Chapter 178 : Ai's Guess

In the midst of the grass, several snakes slithered stealthily, flicking their tongues to explore their surroundings.

Orochimaru stood alone, devoid of support, amidst a battlefield teeming with lurking crises. He found himself in a zone where both allies and enemies clashed relentlessly. Although it lay close to Konoha's main forces, the shadow of Cloud ninjas loomed, ready to appear at any moment.

While Orochimaru might manage to escape danger himself, the two teammates he had painstakingly "cultivated" were not as fortunate.

Just moments ago, Jiraiya had impulsively employed the Fire Style technique, leaving Orochimaru with little time to spare. Quickly, Orochimaru stowed the broken bodies of four fallen ninjas within the belly of a serpent, and Sannin had hurried back after erasing any traces left behind.

"Orochimaru, I never expected your prowess to be this remarkable. Those Cloud ninja were no match for you at all," Jiraiya whispered in a subdued tone as they progressed.

Though Jiraiya was known for his stubbornness, the illusion from Cloud had left a mark on him. In his heart, he couldn't help but acknowledge Orochimaru's strength.

The relationship between them was akin to that of Naruto and Sasuke—constantly quarrelling and bickering. Yet, in this time and place, Orochimaru's elevated status far surpassed Jiraiya's. Orochimaru's vision had expanded, seeing the current Ninja World War as fertile ground for accumulating strength. At present, Jiraiya was simply not on par with him.

Envy often accompanies those stronger than oneself. When the strength discrepancy becomes too great, admiration replaces envy. To Jiraiya, Orochimaru's situation remained a mystery, shrouded in an air of melancholy and peculiarity. He could only focus on forging his own path within the background.

"Orochimaru, your skills have developed significantly in ANBU. Could it be that the danger has prompted this growth?" Tsunade, who had once studied alongside them in the Medical class, remarked, seeking to lighten the mood.

"It's been alright, Tsunade-sama. I appreciate the guidance of Tsushima-sama," Orochimaru responded casually, though his mind remained on countering illusions.

Resisting illusions required a Sharingan, a tremendous asset. The Sharingan embodied the power of Yin Release, signifying spiritual strength that lent itself naturally to combating illusions.

The art of cultivating Yin Release had nearly faded from the surface, with only the shinobi clans residing in Konoha maintaining this aspect. These clans possessed superior resistance to illusions thanks to their powerful spiritual faculties.

Moreover, perfect Jinchuriki could provide effective resistance as well. The tailed beasts within them acted as timely warnings, offering protection against most illusions. Human Jinchuriki could withstand illusions up to the Mangekyo Sharingan level, albeit with stringent conditions that few individuals could meet.

Nevertheless, there existed a more demanding yet potent method—attaining Ashura's Chakra to become immune to all illusions.

The thought enticed Orochimaru. He didn't actually require Jinchuriki powers himself. Once he and Takeshi fused, they'd effectively be akin to a Jinchuriki. Enhanced by their extraordinary mental strength, he could resist even typical Mangekyo illusions.

Yet, as the future's ultimate power, he needed to consider a diverse array of techniques. If he were to lead a ninja village as its Kage, he would require a multitude of formidable allies. Takeshi's capability to absorb tailed beast chakra seemed an attractive possibility.

Tailed beast chakra… the allure was undeniable.

Meanwhile, in another corner, a Cloud ninja hurried into headquarters, bearing a ninja blade.

"Report! Team White Sparrow lost contact. It seems they've all perished. However, crucial information was left on the ninja sword."

"Hmm, let's hear it."

The commander of the Cloud unit and leaders from various Cloud clans, including the Second Raikage Ai, were present. The incident had even garnered Ai's attention, despite his usual indifference. The Team White Sparrow consisted of four Chunin, led by the capable White Sparrow himself.

The team had formed after the original members dwindled. Despite their numbers, they'd trained and matured together, developing seamless coordination. They'd been a group of promising young shinobi.

"Team White Sparrow received orders to infiltrate area d3 to ascertain Konoha's situation. Details recorded on the left ninja sword suggest that they encountered—"

"Get to the point!" the Cloud unit's commander grumbled impatiently, prompting the messenger to hasten his explanation.

"Yes, yes!" The messenger trembled before the imposing figure of the commander.

"They crossed paths with a trio of young ninja, around ten years old. White Sparrow believed them to be Chunin or Genin, but they managed to easily defeat White Sparrow's team."

The messenger was as baffled as the rest. The casualties of a few Chunin didn't concern the higher-ups, but their interest was piqued due to the unexpected outcome.

"White Sparrow managed to record some information about these three before his demise. He'd escaped quite a distance before he was killed, and his ninja sword was discovered by another team by chance."

The messenger sketched a rough description of the Sannin's characteristics, leaving the room deep in thought.

"Pathetic, taken out by children who've barely sprouted facial hair!"

The Cloud unit's commander scoffed, thumping the table forcefully. Even the timider individuals flinched at his display of anger.

"Don't need to dwell on it. Konoha boasts its share of prodigies; a few geniuses shouldn't surprise us. However, these three children's identities intrigue me," Ai brushed off the commander's outburst, his tone thoughtful. "Their team composition is odd—why only three members? What's even stranger is how they easily defeated Team White Sparrow."

Ai continued, "As far as I'm aware, Konoha's training structure involves one Jonin and three students."

"What's your point?" one of the leaders inquired.

"Considering their age, it's likely these three Konoha shinobi were personally taught by their Jonin instructor," Ai deduced. "Collaboration and unity are necessary even for geniuses to defeat four Chunin. The same applies to the trio. But here's the crux—there's only three of them. More importantly, their overwhelming strength suggests they're not ordinary Genin. They might even be the main force of Konoha."

Ai's analysis sparked intrigue among the leaders. Though speculative, Ai's reasoning held a certain logic. It might not confirm Konoha's primary position, but it was a distinct possibility.

They nodded in agreement, considering the possibility.

"And so?" someone finally asked.

"What now?" another added.

"What do you think?" Ai grinned, drawing their attention. "Imagine this: a teacher capable of nurturing such talented disciples can't be weak. It's highly likely that this instructor is a high-ranking Konoha shinobi."

Ai's voice grew more certain. "In fact, the area they were operating in could very well be where Konoha's main force is concentrated."

"I see!" A moment of silence was followed by agreement. Though Ai's speculation was a bit speculative, it held weight. While it didn't definitively identify Konoha's main position, it was a credible assumption.

They contemplated for a moment before Ai continued, "This calls for reevaluation. Once we pinpoint Konoha's main force, we'll engage and eventually march straight into Konoha itself."

Ai's grin widened, his plans slowly taking shape. His clash with Konoha had brought them to this point. Unlike the other four nations, Konoha's terrain was relatively flat, devoid of natural barriers. Breaching their initial defenses would lead to a straightforward advance. With the Golden and Silver Horn units in tow, Cloud Ninjas had nothing to fear. Massive damage was inevitable.

On the contrary, Cloud ninjas, occupying rugged terrain, faced no such limitations. Encircling Konoha, cutting off their supply lines and escape routes, victory was almost assured. The idea of an attack on Konoha was unprecedented, potentially leading to dire consequences.

Although Orochimaru remained vigilant, perfection was elusive, and surprises could not be discounted. The Second Raikage Ai was well-versed in identifying details and acting boldly.

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