Chapter 32 – The Hidden Sand's Movements
This unexpected opportunity was directly tied to Sunagakure's (the Hidden Sand Village's) recent activity on the battlefield.
Unlike Konohagakure, which was wealthy and well-resourced enough to endure simultaneous wars on multiple fronts,
the Hidden Sand simply couldn't afford it.
Engaging Konoha, Iwagakure, and Kirigakure all at once had become an overwhelming burden for a village that wasn't particularly affluent to begin with.
As the fighting with Iwagakure began to escalate, the Sand's leadership came to a decision—
they needed to end the war with Konoha quickly and simultaneously accelerate peace talks with the Hidden Mist,
so they could shift their full attention toward the growing threat from the Hidden Stone.
But to bring a swift end to the war with Konoha, they would need to increase their military pressure.
The problem?
They no longer had the strength or resources to do that.
After much deliberation, Sunagakure's high council devised a plan:
They decided to bring back two veteran shinobi from semi-retirement—
the legendary elders Chiyo and Ebizō.
They hoped that with the two former powerhouses rejoining the field, they could tip the scales and influence the battlefield in their favor.
---
One day, a small Konoha squad came across a group of Sand ninja.
A fierce battle broke out almost immediately.
At first, the fight didn't seem any different from previous skirmishes.
Both sides exchanged blows and suffered light casualties.
But soon, the Leaf shinobi began to notice something unusual—
this particular Sand unit seemed… hesitant.
Their fighting spirit was noticeably weaker.
As soon as a few of their own were injured, they withdrew almost immediately,
unlike the typical Sand units who would often fight to the bitter end.
Puzzled, the Konoha ninja disengaged and returned to their camp.
Nearly everyone in the squad had sustained minor injuries, but none were serious.
Still, they knew well how dangerous the Hidden Sand could be—especially when it came to poison.
So they conducted a thorough examination just to be safe.
Konoha had long since developed standard protocols to deal with Sunagakure's poisons.
Their weapons were almost always coated with toxins, a fact that Konoha's forces had adapted to through years of conflict.
Every Konoha squad now carried antidote pills, and every field camp was staffed with med-nin well-versed in detoxification techniques.
As long as treatment was administered quickly, most poisons from the Hidden Sand were not fatal.
This time, too, the Leaf shinobi all took their antidotes promptly, underwent full-body scans, and allowed the med-nin to purge any residual toxins.
Everything seemed under control—
—but they couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that something was… off.
At first, nothing seemed unusual. With no further symptoms appearing, the Konoha shinobi returned to their tents to rest.
But that night, something strange happened.
Every member of the squad that had clashed with the Sand ninja earlier suddenly began exhibiting signs of poisoning—despite all having undergone treatment.
The med-nin in the camp were baffled. They had already removed all known toxins, so how could poisoning still occur?
They launched a thorough investigation. After hours of meticulous analysis, they finally discovered the cause:
In addition to the typical Sand poisons, a new, slow-acting toxin had been secretly introduced into their bodies.
This toxin remained hidden and dormant, evading detection during standard detox procedures.
Even after the surface-level poisons were neutralized, this new agent lingered silently, only to erupt hours later—and once it activated, it was nearly impossible to cure.
Though they had identified the source, the poison was so unusually complex that even the most experienced med-nin were at a loss.
Despite trying every known method, none could completely neutralize the toxin.
All they could do was use medical ninjutsu to sustain the victims' lives, slowing the progression of the poison in the hope of finding a cure before it was too late.
But even this bought only a little time.
The condition of the poisoned shinobi worsened rapidly, their bodies growing weaker by the hour—death was fast approaching.
Soon, other field camps reported similar cases.
That's when Konoha finally realized the gravity of the situation.
After extensive probing and intelligence gathering, the truth came out:
This was the work of Chiyo, the Hidden Sand's poison expert and one of their war council elders.
No one else in Sunagakure had the knowledge or skill to create such a terrifying and insidious toxin.
With time running out, the camp where the first cases emerged urgently requested backup—
more experienced med-nin were needed to analyze the poison and collaborate on developing a cure.
As a medical ninja, Nan was informed almost immediately.
He had been looking for a way to get away from Orochimaru, and this opportunity was perfect. There was no way he'd let it slip by.
Nan approached Orochimaru, putting on a show of concern for the worsening front-line conditions.
He expressed his deep interest in poison research, stating that he hoped to be among those sent to help on the battlefield.
But deep down, Nan had no intention of returning.
He planned to use this assignment as a pretext to stay at the front lines until the war ended, far away from Orochimaru.
Though Orochimaru was reluctant to let Nan go, he knew that truly drawing the boy to his side couldn't be rushed.
It would take time, patience, and careful manipulation.
A medical ninja's curiosity about a new poison was perfectly natural. Given Nan's seemingly reasonable request, Orochimaru had no choice but to agree.
Nan was thrilled. Finally, a way out.
If he had wings or rocket boosters, he would've flown straight to the battlefield that instant—just to be rid of the snake-like Sannin.
Of course, he didn't show any of that on the surface.
Instead, he acted reluctant and sentimental, putting on a touching farewell.
He told Orochimaru that he had learned so much these past few months, and felt saddened by their temporary separation—pretending that Orochimaru's brainwashing had worked.
The truth was, although he had indeed learned a lot, he still hadn't acquired the most critical things he needed—like the Ryūchi Cave scroll or cells from the First Hokage.
If Orochimaru ever realized Nan wasn't loyal and gave up on him, he might never get another chance to access those things.
And sure enough, Orochimaru fell for it.
Watching Nan's reluctant farewell, he became convinced that his plan was working—that Nan was already emotionally dependent on him.
Orochimaru smirked to himself:
"Still just a child. A few well-placed tricks, and he's already eating out of my hand.
It won't take long before he becomes truly mine."
He patted Nan on the head and said reassuringly:
"Don't worry. This separation is only temporary. Every shinobi must eventually face things on their own.
You're smart and talented. I believe you have the strength to overcome this.
Once this is over, I'll bring you back personally."
Nan responded with the wide-eyed joy of a child receiving praise:
"Thank you, Orochimaru-sensei! I'll do my best to find a cure and return to your side as soon as I can!"
But in his heart, Nan had already made up his mind:
He wasn't going back.
Once he arrived at the front lines, he would claim that witnessing the harsh reality of war had moved him deeply.
He would say he wanted to stay and contribute more.
And even if Orochimaru tried to call him back—he would simply refuse.
After all, who would suspect a six-year-old of scheming and lying?
His age gave him a valuable shield: no one expects a child to be manipulative.
---
And so, Nan set out with the medical reinforcement unit, arriving at the front-line camp where the poisoning was first reported.
This time, he came alone—neither Anko nor Hayate accompanied him.
Though they were part of the same team, they were still fresh genin.
Even in a support role, the front lines were far too dangerous for them.
It was safer for them to remain with Orochimaru.
As soon as Nan stepped into the camp, he felt like a free bird soaring under open skies.
Finally free from Orochimaru's watchful eye, he became even more determined to stay at the front and never look back.
But it didn't take long for him to realize—
the front lines were nothing like the safety and routine of the rear command.
Things here were very, very different.