Orochimaru is not the kind of person who would just scratch his head and smile when targeted.
He is a snake.
If you come for him, he will undoubtedly bite back.
"Fine. Orochimaru, if you want to pit your teacher, I'll play along. But you'll handle the aftermath—I'll only take the rewards," came the response.
"No problem," Orochimaru replied, smiling with satisfaction.
Helping Shinki was, in a way, also helping himself. Shinki could leverage his prestige and achievements to bolster their efforts, and so could Orochimaru. If possible, Orochimaru would have preferred not to oppose the "F4" group, but constant interference left him with no choice.
If they wouldn't leave him alone, he wouldn't be polite about it.
---
After parting ways with Shinki, Orochimaru returned to the headquarters and immediately commanded all active ninja teams on the battlefield to return to camp. If they were going to execute a significant operation, they needed to consolidate their forces.
With the Sand Village camp already in disarray, Orochimaru intended to launch an aggressive attack to drive them back into the Wind Country.
The orders were swiftly dispatched.
As ninja teams received the directive, they began returning to the camp. The influx of personnel made the camp much livelier than before. Once the majority of teams had gathered, Orochimaru convened a strategy meeting to discuss their next move against the Sand Village.
Shinki attended the meeting.
When he arrived, the room was already packed. Typically, only captains of elite teams were qualified to attend such meetings. Without the rank of jonin or a special status, one wouldn't have a seat at the table.
"It seems I'm late," Shinki remarked.
Orochimaru, seated at the head of the table, smiled. "Not at all." He gestured for Shinki to take his reserved seat at the front.
Once seated, Shinki glanced around, noticing that he recognized only a handful of the attendees. Most were unfamiliar, though a few faces seemed vaguely recognizable. *I need to familiarize myself with the village's ninja records once I return,* he thought. *It's crucial to know the jonin-level personnel, at the very least.*
"Everyone," Orochimaru began, his voice commanding attention. "This combat meeting concerns an upcoming large-scale operation critical to the village. I need everyone to focus, as this mission's success is of utmost importance."
He unfurled a map, using a pointer to highlight various marked areas.
"This map outlines the current battlefield. The green zone represents our front line, while the red indicates the enemy's defensive line, which has been steadily retreating."
"Does this mean the enemy's defense is weakening?" asked a senior ninja.
"Precisely," Orochimaru confirmed, tapping a red dotted line. "Recently, our village launched a retaliation mission in the Wind Country, successfully diverting the enemy's attention. The Third Kazekage has taken a substantial force into the Bear Country, pulling many troops away from their front line. As a result, the enemy's defenses are notably thinner than ours, leading to this retreat."
"So, are we planning a large-scale attack?" another senior ninja inquired.
Orochimaru's lips curled into a sly smile. "Yes, but not just that. While we will execute a major offensive, the key lies in creating chaos within their ranks beforehand. In essence, this will be a surprise raid followed by an all-out assault."
The room murmured in confusion.
A large-scale attack and a surprise raid? The combination puzzled many, particularly those who weren't well-versed in tactical strategy. Though ninja schools emphasized education, much of the curriculum focused on practical ninja skills rather than complex strategy.
Orochimaru frowned slightly at their confusion. Shinki, seated nearby, suppressed a sigh. This wasn't the first time he'd witnessed such a gap in understanding. Many older ninjas hadn't attended formal schools, and their education outside ninja techniques was often lacking. While clan ninjas had access to family teachings, civilian ninjas often had glaring gaps in their knowledge.
"To simplify," Orochimaru clarified, "we will launch a surprise attack to destabilize the enemy. Once they're in disarray, we'll initiate a full-scale offensive to drive them back into the Wind Country. Does that make sense?"
This explanation clicked for the crowd, and understanding dawned.
A voice chimed in, "Lord Orochimaru, launching a surprise attack to create such disruption sounds incredibly challenging."
"Indeed," another agreed. "Wouldn't it require infiltrating their camp to have a significant effect?"
"Are you suggesting attacking the Sand Village camp? That's madness!"
"Quiet!" Orochimaru rapped the table with his knuckles, silencing the room. Once calm was restored, he continued, "I have already arranged the details of the surprise attack. Your task is to lead your teams to the designated locations and await the signal. Once the raid succeeds, we'll launch the main offensive. Follow my orders, and the plan will work."
Despite his confidence, many present exchanged uncertain glances.
A surprise attack on the enemy camp? It seemed nearly impossible. The Sand Village camp, like Konoha's, would undoubtedly have sensory ninjas stationed to detect intruders. A small group might sneak through, but a large enough force to cause meaningful disruption would surely be detected long before reaching the camp.
The skepticism hung in the air, but Orochimaru's commanding presence left little room for doubt or argument. The meeting concluded with final instructions, and the assembled ninjas departed to prepare for what was shaping up to be a bold and risky operation.
>>>>>
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