Front line.
Orochimaru had just finished a proactive strike, losing over three hundred ninjas under his command while killing more than five hundred enemy ninjas.
It was a very solid victory.
On a front line with tens of thousands of combatants, losing a few hundred in a single battle might seem minor. But considering a war could last anywhere from months to years, even a few hundred casualties had long-term significance. These losses needed to be documented in battle reports and submitted to the Third Hokage for review.
"Lord Orochimaru, should we launch another strike while the enemy hasn't fully reacted? Their defenses seem a bit loose. A continued attack might yield even greater results."
Momoka Senju clan followed closely behind Orochimaru and spoke proactively: "I'd be glad to lead the Senju in attacking, killing more enemies, and bringing this war to a quicker end."
Orochimaru glanced at Tayuya, his eyes betraying no emotion, but a deliberate curve appeared at the corner of his lips: "Chieftain Tayuya, you're a bit too eager. Not only can I see it, but so can everyone else… There's no need to be anxious over the Uchiha clan's remarkable performance—their achievements came at the cost of many clan members' lives."
Looking over the entire Great Ninja War, the fiercest battles with the heaviest casualties were undoubtedly between Konoha and Iwa. Yet, even with all the fighting, the war hadn't truly ended.
Orochimaru already realized that the war would end soon. The Iwa forces were likely to retreat first.
"When news of the Hot Water campaign reached the village, most people celebrated—not because Iwa lost a thousand elite troops, but because the Four-Tails Jinchūriki fell into a coma."
Orochimaru licked his cheek with his tongue, his excitement evident. Unaware observers might think he was thrilled just by that fact alone: "The Four-Tails' defeat has effectively started the countdown for this war. That guy Ōnoki will have no choice but to withdraw—he is not our match."
Iwa had deployed its top fighters—Ōnoki and the Five-Tails Jinchūriki, Han—but Konoha's lineup was equally impressive. The three great bloodline clans—Senju, Uchiha, and Hyuga—were present, alongside secret jutsu families, numerous mid-tier ninja clans, and countless ordinary ninja, all under Orochimaru's leadership, holding the line without falling behind.
Most importantly, this wasn't even Konoha's full strength.
Sakumo Hatake was busy suppressing small invasion squads from Kirigakure and Kumogakure to intimidate those nations. Kato Dan and Tsunade were recuperating in the village. The now-famous Kaede Tsukasa was also resting, ready to be deployed again soon.
The Third Hokage, Danzo Shimura, and Mito Uzumaki had taken no action so far, though they could easily join the front if necessary.
Jiraiya, whose movements were unpredictable, remained as a reserve force.
With such a lineup, as long as Ōnoki's mind remained sound, there was no way he could continue fighting without the Four-Tails, a key combatant.
"Large-scale war is inevitably coming to an end. At most, there will be small-team incursions and counter-incursions—but such skirmishes occurred every year even before the Great Ninja War. It's normal," Orochimaru observed clearly.
War was good—war had to happen.
It allowed him to fish in troubled waters, secretly collecting the bodies of bloodline ninjas as research material for his immortality project.
Moreover, during these years at the front, a "special" ninja had appeared in the village—so remarkable that just thinking about Kaede Tsukasa made Orochimaru tremble with excitement, wishing he could tear him apart and claim everything Kaede Tsukasa possessed for himself.
Immortality! Immortality! If the intelligence Danzo provided wasn't exaggerated—or if Kaede Tsukasa hadn't deceived them—Orochimaru could be certain: he was now closer than ever to achieving immortality.
"One's Own Life Reincarnation Jutsu… For a forbidden technique like this to exist in the world, whether he developed it himself or obtained it from someone else, the technique itself isn't actually the most important part."
The crucial aspect was using the Zombie Release to activate One's Own Life Reincarnation—because only then could a pile of worthless corpses be used to replenish one's own life force, granting eternal life!
It's just consuming corpses—what kind of cost is that? Every year countless ninjas die in the ninja world. If all those corpses go to waste buried in the ground, it's far better to use them as sacrifices to extract life force!
Orochimaru still couldn't confirm the true relationship between One's Own Life Reincarnation and the Zombie Release—must one first master the Zombie Release, with One's Own Life Reincarnation as a component of it? Or are they both independent forbidden jutsu, where using the Zombie Release to activate One's Own Life Reincarnation minimizes the cost?
Using his keen instincts, Orochimaru leaned toward the latter explanation. Add to that the Hot Water campaign, where Kato Dan had miraculously defeated the Four-Tails…
Orochimaru knew Kato Dan's true level. To collapse the Four-Tails' power without a scratch, the key clearly lay in Kaede Tsukasa's assistance.
Most likely, Kato Dan had risked himself using Spirit Transformation techniques, but his body was ultimately saved by Kaede Tsukasa's One's Own Life Reincarnation . Otherwise, there's no way to explain Kato Dan's astonishing strength.
It was even possible that Kaede Tsukasa himself had attacked the Four-Tails, creating the wounds and accelerating its defeat.
