As time passed, Soushu Hyuga grew increasingly tense.
Nowhere more so than in Hakone Prefecture, where the headquarters was located. The city had gathered the most elite ninja of the Hyuga Clan. Particularly as Mahiru Uchiha's due date approached, the atmosphere in the city became heavier and more oppressive.
Under these circumstances, even hostile villages with ill intentions wisely paused their probing actions. After all, Soushu Hyuga in this state was not someone who could be reasoned with. Provoking his wrath through opportunistic attacks would only guarantee long-term suffering.
In a show of respect toward the Ninja Clan Capital Corporation—and especially the Hyuga Clan—from afar, Sanshouo Hanzo of the Land of Rain volunteered upon hearing the news, offering his assistance in the security efforts. Soushu Hyuga accepted Sanshouo Hanzo's request after brief consideration.
Though current intelligence showed no signs of an imminent attack from enemy forces, Soushu Hyuga remained cautious.
"Order the village security units and the ruling ninja clans in each district to immediately launch a full-scale manhunt against the secret organization established by Jiraiya!"
Three days before Mahiru Uchiha's due date, after much deliberation, Soushu Hyuga finally decided it was time to shake the tree and see what would fall.
The first unfortunate target was naturally the Dawn Organization, whose loose operations had already made them an open book to surveillance.
"In addition, if any ninja under sixteen years old are encountered during the arrests, spare their lives—for now."
After issuing the order, Soushu Hyuga recalled another thought.
Could some of the supposed founding members of Akatsuki possibly be hiding within Jiraiya's Dawn Organization?
Therefore, he issued a supplementary directive in hopes of uncovering the truth.
A feather to one was a boulder to another. To the Dawn Organization, a mere grain of sand from the Ninja Clan Capital Corporation felt like a mountain crushing down.
This sudden crackdown caught Jiraiya off guard. All along, he'd been confident—until every clan across the Ninja World moved against him at once.
"This is impossible!"
"This shouldn't be happening!"
"How did they find out about me?!"
Wave after wave of disastrous news left Jiraiya confused, shocked, and seething with frustration.
It didn't make any sense—how could it come out of nowhere like that?
Before this, there hadn't been the slightest sign of trouble!
And recently, he'd been helping Tamayu from Ryuchi Cave find proper snake lairs—safe spots for their ninja snakes. So he hadn't been out in public much.
So how had the information leaked?
Jiraiya pondered endlessly without finding an answer.
"Could that brat who keeps bugs inside his body be behind this?"
Tamayu noticed Jiraiya's agitation. After learning the cause, she asked her own question: "What if they've been watching those guys all along?"
"I wouldn't do that."
Jiraiya wasn't the type to shift blame onto others, so he didn't attempt to pin this on someone else: "Many of the outposts and branches that have been destroyed were never reported to Root in the first place."
"What a pain!"
Tamayu wore her displeasure clearly on her face: "Then what about us? Are we supposed to relocate too?"
It had taken ages to find a suitably secluded spot for the Snake Lair. They endured great hardship moving countless ninja snakes from Ryuchi Cave into the Ninja World. Abandoning their current base would mean all those efforts were completely wasted.
There was no way Tamayu was going to let that happen.
"We've no choice but to relocate."
Though Jiraiya deeply resented this reality, he kept his composure like a true ninja. The turmoil brought by the Dawn organization hadn't clouded his judgment or weakened his decisiveness: "The dispatches carried by ninja hawks from every corner of the world end up right here at the Snake Lair. It's possible we're already being watched."
"They dare!"
Before his words even fully faded, Tamayu's previously gentle and charming appearance instantly twisted into an alarming, wrathful visage. Her eyes transformed into deep, serpentine pupils brimming with vengeful fury and boundless hatred.
Slowly, her lips stretched open, revealing sharp, eerie snake fangs, as if she would consume every threat in an instant: "If that's really what they're aiming for, then let them taste true despair and ruin firsthand! Not a single soul among them shall escape my wrath!"
Unfazed by Tamayu's reaction, Jiraiya took out an organizational map and began marking the locations of all the branches and strongholds that had already fallen or come under attack.
As he did, his heart sank.
The attacked strongholds formed a perfect C-shaped circle surrounding their current Snake Lair.
