"Really? I thought you guys would wait patiently until the Three-Tails and Six-Tails showed up before taking action."
In Suisei's Kamui space, Raijin joked with her.
"Do you want to listen to yourself again? Nearly five hundred survivors from three villages have been stable for so many years; that's pretty rich for Black Zetsu, don't you think?"
Suisei rolled her eyes in response.
"That's true. This is a good chance to clear out these people," Raijin nodded, agreeing.
Indeed, with a scale of nearly five hundred people, especially ninjas who train hard every day, it's quite resource-intensive.
After all, normally, in a Jonin family in Konohagakure, it takes a lot of effort from the parents to raise an excellent child.
However, since Black Zetsu plans to take action, Raijin sees this as a chance to weaken Black Zetsu's power.
"I'm warning you, think carefully before acting. If Black Zetsu gets suspicious, you'll be the one collecting my corpse."
Hearing this, Suisei immediately snapped at Raijin.
"Don't worry..."
Raijin nodded slightly and replied to Suisei. After a brief pause, he spoke with a serious tone.
"I'll make sure your funeral is grand and beautiful."
"Get lost!"
Suisei kicked at Raijin instantly, but Raijin's figure disappeared on the spot.
This was the power of the Flying Thunder God technique.
With it, no space-time ninjutsu could restrain Raijin.
Neither Suisei's Kamui nor Otsutsuki Kaguya's Amenominaka could hold him.
Raijin could instantly teleport to any place where he had left a Flying Thunder God mark.
In the Hokage's office in Konohagakure Village:
"Captain, the Konohagakure Research Center is really busy, you know?"
Inside the office, Orochimaru sighed helplessly as he spoke to Raijin.
Orochimaru was genuinely curious—was the Hokage's guard team really this busy?
After so many idle years, they finally got back on track. Couldn't they just stop calling people all the time?
"I know how busy the Konohagakure Research Center is, and I know what you're working on."
Leaning back in his chair, Raijin crossed his arms inside his sleeves and looked at Orochimaru, speaking slowly.
"Oh? And what are we working on?"
Orochimaru raised an eyebrow in surprise, pulled a chair over, and asked Raijin with interest.
"What else could Senju Tobirama be researching? Obviously, he's just targeting us Uchiha—"
Before Raijin could finish, he clutched his waist and stood up abruptly, turning his head to look at Tsunade beside him.
Tsunade, seemingly ignoring his gaze, was calmly fiddling with a pen in her hand.
What could Senju Tobirama be researching? Clearly, he was panicking after seeing that the Uchiha's Sharingan could evolve further through Senjutsu training.
"But whatever Grandpa's working on is bound to suit the Senju clan's physique. Why are you so worked up?"
Sitting back down while holding his waist, Raijin adjusted his tone and asked Orochimaru.
"What? Just because it suits the Senju clan doesn't mean it's not useful for me, right? I may not have a Sharingan, but I do have Yang Release. Sure, it's not as strong as the Senju's, but I still have it."
Orochimaru spoke with a slight tremble in his voice, clearly frustrated as he addressed Raijin.
"Sure, sure, but let's set that aside for now. I actually have a task for the two of you."
Raijin nodded in agreement, refraining from saying anything more to avoid provoking Orochimaru further.
"Iwagakure and Sunagakure are about to send supplies to Konohagakure."
"And?"
Orochimaru tilted his head slightly, prompting Raijin to continue.
"I need you two to lead a team to escort the supplies."
Raijin explained to Orochimaru.
"You've got to be kidding me! You're sending Mount Myoboku's Great Toad Sage to escort supplies?!"
Jiraiya burst out, glaring at Raijin in protest.
This kind of mission, in Jiraiya's eyes, felt like Raijin was randomly assigning tasks just to mess with them.
"Are you bored or something? Trying to give us something to do?"
Orochimaru, hearing this, glanced at Raijin with a speechless expression.
