"Huh?"
"That's the puppet that destroyed the trap earlier..."
Suddenly, Gekko Chizan spotted a giant puppet standing firm amidst the sea of snakes, unmoved even as the long serpents slammed into it.
Because Orochimaru and Sarutobi Shinnosuke were nearby, he didn't mention the name of the Salamander.
"So that's Chiyo's grandson?"
"A puppet of decent quality."
Orochimaru and Sarutobi Shinnosuke also noticed the Salamander and couldn't help but comment.
Every shinobi village has its own geniuses, and it was obvious that Chiyo's grandson was one of them.
"Tch, trying to hide behind a puppet?"
"In your dreams."
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
Gekko Chizan wasn't about to let Sasori go. This was a perfect opportunity—he had to let the infamous Sasori experience a snake bath firsthand.
This time, the long snakes shot straight for the joint beneath the Salamander's shield.
Having read the original work, he naturally knew the Salamander's weak point.
Under the impact of the snake drive, the armor on the Salamander's back instantly began to shake and then fell off completely.
Sasori, originally hidden inside the Salamander, was suddenly exposed.
"Impossible! He actually figured out the Salamander's weakness!"
"Aaaaahhhhhh! Snakes!!!"
No matter how much of a genius Sasori was, he was still just a boy. As his defenses were broken, a multitude of snakes slithered across his body.
At that moment, he completely broke down. His blood-curdling scream echoed through the entire forest!
[Ding! Detected that the host has broken through Sasori's puppet defense, deeply shocking him and subsequently bathing him in a sea of snakes, intensifying his fear and hatred of snakes, and indirectly adding a new enemy for Orochimaru. Successfully disrupted two individuals. Special reward: Kekkei Genkai fusion progress +10% (current progress: 25%)]
Hearing the familiar system prompt, and seeing Sasori's now blank, lifeless eyes, Gekko Chizan grinned.
"Mission accomplished. I bet their side took heavy losses too."
"But given the situation... maybe we should add some fuel to the fire?"
Orochimaru and Sarutobi Shinnosuke looked toward Gekko Chizan, the three of them sharing a wicked smile.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow River!" — Sarutobi Shinnosuke!
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" — Gekko Chizan!
"Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!" — Orochimaru!
Combination jutsu—activate!
Snake swarm, earth river, flaming magma bullets.
The three-pronged assault let the Sunagakure vanguard truly feel Konoha's enthusiastic welcome.
As soon as the jutsu were unleashed, the three immediately retreated, leaving only a group of Sunagakure shinobi to flail helplessly in the sea of snakes and flames.
Once the fire died down and the sea of snakes stilled—
The 200-man team had been reduced to fewer than 80.
And those who survived were all wounded—some even had snakes still wrapped around them.
"Damn it! Damn you, Orochimaru! This isn't over!"
"I'll kill you! I'll turn you into a puppet!!"
"Ahhh! So gross!"
Forcing down his revulsion, Sasori used his puppet to extract himself from the Salamander. Landing on a tree trunk, his entire face was twisted with disgust.
Looking at the mangled corpses below, the fury in his heart was completely ignited.
Meanwhile, the trio responsible for the devastation swiftly withdrew to their own defensive position.
"Hahahahaha! That was amazing!"
"Number Six, your plan was brilliant! Just the three of us held off their whole squad. After that combo jutsu... who knows if anyone even survived!"
Even Sarutobi Shinnosuke, who had long fought on the front lines, had never felt this exhilarated.
First, summon beasts to distract.
Then, alter terrain to disrupt formations.
And finally—and most crucial—use the psychological terror of the snake swarm to crush morale.
Feint, ambush, snake swarm tactics, and combo ninjutsu.
Each step built on the last, striking deep into the enemy's heart. Perfect—utterly perfect.
"Hehehehe... Chizan-kun, I didn't expect you to be a tactician too."
"I'll make sure your contribution is recorded and reported to the Hokage."
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with complete satisfaction toward his student.
After all, being able to fight was one thing—knowing how to fight and how to launch a surprise attack was another.
Gekko Chizan simply smiled. After all, he had already gotten what he wanted.
Though he'd indirectly caused some trouble for his teacher Orochimaru... even if he hadn't gotten involved—
Sasori still despised Orochimaru, so what difference did it make~
Orochimaru: You truly are my good disciple. But really, so what if he hates me? He can't kill me anyway!
"Orochimaru, since our plan succeeded, Number Six and I will withdraw now."
"Since Sunagakure has initiated war, Iwagakure and Kumogakure are likely to act soon as well."
Orochimaru nodded. After all, he didn't oversee ANBU operations, and the two had their own missions.
Still, he added a few more words.
"Chizan-kun, we probably won't see each other for a while. When you return to the village, swing by my place—I've left you something. It might help you."
Gekko Chizan paused for a moment. Orochimaru left him something?
Was the sun rising from the north?
Seeing the surprised look on Gekko Chizan's face, Orochimaru added,
"Though... the seals, you'll have to handle on your own. Don't worry—they're not as bad as before."
"Only a few dozen or so."
Gekko Chizan: I #@#!@%!#
This definitely wasn't prepared just for me—otherwise, why so many seals???
As Gekko Chizan's silhouette disappeared into the distance, Orochimaru's lips curled into a faint smile.
"Chizan-kun, don't die now. The end of scientific research still awaits us to explore together."
...
Racing back to the village—
"Number Six, you can head home and rest. I'll report to the Hokage."
"But don't go out. If a mission comes, I'll need you back immediately. Understood?"
Gekko Chizan nodded. Since Sunagakure had already mobilized—
It meant war was coming, and as ANBU, they had to remain ready at all times.
But instead of going home, Gekko Chizan headed straight for Orochimaru's lab.
Just like Orochimaru had said—the door alone had over 20 seals.
Faced with the array of seals, Gekko Chizan turned green.
"Should I say my sensei is meticulous... or just utterly absurd?"
Chomei laughed heartily, finding Gekko Chizan dismantling Orochimaru's seals one by one absolutely hilarious.
After over two hours, Gekko Chizan finally stepped inside.
"Damn it, did he really have to go this far?"
"Poison gas, explosions, venomous snakes!"
"The worst part—he even rigged it with sulfuric acid!"
"I was this close to being disfigured!!"
Collapsing on the floor, Gekko Chizan was completely numb.
The sulfuric acid had come within 10 centimeters of him! If not for Chomei's quick reaction, using a burst of massive chakra to trigger an air blast—he'd be ruined now.
"Tsk tsk tsk, Chizan, I have to say, your sensei's incredible!"
"He's just like you—but he's on defense while you're on offense!"
Faced with Chomei's teasing, Gekko Chizan had no comeback.
Two whole hours just to get into the room—and there were still more seals waiting inside the research lab.
For a moment, he actually considered giving up. But then he remembered all the treasures inside Orochimaru's lab—and found his motivation again.
Thus unfolded Gekko Chizan's bittersweet regretful moment.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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