched 7,000 troops. Orochimaru, the village is now fighting on two fronts and must also guard against Iwagakure and Kirigakure. The village's manpower is also somewhat stretched. I can only spare 5,000 men to serve under you, to ensure that the situation is stabilized."
The Third Hokage looked at Orochimaru with a solemn expression, recalling the past, and couldn't help but add another sentence.
"Orochimaru, do a good job. You have always been the one I value most."
Orochimaru was slightly shaken, but quickly regained his composure.
Although he still harbors some lingering thoughts about his childhood aspirations, they no longer hold the same allure for him.
"I understand, Teacher Hiruzen."
Orochimaru nodded slightly to the Third Hokage and Danzo, then turned and left.
The Land of Rivers.
Konoha Camp.
Meikyō held a leaf in his hand, practicing his Wind Release Shape Transformation.
Generally speaking, the process of training Wind Release Nature Transformation can be divided into three stages. The first stage is to continuously inject wind-style Chakra before the leaf is cut in half, training the precision of the technique. The Second Stage is to cut open the waterfall, training the ability to release a large amount of Chakra at the moment. The third stage is to integrate it into the training of techniques.
Meikyō had already mastered these stages, so he set his sights on Shape Transformation nature.
Wind is more intangible and difficult to control than fire, which at least can be precisely observed with the naked eye.
However, this is not a problem for Meikyō, who has the Sharingan and can see the flow of Chakra.
The challenge lies in both concentrating the wind to enhance its sharpness and penetrating power, and being able to disperse it into nothingness at any time to expand the range of attack while also being able to control its changes freely.
Meikyō is doing now is using wind-style Chakra to completely peel off the veins from the leaves, as a way to train the first aspect.
"Failed again?"
Meikyō looked at the leaf veins in front of her, which had been stripped down to near the petiole, and sighed slightly.
"However, this time we are not far from success."
After putting down the leaf, Meikyō went outside the tent and decided to get some fresh air.
Along the way, Konoha Ninja who encountered Meikyō generally addressed him respectfully as Lord Meikyō.
His current status and prestige in this Konoha camp are basically second only to Kato Dan and Tsunade, making him the number three figure here.
This is mainly because Meikyō demonstrated combat power comparable to top-tier masters in previous battles, and showed outstanding performance against renowned masters such as Chiyo Karura.
In addition, Meikyō's excellent Medical Ninjutsu also added a lot to his appeal.
Not long after, a Chunin ran over with Kato Dan's orders, instructing Meikyō to go to the Command Room.
"Master Dan, is there something you need?"
Meikyō Gate of Opening and asked Dan Katō, who was sitting at the table deep in thought.
Upon hearing his beloved student's voice, Dan Katō looked up, a smile appearing on his face.
"There is a very important task that requires you to lead the team to carry out."
Dan Katō to Meikyō, then spread out a map on the table.
"Just two days ago, the Root intelligence ninja nicknamed the Wandering Miko sent us intelligence, and we have basically determined the location and range of the new drug production base in Suna."
Dan Katō drew a circle on the map with his hand.
"Last night, under Tsunade's close protection, I used the Spirit Transformation Technique to go to this area again, further confirming their exact location, drawing a map, and gathering more detailed information."
Dan Katō then drew an "X" on a certain spot on the map, indicating that this was the location of Suna's drug production base.
"After what happened last time, I'm sure you, Meikyō, are aware of the role these toxins play on the battlefield. You are proficient in Genjutsu, possess excellent medical skills, and are strong enough. Therefore, I plan to send you with your team to infiltrate Suna's new base once again."
"So, my task is still the same as last time: to bring back the toxin samples from Suna for deciphering?"
Meikyō asked Dan Katō.
Kato Dan simply smiled and shook his head.
"No, you don't need to bring back any samples, because if their toxin levels are missing, it's still very likely that they'll notice. This time, I'll use my Spirit Transformation Technique to accompany you on this mission. The goal is to steal the core data on toxin preparation from that base, bring it back, and then reverse engineer it."
Meikyō roughly understood what Dan Katō meant.
The reason they chose me to lead the mission this time is probably because my abilities are well-suited for intelligence gathering, and with Dan Katō in his spirit form, his abilities in this area are practically maxed out.
Another important reason is that his Medical Ninjutsu skills are quite good, which allows him to accurately judge the importance of each intelligence document.
While Tsunade superior medical skills, she is clearly better suited to provide close protection to Dan Katō when he uses his Spirit Transformation Technique, ensuring the safety of Dan Katō's physical body.
"I understand, Master Dan."
Meikyō replied to Dan Katō.
"Okay, wait here for a while. For this mission, the teammates I've arranged for you are all elite Jonin. You should be familiar with their abilities, and you may have even fought alongside some of them before."
Dan Katō said with a slight smile on his face.
