Chapter 94: The Surprise Attack by the Sand Ninja!
"Enough!"
Orochimaru spoke up.
As soon as his voice rang out, the tense standoff, where both sides seemed ready to draw their kunai at any moment, suddenly dissipated as if it had all been an illusion.
"Old sly fox!"
"Little fox!"
Both sides internally mocked each other.
Because all those tense gestures were just an act.
Everyone knew that it was impossible to actually fight here, so they had to put on a show of being ready to 'act' at any moment, but they would never truly make a move.
If anyone did act, the other side would probably laugh hysterically.
Did they really think Orochimaru would just stand by?
His name was synonymous with ruthlessness and cold-bloodedness.
"This matter ends here. I won't allow you to cause trouble in the camp!"
Orochimaru made his final decision.
He had given them a chance, and since they couldn't do anything about Uchiha Takashi, that was that.
"...Yes, Lord Orochimaru!"*3 The three had no choice but to comply, even if they were unwilling.
Of course, Orochimaru didn't completely crush their hopes.
Not allowing trouble in the camp!
Which meant that outside the camp, it was a different story.
Orochimaru was also curious to see how Uchiha Takashi would handle this pressure.
If he had to step in to save him, perhaps it wouldn't be too much to ask for a little 'research' in return... right?
After dismissing the three, Orochimaru gave Uchiha Takashi a word of advice.
"If you don't leave the camp, they won't dare to trouble you!"
He couldn't stand those greedy people either, but out of respect for his teacher, he couldn't say much.
"Thank you for the advice, Lord Orochimaru!"
Uchiha Takashi expressed his gratitude and left.
No matter what, Orochimaru hadn't set him up; he just didn't offer protection.
But that was his own choice.
Since he wasn't willing to join Orochimaru, he couldn't blame him for not stepping in when trouble arose.
Moreover, Orochimaru was very clear-cut in business, offering a fair exchange for services, so he didn't owe him anything.
You could say Orochimaru wasn't suited to be a friend, but he was definitely a good 'boss.'
After this incident, Uchiha Takashi had a conflict with the three families.
Fortunately, he was no longer an ordinary Chunin, and with Orochimaru's backing, he wasn't removed from his position and managed to keep his money-making avenues open.
As soon as he returned to his tent, Hyuga Aotsuki and Yamakawa Koji were already there.
"Do you want me to 'pay them a visit'?"
Hyuga Aotsuki smiled lightly, but her eyes were chillingly cold.
As time passed, her strength grew with her age, and dealing with a few Jonin was no problem.
Even if they were from the village's high-ranking families, she didn't care.
"No need!"
Uchiha Takashi refused Hyuga Aotsuki's 'decisive' suggestion.
Acting now would be too obvious unless he planned to leave Konoha and disappear.
Even Danzo wasn't that reckless.
Compared to dealing with those guys, he was more concerned about something else.
"Is everything ready over there?"
He was referring to the 'laboratory' in the Land of Rivers.
It used to be just a 'surgery room,' but with a few successful money-making ventures, the investment had increased, naturally leading to an upgrade.
It could now not only perform surgeries but also conduct experiments and research.
"It's done!"
Hyuga Aotsuki nodded.
However, they had poured all their money into that laboratory.
Chapter 94: The Surprise Attack by the Sand Ninja! (Thanks to the generous support of Xue Se Ni Shi Zi!)
Bankrupt! If it weren't for some money-making channels, I wouldn't be able to withstand this kind of expenditure. "Koji, you...!"
Just as Uchiha Takashi was about to discuss the specific timing with Yamakawa Koji, he instinctively frowned and looked towards the west.
Boom, boom!
Continuous explosions echoed from afar, and the sound was getting closer.
No need to say more.
Something's wrong! This is a ninja camp with nearly a thousand ninjas stationed here; there's no way a small Sand Ninja squad could get close.
From the sound of it, it's clear that the Sand Hidden army has arrived.
The question is... why?
Currently, the Rock Ninja from the north are attacking. If the Sand Ninja strike now, they're essentially acting as a shield and drawing fire for the enemy.
Based on this reasoning, Konoha decided to shift their forces to the north rather than the southwest front.
Swoosh, swoosh!
With a few leaps, Uchiha Takashi landed on the wooden wall of the camp, gazing into the distance towards the west.
By now, quite a few ninjas had gathered here, and more were arriving from nearby training areas.
Uchiha Takashi and his two companions found a corner to observe the situation.
If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up. He's just a 'Chunin'; there's no reason for him to take the lead, right?
It doesn't make sense! Even if the Sand Ninja arrive, he has confidence in his ability to retreat safely, so he's not too worried.
But before he could get a clear view of the situation, a messenger ninja approached him.
"Uchiha Takashi, Lord Orochimaru orders you to assemble at Training Ground 12!"
The messenger delivered the order directly.
Damn! Uchiha Takashi cursed inwardly.
Though he enjoyed showing off and appearing impressive, he didn't want to stand out in situations like this.
Wouldn't it be better to quietly bide his time and gather strength?
But with Orochimaru's order, how could he remain a low-profile 'nobody'? This was definitely 'top-tier' treatment.
"You two wait here for me to act together!"
After instructing his two teammates, he headed towards Training Ground 12.
Soon, he arrived at the training ground.
By this time, many ninjas had already gathered there.
Orochimaru was no longer in his usual attire; instead, he wore a tight-fitting outfit underneath, covered by light armor that protected most of his body, standing on a high platform.
This was standard battlefield attire.
On the battlefield, the strongest fear stray bullets the most.
Even if they are prepared for an opponent's attack, stray bullets with no killing intent, appearing unexpectedly, are difficult to dodge even for Kage-level ninjas. So wearing protective gear is entirely reasonable.
There were only about a dozen Jonin at this training ground; the rest were Special Jonin, representing the high-end combat power and command level of the camp.
Someone like Uchiha Takashi, a Chunin, was definitely the most eye-catching figure here.
But no one found it strange.
Ninjas only respect strength! If you have the strength, it doesn't matter if you're a Chunin or even a Genin; no one would object.
"The Sand Ninja have launched a full-scale attack. Our mission is to intercept them and buy time for others to retreat... Move out now!"
Orochimaru's orders were simple and clear.
Their task today was not to engage the Sand Ninja head-on but to lead their respective squads to delay and intercept the Sand Ninja, buying time for others to retreat.
Only a fool would think that a thousand ninja troops could stand against several thousand Sand Ninja.
Do they really think Konoha ninjas are all like 'Ip Man,' capable of taking on ten at a time?
Of course, retreating without even engaging in a frontal battle would surely draw criticism.
But Orochimaru didn't care about such things.
As one of the Legendary Sannin, a disciple of the Hokage, and a Kage-level powerhouse, each of these titles gave him the confidence to ignore such criticism.
Swoosh, swoosh!
Elite squads assembled and then charged out of the camp, heading towards the direction of the continuous explosions in the west.
They needed to halt the enemy's advance.
Otherwise, if the Sand Ninja broke through the defenses, it would be difficult for others to retreat.
Before long, these squads encountered the attacking Sand Ninja.
(End of Chapter)