The Konoha shinobi reacted quickly.
At Nara Shikakaze's order, every ninja assembled at once.
Although their expressions were tense, there was little sign of panic.
Around the camp they had long since laid countless traps to prepare for every contingency.
A direct assault on their camp? Obviously a daydream.
Yet just as they stood ready, waiting for the Cloud forces to walk into their net, a pitch-black chakra sphere streaked across the horizon, leaving a brilliant trail in its wake.
Under the horrified eyes of the Konoha warriors, the chakra sphere detonated with a thunderous blast above the camp.
The heat and shockwave from the explosion instantly reduced the leaf encampment to rubble.
A second chakra sphere followed immediately.
It carved a wide, deep trench across the ground and detonated again amid the camp.
"It's a Tailed Beast Ball!"
"Damn — Cloud Hidden Village deployed a perfect jinchūriki."
"Don't bunch up. Keep distance from one another."
Two Tailed Beast Balls shattered the Konoha formation. The once-disciplined shinobi were now like headless chickens.
Even Nara Shikakaze's frantic orders couldn't turn the tide.
What was even more terrifying was that the Hidden Cloud Village shinobi had already charged forward in a frenzy, following the trench ploughed by the Tailed Beast Balls.
All of Konoha's pre-set traps had been obliterated by the Tailed Beast Balls.
What kind of dirty trick is this?!
"Hahahaha… charge with me! Today these Leaf shinobi will learn what we can do."
"Look at these idiots running everywhere — they're probably stunned by those Tailed Beast Balls."
"Today's a good chance to teach these arrogant fools a lesson for our Uchiha brothers."
"Thanks, brother, but we the Uchiha prefer to do it by hand. We've held back long enough — today they'll see why the Sharingan is feared!"
"…"
In the distance, Yuzuru Uchiha stood shoulder to shoulder with the Third Raikage, silently watching the battlefield.
Under the leadership of A, Killer B, and Uchiha Fugaku, Konoha's shinobi could hardly mount a meaningful defense.
Collapse was merely a matter of time.
The Third Raikage looked at Yuzuru and couldn't help but say, "Are those really Konoha shinobi? They look utterly vulnerable."
"Yet… Yuzuru, you don't look as pleased as I expected."
Yuzuru replied calmly, "I don't like celebrating prematurely. Holding an advantage in one engagement doesn't mean much."
The Raikage nodded.
He felt more grateful than ever for the decision taken earlier.
If this battle was proceeding so smoothly today, it was entirely due to Yuzuru Uchiha.
Unnoticed, Yuzuru had mapped out every Konoha sentry, which allowed them to remove all those outposts in an instant.
It was Yuzuru who located the Leaf camp and proposed using the Tailed Beast Balls to clear the traps — that is why they were able to close in and clash with the Konoha forces so effectively.
There was no fault to find from any angle.
If such a person became an enemy, one would lie awake all night worrying.
Fortunately, Konoha had handed such a powerhouse into their hands.
——
Deep underground in a command room, Orochimaru, Jiraiya, Hataki Sakumo and others studied maps under the harsh glare of the lamps, faces devoid of humor.
The war had been raging for a month and Konoha's losses were heavy.
Even with Orochimaru and the others personally arriving to reinforce the front, they had only managed to delay the Cloud's momentum.
There was a reason: the Cloud's tactics were despicable.
No matter how covert they tried to be, the enemy always found their command post with pinpoint accuracy, fired a Tailed Beast Ball at the headquarters, then another where the shinobi were gathered.
Then they simply barreled forward without thinking…
Even battle-hardened veterans like Orochimaru were helpless.
They couldn't just scatter their shinobi — that would be tantamount to sending them to die.
Orochimaru's voice cut the silence, hoarse and cold as he addressed the group: "This war with the Cloud Hidden Village has gone on too long. Dragging it out won't work — I'm seeing signs that the Sand and Stone are mobilizing troops along their borders."
"We must end this fight with the Cloud before they launch their offensives."
Jiraiya nodded. "I agree. As long as we stall A, Killer B, and Uchiha Fugaku — those high-end forces — our shinobi can hold."
He had planned to travel the ninja world with Minato Namikaze while continuing to learn to control the Nine-Tails' power.
But the Cloud–Leaf war forced him to shelve that plan.
Minato looked ashamed and said quietly, "If I could control the Nine-Tails' power now, we wouldn't be this passive."
He couldn't go to the battlefield to help; worse, he had to stay hidden, careful not to be discovered by Yuzuru Uchiha…
Minato's chest tightened with frustration.
Jiraiya offered comfort: "Minato, you're talented. You just need time to grow."
"Don't worry. We'll defeat the Cloud Hidden Village."
Orochimaru cut in again. "Enough idle talk. I'll assign missions now."
"I'll take care of Uchiha Fugaku. Jiraiya, you stall Killer B. Sakumo, you handle that man called A."
Hataki Sakumo hesitated. "Orochimaru, although Yuzuru Uchiha hasn't taken action yet, we must account for his strength."
"I fought him before. That guy's strength is definitely not inferior to mine."
Orochimaru licked his lips and said, "Since learning about Yuzuru Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan, my teacher and I have been poring through records."
"According to the Senju clan documents, when Uchiha Madara first awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, he seemed to have lost his sight for a time."
"Later, after Uchiha Izuna was gravely wounded by the Second Hokage, Madara transplanted his brother's eyes and regained sight."
"It's not certain, but using the Mangekyō Sharingan very likely carries the risk of blindness."
"That may explain why Yuzuru rarely makes a move."
Hataki Sakumo still looked worried. "But we can't gamble—"
"We must gamble!" Orochimaru interrupted, cold. "We don't have enough elite forces. To win, we must take such measures."
He scanned the assembled faces. "If you fear Yuzuru's intervention, then kill his allies whenever possible."
"This is the only solution I can see."
T/n:
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