Chapter 120

"Orochimaru, are you kidding me?"

The outburst came from Uchiha Dan, a young Uchiha who had been holding a grudge against Orochimaru ever since their encounter in the Forest of Death. After Orochimaru became a chuunin, he had been elusive, and their paths rarely crossed. Now, as tensions escalated during the war, and with Orochimaru temporarily in command alongside Jiraiya and Tsunade, Uchiha Dan couldn't help but feel that Orochimaru's orders were intended to put the Uchiha clan at a disadvantage.

It wasn't just paranoia. Orochimaru had assigned the Uchiha clan, with their Sharingan, to counter the Sand Ninja's puppet army ninjas who excelled at medium- to long-range combat, which was a suitable role for the Uchiha. Their Fire Style jutsu was particularly effective against Wind Style, a common technique of the Sand ninjas. On the surface, it looked like the perfect match.

But Uchiha Dan saw it differently. The rain-soaked environment of Amegakure greatly weakened Fire Style techniques, and the enemy's puppet army was equipped with poisonous needles that were difficult to avoid, even with the Sharingan. Moreover, they had no idea how many puppet troops they were up against. Expecting a few dozen Uchiha to take on the full force of the enemy's puppets seemed like madness.

Before Orochimaru could respond, another voice spoke up, calm and composed. "Brother Dan, let Orochimaru sama finish explaining."

Uchiha Fugaku, standing next to the clan leader, addressed Uchiha Dan with a stern expression. "This is a battlefield. Don't jump to conclusions before the full strategy is revealed."

Even the Uchiha clan leader, maintaining his composure, added in a cold tone, "Dan, this is not the time to question orders without listening."

Uchiha Dan clenched his fists but nodded in compliance. "Yes, I understand."

Orochimaru's eyes settled on Fugaku, the young man beside the clan leader, before turning to Dan with a smirk. "Some people become arrogant too quickly after reaching jounin rank. You should learn from the brothers next to you, Dan. I'm not sure how you even made it to jounin in the first place."

"You—" Uchiha Dan's face turned red with anger, but a sharp look from the clan leader silenced him before he could respond.

Ignoring Dan's temper, Orochimaru continued, "Enough nonsense. Here's the plan. We'll proceed with the previous battle formations for the main forces, but I'm keeping the Uchiha clan members with Sharingan at the two-tomoe level and above. As for the Inuzuka, Hyuga, and Aburame clans, leave two members from each to support the operation. The rest of the ninjas will remain under Nara Hakushu's command, but each team must include sensory ninjas. If you encounter puppet troops, do not engage head-on, withdraw immediately."

"Understood!" the various clan representatives responded in unison.

"Oh, and Sakumo," Orochimaru added, turning to Hatake Sakumo, "your team will stay as well."

"Of course," Sakumo agreed, his calm demeanor unchanged.

With Orochimaru's orders set, the remaining forces were placed under Nara Hakushu's control, while the selected team members stayed behind to carry out Orochimaru's plan. The Uchiha clan members present included Uchiha Fugaku, Uchiha En, Uchiha Setsuna, and several others. In total, there were sixteen Uchiha with Sharingan above the two-tomoe level.

Orochimaru glanced over the group. "Sixteen Uchiha, all with at least two tomoe. Good. Now, who's your commanding officer for this battle?"

Uchiha Fugaku stepped forward, his expression calm and composed. "That would be me, Lord Orochimaru."

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, mildly surprised. He had expected Uchiha Dan to be in charge, given his rank, but it seemed that Fugaku, though younger, was the one with authority.

"And your name?" Orochimaru asked, though he already had an idea.

"Uchiha Fugaku," the young man replied.

Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with recognition. "So this is Uchiha Fugaku, the father of Itachi and Sasuke…" Orochimaru thought to himself. He hadn't paid much attention to Fugaku before, but now that he saw him up close, it was clear this young man had a commanding presence.

It was well-known that Uchiha Fugaku would later become the leader of the Uchiha clan, and Orochimaru knew that Fugaku's strength shouldn't be underestimated. After all, Itachi and Sasuke inherited their remarkable abilities from somewhere, and Orochimaru suspected that Fugaku's talents ran much deeper than most people realized.

Orochimaru's gaze lingered on Fugaku for a moment before speaking. "Very well. You'll be leading the Uchiha contingent. Let's begin."

Fugaku's expression didn't change, but he felt the weight of Orochimaru's gaze. He had heard many stories about the Sannin, especially from Uchiha Dan and Uchiha Setsuna, both of whom had grudges against Orochimaru. But Fugaku was different. He admired strength and discipline, and although he had his own reservations, he understood that Orochimaru had earned his place as a commander.

"Lord Orochimaru, what's the plan?" Fugaku asked, eager to hear the strategy.

Orochimaru smiled. "I'm glad you asked. We're going to form a specialized sniper team, your Uchiha will be the key to taking down the enemy's puppet masters."

Fugaku blinked in surprise. "A sniper team? You intend to have us snipe puppet masters?"

"Yes," Orochimaru said, his voice calm but authoritative. "Puppet masters control their puppets using chakra threads. The Sharingan can easily track those threads, giving you the perfect opportunity to sever them. Once the threads are cut, the puppets will be useless."

"But with only sixteen Uchiha and a few other support ninjas, won't we be exposed?" Fugaku questioned. "If the enemy realizes what we're doing, they'll send reinforcements to surround us."

Orochimaru nodded. "That's why I'll be providing you with a special set of ninja tools to help you deal with any potential counterattacks."

"Ninja tools?" Fugaku's confusion deepened, and even Hatake Sakumo and Jiraiya, standing nearby, looked intrigued.

Orochimaru didn't elaborate. Instead, he reached into his cloak and produced a scroll. With a quick hand sign, he unsealed the contents.

*Bang!*

A puff of white smoke filled the air, and when it cleared, a large, specialized box stood before the group.

"Activate your Sharingan and watch closely," Orochimaru said, his voice commanding. "I'll only demonstrate this once."