"Orochimaru, we of Kumogakure agree to end this war."
The Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, Killer Bee, had spoken on his own.
Right now, Kumogakure still held the advantage in numbers. If they dragged things out until Manda's summoning ended, they might even turn the battle back in their favor.
But that was only if Orochimaru wasn't factored in.
Normally, after so much fighting, his chakra should have been nearly drained. His unharmed appearance was most likely just a bluff.
But Killer Bee didn't dare gamble. This man was too mysterious, always pulling out some new trick. If the fight went on, who knew what else he would unleash.
More importantly, his brother's wound was serious.
Killer Bee glanced at the Raikage, who was being treated by medical ninja. The bleeding had been stopped for now, but the wound showed no signs of healing. He didn't know what kind of lasting damage it might bring, but he knew they couldn't waste time.
He knew his brother's temper well. As Raikage, he would never bow his head. That left the job to him.
As for the consequences of speaking without orders—Killer Bee didn't care. As Kumogakure's Jinchuriki, he had already borne much heavier burdens.
"Killer Bee, you…"
The Fourth Raikage pressed on his side. The brothers had always been in sync—he instantly understood what Bee was thinking.
But as Raikage, how could he let his brother carry the shame of losing a war for him?
He struggled to rise, but a tentacle pulled him back.
"Take the Fourth away. I'll cover the retreat."
Held down, the Raikage had no chance to speak again. The other Kumogakure shinobi dared not risk their leader's life. With a quick nod, they carried the Raikage away.
The massive body of the Eight-Tails slid behind them, retreating step by step.
The clouds broke apart. In the cool night wind, Orochimaru stood atop Manda's head, silent, letting Kumogakure's forces withdraw.
"Orochimaru-sama, aren't we going to chase them?"
Uchiha Fugaku couldn't help asking. Even a light pursuit now would cause Kumogakure no end of pain.
Orochimaru turned his head. Moonlight fell across his face, and Fugaku's heart skipped a beat.
The pale skin was now streaked with red. Beads of blood squirmed like insects, forcing their way from his pores. Underneath that skin, countless tiny vessels must have burst.
Only then did Fugaku realize Orochimaru's injuries hadn't healed at all. At a time like this, it was better not to stir up more trouble.
"Orochimaru, don't forget my payment—tenfold, and double the share!"
Manda's vertical pupils rolled up toward the man standing on his head. With a snarl, the giant snake vanished in a puff of white smoke.
"Hmph… stupid snake. I'll be sure to give you your 'payment' when the time comes."
Orochimaru adjusted himself in midair and landed firmly on the ground. His expression was dark, clearly dissatisfied with Manda's behavior.
Casting a glance at Fugaku, he ordered, "Gather the men. We're heading back to the fortress."
"Yes!"
…
Time passed. The sun rose, and soon it was dawn.
Compared to rushing to the battlefield, the march back to Konohagakure was much slower.
Partly because of exhaustion, partly because there were too many wounded and not enough medical ninja. They could only give emergency treatment to those who were badly injured. As for Orochimaru, whose medical ninjutsu was the best, he had used up too much chakra to step in.
So by the time daylight came, the group finally returned to the Konohagakure fortress.
The two Hokage advisors had sat waiting all night. When they heard the army was back, they quickly opened the fortress barrier and went out to meet them.
Utatane Koharu glanced at Orochimaru and asked, "How is it? What's the situation on the battlefield?"
After constant healing along the way, Orochimaru had recovered quite a bit, but his face was still pale and bloodless. Koharu couldn't see any difference, and when she asked, there was an anxious tone in her voice.
"At a time like this, you want to question me?"
Orochimaru's face darkened. He gave her a cold glance and walked straight into the fortress.
The Konohagakure ninja behind him also stayed silent and followed him in.
They had fought all night and rushed back and forth, completely exhausted. Some of the badly injured were still hanging on between life and death. Who would be in the mood to face questioning?
Of course, that was also because they had won. If it had been the other way around, they wouldn't dare act like this.
Seeing this, Koharu frowned, her old face filled with anger.
But Mitokado Homura noticed what was really going on. He quickly pulled her back and gave the order, "Gather the medical unit right away. Treat the wounded…"
As orders went out, the chunin guarding the fortress started moving.
The seriously wounded were taken over, and the Konohagakure troops scattered—some finding rooms to rest, others waiting for the cooking unit to start a fire for food.
In a shady room, Orochimaru sat cross-legged on a stone bed to recover while also sending part of his mind to speak with Genie.
"Why didn't you take the chance to kill the Raikage?"
Others didn't understand Genie's last sword strike. They thought piercing the Raikage's body was its full power. But Orochimaru knew that was only the most basic effect.
The energy inside the blade had stayed condensed until the end, showing only its sharp edge.
"Why kill the Raikage?"
Genie's upper body floated in the air as he laughed. "Isn't your goal to end the war? If you kill the Raikage, Iwagakure might step in. That could drag the whole ninja world into chaos."
"Look at things now—it's actually better this way. The Fourth Raikage's side and organs won't heal quickly. They'll probably have to cut away flesh around the wound before he can recover slowly. For a long time, he won't have the strength to start a war."
"I know that," Orochimaru raised his head and said. "But that's not your real reason—not the only one."
Killing the Raikage could also bring peace, but he felt Genie had other plans.
Genie only smiled and didn't answer directly. "Chakra is the mix of physical and spiritual energy."
Orochimaru frowned. He didn't understand why Genie was bringing up something even children knew.
"Most living beings have both of these energies, which means they all have the potential to form chakra."
Genie spread his hands. "Such a universal kind of energy is very valuable to someone like me who can move between worlds."
Orochimaru's eyes flickered. He already guessed what Genie meant.
"The Fourth Raikage has mastered Lightning Release to its peak. In the ninja world, that makes him a rare treasure. How could I just destroy him?"
Genie laughed, as if the whole ninja world was nothing but his field to harvest. "Your vision is too small, Orochimaru."
Orochimaru's mouth twitched, and he couldn't help mocking him. "But, my great Genie, until I die, you can't change contractors, which means you can't copy the Raikage's ability. And my wish… is immortality."
"That was before."
Genie only shook his head as he spoke.
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