It's not about being overly confident, but honestly, if the mission was to assassinate the Kazekage or Tsuchikage, that might at least make people break a sweat.
But an escort mission for supplies?
Seriously, is there anyone left in the ninja world who would dare mess with Konohagakure's supplies?
"Honestly, I don't have much faith in you two, but I don't have a choice since we're teammates."
Raijin sighed lightly as two Flying Thunder God kunai appeared in his hand.
"Because of our connection, it only makes sense that you both carry my Flying Thunder God kunai."
"Uchiha Raijin! Are you looking down on us?!"
Jiraiya jumped to his feet as he shouted. But before Raijin could say anything, Orochimaru calmly snatched the two kunai from his hand.
"Since the Toad Sage is so confident, I'll take both," Orochimaru said with a gentle smile, glancing at Jiraiya.
"Huh?!"
Jiraiya froze, looking suspiciously at Orochimaru.
At that moment, Jiraiya had a strange feeling that something wasn't quite right.
But Orochimaru, unfazed by Jiraiya's gaze, continued fiddling with the kunai as if nothing had happened.
From the moment Raijin took out the Flying Thunder God kunai, Orochimaru knew this wouldn't be a simple task.
He suspected Raijin might assign them a random mission that would have them struggling for two weeks.
Knowing Raijin's personality, that was entirely possible.
However, the appearance of these kunai changed everything.
It meant Raijin was ready to step in at any moment.
Uchiha Raijin...
During the Second Shinobi War, he defeated the Three-Tails and Six-Tails without even unlocking his Mangekyō Sharingan.
After awakening the Mangekyou, he single-handedly eliminated the Raikage, Fukai, and Hanzo the Salamander, the "Demi-God" of the ninja world.
Now, after the war, he had fully mastered the Magnet Release.
For someone like him to be prepared to take action, who could they possibly encounter on this mission?
Uchiha Madara?
He should be dead by now, right?
Then it must be... that group of troublemakers.
Orochimaru's lips curled into a cold smile. Whoever they were, whatever they planned—if they dared to target Konohagakure, they would all die.
Orochimaru was very satisfied with the current Konohagakure. It now had the ninja world's most advanced research center for ninjutsu.
Not to mention, it also housed the living master of forbidden jutsu.
Orochimaru relished the feeling of exploring the vast ocean of knowledge.
He especially enjoyed the moments when a casual remark from Senju Tobirama, the master of forbidden jutsu, would suddenly enlighten him.
And he appreciated having someone who, despite their immense strength, would still mess around with him and place their trust in him.
Anyone who tried to destroy this, Orochimaru would destroy them first!
"Since the Toad Sage is so confident, I won't say more. But remember, if anything happens to the supplies you're escorting..."
"Carve a line across your forehead protector. I'll make sure you experience life as an S-rank rogue ninja."
"Come on, you can't be serious..."
Jiraiya clicked his tongue, finally beginning to realize what was going on.
Raijin might joke around with Orochimaru, but there's no way he'd joke about himself.
Glancing at Raijin, then at Orochimaru.
"Since we've fought side by side before, how about this? I'll take charge of escorting the supplies from Iwagakure."
Meeting Jiraiya's gaze, Orochimaru generously offered.
This was indeed a gesture of consideration for Jiraiya, as the compensation from Iwagakure was much greater than that from Sunagakure.
Likewise, the number of ninjas escorting Konohagakure's supplies was larger, and the mission difficulty was relatively higher.
"It's not that… I just feel like… I might need this too."
Jiraiya pointed to the Flying Thunder God kunai in Orochimaru's hand.
Since Raijin was prepared to act at any moment, it was obvious this mission would be dangerous.
If it failed, forget being called a traitor; Jiraiya wouldn't just lose face with Team 7 but wouldn't even be able to face himself.
"Come on, a great toad sage from Mount Myoboku needing something like that?"
