Chapter 197 : Breakout!

An eagle-eyed ninja descended gracefully from the sky, landing on the outstretched arm of a fellow ninja. Swiftly, the recipient extracted a message from a compartment on the bird's leg. After scrutinizing its contents, the ninja tossed the messenger back into the air.

"No issues. We'll reach the base of Mountain within the hour. But for the sake of caution, let's slow our pace a bit."

Leading the Konoha ninja waved his hand, prompting his subordinates to nod in agreement. The entire team adjusted their speed accordingly and continued their journey.

Silently, three hundred ninja navigated through the foliage, their movements barely making a sound. Only the occasional rustle of leaves and dappled light filtering through the bushes hinted at their presence, nearly imperceptible from a distance.

This was the finesse of ninja; their expertise lay in combat within intricate landscapes such as forests.

"There's a complication."

Orochimaru's brow had not relaxed since earlier. His extensive experience in human body research had led him to identify peculiarities in Cloud shinobi's body postmortem, discovered by chance. A disquieting feeling settled upon him.

"I don't know what's happening with Sarutobi-sensei and the Second Grandpa."

Tsunade swiftly traversed the treetops, her golden hair resembling a flickering flame.

"Boom!"

Jiraiya detonated a water sphere, water spraying around. Observing the grim expressions of the ninja nearby, he scratched his head awkwardly.

According to intel, Cloud Ninja reinforcements were expected here in approximately two days, attempting to seize the stronghold for strategic gain. Meanwhile, Konoha's forces were poised for reinforcement.

The landscape suddenly widened, revealing the stronghold atop a rock wall. Everyone involuntarily slowed down, exhaling a collective sigh of relief.

"Uh-oh!"

Orochimaru's eyes widened. Just as he was about to speak, a violent explosion erupted!

"Boom-boom-boom!"

Fierce flames engulfed the surroundings, earth and debris soaring into the air. Several large trees were uprooted, billowing smoke obscuring the sky. Some ninja collided with tree trunks, while a dozen Genin and Chunin at the front disintegrated into a bloody mist!

"Watch out! It's an illusion!"

Orochimaru swept his sleeves, the Kusanagi sword materializing in his hand. Swiftly, he cut through the kunai entwined with explosive tags, deflecting them away. Grabbing Jiraiya, he retreated as awareness tingled through his hand.

"Bang!"

The detonating tags illuminated the area, the clamor of explosions and screams echoing in the chaos.

"What's going on?!"

Amidst the turmoil, Cloud shinobi ninjas converged from all directions, their bodies still stained with fresh blood. Tattered attire and menacing expressions left everyone pale!

These assailants were, in fact, Cloud shinobi!

The once serene forest transformed before their eyes, branches scorched, charred corpses scattered across the landscape. Forehead protectors from both Cloud shinobi and Konoha lay scattered on the pitted ground!

"Uh-oh! It's a trap! The stronghold has fallen, and the prior intel was false!"

Satoshi, Konoha's leader, seethed with anger, splashing the blood of two Chunin owls who charged towards him. As if to assert his innocence, more Cloud shinobi surged forward!

The proximity of false information was a dire predicament! 

"Disperse!"

Chaos reigned as Jiraiya shook his head, surveying the desolation. The once towering stronghold on the distant rock wall lay in ruins, blackened and charred, broken walls testament to the grim reality.

Orochimaru's eyes bore a shadow of discontent. In the moments prior, he experienced the grip of an illusionary force that had been effortlessly unleashed upon him.

Yet, this was no sophisticated illusion. It was a rather elementary technique, easily penetrable by skilled ninjas. The arrangement of its components even seemed crude, trailing behind the illusions conjured by the strategic scrolls they had utilized in their previous Anbu mission.

Cloud shinobi, aware of the limited impact they would have with such a tactic, opted for a direct assault to blind Konoha.

"Despicable Cloud shinobi, you'll pay for this!"

Konoha's forces found themselves ensnared in a fierce combat. Cloud shinobi and Konoha ninjas clashed, their varying strengths colliding in a symphony of swordplay and exploding ninjutsu. Amidst the chaos, no one could seize the opportunity to employ large-scale ninjutsu.

