Once all preparations were complete, Senju Haruto and Orochimaru launched their operation.
To seize Wakanda's territory outright, Orochimaru had gathered every test subject and convict from his research labs, along with shinobi from the Sound Village.
On top of that, Haruto had mobilized several hundred jōnin from the ANBU, forcing the total force to over ten thousand.
And without exception, every single one of them had ingested the potion derived from the Heart-Shaped Herb, which massively enhanced their bodies.
In particular, Haruto had noticed something astonishing when the ANBU consumed it.
The herb didn't just strengthen their physical bodies.
It multiplied their chakra reserves several times over.
After all, chakra itself was the fusion of physical and spiritual energy.
A substance that bolstered both the body and the mind would, naturally, increase chakra as well.
From that perspective, even though the Heart-Shaped Herb offered little personal benefit to Haruto himself, it was still a remarkable reward—
A resource that, used wisely, could elevate the military strength of the entire Land of Fire.
But before that could happen, Haruto had decided on his first move.
Conquer Wakanda.
Then advance his plans to the next stage.
"Ready, Orochimaru?" Haruto asked, amusement flickering in his tone.
For this offensive, he had no intention of lifting a finger himself.
He would leave the entire task to Orochimaru.
After all, this invasion of Wakanda was, more than anything, a test.
Orochimaru brimmed with confidence.
Among the prisoners taken from his research, several bore cursed seals.
Though all of them had originally failed and been unable to withstand that power—
After consuming the Heart-Shaped Herb, their bodies had grown strong enough to adapt, and gradually, they had mastered the seals.
It was no exaggeration to say that Orochimaru now commanded enough power to utterly destroy Konohagakure if he so wished.
But…
That desire was long gone.
He no longer had reason to destroy the Leaf.
Now, his obsession was with Wakanda—
This land that, according to Haruto, had advanced technologies crafted from Vibranium.
Nor was that all.
Beyond the cursed seals and the herbs, Orochimaru had prepared a vast arsenal of firearms and chakra-infused bullets.
And within this army marched Kimimaro, wielder of a formidable kekkei genkai.
In the original path of fate, Kimimaro was doomed to die of illness.
But for Haruto, such incurable diseases no longer existed.
Whether by healing magic or the Six Paths' yang energy, curing him was trivial.
And Haruto himself was curious.
If Kimimaro's life were allowed to run its course, just how far could his strength ascend?
With everything ready, Haruto opened a portal before Orochimaru and the others.
A rift between nations—linking the Land of Fire to Wakanda's grasslands.
The shinobi world had yet to achieve modern technology.
Ships? Automobiles? Even the simplest machines were unheard of.
So rather than waste time ferrying troops across distance, this was far more efficient.
The prisoners stared wide-eyed, their breath catching as they saw Haruto tear space itself apart.
They may have been captives, but they weren't fools.
They could tell easily enough who held dominance between Haruto and Orochimaru.
Especially the Sound shinobi, who had heard countless tales of Haruto's name.
The man who surpassed the Sage of Six Paths.
The one who had unified the shinobi world.
His power, his authority, his very existence—greater than Orochimaru's by far.
Yet even they hadn't expected this.
That Haruto possessed the ability to rend reality open.
"Heart-Shaped Herbs… chakra bullets…"
Kabuto swallowed nervously.
"If Lord Hokage truly wished it, he wouldn't even need us. He could wipe Wakanda from the map himself."
Though he didn't fully grasp what Vibranium technology was capable of, Kabuto had no doubt—
Nothing Wakanda had could compare to the might of Senju Haruto.
To him, this wasn't war at all.
It was amusement.
The prisoners clashing with Wakanda's warriors—mere spectacle to entertain Haruto.
That was, at least, how Kabuto saw it.
"What a vast plain," Orochimaru murmured, spreading his arms, eyes sweeping across the endless greenery.
The wind carried through the portal, invigorating him.
With Haruto's power, they could have dropped this force directly into Wakanda's rear, collapsing it in chaos.
But that would have been too dull.
No—this was more interesting.
At Haruto's command, Orochimaru advanced.
Kabuto. Kimimaro. Jūgo. Suigetsu. The Sound Four.
The shinobi of the Sound Village.
The research convicts.
All in perfect order, they surged forward.
Until at last, the final soldier had crossed the threshold into Wakandan soil.
Haruto crossed his arms, closing the portal behind them.
He remained at the rear, content to observe.
For he knew—
The surge of energy unleashed just now was impossible for Wakanda to miss.
Their technology would detect it without fail.
Now, he only had to wait.
Meanwhile, in Wakanda's command center—
Princess Shuri stood at the forefront, leading the nation's most elite minds and warriors in preparing defenses.
Every one of them was convinced.
Haruto, and the foreign military powers aligned with him, would return.
Their greed and ambition would never leave Wakanda's Vibranium untouched.
But Shuri hadn't expected them to come so soon.
Not while her brother T'Challa was still undergoing the ritual to become the Black Panther.
The demons had already returned.
"Damn it!"
Shuri slammed her fist onto the table.
"Send word immediately! Alert W'Kabi, alert the tribal leaders!"
"Tell every single one of them to prepare for battle, now!"
Her voice thundered across the chamber, no room for hesitation.
She knew it in her heart.
The fight ahead could decide Wakanda's survival itself.
But then—
A troubling thought struck her.
The surge of energy… it had been unmistakably magical. A spatial summoning.
They must have used it to deploy soldiers directly onto Wakanda's plains.
Yet…
The satellite reports showed something strange.
Once their numbers had fully assembled, the enemy did not strike.
They didn't advance.
They simply stood there.
As though waiting.
"…Don't tell me…"
Shuri's mind buzzed with realization, her heart pounding.
They were waiting for Wakanda to gather its army.