Chapter 93 – Cloud Hidden Invasion
In this way, the two partners completed missions together, sometimes moonlighting as bounty hunters, exchanging captured targets for money at underground exchange offices.
This time, they were lucky enough to encounter a marked man with a bounty on his head. Orochimaru and Sasori killed him easily and had come here to collect the reward.
Orochimaru was entirely unfazed by Sasori's thinly veiled disdain, even letting out a light chuckle. His expression remained calm as he distractedly observed their surroundings, though in reality he kept perfect pace with Sasori.
Soon, the two arrived at a certain counter. Sasori pulled out a scroll from within his robe, formed hand seals, and with a loud bang, a preserved human head appeared on the table.
The staff, accustomed to such scenes, didn't so much as flinch. One of them leaned closer, examined the head carefully, then took it away. Picking up a notebook, he flipped to the correct page and crossed out a name.
"Tetsu Kō, disciple of General Mifune of the Land of Iron. Bounty: three million ryō."
After speaking, another staff member disappeared into the back and returned with a box full of money.
Sasori opened the box, counted the bills carefully, then nodded in satisfaction and left without another word.
"The usual," he said flatly, carrying the payment.
Orochimaru did not follow immediately. Instead, he wandered the black market alone. This had been their arrangement: after business was concluded, they would act freely and meet at the entrance two hours later.
Sasori usually searched for puppet materials. Orochimaru, on the other hand, sought rare scrolls or second-hand research notes.
Less than two hours later, they regrouped and departed the underground exchange office.
Three hours afterward, a tall figure in wooden clogs arrived at the same location.
It was Jiraiya.
His intelligence-gathering skills were unmatched. In just a few days, he had tracked Orochimaru and Sasori here. He was only a few hours behind them.
Following rumors of an underground exchange office in the town, Jiraiya found the entrance easily. He searched for Orochimaru inside, but the snake Sannin had already left. However, witnesses confirmed that a pale man suspected to be Orochimaru had been in the town earlier.
"It matches the intelligence I gathered. Orochimaru really did join that group called Akatsuki… and his current partner must be Sasori of the Red Sand."
Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. He had been following leads for days, and everything lined up. He was close—so close to cornering Orochimaru.
A flicker of excitement ran through him, though it was tempered by doubt. Orochimaru was now with Akatsuki. Would he even agree to return to Konoha?
Originally, Jiraiya had sought Tsunade for help, but she had refused. Orochimaru had been his second option. While searching, he had also uncovered surprising intelligence: Konoha was not as broken as he had feared after the Third Hokage's death.
If the village still stood strong, then perhaps he could accept his teacher's death.
"Never mind," Jiraiya thought, steadying himself. "Hearing is one thing, seeing is another. I need to return myself to know the truth."
Resolving his mind, he increased his speed. His figure flickered through the forest, branches shaking violently in his wake.
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Hokage's Office, Konoha
Fugaku Uchiha had just turned off his computer and stood up to leave for the day.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed outside his door, followed by a knock.
He sat back down. "Come in."
The door opened. Uchiha Setsuna entered, his expression solemn yet tinged with excitement.
"Clan Leader!"
Fugaku frowned. "In the compound, that title is fine. But here, in the Hokage Building—what do you call me?"
Setsuna immediately corrected himself. "Hokage-sama!"
"Good." Fugaku nodded with satisfaction. "Now, what is it?"
Setsuna bowed slightly, his voice urgent. "Our spy in Kumogakure reports that the Hidden Cloud has dispatched a unit toward the Fire Country border. They're expected to arrive at the outpost in about two days."
"Oh? So the Fourth Raikage couldn't hold himself back after all?" A sly smile crossed Fugaku's face.
He had deliberately allowed spies from other villages to escape before. Clearly, A had taken the bait. If Fugaku waited longer, perhaps even Ōnoki of Iwagakure would be unable to resist.
But Fugaku had no intention of waiting. The Raikage was infamous for his arrogance—today, he would teach him the true terror of the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. He would let him witness the overwhelming might of a Complete Body Susanoo.
"According to the plan," Fugaku ordered, "have the border outpost withdraw its forces at the right time."
"Yes, Hokage-sama!" Setsuna replied with excitement, hurrying out to deliver the orders.
For decades, ever since Madara's era, he had not witnessed the godlike destructive power of a full Susanoo. Now, at last, he would see it again. His heart burned with anticipation.
Meanwhile, Fugaku began to prepare, donning the ceremonial robes of the Fifth Hokage.
Today, he would not merely repel an invasion. He would march into the Land of Lightning itself, to strike directly at Kumogakure.
He needed a just cause for war. His rise to Hokage had been bloody, achieved through the assassination of the Third. Many in Konoha still doubted him. If he rushed into war without reason, no one outside the Uchiha would follow him.
But now Kumogakure had provided the perfect justification by invading first.
With this war, Fugaku would demonstrate his unparalleled power. When the shinobi of Konoha saw his Eternal Mangekyō and Complete Body Susanoo obliterate their enemies, who would dare doubt him again?
The time for his true reign to begin had come.
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