On the battlefield of the Land of Rain, at the Konoha main camp, Orochimaru had waited for a long time, but he had not seen the two Jonin sent to monitor the Uchiha team return.
"Did they really run into Hanzou?"
Orochimaru felt a bit helpless.
This time, his decision to send the Uchiha team to their deaths wasn't entirely to eliminate dissenters.
The Uchiha team consisted of over thirty people, including two Elite Jonin, five Jonin, and the rest were the cream of the crop among the Chunin.
Add to that the two Jonin he had sent to monitor the Uchiha.
This was a very powerful force.
If it were him, how would he fare?
Orochimaru thought to himself.
Winning would be impossible.
Orochimaru had a clear understanding of his own strength.
Setting everything else aside, even two Elite Jonin with Three-Tomoe Sharingan wouldn't be so easy to deal with.
Elite Jonin with Three Tomoe could be said to be the strongest group below the Kage level.
Furthermore, even if they were no match, they could completely retreat. The fact that not a single person returned indicated that Salamander Hanzou's strength had already reached an incalculable level.
But now, they were like they had been swallowed by an invisible giant mouth; not even a single effective cry for help or warning signal had been sent back.
This only went to show that the opponent they encountered was almost certainly Salamander Hanzou.
His level of terror far exceeded the scope of conventional Kage-level experts.
That overwhelming strength left this elite Uchiha team with almost no chance to struggle or transmit information.
But currently, neither Konoha itself, nor Iwagakure or Sunagakure, had dispatched any other Kage-level experts this time.
On Konoha's side, Uzumaki Mito and Hiruzen Sarutobi, as the Village's pillars, could not leave Konoha Village and were excluded. After Danzo chased Uchiha Shao Yu a year ago, he had been unwilling to leave the Village and was also excluded. Sakumo Hatake, having just taken over the position of Anbu Captain, also had no time.
Sunagakure had clashed with Konoha a year ago and their strength hadn't recovered much. Kage-level experts were essentially the Village's treasures; if something happened here, Sunagakure would be heartbroken, so they hadn't dispatched any Kage-level experts either.
As for Iwagakure, it was entirely because that old schemer Ōnoki was unwilling to put in any effort.
Calculating it this way, Orochimaru held his head.
Are the three of us the only ones who can face this Salamander Hanzou?
"That works..."
A cold arc curled at the corner of Orochimaru's mouth. There wasn't much fear in his golden vertical pupils; instead, they flickered with the light of someone encountering an interesting challenge.
"Jiraiya, Tsunade."
He walked out of the tent, his voice not loud, but it clearly reached the ears of the two people nearby who were discussing the replenishment of medical supplies.
A moment later, the Sannin gathered inside the command tent.
"You called us over, is there news from the Uchiha's side?"
Tsunade asked first, a trace of imperceptible worry between her brows.
Her feelings toward the Uchiha were complex, but as fellow Konoha Ninja, she still felt a weight at the thought of a potential large-scale loss.
Orochimaru didn't beat around the bush and directly stated his judgment.
"The surveillance personnel have lost contact. The probability of Uchiha Yashiro's unit being completely wiped out exceeds ninety percent. In the current Land of Rain battlefield, only one person is capable of this: Salamander Hanzou."
The atmosphere in the tent froze.
"As expected..." Tsunade bit her lip.
"That old fellow Hanzou personally made a move?"
Jiraiya also put away his playful expression and became serious.
"No wonder there wasn't even a sound."
"The problem now is," Orochimaru's gaze swept over his two companions.
"Based on the existing intelligence and the way the Uchiha unit 'disappeared,' it's highly likely that Hanzou's strength has reached a terrifying level. And on our side... the only ones capable of facing him head-on are the three of us."
"The three of us?"
Jiraiya was stunned for a moment, then a smile that was a mix of excitement and battle intent appeared on his face.
"Sounds good! The legendary 'Demi-god'? Perfect, let's make our names known throughout the Ninja World and use him as a stepping stone!"
Tsunade was not as optimistic as Jiraiya; her brow was tightly furrowed.
"Orochimaru, are you sure? Hanzou has been famous for a long time, and his strength is unfathomable. Although the three of us are not weak, the risk of facing an opponent of this level is too great. Moreover, we bear the heavy responsibility of commanding the overall situation."
"The risk certainly exists."
Orochimaru admitted, but his tone remained calm, even carrying a sense of having the big picture under control.
"But Tsunade, look at the overall battle situation now."
He pointed to the map, where arrows representing Konoha, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure had already deeply penetrated the heart of the Land of Rain, compressing the Amegakure defense lines until they were shattered.
"The Three-Village Alliance holds an absolute advantage in terms of manpower, supplies, and morale. The Amegakure army is retreating step by step, and their defeat is certain. We have already won this war."
A light of rationality flickered in Orochimaru's golden pupils.
"No matter how strong Salamander Hanzou is, he is just one person, at most with his Summoned Beast. He might win a single battle or even defeat the three of us, but he cannot change the outcome of the war."
He paused and looked at Jiraiya and Tsunade.
"And our battle with Hanzou, regardless of the outcome, has extremely high strategic value. If we win, it will naturally greatly boost morale, accelerate the end of the war, and make a name for our Konoha."
"Even if we lose... as long as we can wear him down or force him to reveal enough of his trump cards to provide intelligence for potential future high-level intervention or tactical adjustments, then our failure will have value."
"Furthermore, in a situation of certain victory, our personal win or loss will not affect the overall situation."
The current Orochimaru was not yet the one who, after the Third War, would lose the election for the Fourth Hokage and become disheartened with Konoha and the Ninja World.
He was still young now. Although he had the consciousness of immortality, he hadn't delved deep into it; instead, he was full of youthful vigor, craving powerful opponents and longing for his name to spread throughout the entire Ninja World.
Jiraiya listened with boiling blood and slapped his thigh hard.
"Well said! Orochimaru! Who cares about some Demi-god? Since we've run into him, let's have a fight! Let that old guy see the power of Konoha's new generation!"
Tsunade looked at the clear situation between enemies and allies on the map, then at the high-spirited Jiraiya and the calmly analyzing Orochimaru. The worry in her heart was gradually replaced by a sense of responsibility and trust in her companions.
She took a deep breath and clenched her fists, the Chakra in her hands fluctuating slightly.
"I understand. I will arrange the temporary handover of the Medical Team and command authority. Since it's unavoidable, let's go together and meet this Demi-god!"
Orochimaru nodded, a smile of near-anticipation appearing on his pale face.
"Then, let's prepare. It's time for our names to resound throughout the Ninja World."
Advance chapter available on pãtrêon Got1808