In the dense forest, Orochimaru walked at the front of the convoy transporting goods. He received the memories of his Shadow Clone and paused his steps.
The same ability as Karin in the original work, the Uzumaki Clan's abilities are not to be underestimated. It would be bad if she recognized him when she saw him.
Orochimaru didn't want Uzumaki Chigusa to know that he was Miya. What if she revealed it to Uzumaki Mito, and then Hiruzen Sarutobi found out... This would be a major crisis of social death!
"Orochimaru, it's almost time to eat, isn't it?"
Tsunade came to Orochimaru's side, looking at him expectantly.
"I'm a bit hungry!"
Jiraiya chimed in.
"Hmm, it's also time to find a place to rest."
Orochimaru looked up at the darkening sky, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tsunade and Jiraiya's expectant looks. One would think they were out camping!
"Wait a moment."
Orochimaru squatted down, placing his hand on the ground, sensing if any enemies were approaching.
16? No, it's 15... Orochimaru stood up, extended his hand, and signaled the team to stop.
"Stop!"
The captain of the convoy transporting goods was a member of the Iburi Clan. Seeing Orochimaru's action, he immediately had the team stop and walked to Orochimaru's side, trying hard to control himself to avoid showing a respectful expression.
"Did you find anything?"
"Someone is approaching, about 15 people. We can't rule out that they are rogue Ninja or a bandit group. Mr. Genwa, take your men and hide. Leave this to us."
Orochimaru's expression didn't change at all. He looked at Genwa beside him and said, "If their target is the goods, they won't damage them, reducing the profit of this operation. It's very likely they'll lure us, the escorts, to another place."
"I understand."
Genwa nodded, calling the convoy to find a safe place to hide.
"Let's prepare in advance! It's great to have an all-rounder Ninja like you, Orochimaru, in the team!"
Jiraiya's smile was as confident as ever, not at all worried that he couldn't handle the approaching enemies.
Rather, he was confident in himself, and also confident in Tsunade, who had beaten him countless times, and Orochimaru, who had never made any mistakes. They were the best team!
"Is there still time to set traps?"
Tsunade saw that Jiraiya wanted to set traps and asked Orochimaru. If there was enough time to set a few traps around, it would be enough to give the people trying to steal the goods a surprise.
"Enough."
Orochimaru's lips curved, feeling relieved that Tsunade hadn't thought of using her fists to solve the enemy.
It was like a naughty child had finally grown up.
The people moving quickly through the forest saw the goods, seemingly abandoned in a hurry without anyone guarding them.
"The goods are here, but where are the people who were transporting them?"
"Could it be that they knew we were coming and dropped the goods and ran away?"
"Watch out for an ambush."
Hearing his companion's words, the Ninja with a Ninja parasol on his back vigilantly looked around and threw the Ninja parasol into the air.
"Ninja Art: Rain of a Thousand Needles!"
The spinning Ninja parasol fired a thousand needles like rain, aiming at the hiding places of Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Jiraiya.
"Ninja Art: Needle Jizo!"
Jiraiya's silver hair lengthened and hardened, forming a barrier like long silver needles, blocking all the incoming needles.
Ding, ding, ding—!
A crisp sound rang out, and the needles fell to the ground.
Orochimaru pulled the steel wires with both hands, activating the pre-set traps; the steel wires coiled around them from all directions.
Eight of the fifteen people were entangled by the steel wires; the remaining people narrowly escaped Orochimaru's steel wire trap.
"Those are... those are exploding tags!"
The people entangled by the steel wires, with burning exploding tags hanging from them, let out desperate screams.
Boom—!
"Jiraiya, get ready."
Tsunade formed a hand seal with one hand, activating the pre-set trap with Chakra.
Boom—!
Another explosion, and the enemy's numbers were reduced again.
"Got it!"
Jiraiya formed hand seals with both hands.
Damn it! Is this a trap set in advance, waiting for us to take the bait?
The Ninja holding the Ninja parasol leaped out of the smoke; at this moment, he had no thoughts about the goods at all, and thinking of the Ninja group he had encountered not long ago, his pupils suddenly constricted.
Were we... were we used by them?
Did they deliberately sell us information at a low price just to make us come and test the waters?
Those damned bastards!
The Ninja gripped his Ninja parasol tightly, furious in his heart, and then saw a rock flying towards him like a cannonball.
Bang—!
The Ninja was hit in the abdomen by the rock, screamed, and fell from the air.
"Witness my Earth Release: Rock Bullet Technique!"
Jiraiya proudly looked at the Ninja he had knocked down with his Rock Bullet Technique.
"Be careful, more enemies are coming, and this time it's different, they're all Ninja."
Orochimaru looked around, reminding Jiraiya and Tsunade.
"Fire Release: Demon Lantern!"
Countless fireballs with Hannya-like appearances illuminated the dim forest, flying towards the three of them.
The three, who were prepared, dodged the fireballs' attacks in different directions, but the fireballs chased after them like true evil spirits, crashing into trees and setting them ablaze.
"It's endless!"
Tsunade frowned, formed hand seals with both hands, and turned around.
Seeing Tsunade's hand seals, Orochimaru and Jiraiya came to her side.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
Tsunade spat out a large amount of water forward, forming a rotating water wall around them; the fireballs that hit the water wall were extinguished.