Sure enough, just a few minutes later, several more people came to Dan Katō's Command Room.
Meikyō recognized two of them. One was Inuzuka Ryo's uncle, Inuzuka Gaku, whose strength was firmly among the top three of all Jonin in the Inuzuka Clan, making him an absolute Elite Jonin.
The other person is Hizashi Hyuga. At this time, he has fully come of age and is gradually entering the golden age of ninjas. As an elite among the young ninjas of the Hyuga Clan, and with the Gentle Fist technique of the Main Family taught by Hyuga Hiashi, his strength can be considered elite among Jonin. His talent should not be inferior to his son Hyuga Neji in the original timeline.
If the Hyuga Clan doesn't have any extraordinary encounters, their potential might only reach the Elite Jonin. However, as a support, Hizashi Hyuga's Byakugan is extremely useful, and his strength is definitely not a hindrance.
As for the last person...
Meikyō could only tell from her attire that she was from the Aburame Clan.
"Meikyō, you already know Hizashi and Jacques, so I won't go into details. This one is one of the most outstanding Jonin of the Aburame Clan, Aburame Shikuroo."
During Dan Katō's introduction, the Jonin of the Aburame Clan, who looked to be in his early twenties, gave Meikyō a kind smile.
"Captain Meikyō, hello."
"Hello, Jonin. I've heard some things about you from Nami. I've heard a lot about you."
Meikyō also responded to Aburame Shikuroo with a smile.
Aburame Nami had previously mentioned Aburame Shikuroo to him. Shiguro's strength is probably the most terrifying in the Aburame Clan right now. He has been dedicated to researching nano-sized poisonous insects. Although he has not succeeded yet, he has obviously made some progress.
Dan Katō chose Inuzuka Gaku and Aburame Shikuroo, two powerful elite Elite Jonin, as his teammates, probably because his teammates had always been Inuzuka Ryo and Aburame Nami. With the latter two's strength somewhat lagging behind, the two of them could seamlessly complement each other.
As for Hizashi Hyuga, the Byakugan, a strategic ability, makes him the best intelligence gatherer in any ninja team, making him incredibly versatile.
"Very good. I won't go into details about the mission process. The mission's security level is S-rank, which is top secret. To avoid leaks, your four-person team will now set off secretly immediately!"
Dan Katō looked at the impressive squad in front of him and decisively gave the order.
On the boundless plain, there were weeds taller than a person as far as the eye could see, and even if you looked up, you could only see the distant mountains.
In the four-person team led by Meikyō, each member was an experienced Jonin, and they would perfectly conceal their tracks every time they moved a certain distance.
Hizashi Hyuga, Inuzuka Ryo, and Aburame Shikuroo, three ninjas with strong reconnaissance abilities, took turns scouting, with two of them searching the surroundings at the same time to ensure that the four of them kept their whereabouts secret.
"Very good. According to my investigation last night, the drug production base of Suna is located one kilometer to your east. That is the end of this plain, which connects to the waterfall that slides down from the high mountain in front. Their location is hidden behind that waterfall."
Dan Katō's somewhat muffled voice entered Meikyō's mind.
Meikyō knew that Dan Katō was currently using the Spirit Transformation Technique to stay by their side in a spirit form. If he wanted to communicate with Dan Katō, he would need to project his mind into his inner world through Chakra.
In fact, it's just like Naruto having conversations with Nine-Tails, Kushina, Minato, and others in his inner world.
"Hizashi eastward, and focus on investigating the location of the waterfall at the foot of the mountain."
Meikyō turned to Hizashi Hyuga and gave him instructions.
Inuzuka Gaku and his Ninja Hound Kibamaru's scent detection abilities are not suitable for this situation, especially with the presence of a waterfall, as the water flow would block out the internal scent. This may be one of the reasons why Suna chose that place as a drug production base.
As for the time difference between the insects that Aburame Shikuroo travels back and forth, it is most appropriate to ask Hizashi Hyuga, who has the ability to see through long distances.
"There is indeed something unusual there. The enemy seems to have carved a special barrier on the surface of the mountain with Sealing Technique, which has weakened the detection ability of my Byakugan. However, if I use my pupil power to observe with all my might, I can still see some flaws."
Hizashi Hyuga's eyes bulged with veins as he stared intently in one direction.
"Very good. From now Hizashi, Byakugan active the whole time, Jacque-senpai will focus on collecting scents, and Shiguro-senpai will erase any traces as support. Let's move forward!"
At Meikyō's command, the four-person team slowed down to ensure their whereabouts would not be detected.
A dozen minutes later, the four of them finally reached a waterfall.
The waterfall's drop isn't actually that great, and the flow isn't particularly rapid, but its lateral span is enormous, exceeding one hundred meters. The water cascades down from the river above, and over countless years, the ground below has been eroded by the water, forming a sizable lake.