A ninja like this—someone who could orchestrate life and death from corpse to living to corpse, mastering the entire process like a full-cycle production—Orochimaru was utterly enthralled, intensely envious, and…
Desperately wanted it!
"Hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm…"
Orochimaru, overcome with excitement, unconsciously extended his tongue half a meter, flicking it back and forth, dripping with anticipation.
"…Lord Orochimaru, it seems you're very pleased with the victory in the Hot Water campaign. However, please remember that maintaining the personal image and charisma of your unit leaders is also an important factor in warfare."
"Hmm, you're right. I just suddenly found this war a bit boring—there's really no need to continue it," Orochimaru said, retracting his tongue, thinking of something that pleased him and letting out a dark, sinister laugh.
Momoka Senju clan again requested permission: "Then I apply to strike again, kill more enemies, and bring the war to an early conclusion."
"Very well, since you insist, I won't stop you."
Orochimaru had no interest in wasting time on the Senju.
Indeed, he wasn't impressed by them—not out of hatred for the Senju, but simply because there was nothing in them worth coveting or paying attention to.
The current Senju were only slightly stronger than ordinary ninjas in terms of physical ability and chakra reserves. That was all.
Even the Wood Release bloodline of the First Hokage hadn't been inherited; their devastating Wood Release techniques were entirely lost.
Since Nawaki died before his eyes, Orochimaru had grown even colder and more unwilling to waste time on the Senju. He preferred to use his energy to scour war ruins for the remaining secrets of the Uzumaki clan.
Most importantly, Danzo had Hashirama cells—the kind with extraordinarily potent life force. Who still cared about the Senju?
Not to mention, the most outstanding Senju descendant, Tsunade, had been his partner since childhood!
So… if the Senju insisted on proving themselves and competing with the Uchiha, let them. A few more casualties among their already limited clan wouldn't matter—it had nothing to do with Orochimaru.
Speaking of which, the current Senju clan had already fallen behind the Uchiha in every aspect.
Even in sheer population numbers, they were lagging in every way.
Momoka Senju led a group of clan members forward, worry etched on her face.
The Uchiha clan couldn't help but cast attentive glances in their direction.
"Lord Fugaku, it seems the Senju still refuse to admit defeat," someone immediately reported to Fugaku Uchiha.
At twenty-seven, Fugaku was mature enough. Having endured the trials of two wars, he was already a competent clan leader. He showed no special reaction to the Senju's struggle.
"Then let them do it. They're all comrades of the village, all fighting for victory," Fugaku said.
More and more Uchiha no longer regarded the Senju as a true rival. Especially after Nawaki, a direct descendant of Hashirama, had died, this disdain became even more apparent.
If not for Tsunade's brilliance—her personal power, battle achievements, honor, and position far outstripping others and essentially giving the Senju some prestige—the Uchiha would hardly have spared them a thought.
Any Uchiha who awakened the Sharingan could reach at least the level of a Chunin. Step by step, developing their kekkei genkai and becoming a Jonin was natural. What did the Senju have?
Wood Release? Did the Senju even still possess it? Not a single seedling remained. Tsunade and Nawaki, grandchildren of the First Hokage, never awakened the Wood Release bloodline, proving that it would now be lost to history, relegated to legend.
Moreover, the Uchiha numbered in the hundreds, while the Senju, at best, had fewer than a hundred members. Their numbers were dwindling, yet they still struggled desperately to prove themselves on the battlefield…
"The decline of a clan may seem sudden, but in reality, it's the result of decades of attrition. You'll understand, Hyuga, in a few years when you become the head of the Hyuga clan," Fugaku said, watching Hiashi Hyuga approach slowly.
As the only main family member on the battlefield, wherever Hiashi Hyuga went, a large group of branch family members protected him—there was no chance of any lapse.
Hiashi Hyuga naturally noticed the Senju's desperate struggle. It moved him slightly, though he did not think the Hyuga would face the same situation as the Senju.
The reason was simple: the Hyuga's kekkei genkai was the easiest to awaken among the three great clans of Konoha.
Any Hyuga descendant could awaken the Byakugan. The only variation was the strength of the eyes' power.
This simple awakening requirement alone gave the Hyuga's lower limit astonishingly high potential.
This was also why the Hyuga were so determined to place the Caged Bird seal on their branch families—it was too easy for outsiders to covet or steal otherwise.
So the Hyuga had no need to worry about a rapid decline like the Senju. As long as normal reproduction continued and the Caged Bird seal wasn't broken, there would never be a scenario of total extinction.
The Senju, on the other hand, had yet to awaken Wood Release. They relied on physical prowess to maintain the clan's prestige, but even the Uzumaki, similarly strong in life force, had nearly gone extinct. How long could the dwindling Senju hold on?
But this had nothing to do with Hiashi Hyuga, and he didn't care.
"Huh? This feeling…"
"You noticed it too?"