In other words, this was definitely no random occurrence—it could be more accurately described as a concentrated net-gathering operation.
Their Snake Lair was likely the next major target the Ninja Clan Capital Corporation planned to strike with full force!
"Take a look."
Jiraiya pushed the circled map toward Tamayu before closing his eyes and massaging his temples.
"This..."
Though Tamayu wasn't very familiar with ninja combat styles or ways of doing things, she still possessed the capability to make judgments based on the drawn-out map.
"If that's the case, then we might as well prepare for battle right here!"
Even so, Tamayu had no intention of taking a single step back: "With all our ninja snakes gathered here, now's the time to give those Hyuga lapdogs a proper beating!"
"You're sure?"
Jiraiya frowned slightly.
Almost all the ninja snakes gathered in this new Snake Lair had slipped into the Ninja World Mainland through underground passages from Ryuchi Cave, meaning they couldn't easily withdraw by simply canceling summoning contracts. Once surrounded, these ninja snakes would inevitably suffer total annihilation!
Jiraiya had led the ninja frogs of Mount Myoboku into battle before, so he knew exactly how summoned beasts operated.
Even Mount Myoboku's disciplined ninja frogs seemed outmatched against a full-fledged ninja army. As for the chaotic ninja snakes from Ryuchi Cave? They were even worse—no one could say just how strong they really were.
"Those wretched snakes are expendable anyway!"
Tamayu's voice was cold and merciless: "Ryuchi Cave may lack many things, but it certainly isn't short on foolish ninja snakes. Their deaths would be of no consequence at all."
"In that case, prepare for battle then."
Jiraiya didn't object—when it was put so bluntly, there wasn't much to argue about.
After all, he hated being hunted down.
"This is an order for combat outside the village?!"
Receiving orders from Hakone Prefecture city while stationed in Konoha left Hiashi Hyuga feeling conflicted.
Hyuga Soushu's mobilization command had been directly dispatched to numerous ninja clans spread across distant territories. He had mobilized not only the Standing Ninja Army and patrol forces, but also the Hyuga ninjas still stationed in Konoha.
As the nominal commander of the security unit, Hiashi naturally hadn't escaped Hyuga Soushu's notice.
The specific order he received was to march into battle together with Hizashi Hyuga in the eastern region, joining a Southern-bound division of the Standing Ninja Army to launch a joint attack on a stronghold rumored to hide Jiraiya.
But Hiashi viewed his current identity as more than just a member of the Hyuga Clan—he was also Commander of Konoha's Patrol Force. If he responded hastily to Hyuga Soushu's command, he might have difficulty explaining himself before the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi.
More importantly, the orders specifically identified Jiraiya, one of the Hokage Disciples, as the mission target. Hiashi didn't know how he would explain this if word reached the Third.
"Someone is coming!"
Black Zetsu, hidden behind Hiashi, whispered suddenly: "It's an Anbu ninja."
"Is that so?"
Hiashi's mind stirred slightly.
Shortly after, an Anbu ninja rushed hurriedly into Hiashi's office: "Commander Hiashi, the Hokage requests your immediate presence!"
"I understand!"
Without hesitation, Hiashi grabbed the secret letter sent by Hyuga Soushu and headed straight toward the Hokage Tower.
Arriving at the Hokage Tower, Hiashi immediately handed over the mobilization order sent by Hyuga Soushu.
At first, the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi showed mild surprise, then calmly accepted the sealed message and began reading it carefully.
As he read on, his brows tightened into a frown, as if the very air around him had grown heavier with tension.
The reason the Third had summoned Hiashi was due to Danzo's report: multiple Root Division strongholds secretly established throughout the Land of Fire had been destroyed one after another within half a day. The Third called upon Hiashi hoping to find even the slightest clue that might turn the tide.
However, what Hiruzen Sarutobi had not anticipated was that Hiashi Hyuga not only refused to evade responsibility, but instead chose to directly reveal the secret orders from Hyūga Soushu with unprecedented honesty—bringing along such explosive news!
"Commander Hiashi, what do you think would be the best course of action?"
The Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately softened his tone.
"If we decide not to get involved, then we should inform Jiraiya Jonin as soon as possible."