Tsunade, wearing the Hokage hat, twirled her pen, raised her head slightly, and glanced at Jiraiya.
"Hokage-sama, I've bled for this village, you know."
Jiraiya immediately looked at Tsunade.
"Yes, I know. Otherwise, you'd already be flying out that window."
Tsunade nodded and pointed at the large glass panel behind Jiraiya.
Jiraiya pursed his lips, thought for a moment, and decided not to butt heads with Tsunade.
He knew Tsunade could really do something like that.
No idea how Raijin managed to put up with this woman.
"Five laps for Sunagakure, six for Iwagakure."
Raijin glanced at Jiraiya, chuckled, and handed him another kunai.
"Alright."
Jiraiya nodded, taking the kunai Raijin handed him.
Orochimaru looked at Jiraiya, and in the next moment, the two disappeared before Raijin.
"Think they'll succeed?"
Tsunade placed her pen down, leaned back in her chair, and turned to Raijin.
"Nope."
Raijin shrugged casually.
How could they be certain? Sending Jiraiya and Orochimaru on this mission just seemed like the most reasonable option to Raijin.
If Black Zetsu found it unreasonable, there wasn't much to be done.
But for now, it was the best choice.
"There won't be any accidents."
Tsunade smiled wryly and placed her hand over Raijin's.
"Got it."
Raijin nodded, closing his eyes slowly, guiding the natural energy around him into his body.
Natural energy could indeed strengthen the body and mind, but the process was quite slow.
The first time had noticeable effects, but based on his current progress, it would still take a long time to open the final eight tenketsu.
…
"I'll say this one more time: I can only take the supplies. After the mission is over, figure out your own way out and regroup at the pre-arranged location. I'll take everyone back then."
At the border between the Land of Grass and the Land of Fire, Suisei addressed Dou.
"Don't worry. It's just Orochimaru, after all."
Dou nodded confidently at Suisei, full of self-assurance.
"Alright."
Suisei nodded, his figure distorting before vanishing on the spot.
At the border between the Land of Rivers and the Land of Fire, Suisei repeated the same words to 'A'.
"Understood."
'A' nodded and didn't say much.
Suisei naturally remained silent too, concealing himself and waiting for Konohagakure's supply escort team to arrive.
…
After completing the handover with the Iwagakure, Orochimaru casually sat on the cart, playing with a kunai in his hand.
Next to him sat a member of the Hyuga clan, the veins around his eyes bulging prominently.
"Sir, southeast direction, there's a large number of ninja," the Hyuga member said after deactivating his Byakugan.
"Got it."
Orochimaru nodded in response. His tongue flicked out briefly to lick his lips before he jumped lightly to the ground.
"Stay alert, everyone. Leave those guys... to me."
With that, Orochimaru vanished into thin air, like a gust of wind.
Though Raijin had given him a Flying Thunder God kunai, Orochimaru didn't feel compelled to use it.
After all, they were just some lucky individuals.
How strong could they really be?
"Prepare for battle!"
A sensory ninja in the group called out in a low voice, and a bone blade materialized in his palm.
He shifted slightly, edging closer to the direction of the snow-laden wind while staying highly focused.
Have they been discovered?
Hyuga ninja really are a pain...
…
While Orochimaru engaged the enemy, Jiraiya's team hadn't even reached the border of the Land of Rivers yet.
Of course, this wasn't because Jiraiya was slacking off or that Orochimaru was significantly more capable.
It was part of a plan they had agreed on before setting out.
To prevent unforeseen situations, they tried to avoid Uchiha Raijin facing pressure from both sides at the same time.
So Orochimaru traveled a bit faster, while Jiraiya took it slower.
Additionally, the distance from the Grass Country to Konohagakure was greater than the distance from the Land of Rivers to Konohagakure.
This staggered their arrival by an entire day.
One day was enough time to resolve any conflict.
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(End of chapter)
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