"Lord Orochimaru, let's retreat!" a Konoha-nin shouted loudly. "We can't hold this position."
There are too many enemies!!!
If this continues, we might all die here!
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, looking at the defensive map before him, and sighed inwardly. Against absolute strength, any strategy is useless!
"We cannot retreat," Orochimaru said with a sigh. "If we retreat, we'll reach the border of the Land of Fire!"
Why did they set the battlefield in the Land of Rain?
Wasn't it to minimize the risk of war reaching the Land of Fire?
"But..." The Konoha-nin hesitated but decided to speak up. "We will die!!!"
There's no need for meaningless sacrifices. With Konoha facing three major villages and Amegakure, there's simply no hope!
"..."
A moment of silence.
"Isn't this what shinobi are?" Orochimaru said with a distant look in his eyes. "Sacrificing ourselves to protect."
...
September, Year 32 of Konoha.
"Has the academy been properly arranged?" Sarutobi Hiruzen took a puff of his pipe and looked at Koharu Utatane before him. "No matter what, you must ensure the safety of the children. They..."
"Are the future of Konoha!!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen stood up, clasped his hands behind his back, and walked to the balcony. Looking down at the children with smiles on their faces below, he said with a smile, "Where the leaves dance, the fire burns bright. The flames will continue to illuminate the village, allowing new leaves to sprout."
"The youth will eventually become the pillars of Konoha's future!"
"Everything has been arranged," Koharu Utatane nodded and said. "But there's one issue that requires your decision."
War inevitably brings death.
Now, all she can do is ensure the front lines take extra care of these children.
"What is it?" Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned. "You must understand that Konoha cannot afford any mishaps right now!"
Has some clan refused to cooperate?
"Nawaki also wants to go on missions outside the village," Koharu Utatane said helplessly. "His teacher is being driven mad by his persistence!"
"Didn't I say that under no circumstances are those two allowed to leave the village?" Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned. "This is simply reckless!"
"That girl, isn't causing any trouble," Koharu Utatane shook her head and said calmly, looking at Sarutobi Hiruzen. "But..."
"We promised Lady Mito to let her have a happy childhood."
"I am acting according to Lady Mito's wishes," Sarutobi Hiruzen took a puff of his pipe and said helplessly. "Those who have experienced war yearn for peace more than anyone else."
"Perhaps staying in the village is what she truly wants."
"As for Nawaki..."
"Wood Release..." Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes showed a trace of confusion. Finally, he sighed and said, "Send him to Orochimaru."
"Perhaps the fall of the Senju clan will awaken his potential."
"You..." Koharu Utatane's eyes widened upon hearing Sarutobi Hiruzen's words. Finally, she sighed and said helplessly, "I will arrange it."
"At any rate, Tsunade and Nawaki are the last of the Senju clan in Konoha."
"I hope you won't go too far."
"Ah!" Sarutobi Hiruzen waved his hand. "I'll have Orochimaru look after him."
Wood Release...
Perhaps Konoha can produce another God of Shinobi.
...
Mid-September, Year 32 of Konoha.
Due to Konoha's dire situation, Advisor Koharu Utatane proposed to the Hokage that most students of the Konoha Shinobi Academy graduate early and enter the battlefield.
This was to alleviate Konoha's current issue of scattered forces.
That same afternoon, the Hokage personally visited the academy to apologize. He also encouraged the students, making them understand that they were Konoha's future and that they must prioritize their safety.
He also spoke of the Will of Fire.
Instantly, it ignited the dreams of countless children aspiring to become Hokage!
...
Konoha Battlefront.
"This absolutely won't work!!" Orochimaru frowned as he looked at the allied forces of the three villages in the distance.
He knew that if things continued like this, the defensive line would eventually collapse...
Konoha's shinobi are too few in number!!
Even he, the commanding officer, had to personally enter the battlefield. This showed just how severe the situation had become.
"They're attacking again!" Orochimaru sighed as he saw the enemy forces launching another assault. "Order the troops to hold their positions!"
"No matter what, we must defend this line!!!"
"Yes."
...
Land of Whirlpools.
An elderly man with gray hair walked slowly along the road, leaning on a cane.
Uchiha Madara was curious about everything in the Land of Whirlpools.
What was it that allowed the civilians and shinobi of this country to coexist peacefully, without any barriers between them?
"The Constitution of the Land of Whirlpools?" Madara murmured. "What a strange thing."
Tobi had gone to work early in the morning. He heard it was at some place that took care of children, called a... daycare center?
But...
"The owner of that daycare must be an idiot," Madara shook his head helplessly. Otherwise, why would anyone hire someone who only knows how to poop to teach children how to draw?
"Hmm?" Uchiha Madara looked at the trees around him and murmured, "I've walked quite far."
He remembered this place was near the farmland of the Land of Whirlpools, an undeveloped mountainous area.
"Time to head back," Madara glanced at the setting sun and sighed. "Tobi should be getting off work soon."
If he didn't see Madara, he'd start panicking again.
However...
Just as Madara was about to turn and leave, he suddenly stopped. Frowning, he turned his head and looked deep into the forest.
"This disturbance..."
"Who could it be?"
...
"We can't hold on, Lord Orochimaru," a Konoha-nin said with grief. "Let's retreat! The Hokage will understand."
"Silence!" Orochimaru's eyes turned icy as he glared at him. "If you spread panic among the ranks again, I'll kill you!"
"But... but..." The Konoha-nin, who had been about to say more, sighed inwardly upon seeing Orochimaru's expression. He shouted, "Yes, sir!"
However...
Orochimaru also knew the situation was truly dire. A bitter smile appeared on his face as he murmured, "It seems I'll really die here this time."
He hadn't even begun to uncover the secrets of life, the mysteries of immortality. There were still so many things...
He hadn't done yet!!
"Where the hell is that idiot Jiraiya?" Orochimaru's face twisted with frustration. "If he doesn't come soon, Konoha will..."
But before he could finish...
"BOOM—"
A deafening explosion resounded across the battlefield, kicking up a massive cloud of dust...
Instantly, the eyes of everyone on the battlefield were drawn to it.
"Finally here, huh?" Orochimaru's lips curled into a smirk.
Soon, the dust settled...
"I, the Gallant Jiraiya, have arrived—ah-choo! Which lovely lady is thinking of me?"
A white-haired young man in armor stood atop a giant toad, rubbing his nose with a lecherous grin.
"Jiraiya, maybe you should look at the situation first?" The giant red toad below him took a puff from its pipe and said helplessly. "This is a battlef—"
Before it could finish...
"KILL HIM!!"
Instantly, every shinobi except the Konoha-nin charged at Jiraiya!
"That idiot!!" Orochimaru facepalmed. "What a complete moron!"