"Earth Release: Earth Mausoleum Dumpling!"
The ground vibrated as a huge rock flew over.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Great Sphere!"
Orochimaru quickly formed hand seals with both hands, took a deep breath, and the Vacuum Great Sphere spat from his mouth instantly shattered the huge rock.
Is the location over there?
Tsunade locked onto the enemy's position and formed hand seals with both hands.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Stimulation!"
Tsunade's body faintly flickered with visible Lightning Release Chakra, and she rushed towards the Earth Release Ninja's position at an extremely fast speed.
"How is that possible?! My Earth Release..."
The Earth Release Ninja looked in shock at the Earth Mausoleum Dumpling shattered by the Wind Release.
"Be careful!"
The Ninja next to the Earth Release Ninja saw the faintly visible lightning and shouted a warning.
Bang—!
The Earth Release Ninja flew out like a cannonball, breaking one large tree after another, and dust rose into the air.
"Wild Lion's Mane Jutsu!"
Jiraiya's hair grew long and tough, entangling the Ninja attacking from both sides; the two Ninja looked over after hearing the loud bang, their faces filled with disbelief.
"This is..."
The Ninja looked in shock at the broken large trees, unable to believe that this was done by the cute-looking young girl, and then looked at his companion entangled by Jiraiya's hair, feeling the urge to retreat.
Bang—!
The Ninja threw a smoke bomb, taking the opportunity to escape.
"Now it's your turn! Bastard!"
Tsunade's voice sounded behind the Ninja, full of anger and resentment, as if she had some deep-seated hatred for him, and her raised foot smashed down.
"How did you know..."
Before the Ninja could finish his sentence, Tsunade's full-force blow landed on him.
Boom—!
The ground vibrated violently, and the Ninja lay twisted in a large pit, his eyes still retaining the astonishment he felt when he saw Tsunade.
Under the enhancement of Lightning Stimulation, Tsunade's strength reached a terrifying level.
In the future... in the future... I should stay far away from Tsunade... Jiraiya saw this scene, and thinking of his previous arguments with Tsunade, he was filled with lingering fear.
Jiraiya looked at the two Ninja restrained by his hair and asked Orochimaru, "Orochimaru, what should we do with these two guys?"
"They are useless now."
Orochimaru waved and threw a Kunai; the Kunai deeply pierced their foreheads.
"There was no need to kill them, was there?"
Jiraiya hadn't expected Orochimaru to be so decisive, and he controlled his hair to lower the bodies.
"Let them go?"
Orochimaru's golden eyes looked at Jiraiya, snorted coldly, and said, "Jiraiya, you are too naive. They are probably the so-called 'Non-Ninja,' a bunch of scums who learned Ninjutsu in a Ninja Village, betrayed the Ninja Village, yet refuse to admit they are Ninja, and still use Ninjutsu to lord over the world of ordinary people."
"Non-Ninja..."
It was the first time Jiraiya had heard of the existence of Non-Ninja.
"This isn't the first time the Non-Ninja have acted. If we let them go, do you think they will turn over a new leaf? We killed their companions; what if they seek revenge on us?"
Orochimaru patted Jiraiya's shoulder and said nothing more; it's very difficult to change someone's mind. All she could do was ensure Jiraiya didn't hinder her and didn't try to change her.
Jiraiya looked at Orochimaru's back, unable to retort. He knew Orochimaru was right, but he couldn't so decisively take other people's lives.
Looking at the bodies on the ground, Jiraiya clapped his hands on the ground, and the earth rolled over, swallowing the bodies.
What exactly is my prophecy?
Jiraiya looked at the bodies disappearing into the earth, thinking that the Great Toad Sage had never given him a prophecy about himself, and he didn't know how much longer he would have to wait.
Tsunade looked at Jiraiya, who was lost in thought, and shook her head.
This guy always thinks about unrealistic things!
After confirming the battle was over, the team transporting the goods returned and found a place to rest.
The rest of the journey was uneventful, with no further attacks. Upon arriving at the target city, the goods were delivered to a specialty store selling skincare products.
Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Jiraiya returned to Konoha.
---
After the subordinates of the Land of Fire's dignitaries bought the medicinal tea in Konoha, they all transformed into midnight war gods, severely punishing their wives and concubines who had criticized their abilities in that area.
Hiruzen Sarutobi really wanted Danzo Shimura to never know why the medicinal tea was so popular with the dignitaries, but paper can't cover fire.
Danzo Shimura eventually learned the true purpose of the medicinal tea from the intelligence collected by the Root Ninja.
Bang—!
Crash—!
The desk was kicked over by Danzo Shimura, and the items on it scattered across the floor.
Danzo Shimura looked at the intelligence in his hand; at this moment, his face was beyond description.
The Root Ninja lowered their heads, pretending not to see anything.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi!!!"
The paper in Danzo Shimura's hand crumpled, and he gnashed his teeth, enunciating Hiruzen Sarutobi's name word by word through clenched teeth, showing how furious he was.
Thinking that the announced medicinal tea recipe was a family heirloom of his, Danzo Shimura was even more enraged to the point of exploding.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, I'm not done with you!
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