Chapter 198 : Breakthrough!

The wind's whisper echoed in Orochimaru's ears, accompanied by the dance of Kunai and exploding tags. Orochimaru's unease deepened. It wasn't the pursuing forces that troubled him, but rather a haunting memory of a past mission—ten lives lost and no signs of life. It felt orchestrated, as if manipulated by an unseen hand.

"Cursed be it! Who betrayed Konoha? Why is this intel a trap?" the leading Jōnin cursed. Kumogakure couldn't have silently intercepted and altered the information; the time gap was too short, risking exposure. Such a breach indicated a grave situation. Was it an honor bestowed upon them, or had they merely stumbled upon misfortune?

"You Konoha scum won't escape!" Another batch of enemies emerged, attempting to cut off their retreat.

Ninjutsu clashed, swords gleamed, and Konoha's forces dwindled once again. Lower-ranked ninjas and chunin fell, and the leader, a Jōnin, clenched his teeth, executing a fire release.

"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Jutsu!"

Infernos consumed vast stretches of the forest, scorching the air into rippling waves. Cloud ninjas behind them were instantly severed, turning into ashes in the inferno.

"Damn..."

Sweat dripped from the Jōnin's brow. This ninjutsu strained him. The burning sensation in his lungs rendered his voice hoarse.

"Konoha's Fire Release users keep emerging. Wasn't that Joinin from the Senju clan? Yet, this Fire Release resembles Uchiha's work. Powerful, but he seems barely able to handle it."

Orochimaru observed the firestorm consuming the forest, lost in contemplation of ninjutsu. His face, tinged red by the flames, remained impassive as he inhaled the searing air.

"He...he actually...!"

In stark contrast to Takeshi, Tsunade, and Jiraiya, whose eyes widened in horror, mouths agape, it seemed their worldview had crumbled.

"His Fire Release targeted both our comrades and the dozen Konoha ninjas. He abandoned our allies!"

Watching Konoha ninjas turn to cinders in the sea of flames, Jiraiya's fists clenched.

"Abandoning comrades and sacrificing them for personal gain—I won't tolerate it!"

Had the situation permitted, Jiraiya would have confronted Orochimaru without hesitation.

"It's you who's acting strangely, isn't it? Abandoning the vehicle to safeguard the sensei and the overall situation—this is the most rational course of action, isn't it? Is the fate of everyone at risk just because of a few individuals?"

Orochimaru scoffed disdainfully, unable to fathom how Jiraiya could embody the qualities of a true ninja.

Ninjas exist in constant battles for survival. In their youth, some may have idealized them, finding them cool and all-powerful, but time erodes innocence and kindness, replacing them with maturity.

Perhaps, beneath the veneer of cynicism, a person in the future may find their soul crushed and destroyed by the harsh reality they wear a mask against?

In this world, the good-hearted don't last long; survival is the foundation upon which everything else rests.

"Keep moving! Don't look back; gather here!" Satoshi, the leader, commanded, sprinting towards the nearest stronghold.

Several groups of Konoha ninjas were already overwhelmed, and a hundred individuals led by the chief ninja rallied to break through, leaving sporadic ninjas behind to meet their demise.

"It seems being a special jonin isn't cutting it. Why does it feel like I'm running away?"

Orochimaru frowned, displeased by the powerlessness beyond his control. A few ninja snakes slithered quietly as his mental power expanded like a tide, gradually clarifying the chaotic situation. Unfortunately, he remained a pawn in the chess game.

It appears that, as Takeshi suggested, continuing on is not a viable option.

"Ninjutsu: Hidden Shadow Snake Hand!"

A Cloud ninja, relying on formidable lightning-based defense and physical prowess, swiftly traversed the sea of flames, catching up with Orochimaru's trio from the side. Without hesitation, Orochimaru turned around, releasing a flurry of ninjutsu.

