Orochimaru's laboratory sat on the eastern edge of Konoha.
When Ren Uchiha found him, the Sannin was dressed in a pristine white lab coat, meticulously adjusting various vials and beakers. The scene was surprisingly clean—at least compared to the blood-soaked temporary setups Ren had seen in the Land of Rain.
Ren wasted no time in explaining his deductions in full.
"That's the situation, Orochimaru-sensei."
Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, his voice raspy. "So, you're saying Kumo has already begun its move on the Valley of Hell? They intend to use the Chinoike Clan to bypass the natural defenses and invade Konoha directly through the Land of Hot Water?"
He stopped his movements, his fingers tracing his chin as he murmured, "That location... it could indeed be utilized..."
Ren watched him in awe. He had only intended to warn Orochimaru about the danger to the Uchiha and express his desire to reinforce them. Yet, in seconds, Orochimaru had grasped the strategic significance of Kumo's movements and predicted the potential flow of the war.
The man's tactical sense and macro-vision were bordering on the supernatural.
Without delay, Orochimaru narrowed his golden, slitted pupils. He pulled a small scroll from his robes, scribbled a brief message, and summoned a small white snake to swallow the scroll and vanish into the shadows.
Only then did he turn back to Ren, adopting a teaching tone. "Regardless of whether your story is the truth or a lie fabricated to get you out of the village, if you want to achieve your goal, you must hide your true purpose."
"You must provide the higher-ups with a reason where they have no choice but to send you out."
"How do I do that?" Ren scratched his head. These high-level power plays were completely foreign to him. He knew the theories from his past life, but applying them in real-time was a different beast entirely.
"It's simple," Orochimaru smirked. "You change the direction of the information source. You provide a problem that is difficult to verify in the short term but demands an immediate solution."
"From the Uchiha's perspective, they tell the Third that the Chinoike Clan has rioted and the mission is failing. They ask for reinforcements, but getting them to specifically pick you would require some messy political bargaining."
Orochimaru paused, looking up as an ink-drawn hawk flew in from the horizon. He caught the scroll dropped by the bird and tossed it to Ren.
"From my perspective..." he said flatly, "I simply need to make this war real."
The Hokage's Office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing out at the peaceful village. He had just finished a mountain of paperwork and felt the weight of his years. He reached for his beloved pipe, preparing for a quiet smoke.
BAM!
The door was thrown open without a knock. An uninvited guest burst in, footsteps heavy with urgency.
"Hiruzen! Emergency war report!"
Danzo Shimura slammed a red-sealed document onto the Hokage's desk. Hiruzen frowned, returning to his chair to tear open the file. As he read, his brow furrowed deeper with every line.
"Kumo in contact with the Chinoike... a riot in the Valley of Hell..."
"The Stone has begun retreating, their vanguard is already reaching home..."
"The number of shinobi within Kumo has dropped sharply? Deployment for war?"
"The 'A-B Combo' spotted near the Valley of Hell?!"
Hiruzen looked up, his face grim. Konoha's leadership had predicted the war would shift, but these reports pushed the situation toward the exact scenario they had hoped to avoid.
"Are these reports verified?!" Hiruzen demanded. "The direct sources are all Root, and the Anbu only have supporting materials. Isn't this..."
Danzo's face darkened instantly. "Hiruzen, do you not even trust me anymore?! Do you know how many of my agents died for this intel, and now you—"
"Enough, enough," Hiruzen sighed, rubbing his temples. He raised a hand to stop Danzo's complaints. "Summon the elders, the Sannin currently in the village, the Jōnin Commander, and the Clan Heads. We hold an emergency meeting immediately."
Orders were dispatched into the night. Within the hour, the upper echelons of Konoha were gathered in the conference room. As the discussion deepened, the topic inevitably turned to Konoha's newest asset:
Ren Uchiha.
Inside the meeting room, Orochimaru laid out a chilling analysis of the "Valley of Hell" and its impact on the war. The decision to send reinforcements to intercept Kumo and the Chinoike was quickly finalized.
However, the Valley of Hell was small. The terrain made large-scale troop deployment impossible. The mission was reclassified: a small, elite strike team to sabotage Kumo's plans.
"Now, we decide on the participants," Hiruzen said, looking at the names on the list.
Kumo had sent the "A-B Combo." Ordinary Jōnin wouldn't last ten rounds against them. The young "A" was already gaining fame as the fastest man in the world, and his partner "B" was a perfect Jinchūriki.
Who could Konoha send to match such a duo?
Danzo looked up and said calmly, "Hiruzen, why are you hesitating? We have a candidate who is both a Jinchūriki and capable of suppressing Tailed Beasts."
Before Danzo could name Ren, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado—the Village Elders—intervened.
"The opponents are the Eight-Tails and the Raikage's son," Homura noted. "I propose we send Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki."
"With the Nine-Tails' power and Kushina's sealing jutsu, suppressing the Eight-Tails shouldn't be a problem. And I believe Minato's speed can rival 'A'."
Danzo scowled. He had been about to push for Ren, but Homura's logic was sound.
"Furthermore," Homura continued, "Minato is an expert in sealing. He can ensure the Nine-Tails is suppressed if things go wrong. Their combination is undoubtedly the best—"
Suddenly, Homura's voice was drowned out.
From the direction of Training Ground Three, a pillar of crimson chakra erupted into the sky! The shockwave that followed was ten times more violent than when Ren had semi-transformed.
CRACK!
The windows of the Hokage's conference room shattered inward as the gale swept through the village. A massive, terrifying silhouette with nine lashing tails suddenly towered over the skyline of Konoha!
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