Orochimaru introduced the key player for the upcoming raid, gesturing toward the figure standing beside him.
"The person next to me is Hyuga Shinki, deputy director of the Anbu. Many of you may already know him. This time, he will lead the raid mission. Our mission is to prepare and launch a full-scale attack following the raid."
The room buzzed with reactions to this announcement.
"Master Shinki in charge of the raid? Isn't that too dangerous? He's a medical ninja!"
"Fool! Master God Slayer is not just a medical ninja but also a formidable combatant. If he's leading the raid, there's no doubt it will succeed," someone immediately rebuked.
Those unfamiliar with Shinki found Orochimaru's plan questionable. How could a medical ninja be sent on such a perilous mission? But those who knew Shinki well understood his strength, masked under the guise of a healer.
Moreover, anyone who thought medical ninjas were weak clearly hadn't met Princess Tsunade. Yet even Tsunade might find such a task daunting.
Seeing the doubt on many faces, Shinki didn't bother explaining. He spoke plainly:
"The raid on the enemy camp is my responsibility. Your job is to prepare for the full-scale attack that follows. Focus on your tasks."
With that, Shinki ended the discussion. Some things are better proven through action than explanation. People will always have opinions—whether the mission succeeds or fails. The best course is often to ignore the noise and proceed with resolve.
Orochimaru followed the same principle.
While some were skeptical, Orochimaru's authority as the camp commander left little room for dissent. Orders were orders.
After the meeting concluded, Shinki couldn't help but grumble as he approached Orochimaru.
"Every time I work with you, Orochimaru, trouble follows. I'm starting to regret agreeing to this. You get more benefits out of this than I do!"
Orochimaru chuckled, unbothered by Shinki's frustration. "It's mutual benefit, my friend. I need credit, and so do you. I need recognition, and you do as well—though I admit you're not as desperate for it as I am."
He continued with a sly smile. "From the moment I defied the Third Hokage's orders, I had to prove myself. This mission is my way of doing that. The same applies to you."
Shinki frowned. "I may not have interfered with your decision to disobey orders, but being in this camp alongside you makes it look like I'm complicit. The Third Hokage won't believe I stayed neutral."
"Exactly." Orochimaru smirked. "The old man knows you're here. Even if you claim otherwise, who will believe that you didn't influence me? Perhaps Tsunade would—but the rest of the 'F4'? Unlikely."
Shinki glared at Orochimaru. "You snake. This isn't my fault, but the blame falls on me anyway!"
Orochimaru shrugged nonchalantly, clearly unbothered by Shinki's complaints. Frustrated, Shinki flipped him off and stormed out.
"Stay far away from me, Orochimaru! Next time, I'm not getting dragged into your schemes!"
---
Despite Shinki's exasperation, Orochimaru silently reveled in his success. The Third Hokage's orders, intended as a reprimand, had inadvertently strengthened Orochimaru's position. The only downside was that Shinki would now approach him with more caution.
As the night fell, the camp prepared for action. Orochimaru's orders were clear, and every combat team moved to their assigned positions across the battlefield, waiting for the signal to attack.
---
In the early hours of the morning, between three and four o'clock, when sleepiness dulls even the sharpest minds, the operation began. A puppet crow, seamlessly blending into the night, soared toward the Sand Village camp with a sealed scroll clutched in its beak.
"A bird?"
The sensory ninja on duty in the Sand Village camp noticed the movement. After a brief check, they relaxed—it was just a bird flying overhead, showing no signs of landing or posing a threat. They let it pass without a second thought.
But as the crow flew over the camp, it dropped the scroll from its beak and quickly disappeared into the night. The scroll plummeted toward the camp, seemingly harmless at first.
"What's that?"
The sensory ninja squinted as the scroll fell, realizing something was off. He called out, "There's an object falling into the camp! Investigate it immediately!"
Before anyone could act, the scroll unraveled mid-air, transforming into countless pieces of paper that drifted down gently. Hidden within the paper, dozens of dark figures descended upon the camp.
"Enemy attack!" the sensory ninja screamed, his voice cutting through the stillness of the night.
The figures were puppets, armed and deadly, controlled remotely. They landed silently but sprang into action the moment they touched the ground, attacking the Sand Village ninjas with ruthless efficiency.
The chaos was immediate.
Explosions erupted across the camp as some puppets broke away to target structures. Tents and buildings were obliterated in seconds. Each puppet that approached a target detonated on contact, amplifying the devastation.
"Boom!"
The deafening explosions shattered the night, plunging the Sand Village camp into complete disorder. Many ninjas, still groggy from sleep, were caught off-guard. Some never even made it out of their tents before succumbing to the blasts.
The camp descended into pandemonium. Screams and the clash of weapons echoed as the Sand Village forces scrambled to respond. The once-quiet night was now a cacophony of destruction and confusion.
---
Chiyo, startled awake by the commotion, hurriedly dressed. The veteran puppeteer knew something catastrophic was happening. The chaos outside her tent made it clear—this was no ordinary skirmish. **The Sand Village was under siege.**
>>>>>
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