Hyuga and Fugaku simultaneously turned their heads toward the center of the camp, where a sudden surge of chakra erupted.
"An enemy? But how could they have infiltrated that position?"
Fugaku sprang to his feet, the three tomoe in his eyes appearing as he prepared to personally strike down the enemy. But soon, figures wearing masks began dispersing from the center of the camp, delivering orders from Orochimaru.
"Everyone, hold your positions! Do not approach the central tent under any circumstances without Lord Orochimaru's command!"
Fugaku and the others frowned, looking up in confusion.
"Who are these people… Anbu?"
"No, they're Root, the Anbu's subdivision. How could Root operatives appear here? And in such numbers—over a dozen—meaning at least one squad is stationed here!"
Everyone knew Root was Danzo's personal unit, cultivating selected youths into emotionless mission machines.
Only the three great bloodline clans could openly refuse Danzo's request to select young members from their families. Ordinary bloodline clans, secret technique clans, and common young shinobi had no choice but to comply.
But now Root operatives were here, and delivering orders from Lord Orochimaru…
Hiashi Hyuga's expression remained unchanged. He had no interest in the petty affairs of the village's upper echelons and no reason to intervene; the Hyuga only needed stability.
Fugaku, however, furrowed his brow, showing irritation. Orochimaru mixing with someone like Danzo—could that be a good thing? Whatever these two were planning, or had already done, it could not be simple.
"Speaking of which, a few clan members have gone missing on the battlefield without explanation. This isn't normal. We were careful to retrieve every body, yet some are still gone,"
said the elder Setsuna Uchiha from behind, his tone grim. This elder, notorious since the Second Hokage's reign, was a radical who deeply distrusted Danzo.
Fugaku felt a weight in his chest and said, "Elder Setsuna, don't spread things without evidence. The village leadership may not act the way you think."
He glanced sideways at Hiashi Hyuga and felt a twinge of envy for his calm demeanor—Hyuga's confidence came from knowing the bloodline would remain safe, allowing him to remain composed at all times.
This was the immense security granted by the Caged Bird Seal, naturally cutting off all covetous eyes and reaching hands from the outside world.
Momoka, Fugaku, and Hiyashi were all thinking about their clans' futures.
Orochimaru, however, thought on the scale of an entire village.
"Leaks? I explicitly told you not to do anything unnecessary without my permission, yet you violated my orders…"
Orochimaru's vertical-slit eyes glinted with serpentine malice. His intense killing intent crystallized into tangible waves of chakra. He stepped into the heavily guarded central tent, and upon seeing a figure, snorted coldly.
"So it's you, Ryoma. You've got some nerve. Aren't you afraid I might take this chance to gut you?" Orochimaru smiled, his expression impossible to read.
Ryoma was entirely cloaked in a long robe, lifting his head to face Orochimaru. "Things have changed. Lord Danzo has lost patience. He expects you to end the war quickly and present your research results."
"So you barged into my lab and meddled with my unfinished research?"
Orochimaru's fingers twitched, and with a sudden swing of his arm, he instantly bisected two zombies lunging at him.
Only the upper halves of the zombies remained, crawling on their hands while howling.
"The power extracted from the leftover body fragments on Kaeda Tsukasa can be an excellent aid if used properly. It might even help Danzo uncover the secrets of the Zombie Release sooner. But you're too impatient—wanting both Wood Release and the Sharingan while also trying to master Zombie Release—that makes things difficult for me."
Orochimaru sneered at the two zombies on the ground. Not long ago, these two had clearly been his subordinates. Now, after Ryoma intervened, the virus leaked and they had become zombies.
Aburame Ryoma raised his hand, and a swarm of insects flew out from his sleeve, enveloping the other people in the process of transforming—or already transformed—and within seconds, devoured all their flesh.
"You're not afraid of getting infected, you madman," Orochimaru remarked.
"I won't let these insects return to my body. I just need to kill them," Ryoma said expressionlessly. "Those who die here don't matter; Root will compensate you with more personnel."
"Hmph. More personnel? As long as reckless people like you meddle without understanding the research, even a couple more leaks like this will wipe them all out—and might even alert that one person. Even I haven't fully explored Zombie Release; I can't be sure how far that person can sense and control it…"
Orochimaru studied the two crawling zombies, his eyes betraying unhidden greed. These two were so lively—if only he could transfer their life force to himself.
The unfinished Living Corpse Reincarnation, designed to sustain the soul and target perfect young bodies for body takeover—if combined with the One's Own Life Reincarnation Jutsu to maintain bodily immortality, it would be flawless.
Suddenly, the two crawling zombies stopped moving and, at the same moment, began forming hand seals.
"?"
"What is—"
Boom!
First, a loud explosion rang out as one zombie unleashed a Lightning Release technique to clear the area.
Immediately after, a figure appeared where the other zombie had been.
"First time meeting you, let me greet you in this way, Lord Orochimaru… Special Jonin in charge of corpse handling, Kaeda Tsukasa, reporting for duty."