Hiashi Hyuga answered indirectly.
In other words, he didn't believe Jiraiya could survive unscathed under an assault by multiple coalition forces.
"You're not entirely wrong,"
The Third Hokage sighed deeply. "But that kid is simply too rebellious. Even I can't contact him directly!"
The secret message said the planned deployment was set for about six hours later—not too short, not too long. But undoubtedly, if the Third Hokage truly wanted to, there were definitely ways for him to reach Jiraiya.
Yet, what concerned the Third Hokage wasn't merely Jiraiya's safety.
He needed to tread carefully. So, he decided to act on two fronts at once.
"Bring Sakumo here!"
The Third Hokage lightly struck the ancient bell on his desk. Its crisp sound echoed through the quiet office. Shortly after, a lean and sharply-featured Anbu ninja silently appeared at his side, bowed upon receiving orders, and vanished instantly.
Hiashi Hyuga looked slightly surprised.
"The patrol force has just been established. If they're hastily sent into battle now, unnecessary casualties might occur."
Hiruzen calmly loaded tobacco into his pipe while explaining, "That's why things would go more smoothly if Sakumo stays back as commander."
Meanwhile, across the Land of Fire, chaos erupted in extremely short order.
When the corporate blade of the Ninja Clan Capital Corporation swung down, both the mercenaries who had joined the Dawn organization and wandering disgraced samurai were treated uniformly as traitors—one might say their fate was sealed without exception.
After all, the ninja world already had enough with its ninja; there was no need for yet another oppressive class squeezing the common people.
At the same time, due to Hakone Prefecture city entering lockdown status, Orochimaru—who had been holed up inside his laboratory, never stepping outside—suddenly received orders for immediate relocation. Hyūga Soushu did not feel comfortable letting him continue staying within the city during this sensitive period.
At least through this critical phase, Orochimaru must stay well away from the city.
Orochimaru didn't object—he just saw it as a chance to get some fresh air and relax for a bit.
However, just after exiting the lab and leaving the range of the Sealing Technique barrier, he suddenly sensed chakra fluctuations continuously radiating from the void—[Reverse Summoning Technique]—this energy signature can only come from Ryuchi Cave!
"What the hell..."
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed instantly.
Based on the chakra fluctuations and aura of this reverse summoning technique, the one being summoned is likely Tamayu, one of the Three Sacred Priestesses of Ryuchi Cave.
Although Orochimaru had no particular relationship with Tamayu—the goddess beneath the Immortal (a divine being of Ryuchi Cave) but above Manda—he knew well that she wouldn't have called him here without a good reason.
Thus, after some hesitation, Orochimaru found a place to temporarily settle Anko before leaving the city alone to respond to Tamayu's reverse summoning!
"Poof!"
With a burst of smoke, Orochimaru appeared before Tamayu.
What surprised him most was that Jiraiya was actually there too!
The environment around them was nothing like Ryuchi Cave at all. Although he could smell the familiar strong stench of snakes from the cave, the uniquely sweet scent in the air was something only found within the Ninja World.
"You finally decided to drop by!"
Jiraiya immediately lunged over, threw his arm around Orochimaru's neck, and declared in his usual loudmouth style, "I thought you'd really sided with that brat from the Hyuga clan!"
"What are you talking about?"
Orochimaru barely restrained himself from lashing out.
"The Hyuga clan's ninja force is about to launch an attack here—we need your help!"
Jiraiya said self-righteously.
"Have you gone mad or what!"
Even Orochimaru couldn't keep his cool this time.
Putting everything else aside, he knew the nature of these Ninja Snakes better than anyone. During the Great Ninja World War, he had frequently used techniques like [Formation of Ten Thousand Snakes] to disrupt enemy forces. But truthfully, they were never really decisive.
After all, even a weak village like the Rain Ninja Village possessed enough firepower for mass attacks. Creatures of this kind weren't considered especially difficult opponents by a trained ninja force.
So now, just how effective could these mysteriously gathered Ninja Snakes possibly be?
"Goodbye!"
Orochimaru directly shook off Jiraiya's arm, preparing to dispel the reverse summoning and leave immediately.
"You dare!"
The sacred priestess Tamayu snarled and bared her fangs instantly.
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