Chapter 167: Orochimaru's Shock and Anger, Wood Release Experiment Resumed!
"Go home?"
Hearing Nara Shikaku's words, Tsukasa's body trembled. He jerked his head up in surprise.
"Wait—when did I ever request that?"
"I didn't submit any request. I'm not even injured! I can still fight!"
"Man, kids these days are such a pain." Shikaku impatiently picked at his ear, tapping the desk with obvious irritation. "Go complain to your boss. Everyone just dumps their problems on me."
"Or better yet—want to help me with this paperwork?"
Slumped behind his desk, which was buried under mountains of documents, Shikaku gave Tsukasa an unbothered look as he pushed a stack of papers nearly as tall as a person toward him.
Thud!
The document tower wobbled dangerously.
Staring at the mountain of paperwork, Tsukasa swallowed hard, forcibly suppressing the complaint rising in his throat.
Thinking about it rationally, it made sense. Given his current status and combat capability, his deployment wasn't something Shikaku—Jiraiya's second-in-command and chief strategist—could decide on his own. Arguing with him now would be pointless.
"Good, looks like you understand."
"Even though this is only our second meeting, we've gotten to know each other a bit."
"Let me formally introduce myself. I'm 'Shika' from the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, and the future head of the Nara clan—Nara Shikaku."
Shikaku straightened up with a smile, a hint of admiration showing in his eyes as he looked at Tsukasa. He reached under his desk, pulled out three gift boxes, and set them on the table.
"I'm not big on ceremonies—too troublesome. After thinking it over, I figured I'd just give you these."
"So then, Uchiha Tsukasa—"
"Congratulations on making jōnin!"
Holding three gift boxes of varying sizes, Tsukasa walked out of the tent looking completely bewildered.
He still couldn't understand why he was being transferred back to the village.
Looking around, he could see the Konoha camp undergoing major renovations. Most of the shinobi were carrying logs and hammers, moving materials back and forth to construct new buildings.
It seemed Konoha leadership expected this to be a prolonged conflict. They were currently building wooden barracks outside the tents—the source of all the construction noise he'd heard earlier.
If the front lines were going to remain this active, Orochimaru should want him here fighting, taking on all sorts of powerful enemies!
Staying here, he could disrupt the alliance between Iwagakure and Sunagakure, and battle against Rasa, Chiyo, the Iwagakure jinchūriki and their Tailed Beasts—the Four-Tails and Five-Tails—and even Ōnoki himself!
So why was this happening? What was going on?
At that moment, Aburame Ryōma, who'd been waiting outside the tent, smoothly took the gift boxes from Tsukasa's hands, glanced at them, and let out an amused sound.
"Well, well—you're pretty good at networking. Getting gifts from the Ino-Shika-Cho trio already?"
"Let's see... the Yamanaka clan sent flowers—anthuriums with a card that says 'May Your Career Soar.'"
"The Akimichi clan sent a cured ham. And Nara Shikaku... of course that lazy genius just sent cash. Five hundred thousand ryō."
Tsukasa turned to look at his superior, who was casually critiquing his gifts, and frowned.
"Ryōma-senpai,"
"Why?"
Ryōma knew exactly what Tsukasa was asking. He casually passed the gift boxes behind him. Immediately, a Root operative who'd been following them appeared, accepted the boxes with both hands, and vanished.
Ryōma sighed, looking at Tsukasa's gaunt face—his cheeks so thin there was barely any flesh left.
"Do you know how long you were unconscious?"
Tsukasa blinked, scratching his slightly itchy neck in confusion.
"Half a day? Maybe a full day?"
He hadn't felt much time pass. His last memory was being bitten by the summoned white snake and having his natural energy drained away.
Aburame Ryōma let out a heavy sigh.
"You were unconscious for two full weeks."
"Two weeks. Do you understand what that means?"
"The battle's over."
"During this engagement, 'Demon's' surprise attack force destroyed the Sunagakure camp, creating a massive breach in their defensive line and enabling our counteroffensive. After that, Demon killed Ebizō—Sunagakure's supreme commander. That achievement shocked every shinobi in Konoha!"
"After Demon and the Yellow Flash eliminated Ebizō, Konoha extracted vital intelligence about Sunagakure from his mind. Using that information, Orochimaru led our forces in a successful counterattack, gradually capturing Sunagakure's positions throughout the Land of Rain. Without unified command and caught in internal power struggles, Sunagakure was forced to retreat to an oasis behind the Land of Wind's border."
"Konoha achieved a decisive victory—one that's sent shockwaves through all Five Great Nations!"
"Following this, Sunagakure secretly contacted Iwagakure, sending envoys to Ōnoki. Lord Jiraiya led a strike team to disrupt the Suna-Iwa alliance, but they encountered the Four-Tails and Five-Tails jinchūriki and were forced to retreat."
"The alliance between Sunagakure and Iwagakure is now established. But at least we've secured the upper hand in the Land of Rain, and Iwagakure is currently locked in a protracted conflict with Kirigakure."
"The situation has stabilized. There won't be any major battles for at least six months."
Tsukasa stood frozen, staring at Ryōma in shock.
Two weeks! Two entire weeks had passed!
He'd been asleep for half a month!
And so many critical events had occurred during that time!
Konoha's counteroffensive, the Suna-Iwa alliance, Jiraiya's failed strike, the encounter with the Tailed Beasts...
Tsukasa's eyes narrowed sharply as he looked at Ryōma.
"Where's Orochimaru-sensei? Why didn't he wake me up?"
"Where is he now?!"
What was that bastard thinking? Such exciting battles, and he didn't include him?
Hearing this, Ryōma's expression turned furious.
He gritted his teeth, looking at Tsukasa with a heavy gaze.
"Do you realize you were one step away from having your soul completely transformed into a serpent?!"
"Who the hell taught you to recklessly use the Cursed Seal and rashly tap into Sage power?!"
"Listen carefully—"
"This is what Orochimaru told me to tell you:"
"The power of Ryūchi Cave is dangerous. You've already stepped to the edge of losing yourself without even realizing it."
"Furthermore, your body has already drastically overdrawn its life force."
"The only reason you're not dead right now is because your immortality has given you the concept of 'deathlessness'—but this isn't true immortality."
"If you don't understand, that's fine. Just know this—"
Ryōma suddenly stepped forward and embraced Tsukasa.
"Welcome back,"
"My junior."
He paused, then added firmly: "Welcome back, my subordinate."
After releasing him, Ryōma raised his head, looking in the direction of Konoha, and spoke in a grave tone:
"To save you, Orochimaru resigned from his command position and returned to Konoha after completing the counteroffensive."
"Now, you must return to the village immediately as well."
"There are three reasons."
"First—our leader, the one who bears the darkness of the shinobi world,"
"He wants to see you."
"Second—the Uchiha clan is strongly demanding your immediate return to the village!"
"And finally, most importantly—"
"To survive, you need a new power!"
"For this reason, Orochimaru has restarted the Wood Release experiments!"
End of Chapter 167
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