Wen Lan nodded. The smile on his face faded as his expression gradually turned serious.
Akimichi Tangdong took Sarutobi Ciqian's mission orders, glanced through them, and then led everyone inside.
The perimeter of the camp was enclosed by a waist-high wooden palisade. Inside stood rows of densely packed tents, with ninja squads patrolling back and forth.
Quite a few ninja were also gathered around campfires, resting as they quietly discussed their missions or ate their rations.
From a tent not far away came anguished cries. Nearby, many lightly wounded ninja sat on the ground, patiently waiting for treatment.
It was clearly a medical tent.
The group arrived at the largest tent. Inuzuka Ya stood before the flap and shouted loudly, "Reporting!"
"Enter!" A hoarse voice came from inside.
Inuzuka Ya led the group in. Wen Lan followed at the very back, and the moment he stepped inside, he saw the two people within.
Seated at the main position was Orochimaru, his face deathly pale, dark eye shadow accentuating his sinister appearance.
To the side sat a man with blond hair, wearing a blue inner layer and a green flak jacket—
Namikaze Minato.
One was chillingly sinister; the other radiated warmth and sunshine.
Seeing such a stark contrast, Wen Lan couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.
No wonder Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't choose Orochimaru as the Fourth Hokage. Even if he were forced to choose, he'd obviously pick the bright and wholesome Namikaze Minato.
Especially—yeah, yeah, yeah. That tongue-licking motion of yours really does make you look like a pervert!
Hey?! Why are you giving me that look?!
Wen Lan stared blankly at Orochimaru.
Orochimaru's gaze swept across the group before finally stopping on Wen Lan. A meaningful smile curled at the corners of his lips.
The reason was simple.
Orochimaru smelled blood on Wen Lan.
Namikaze Minato also noticed Wen Lan. His eyes were gentle, and his voice carried a comforting warmth.
"Wen Lan, you're here too."
Wen Lan nodded and replied politely, "Senior Minato."
Sarutobi Ciqian led everyone to one knee and presented a scroll.
"Orochimaru-sir, Namikaze Minato-sir, these are the supplies for this delivery."
A sealing scroll.
Only Konoha was wealthy enough to use such precious items to transport supplies.
If Iwagakure had that kind of capability, would there ever have been the Battle of Kannabi Bridge?
Unfortunately, Iwagakure ninja could only rely on carts to move supplies. Once the bridge was destroyed, logistics collapsed.
Orochimaru chuckled softly. "You've worked hard."
His gaze, however, remained fixed on Wen Lan, as though pondering something.
Namikaze Minato accepted the scroll, opened it to inspect the contents, then nodded.
"The mission has been successfully completed. Everyone's done well.
Rest for the night and return to the village as soon as possible."
"Yes, Namikaze Minato-sir!"
Sarutobi Ciqian immediately acknowledged and led the group out of the tent.
Wen Lan stood near the corner, his eyes cautiously fixed on Orochimaru. He couldn't shake the feeling that Orochimaru harbored ill intentions toward him, but he still followed the others out.
The moment he stepped outside the tent, a chill ran down his spine.
It felt like being locked onto by a snake—cold dread creeping from his back up to his neck.
His steps faltered. He instinctively glanced back, only to see Orochimaru still standing inside the tent, staring straight at him through the slightly lifted flap, the smile on his lips growing deeper.
Wen Lan's heart tightened. He immediately averted his gaze, pretending nothing was wrong as he caught up with the group.
He couldn't understand it.
He hadn't said a single word—so why had Orochimaru taken an interest in him?
Inside the tent, Orochimaru turned to Minato.
"Minato-kun, do you know that boy from earlier?"
"Yes," Minato replied gently. "He's a child of the Uchiha clan.
I've seen him before when I visited the Uchiha district. My wife likes him quite a bit—he's a very polite child."
He paused, a hint of confusion and alertness in his eyes.
"Is something wrong, Orochimaru-sir?"
Orochimaru didn't answer directly. He lightly licked his lips, his gaze deep and unfathomable.
"Nothing… I just feel that there's a rather special scent about him."
"A special scent?" Minato frowned slightly, confusion and wariness surfacing in his tone.
Orochimaru let out a soft chuckle, his eyes growing even darker, as though savoring some hidden secret.
Wen Lan, of course, knew none of what was said inside the tent. He simply followed the team as they left.
As a five-year-old, Sarutobi Hiruzen hadn't yet gone so far as to deploy him directly to the front lines. If everything went smoothly, he would be returning to the village the next day.
The tents were reserved for active combat personnel. Wen Lan and the other children found a relatively sheltered spot in the camp to rest.
They settled beneath a makeshift rain canopy fashioned from cloth.
Wen Lan sat there with his head lowered, eyes closed, resting—
When suddenly, a faint rustling sound reached his ears.
His eyes snapped open.
He immediately scanned his surroundings, but the night was pitch-black, visibility limited to just a few meters.
Slowly, he rose to his feet, fingers unconsciously brushing the hilt of his blade.
"Enemy attack—!"
A loud shout tore through the night. In the next instant, all the ninja burst out of their tents.
The Iwagakure ninja knew they had been exposed and no longer bothered to hide, launching a direct assault.
Several Iwagakure ninja charged out of the darkness, clashing head-on with the camp's defenders. Blades flashed, steel rang, and shouts of battle echoed through the night.
"Quick! Kill them!"
"Protect the wounded!"
"Fire Release · Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
"Earth Release · Earth-Style Wall!"
"Earth Release · Rock Gun Technique!"
"Water Release · Water Bullet Technique!"
"Wind Release · Great Breakthrough!"
For a moment, ninjutsu lit up the battlefield, tearing apart the darkness. Flames and earth collided violently in midair, explosions shaking the ground with deafening roars.
Namikaze Minato and Orochimaru also joined the battle at once, one on the left, the other on the right, their coordination seamless.
Minato, in particular, was astonishingly fast thanks to the Flying Thunder God Technique.
His figure flickered—appearing instantly behind an enemy. A kunai flashed with cold light as it pierced the night, killing with a single strike.
The next moment, he became a streak of golden light, reappearing on the opposite side of the battlefield.
The Yellow Flash truly lived up to his name.
The battle lasted less than ten minutes, but the air was thick with the stench of blood and the lingering shockwaves of clashing chakra.
Just as Wen Lan thought Minato would resolve everything—
Two black shadows suddenly shot toward him from the side, moving at terrifying speed!
Each shadow struck once, sending two adult ninja flying!
Sarutobi Ciqian reacted instantly, drawing a kunai and hurling it at one of the shadows.
But the shadow showed no fear, smashing the kunai apart with a bare palm. In the blink of an eye, it appeared before Sarutobi Ciqian and threw a heavy punch.
Ciqian barely managed to block, yet he was still forced backward again and again.
At the same time, the other black shadow was already racing toward Wen Lan and the others!
The children were so frightened they couldn't move.
They had never witnessed such a bloody scene before.
They talked every day about becoming ninja—
But now, they stood frozen, like statues.