Chapter 174. Orochimaru’s Strategy

Chapter 174 - 174. Orochimaru’s StrategyIn less than a day, the news of Tsunade, Hanekawa, and their team eliminating the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist and forcing the Mist Village to retreat had spread throughout the Hidden Leaf Village. This resounding victory sparked celebrations among both ninjas and ordinary villagers. Tsunade's reputation rose even further, though it had already been significant; this achievement merely added to her legacy. However, the biggest beneficiary was Hanekawa. Having defeated Kuriarare Kushimaru, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, on his own, he earned newfound respect. Now, Hanekawa was recognized as the true number one among the younger generation, surpassing even the fame Minato Namikaze once held. Sёarᴄh the nôvel_Fire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Among the various ninja clans, the Hyuga clan was the most thrilled. Their decision to back Tsunade had proven to be a massive success. The only regret Hyuga Hiashi felt was that Hanekawa had stolen the spotlight. If a Hyuga ninja had discovered the Mist Village's main base, the victory would have been perfect. As it stood, their contributions were significant but not extraordinary. Yet, compared to others, they fared well. Hiashi couldn't help but laugh when he thought of the Uchiha clan's predicament. Both the Hyuga and Uchiha clans were prominent dojutsu clans in the village, and their rivalry was longstanding. Now, the Hyuga clan's successful investment in Tsunade highlighted the Uchiha clan's failure in backing Orochimaru, even if they were forced into it. This news didn't just spread through the Hidden Leaf but reached other villages and even the Land of Frost. --- Leaf Village Headquarters Orochimaru stared at the map in front of him, his brows furrowed. Over the past half month, he had suffered several setbacks at the hands of the Hidden Cloud Village. The most significant blow came when he fell into a trap laid by A and Killer B, losing over a hundred ninjas, including many Jonin. Although Orochimaru had sensed something was amiss, he allowed the trap to spring, partly due to pressure from Danzo Shimura and partly due to his own confidence. However, he underestimated the Hidden Cloud Village's resolve. They deployed two fully transformed Jinchuriki in a single battle, resulting in devastating losses. Even so, there were some gains—Orochimaru had secretly acquired several Sharingan eyes. Footsteps suddenly echoed outside the tent. Without turning, Orochimaru already knew who it was—Danzo Shimura. No one else would dare barge into his tent unannounced. "Orochimaru!" Danzo stopped in his tracks, his tone tinged with displeasure. "What is it?" Orochimaru glanced at him casually. "Has the Hidden Cloud Village made another move?" "No, it's about Tsunade!" Danzo replied, his expression dark. "What did she do this time?" Orochimaru asked, unhurried. "Did more of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen die?" "They're all dead!" Danzo said bitterly. "The Mist Village has retreated, and Tsunade has earned all the glory. Our position is becoming precarious!" Orochimaru was momentarily stunned. Although he knew the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were no match for Tsunade, he hadn't expected them to be completely wiped out in less than half a month. "In hindsight, we should never have taken on the Hidden Cloud Village battlefield!" Danzo muttered, regretful of his eagerness during the Jonin meeting. Their initial plan was simple: 1. Seize Tsunade's role as commander to prevent her from gaining more achievements, allowing Orochimaru to take sole credit for repelling the Hidden Cloud. 2. Underestimate the A and Killer B duo, assuming they were nothing special since Minato Namikaze, Jiraiya's student, had managed to fend them off before. "If you had gone to the Mist Village battlefield, all the credit would be yours now," Danzo lamented. "There are no 'what-ifs' in this world," Orochimaru replied expressionlessly. "Things haven't reached their worst yet. Why panic?" "Do you have a plan?" Danzo asked eagerly. "Not yet," Orochimaru said with a faint smile. "But no matter how long it takes, defeating the Hidden Cloud Village will surpass anything Tsunade has done." Danzo frowned. The Hidden Cloud was the most formidable of their enemies and the hardest to defeat. However, the rewards of such a victory would be immense. Still, Danzo couldn't afford failure. Orochimaru's lack of certainty only deepened his anxiety. "What did the old man say about deploying the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?" Orochimaru asked, uninterested in Danzo's inner turmoil. After all, Orochimaru's participation in the war was primarily for experimental materials. As for becoming Hokage? He left that to