"Just… be careful tomorrow."
Tsunade looked at Ryujin, her tone more serious than usual.
"The enemy this time… isn't normal."
Ryujin nodded calmly.
"You too."
"The Rain Village might attempt a counter-ambush."
They spoke for a while longer.
Then—
Tsunade turned and left.
…but not before sneaking a few more glances—
Downward.
Her brows furrowed slightly.
Why is his… development like that?
As a medical ninja, she understood human physiology better than most.
Which only made things worse.
Because by every standard—
That level—
Was completely abnormal.
Tch…
This guy looks so refined on the outside…
Who would've thought…
If Ryujin knew what she was thinking—
He'd probably lose his composure for the first time in years.
Not that it was a bad thing.
For a man—
That kind of "advantage" was hardly something to be ashamed of.
If anything—
He might end up teaching her a lesson in "proper manners."
…
The night passed quickly.
And by the following evening—
The operation began.
Under the cover of darkness, the Leaf's strike force mobilized.
Orochimaru.
Jiraiya.
Ryujin.
Three top-tier combatants—
All deployed.
Tsunade remained behind, tasked with developing antidotes and maintaining the rear.
A total of sixty ninjas moved out into the night.
Not too many.
Too large a force would risk detection.
Too small—
Would lack the strength to destroy the target.
Sixty—
Was the perfect balance.
And among them—
Three monsters stood at the apex.
If nothing unexpected occurred—
This mission should succeed.
Shh—!
Shadows flickered through the rain.
Bodies blurred across the forest—
Silent.
Swift.
Deadly.
The heavy downpour masked their presence.
The sound of rain swallowed their footsteps.
A perfect night—
For assassination.
At the front—
Ryujin led a squad of Uchiha elites.
Behind him—
Orochimaru and Jiraiya followed with the remaining forces.
Jiraiya narrowed his eyes.
"…Orochimaru."
"You noticing this?"
He gestured subtly toward Ryujin's back.
Orochimaru looked up—
And observed carefully.
Then—
His pupils contracted slightly.
"…I see it."
Ryujin's movement—
Was wrong.
Or rather—
Too perfect.
His steps were light.
Effortless.
He wasn't running—
He was gliding.
Each step, a simple tap of the toe, sent him forward an astonishing distance. There was no wasted motion, no excess force. Even as he crossed muddy terrain, his clothes remained clean—untouched, unaffected.
Not like a ninja in battle—
More like…
"…Elegance…"
Orochimaru muttered unconsciously.
He didn't even realize he had spoken the word.
But it fit perfectly.
Ryujin's movement—
Was art.
Controlled.
Precise.
Terrifying.
"That level of control…" Jiraiya whispered, "…isn't normal."
Orochimaru's voice dropped.
"He's far stronger… than we estimated."
Jiraiya nodded slowly.
Now it made sense—
Why Tsunade had been held back.
Because with Ryujin here—
They didn't need her on the battlefield.
The group continued advancing, covering nearly twenty li through the forest before finally coming to a stop.
Ahead—
Darkness.
Dense trees.
No visible life.
Yet both Jiraiya and Orochimaru's expressions sharpened instantly.
"Move."
Jiraiya gave a short command.
The squad split into six teams.
Orochimaru and Jiraiya formed the spearhead.
Ryujin led the Uchiha unit.
The two strongest groups—
Would strike first.
Six directions.
Six points of entry.
Total annihilation.
The deeper they moved—
The darker it became.
Hidden within the forest, Rain ninja patrolled endlessly.
Twenty-four-hour vigilance.
Sensing barriers stretched across the area.
The slightest disturbance—
Would trigger an alarm.
And everywhere—
Traps.
Invisible.
Lethal.
One wrong step—
Meant death.
The Rain Village could not match the great nations in raw power.
Even with Hanzo of the Salamander—
They couldn't win outright.
So they relied on terrain, defense, and attrition.
And most importantly—
Their supply lines.
As long as those remained—
They could outlast anyone.
Which meant—
This location was heavily fortified.
Rumor had it—
Even Hanzo himself occasionally inspected the site to ensure its security.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru exchanged a glance—
Then both turned toward Ryujin.
According to the plan—
He would strike first.
And the rest—
Would follow.
Ryujin stepped forward.
His expression—
Calm.
Unchanging.
Then—
He raised his hand.
"Fire Style…"
The air trembled.
"Dragon Flame Bomb."
BOOM—!!!
A massive fire dragon erupted into existence, roaring into the forest.
Dozens of meters long—
It surged forward with overwhelming force, devouring everything in its path.
Trees ignited instantly.
Rain hissed against the blazing inferno—
Yet failed to suppress it.
The flames didn't weaken.
They intensified.
Condensed.
Explosive.
The sheer heat sent shockwaves through the surroundings.
Dozens of meters away—
Rain ninja flinched violently.
Their pupils shrank.
What… is that?!
Even the Leaf ninja—
Were stunned.
Eyes wide.
Breath caught.
Because this—
Was no ordinary Fire Style.
This—
Was something else entirely.