Hearing Orochimaru's response, Mikoto was completely stunned.
She initially thought that Orochimaru's serious demeanor suggested a formidable opponent, but she never expected it to be the Third Kazekage.
Was he serious?
The Third Kazekage wasn't just any ninja, he was the highest authority in the Sand Village, their supreme leader.
A figure like that wouldn't normally step onto the battlefield himself. What were the chances of him actually being here?
Mikoto found it hard to believe, and so did the rest of Orochimaru's team.
"L-Lord Orochimaru, are you joking?"
"This can't be true!"
"A-Are we really trying to ambush the Third Kazekage?"
Ambushing the Third Kazekage? The idea was staggering.
He was said to be the strongest Kazekage in history!
And their team was supposed to take him on? With this lineup, it felt like they were marching to their deaths.
After hearing their murmurs, Orochimaru said nonchalantly, "I shouldn't have brought you along, but I received the intel mid-mission and didn't bother switching teams."
"Is… Is it really the Third Kazekage, Lord Orochimaru?"
"You're not serious, are you?"
His teammates were visibly shaken. Ambushing the Third Kazekage with just five people? Was this a mistake?
Yes, there were only five of them now.
Their original six-man team had lost a member in a previous skirmish. One of them had fallen victim to an enemy trap. Although Orochimaru had pulled him from the explosion in time, he was still too injured to continue.
So now, only five remained.
Besides the jōnin named Jiro, the other three were chūnin with less than a year of battlefield experience.
While they had learned the basics of warfare, their overall combat strength was lacking.
This kind of formation wouldn't stand a chance against Kazekage, and even if they were facing a squad of enemy jōnin, everyone aside from Orochimaru would probably be wiped out.
"M-Milord…"
Mikoto hesitated, unsure of what to say. Could she admit she was scared?
"It's fine. Go set up the traps. I'll give you cover when it's time to retreat," Orochimaru said calmly.
Jiro blinked for a moment before nodding resolutely. "Understood. You two, follow me."
As expected of a jōnin, Jiro was decisive and quick to act.
The two chūnin exchanged looks and then nodded.
"Yes!"
"Yes!" …
In the hills west of the Land of Rivers, Konoha and suna shinobi were already clashing.
They leaped between cover, weapons gleaming as they flew through the air.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, two shuriken shot out from the forest, striking a Konoha shinobi mid-air. Poof!
A burst of white smoke, and the shinobi transformed into a wooden log.
"A substitution?"
"Found you!"
"Not that easy!"
Clang!
Metal clashed with metal, sparks flying as the shinobi sprang apart. A Sand ninja, now exposed, found himself charged by another Konoha shinobi from the side.
A kunai in hand, the Konoha shinobi aimed for the Sand ninja's heart, eyes cold and determined.
"Die!"
Thud!
Metal met flesh, and blood sprayed as the Sand ninja's eyes widened before collapsing.
But even in death, there was a wild glint in his eyes.
Thud! Boom!
A massive explosion followed as the fallen Sand ninja, who had attached two paper bombs to the Konoha shinobi, detonated them.
The Konoha shinobi was blasted away, landing in a crumpled heap, barely breathing. Before he could react, another Sand ninja rushed in and finished him off with a swift cut to the throat. The chaos of battle was punctuated by more explosions and clashes.
One careless moment could mean death.
This was war.
Despite the mutual casualties, Konoha still maintained the upper hand in the skirmish due to superior numbers and morale.
But just as the Konoha shinobi were about to drive back the Sand ninjas, a sudden gust of wind swept through the area.
Several Konoha shinobi shielded their eyes from the wind.
"What's happening?"
"Reinforcements?"
"Be careful!"
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Countless black particles swept through the air like a rainstorm, crashing down on the Konoha shinobi.
"Aaaah…"
Screams echoed as blood splattered, bodies torn apart by the onslaught.
"The black iron is too dense! There's no place to dodge!"
"Damn it… What is this?"
"That's…"
Out of the forest, a man with a sharp gaze and spiked hair stepped forward.
Draped in a white robe, his presence radiated power.
The sheer pressure he exuded marked him as an elite shinobi.
"This presence…" A Konoha ninja glanced at the black iron filings surrounding them with a look of horror. "Is this… iron sand? You… you're the Third Kazekage?!"
"What? The Third Kazekage?!"
Shock rippled through the Konoha ranks as they stared at the man in disbelief.
"How can Kazekage be here?"
"It's impossible, isn't it…?"
"Don't let any of them escape," the Third Kazekage ordered, voice cold and firm.
"Yes, sir!"
With that command, Sunagakure jōnin emerged from the shadows, instantly surrounding the remaining Konoha shinobi.
"Goodbye!"
"Perish!"
Blades flashed, and the Konoha shinobi's desperate cries echoed through the hills.
Swish, swish, swish!
After the swift elimination of the Konoha forces, the Sand jōnin regrouped in front of the Third Kazekage.
"Lord Kazekage, the area is secure."
The Third Kazekage nodded slightly. "Are you certain Orochimaru is operating in this region?"
"Yes, sir. According to our sources, his team was spotted near the base of the mountain earlier this morning."
"Good. Let's move."
"Yes, Lord Kazekage."
The Third Kazekage adjusted his robe and took the lead, dashing toward their target.
The Third Kazekage.
The most formidable force in Sunagakure.
Renowned as the strongest Kazekage in history.
Why was he here, leading a mission himself?
To understand that, one must look back to when Orochimaru entered the Sand front.
As is common knowledge, shinobi always rely on reconnaissance first in battle.
And with Orochimaru, who utilized invisible surveillance snakes, shadow clones, and his own acute senses, Sand's traps and concealment techniques were rendered useless. He consistently gained the upper hand, striking before they could react.
With Orochimaru's strength, did they stand any chance of counterattacking effectively?
The answer was no.
Thus, when Orochimaru appeared on the battlefield, the Sand ninjas would often abort missions and retreat to avoid him.
This meant that despite an extended battlefront, actual combat became stifled.
It was important to remember that Konoha had heavily reinforced their line against the Sand, including Orochimaru and Hatake Sakumo.
Two shinobi whose mere presence could force the enemy to abandon their operations.
Did anyone expect the war to continue like this?
So, if they wanted to push forward, they needed to eliminate a major obstacle.
And so, the Third Kazekage himself had come.
***
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