fate. Competing with Tsunade wasn't particularly embarrassing if he lost. "He didn't agree," Danzo Shimura said, his face full of dissatisfaction. The Hidden Cloud Village had already deployed the Two-Tails and Eight-Tails Jinchuriki. Logically, tailed beasts should be countered with other tailed beasts, so the Nine-Tails should have been brought into the fight by the Hidden Leaf Village. To Danzo, Hiruzen Sarutobi's refusal was a betrayal of their old comradeship, an unforgivable act. He had worked so diligently for the Hidden Leaf and for Hiruzen, yet this was the cold response he received. "That does fit his style. He won't use the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki unless it's an absolute last resort," Orochimaru said thoughtfully. "Why not ask him to send Hatake Sakumo's team instead?" "Hatake Sakumo?" Danzo looked surprised. "Aren't you worried he'll steal the glory?" Orochimaru's expression twitched slightly. This old fool doesn't understand the current situation. "Is stealing credit really our concern right now? The question is whether there will even be any credit to take." "I am the commander," Orochimaru said, shaking his head. "If he tries to claim the glory, it won't be so easy. Besides, my target isn't him." "Not him?" Danzo was momentarily stunned. "Then who is it?" "Sarutobi Asuma," Orochimaru said with a faint smile. "He is the key to leveraging the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki." "As expected of you!" Danzo's eyes lit up, a smile spreading across his face. --- Earth Country, Hidden Stone Village, Tsuchikage's Office "Father," Kitsuchi said as he entered, his large frame filling the doorway. "We've just received intelligence regarding the Hidden Leaf and Mist Villages." "Only half a month, and there are already results?" Onoki, sitting in the Tsuchikage's chair, raised an eyebrow in surprise. "It is rather unexpected," Kitsuchi replied, handing over a scroll. "Take a look." Onoki opened the scroll and began reading. His expression quickly turned to astonishment. "The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were weaker than I thought," he said, setting the scroll down with a shake of his head. "I had expected the Mist Village to drain more of the Hidden Leaf's resources." His strategy had been straightforward—let the Hidden Leaf and its enemies weaken each other, then swoop in as the opportunistic third party. The Mist Village's involvement was supposed to serve as a means of exhausting and distracting the Hidden Leaf. But now, it seemed the Mist Village was utterly useless, retreating in disgrace in less than half a month. "What should we do now?" Kitsuchi asked, looking to Onoki for guidance. "We need to choose a target," Onoki mused. "Who do you think we should strike?" "The Hidden Cloud Village," Kitsuchi replied after a moment. "The Hidden Leaf Village is a key battleground. The other villages won't stand idly by if we try to take it." "Indeed," Onoki said with a laugh. "Attacking the Hidden Cloud won't draw interference from the Hidden Leaf or the Hidden Sand. They might even lend us a hand." "They won't interfere at first, but later on, it might become a problem," Kitsuchi said hesitantly. "The Hidden Leaf and Hidden Sand won't want us to conquer the Hidden Cloud Village." "True, which is why we need to act swiftly," Onoki agreed. "When should we mobilize?" Kitsuchi asked. "We can't attack the Hidden Cloud directly. They're already on high alert against us," Onoki said gravely. "First, we feign an assault on the Hidden Leaf Village to create a distraction. Then we move our forces against the Hidden Cloud and take them down quickly." "Understood, Father!" Kitsuchi said with admiration. "As for when to mobilize, we wait," Onoki said, stroking his beard confidently. "The Hidden Leaf isn't putting enough pressure on the Hidden Cloud yet. Once they relax their vigilance toward us, we'll strike." --- Time passed quickly, and September arrived. Since the Mist Village's retreat, the island had become peaceful. Aside from patrol duties, there were no other missions, leaving everyone with a lot of leisure time. For Hanekawa, Rin Nohara, and Kurenai Yuhi, this was the perfect opportunity to train and learn new ninjutsu. "Go for it, Kurenai!" Rin clenched her fists with a gentle smile. "Don't worry! This time, I'll definitely beat him!" Kurenai said confidently, glaring at Hanekawa. "Is that so?" Hanekawa smirked at her determined expression. "And if you lose?" "Then I lose! So what?" Kurenai retorted, puffing out her chest. "Shall we start now?" Hanekawa asked with a smile, not planning anything drastic if he won. "Bring it on!" Kurenai took a deep breath, her expression growing serious. They were sparring—but not just any sparring. This was a learning match focused on the Hiding in Mist Technique. Foggy conditions affected most ninjas, including