**Chapter 87: Comrades and Enemies**

Orochimaru revealed a wicked smile, "Itsuki-kun, you don't want to see me?"

"Not exactly!"

Itsuki shrugged and said, "It's just that I thought with such interesting things happening among the Five Great Shinobi Villages, wouldn't sensei want to take the opportunity to do something? Or are you really just focused on your experiments, completely ignoring the outside world?"

"Hmm..."

Orochimaru tilted his head, staring at Itsuki, and chuckled, "Itsuki-kun, the villages are on high alert, that's your doing, isn't it? What are you really planning?"

Unlike the Third Hokage, he didn't see Itsuki as just a powerful Jonin.

As his teacher, Orochimaru had more contact with him.

He understood deeply that the young man before him had a way of thinking that no one could completely see through.

He had been laying down plans in the village long ago.

The Third Hokage once said that Uchiha Itachi, at the age of seven, could think with the mind of a Hokage.

Orochimaru believed that this statement was actually more fitting for Itsuki.

Uchiha Itsuki, it's like he hovers above, overlooking the entire ninja world.

"I am an Uchiha, so naturally I want to change the fate of the Uchiha. Only when the village is bustling will certain people leave the Uchiha alone. Our Uchiha clan is truly cursed!"

Itsuki laughed, "If sensei could weaken the Third Hokage's power a little, I'd be eternally grateful."

Orochimaru, noncommittal, asked, "And what do I get in return?"

"I'm your favorite student, after all!"

Itsuki grinned, "Would sensei really need compensation for helping his student? Sensei, you've changed. I barely recognize you anymore."

Orochimaru smiled at Itsuki but said nothing.

"Alright, alright! This should satisfy you."

Itsuki shrugged and tossed a scroll over.

A snake appeared, bit the scroll, and brought it to Orochimaru.

Orochimaru opened it, and after just one glance, couldn't help but burst into wild laughter.

"Haha, hahahaha!"

"Itsuki-kun, you're as interesting as ever."

"I understand now. I'll use the bodies from the Anbu and Root as thanks!"

Amidst his nearly maniacal laughter, Orochimaru slowly merged into a tree.

"Tsk tsk, as expected of my teacher—so dangerous."

Itsuki wiped non-existent sweat from his brow, muttering, "Oh man, I almost peed myself in fear."

"Run!"

"I need to get out of here."

"What if sensei comes back and kills me?"

*Whoosh!*

The Body Flicker Technique was activated.

Itsuki vanished from the spot.

After he disappeared, the space twisted, and a man wearing a mask with one eye appeared.

He stared silently at Itsuki's retreating figure, as still as a statue.

Meanwhile, in Konoha...

The village had entered a wartime state.

This was the result of the military defense plans being leaked.

Although the defenses had been updated, tensions between the villages had escalated.

The Fourth Great Ninja War could break out at any moment.

All that was needed was a spark.

The Third Hokage was exhausted; he hadn't slept in two days.

To make things worse, Danzo was still rambling in front of him, indirectly urging him to take action against the Uchiha.

The Third Hokage was so angry he nearly kicked Danzo out of the room.

The Uchiha?

Only someone insane would mess with the Uchiha right now!

Even children knew that the Uchiha were weapons on the battlefield. What, did Danzo lack common sense?

"Lord Hokage!"

An Anbu member entered the Hokage's office, kneeling on one knee.

"Speak!"

"Uchiha Itsuki is approaching the village gate."

"Is that so?"

The Third Hokage put down the documents in his hands, sighed, and with a complicated expression, said faintly, "Send someone to greet him. After all, he's a hero of Konoha."

"Yes!"

The Anbu nodded and left.

"Hero?"

The Third Hokage muttered to himself, and a figure involuntarily came to his mind.

A man with silver-white hair.

If only... he hadn't died...

...

*Boom!*

"Scorch Release: Over-Boil Murder!"

"Aaaahhh!!!"

With a miserable scream, a Sunagakure shinobi was reduced to blackened charcoal.

"Why, why?"

The remaining shinobi from Sunagakure sat on the ground in fear, staring at Pakura in terror.

He screamed, "You're Pakura of the Scorch Release, a hero of Sunagakure! You didn't die? Why are you attacking us? Have you become... a rogue ninja?"

Pakura stared at him coldly, with two orange fireballs swirling around her body.

"Hero? Hmph!"

Her eyes were filled with fury.

She once believed that she was the hero of the Sand Village.

How pathetic!

Yet, she was handed over to the Mist Village, made into a sacrifice.

This wasn't something Rasa could decide on his own.

The other elders agreed, or at least silently consented.

Including those two elder advisors!

Thinking about how she had bled for the Sand Village, sacrificing her entire life, only to be rewarded with this fate, Pakura's killing intent flared uncontrollably, as if it would shatter her sanity.

"Scorch Release!"

"Boom!"

"Ahhh!!!"

"The thirty-fourth! Among them, five Jonin!"

Pakura took out a map and marked an "X" on it.

She looked up in the direction of the Sand Village, murmuring, "My revenge has only just begun. I used to protect you, now I will destroy you."

She strode away.

She was curious.

How had Yishu managed to get the Sand Village's route maps and deliver them to her in real-time?

But no matter.

With the route maps, everything was easy.

These Sand ninjas were now nothing more than lambs waiting to be slaughtered by Pakura.

With her strength, who in the entire Sand Village could stand against her?

A cold smile appeared on her stunning face. "Sand Village, repent. I will kill until you're chilled to the bone, kill until you're too scared to leave your village. This is for Yishu."

Yishu had told her, the more chaos she caused, the smoother his plan would go.

So, what was there to hesitate about?

Kill!!!

Outposts, scouting teams, and special task forces were destroyed one by one. When the news reached the Sand Village, the higher-ups were enraged.

They sent out even more special task forces to complete the missions.

That was all!

They didn't dare escalate it!

Because they recognized the killer's technique all too well.

Scorch Release!

How could this be?

That woman—had she not died?

The higher-ups of the Sand Village couldn't hide their shock and anger.

"Those Mist Village fools, they let her escape?"

"It must have been a third-party interference. At the time, the Mist Village did successfully ambush Pakura, but someone stormed in, wiped out the ambush, and took her away!"

"Those Mist idiots, they couldn't kill Pakura themselves, and now they're accusing us of meddling, even threatening war, hmph!"

"Enough! What's the point of talking about this now? That was years ago. What we need to discuss is, if it really is her, what do we do?"

"Send her."

"Her? This…"

"The Sand Village's situation is unstable. A war in the ninja world could break out at any moment. She is the most suitable choice."

"Fine, let her go. Let's hope she can convince Pakura."

"And if she can't?"

The higher-ups fell silent.

When they were allies, they didn't feel it, but as enemies, they finally realized the terror of Scorch Release.

...

(End of Chapter)