As for Yamanaka Inoichi and Akimichi Choza, Orochimaru didn't even bother commenting, his silence said more than words could. His mood was so light it bordered on mockery.
The famed Ino–Shika–Chō trio were well-known in the shinobi world for their unity, always advancing and retreating together. Yet in Orochimaru's eyes, that reputation also betrayed their weakness. Each clan had its own limits, which was why they had to lean on one another in the first place.
"Alright then, let's let it go this time," Orochimaru said finally.
Uchiha Gen's expression stayed sharp. "If the Konoha elders don't follow through on the hints in this transfer order, sensei, I won't let you stop me again."
"Don't worry," Orochimaru replied, his pale lips curving into a sly smile. "If those old fools dare go back on their word, I'll act with you. We'll give them a lesson they'll never forget. Since they refuse to take us seriously… why should we take them seriously?"
Gen met his teacher's gaze and allowed a faint smile of his own. Strangely, he even found himself looking forward to the day the high council overreached.
After aligning their stances, the two returned to their tents to rest.
The next morning, Orochimaru and Gen left the camp with the same detached indifference as before, ignoring Sarutobi Shinnosuke and his group despite their formal send-off.
Not long after their departure, the Kumogakure forces received the news and erupted with relief. The weight those two cast over the front had been suffocating; every high-ranking Kumogakure shinobi feared being stalked and struck down the moment they stepped outside their tents.
To them, there was no doubt, the elusive Spirit Transformation Technique could only belong to Orochimaru, Gen, or both. Who else had the spiritual force and chakra reserves to assassinate ten jōnin without pause? Even killing two would already mark an extraordinary feat.
And in this, Kumogakure guessed right.
With the specter of Orochimaru and Gen gone, the Cloud's leadership immediately convened a council. Their conclusion was unanimous: they could afford to grow bolder again.
Sarutobi Shinnosuke?
Nara Shikaku?
The Ino–Shika–Chō trio?
Yes, they were competent, but none of them instilled the same dread. In fact, the last time they had clashed, Konoha hadn't managed to gain much advantage; if anything, Kumogakure had come out slightly ahead.
Reinvigorated by that confidence, Kumogakure returned to its true nature, an aggressively militant village with no 'moderates,' only wolves of varying ferocity.
Thus, the very day Shinnosuke assumed command, the Cloud launched a head-on assault.
It was a blatant insult, as if to say, You're nothing worth fearing.
Enraged, Shinnosuke ordered a direct engagement. Thanks to the reinforcements Konoha had brought, they managed to push the Cloud back with heavy effort, even gaining some upper ground. Losses were traded, but Shinnosuke considered the outcome acceptable.
Kumogakure, however, was anything but discouraged. The clash told them exactly what they wanted; a measure of Konoha's strength. Confident, Dodai immediately petitioned the Raikage for reinforcements.
The Fourth Raikage agreed without hesitation, disguising the move as routine 'rotations' to mislead enemy spies.
With reinforcements en route, Dodai laid his trap. He would bait Konoha into overcommitting, then unleash the fresh troops from the rear or flank once both armies were bloodied and weary.
Neither Shinnosuke nor Shikaku caught the specifics of his ploy. Yet Shikaku, ever the cautious strategist, distrusted the idea of the Cloud ramming their heads into another frontal clash so soon. He warned Shinnosuke to hold a reserve force in case something was amiss.
Shinnosuke, proud and impatient, wanted to gamble on total victory: If I crush them quickly, any conspiracy collapses on its own. But he also valued Shikaku's judgment, and he could not risk a crushing defeat, so he reluctantly agreed.
That decision saved Konoha.
When Kumogakure's reinforcements struck from the flank, the reserve unit intercepted them in a desperate struggle. Though they were overmatched and nearly annihilated, their sacrifice bought time for Konoha's main force to withdraw in order.
Even so, the damage was severe.
Because Shinnosuke had already committed most of the elite to the front, the reserve unit was weaker. To shield the retreat, they paid in blood.
Afterwards, Dodai pressed forward cautiously with the remnants of his reinforcements and the main army, shadowing Konoha's retreat without forcing a full confrontation. He was careful not to corner them completely; driving Shinnosuke into a corner might provoke a suicidal counterattack.
Step by step, Konoha lost ground. Their camp fell, their line bent steadily back, until both sides halted in the middle of the Land of Rice Fields.
And so, the gains Orochimaru and Gen had carved with such effort evaporated. Konoha's position returned not just to where it had been before but arguably worse, since now they had lost men and supplies they hadn't back then.
Shinnosuke, shaken, grew cautious to the extreme. Every move thereafter was measured against the fear of another disaster.
Kumogakure, though pleased to have regained advantage, could not deliver a decisive blow either. The two armies settled once more into stalemate, trading inches, neither side able to tip the scales completely.
Back in the Konoha camp, resentment brewed. The shinobi who had fought under Orochimaru and Gen remembered the sweeping victories, the drive to the very borders of the Land of Rice Fields.
Now, under Shinnosuke, those gains had been squandered in a single reversal.
Far away, Sarutobi Hiruzen read the reports with a heavy sigh. He was disappointed, but not crushed; the situation had merely reset. There would still be chances.
As for Orochimaru and Gen, when the news reached them, they didn't jeer or gloat. They simply exchanged a knowing smile, ordered a few extra dishes, and drank long into the night.