the user, unless they had special eyes like the Byakugan. Without such an advantage, mastering combat in dense mist required extensive training to adapt to the conditions. After two weeks of practice, both Hanekawa and Kurenai had learned the Hiding in Mist Technique and were now undergoing specialized training. Their rules were simple: in the dense fog, whoever caught the other first would be the winner. Other than that, they were prohibited from using any ninjutsu, but they could make use of naturally occurring elements like sand and stones. Water Style: Hiding in Mist Jutsu! Hanekawa and Kurenai performed the hand seals simultaneously, releasing a thick fog that engulfed them completely. Rin Nohara widened her eyes in anticipation. Even though she couldn't see through the mist, she was eager to know the result. However, so far, Kurenai had always lost—she hadn't won a single match. Inside the dense fog, Hanekawa's visibility dropped to less than a meter. This was the moment to rely on his auditory skills. For most ninjas, being surrounded by thick mist would lead to panic and unintentional noise, which the user could exploit to launch a sneak attack. Hanekawa stood still, listening carefully. As expected, there wasn't a single sound. But he didn't rush. Based on his understanding of Kurenai, she wouldn't be able to stay patient for long. Moments later, a small stone fell to his left, followed by faint footsteps—then another stone drop. Using the sound of stones to mask her footsteps? Hanekawa raised an eyebrow. After so many losses, Kurenai had clearly learned a thing or two. Unfortunately for her, Hanekawa could easily distinguish between the two types of sounds, thanks to his abilities as a sensory ninja. This skill was one of the basics for a ninja like him. Quietly, Hanekawa moved forward and soon spotted Kurenai sneaking through the fog. After a brief moment of thought, he circled behind her. Just then, Kurenai abruptly turned around. But Hanekawa was quicker, stepping back just in time. Kurenai gritted her teeth in frustration. Hanekawa understood her well, but she also understood him. She was certain he was nearby and had hoped her sudden turn would catch him off guard. However, it didn't work. Feeling a bit awkward, she stood still, trying to think of her next move. Suddenly, a stone fell behind her, and she instinctively started to turn—only to stop herself. Hanekawa wouldn't reveal his position so easily. He must be in front of me! Kurenai lunged forward, but all she caught was empty air. The next moment, she felt a tap on her shoulder. "Darn it!" Her expression froze as she turned around to see Hanekawa smiling at her. Frustrated, she raised her fist and lightly hit him twice. "I'll let you win next time!" Hanekawa caught her small hand and grinned. "No need to let me win." Kurenai rolled her eyes. "I don't want your pity!" Although she kept losing, her progress was obvious, and winning or losing didn't matter much to her. "Do you want to go again?" Hanekawa gently stroked the back of her hand as he asked. "Once a day is enough," Kurenai replied, shaking her head. "I still need to train in genjutsu and Water Style." She had been left out of the attack on the Mist Village's base because her skills weren't strong enough. Now, her goal was to quickly reach the level of a special jonin or even a full jonin. "Understood." Hanekawa released her hand and used a Wind Style jutsu to disperse the fog. "Who won?" Rin Nohara asked curiously. "The winner doesn't matter!" Kurenai cleared her throat and avoided answering. Rin immediately understood that Kurenai had lost again. A predictable result. --- "Hanekawa, come here." At that moment, Tsunade emerged from the main tent and gestured for them to approach. The three quickly walked over. "I've just discussed things with Baki from the Sand Village. They'll stay here to guard the island, while we return to the Hidden Leaf Village," Tsunade said with a smile. "That's great!" Kurenai exclaimed, her face lighting up. "We can finally go home!" Hanekawa let out a quiet sigh of relief. He had been eager to leave the island for a while now. Seeing the sea every day and eating seafood all the time was starting to wear him down. The Hidden Leaf Village was far better in comparison. "Pack your things. We'll leave tomorrow morning," Tsunade instructed before turning to Nara Shikaku to relay the message to the rest of the camp. Cheers erupted among the Hidden Leaf ninjas in the camp. Meanwhile, the Sand Village ninjas looked on with envy. The difference in power was undeniable. The Sand Village couldn't afford to leave. If the Mist Village launched a counterattack, their defenses would crumble. The Hidden Leaf, on the other hand, had the strength to respond quickly, a luxury the Sand Village didn't possess. 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