Chapter 373: Sand Village Retreats! The Uchiha Clan's Analogy Thinking! 4th Update!
"Faster, faster..."
Deep in the dense forest, Tsunade's low voice became clearer.
After learning of the Third Kazekage's movements, Tsunade assembled an elite ANBU Squad that was out on missions in the shortest possible time.
But even so, the Third Kazekage and Chiyo had executed a perfect time differential.
Now, they could only rush back towards the Konoha Camp, regardless of the cost.
Under Tsunade's urging, the Konoha Ninja behind her moved faster and faster, leaving trails of afterimages in the drizzle, like ghosts in the dark night.
"We're here..."
"Third Kazekage, Chiyo, come out and fight!"
The moment Tsunade arrived at the Konoha Camp, she saw Manda unable to withstand the Third Kazekage's Magnet Release attack, dissipating into a puff of smoke... The worry in her eyes deepened.
"Cough~ Hehe~ Sandaime, and Elder Chiyo, it seems you won't be able to kill me this time either."
Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Orochimaru looked at the Third Kazekage and Chiyo's ashen expressions, then sat down in the mud and chuckled.
"Hmph~ So what if Tsunade is back?"
"We have enough time to kill you now... Orochimaru!"
With a sneer, the Third Kazekage manipulated a large amount of Iron Sand, forming a giant katana, seemingly intending to cleave Orochimaru in half to vent his anger.
"I... Stop this!"
Just as the Iron Sand Katana was about to touch Orochimaru, a graceful figure broke through the heavy rain, landing a powerful kick on the Iron Sand Katana... At the critical moment, Akimichi Torifu used a secret technique of the Akimichi Clan, greatly enlarging his body and throwing Tsunade over, narrowly saving Orochimaru, who had almost lost the ability to resist.
"Damn it~"
Looking at Tsunade, who had suddenly appeared in front of Orochimaru, the Third Kazekage's face instantly turned ashen.
Once, twice... Why does someone always pop up at the most crucial moment?
Does Heaven truly not intend to give Sunagakure any chance at all?
"Elder Chiyo... I will hold off Tsunade; please make sure to kill Orochimaru in the shortest possible time."
"I understand... I will kill Orochimaru as quickly as possible."
Just as the Third Kazekage and Chiyo reached an agreement and were about to act.
A Sunagakure Anbu, having somehow crossed the battlefield, appeared behind the Third Kazekage.
"Lord Kazekage, urgent intelligence has arrived from the Village..."
"What intelligence could be more important than this situation? Everything can wait until after this battle..."
Looking at the intelligence scroll handed to him by the Anbu, the Third Kazekage's voice abruptly stopped.
Because at the very top of the scroll, the highest-level color for Sunagakure was clearly marked.
Under the gaze of Chiyo, Tsunade, Orochimaru, and others, the Third Kazekage's body trembled after opening the intelligence scroll, and his face instantly turned incredibly pale.
"Lord Kazekage...?"
Seeing the Third Kazekage's change, Chiyo's eyes sank, and she had a vague premonition of something bad.
"This is intelligence from Elder Ebizo."
"Two days ago, Elder Ebizo led three thousand elites, along with Bunpuku, to the Po Suo Oasis to confront the Konoha main force led by Sakumo Hatake and Fujiwara Tetsuya... They were defeated!"
"Ebizo was seriously injured by the White Fang, and Bunpuku... was captured alive by that damned brat."
"Currently, Sunagakure is in a state of panic... Elder Ebizo wants us to withdraw to the Land of Wind first, and after rescuing Bunpuku, dealing with White Fang Hatake Sakumo, and that damned brat... then we can discuss invading the Land of Fire."
Meeting Chiyo's questioning gaze, the Third Kazekage did not hesitate at all... Or rather, after reading the contents of the intelligence scroll, he had already made his decision.
"Defeated?"
Listening to the Third Kazekage's explanation, Chiyo showed a bitter smile.
They had accounted for everything, even drawing Iwagakure into the fray, but they never expected... that the first to collapse would be Sunagakure's home base.
"Let's retreat... This decisive battle will be postponed..."
"Orochimaru, Tsunade, before this battle is completely over, I swear in the name of the Third Kazekage that I will personally take your heads."
"Orochimaru... they're retreating?"
Looking at the retreating figures of the Third Kazekage and Chiyo, and the Sunagakure elites slowly withdrawing after the Sunagakure retreat signal sounded... Tsunade's surging aura suddenly deflated, and she looked at Orochimaru beneath her, feeling somewhat unreal.
"How could it be fake?"
"Cough~~~ Although I'm not entirely sure, if I'm not mistaken, the Bunpuku mentioned by the Third Kazekage should be Sunagakure's One-Tail Jinchuriki."
"Lord Orochimaru..."
"Lady Tsunade..."
After the Sunagakure elites had completely withdrawn from the Konoha Camp, the Konoha Ninja who survived this surprise attack gradually gathered around Tsunade and Orochimaru.
Because they were also very curious how Tsunade and Orochimaru had "repelled" the Third Kazekage, Chiyo, and others under such disadvantageous circumstances, forcing the Sunagakure main force to retreat.
"Are you all very curious?"
Looking at the tired faces, Orochimaru slowly stood up with Tsunade's help.
"Why the Sand Ninja retreated, even Tsunade and I aren't entirely sure..."
"However, one thing can be confirmed: today's battle will be our last battle against Sunagakure in the Land of Rain; the Sand Ninja... are withdrawing from the Land of Rain."
...The Sunagakure Anbu were fast, but the Konoha Anbu were equally swift.
Towards evening, amidst the roaring thunder and rain, a Konoha Anbu Squad safely delivered the intelligence relayed by Hiruzen Sarutobi into the hands of Orochimaru and Tsunade.
"Orochimaru, it seems you were right. The Bunpuku mentioned by the Third Kazekage is indeed Sunagakure's One-Tail Jinchuriki."
"I never imagined that brat would grow to such an extent, capable of even defeating a fully formed Tailed Beast..."
Inside the tent, Tsunade held the scroll in her hand, her eyes filled with shock.
"Cough~ After all, that's Tetsuya-kun. To achieve this level is within the realm of possibility."
"Tsunade, now that this intelligence has been confirmed, then... we can also tell our 'lovely' subordinates what happened on the Land of Wind front, so they don't worry."
"The war has lasted so long; it's time to let them catch their breath and relax."
"I understand. I will immediately send someone to handle this matter..."
Under the impetus of Orochimaru and Tsunade, in less than half an hour, the battle on the Land of Wind front, especially Fujiwara Tetsuya's capture of the One-Tail Jinchuriki, spread throughout the entire Konoha Camp.
"He actually defeated a fully formed Ichibi and captured Sunagakure's Jinchuriki...?"
In a certain corner, Uchiha Fugaku and many other Uchiha Clan Ninja had extremely complex expressions after hearing this news.
One must know that the Uchiha Clan's prestige was entirely built upon the Sharingan... this terrifying ocular jutsu bloodline.
And among them... what was most feared and well-known by the world was the ability to control Tailed Beasts in the Mangekyo state... According to the current intelligence, Fujiwara Tetsuya was completely on par with an Uchiha Clan member who had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan.
This was also what made Uchiha Fugaku and many other Uchiha Clan Ninja feel apprehensive.
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