"These intruders have recently breached Cloud Mountain's stronghold, neglecting to tidy up the battlefield. Had they been better prepared, the situation would be different."

Amid the chaos, the brilliant flashes of thunder created a dazzling display. Orochimaru, masterfully controlling the Chidori, effortlessly pierced through the defenses of inexperienced earth users and blade-wielding Cloud shinobi, his snake-like eyes ablaze with a bloody intensity.

"Melee ninjutsu truly shines on this battlefield!"

Jiraiya mused in awe. If Orochimaru's Chidori was indeed perfected, it would undoubtedly be a force to be reckoned with.

"Hair Needle!"

Jiraiya, now a formidable combatant, unleashed his iron-like hair to shield herself from a barrage of darts. The sharp ends of his hair transformed into reaping sickles, effortlessly dispatching several Cloud shinobi from a distance.

"These foes seem rather feeble."

No longer the timid princess, Tsunade had transformed into a humanoid killer on the battlefield. Her punches could rupture an enemy's internal organs with ease.

"Boom!"

Tsunade stood in a newly-formed crater, catching her breath. She surveyed the stunned Cloud shinobi surrounding her, reluctant to advance, and frowned.

"It's quite simple. These individuals haven't fully recovered their chakra. Much like those we encountered earlier, it suggests they captured the stronghold within the last three hours, using us as mere pawns."

Two Cloud shinobi in Orochimaru's path crumbled, and he nonchalantly gestured towards the corpses. A few ninjas retrieved their remains, seemingly unfazed.

"So that's the situation... You knew all along. Why keep me in the dark until now?"

Tsunade's gaze bore into Orochimaru, who appeared unnaturally calm. Her expression, though pretty, held a hint of coldness as she voiced her dissatisfaction.

"The excessive depletion of chakra from the corpses doesn't signify anything; I've merely heightened my vigilance," Orochimaru replied, his face stiffening as he offered a perfunctory explanation.

Is it a disparity in ideology that he can't articulate?

"Watch out for them rushing in!"

Jiraiya, pressed for time, focused on forming seals. His hair bulged once more, strands intertwining to create a barrage resembling a thousand sharp books that enveloped the bushes ahead. Several Cloud shinobi fell to the ground, screaming in pain.

"There are too many of them!"

Even Jiraiya gasped, acknowledging the chaotic and wearied state of the Cloud shinobi. However, they were evidently prepared, aiming to crush Konoha's ninja in sheer numbers, wearing them down and preventing any chance of escape. Konoha's demise seemed inevitable.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

Perhaps owing to his advanced age, Orochimaru had managed to avoid most attacks.

Retreating a few steps, Orochimaru's chest swelled dramatically. The violent chakra gathered and compressed, transforming into a sea of fire that surged towards a group of Cloud Ninja charging from a distance.

"Ah-ah!"

Screams barely had a chance to escape as the furious flames consumed a small group of Cloud shinobi. The expansive sea of fire burned brightly, igniting the area.

Orochimaru, now an "elite Jōnin," didn't make unnecessary moves, acting with precision.

"A golden opportunity! Break through quickly!"

Konoha's elite Jōnin seized the moment, forcefully pushing back the two Cloud Ninja in combat and giving the order to break through the encirclement.

Break through with all their might, scatter, and regroup at the closest Konoha stronghold. This was communicated through secret gestures.

"Let's move!"

Orochimaru observed the Jonin direction coldly. Konoha's high-tier combat force remained largely intact, but the Chunin might not fare as well.

The Konoha ninja formed a cohesive team, breaking through the sea of fire. The Cloud shinobi, three times their number, pursued relentlessly. Their eyes gleamed with cruelty and bloodlust. In the distance, a few Cloud Chunin watched with sinister smiles.

"There might be spies among us."

Orochimaru withdrew the Kusanagi sword from the chest of a cloud ninja without a drop of blood. He dashed into the path opened by the sea of fire alongside Tsunade and Jiraiya.

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