Countless sinister ninja snakes poured from his sleeves, entwining around the Cloud ninja's body, attempting to strangle him. Yet, the Cloud ninja, exhibiting extraordinary strength, swiftly broke free from the restraints, launching fists crackling with chilling electricity.

"Be cautious! This is a Jonin!"

The leading Konoha ninja exclaimed, foreseeing Orochimaru's demise.

"Ha ha."

Orochimaru remained unfazed, meeting the punch head-on. The fist displayed a smooth, jade-like surface, and upon closer inspection, faint snake scales adorned the skin, imperceptible to the naked eye.

"Boom!"

A resounding shockwave ensued, as Orochimaru and the Cloud ninja both retreated, evenly matched.

"How is this possible!"

Witnessing this spectacle, the Konoha ninja was astounded. After all, Kumogakure's physical strength is renowned as the most formidable among the Five Great Nations, owing to their distinctive chakra cultivation methods.

Although Orochimaru was a genius, he had maintained a low profile in the Anbu for the past two years, and information about him was scarce among others.

"There's no time to waste with you."

Orochimaru glanced at Cloud shinobi, who was equally taken aback, and spoke with indifference. Blindly escaping would be futile. The overall strength of these Konoha ninjas wasn't formidable. With a few Cloud Ninjas tailing them, Konoha's ninja troops couldn't break free; they were confined, vulnerable to being whittled down.

A profound sense of urgency enveloped Orochimaru's heart, as if an insurmountable force was drawing near. His intuition screamed that he must depart immediately!

But first, deal with these individuals who dared to cross his path!

His scarlet serpent-like pupil emitted an unpredictable radiance, invading Cloud shinobi's mental fortitude in a manner capable of obliterating the will to live.

"Ow—!"

As if subjected to unbearable agony, Cloud shinobi's determined expression paled, the lightning coursing over his body flickered inconsistently, and he froze in place!

"Hehe, it's been a while since I used the Emotion Stimulation Illusion. Cloud shinobi, however, is truly an expert in physical fortification, possessing formidable mental resilience."

Illusions weren't invincible on the chaotic battlefield. Most illusions, excluding dojutsu, required preparation time and the right opportunity. They could easily crumble in critical situations. This was why the White Sparrow team needed to cooperate and support each other for strength.

However, the Emotion Stimulation Illusion was an attack reliant solely on mental power, and Orochimaru had developed it into a dojutsu technique similar to Tsukuyomi.

Although engaging a Jōnin in close combat consumed considerable mental energy, its potency was sufficient. There were no side effects, and if the opponent was caught off guard, Orochimaru's strength allowed him to swiftly eliminate a special Jōnin.

Without pause, Orochimaru, in a flash, covered Kusanagi's sword with an even brighter current than Cloud shinobi's and directed it at the immobilized Cloud shinobi!

"Pfft!"

Cloud shinobi's body was thrown high, crashing onto several other sturdy Cloud shinobi who were pursuing him. A seared, penetrating wound adorned his chest, his heart reduced to charcoal!

The combination of Chidori and the extended thrust of the Kusanagi Sword proved mightier than Chidori's sharp spear alone. Cloud shinobi's thunderbolt defense proved fragile against this dual onslaught!

"Kumowa!"

The Cloud shinobi trailing behind felt a shiver upon witnessing Join's lifeless form. Meanwhile, the fleeing Konoha ninjas were spurred with renewed vigor!

Seeing was believing. For the first time, Orochimaru's explosively instantaneous strength was showcased to many. His identity had transitioned from a genius to a formidable force. Of course, this assumed they could safely return to Konoha...

"After Jonin retreats, eliminate those pursuing us!"

Konoha's leader, Satoshi, seized the opportunity. Despite having depleted a considerable amount of chakra moments ago, he made the decisive choice without hesitation. Kumogakure's pursuers withdrew one after another, allowing the remaining 100 Konoha ninjas to break out and survive.

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