The Land of Earth, Iwagakure.
"Lord Tsuchikage, the Konoha ninja broke through before we could completely encircle them. We were only moments away..."
Inside the Tsuchikage's office, the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, listened intently to his subordinate's report. His expression was grave, yet he showed no anger at the news of the mission's failure.
After the report concluded, Onoki gazed at the map in front of him and let out a cold chuckle.
"Those Konoha ninjas sure know how to run."
With that, he tapped heavily on a point on the map of the Land of Grass.
"Letting a few small fish escape doesn't matter. After all, if we tried to swallow so many at once, the big fish in Konoha would surely rally together in retaliation. A targeted counterattack on the battlefield could be far worse. This mission's failure might not be a bad thing after all.
However, three big fish are still within the encirclement. Relay my orders to the frontline ninjas: monitor the movements of the Konoha shinobi at the borders of the Land of Grass. Until those three big fish are caught, no Konoha ninja is to escape!"
"Understood!"
The subordinate responded promptly and left to carry out the orders. Meanwhile, a smile crept onto Onoki's face.
"Tsunade-hime, the princess of the Senju clan... capturing this big fish would be more valuable than anything. Then there's Jiraiya and Orochimaru, the rising stars of Konoha and disciples of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
These three aren't just big fish—they're whales. Even if they're dead fish, their loss would deal a heavy blow to Sarutobi's prestige. With Konoha losing its strongest trio, and the White Fang still around, Sarutobi would be crippled. Hmph!"
From the beginning, Onoki had targeted these three individuals. It was the reason behind his calculated strategy to lure them out.
If Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya fell, not only would it eliminate three of Konoha's most promising talents, but it would also weaken Hiruzen's support significantly. Konoha would then descend into chaos.
...
Konoha, inside the Hokage's office
"Lord Third Hokage, we've received intelligence from the border. Nearly half of our forces in the Land of Grass have successfully withdrawn. Here's the list. However, there's still no news of Lady Tsunade, Jiraiya, or Orochimaru!"
Hearing the first half of the report, Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed in relief. But the second half made his heart clench.
"Tsunade, Jiraiya, Orochimaru!"
Muttering their names, Hiruzen furrowed his brows deeply. Then, with a resolute tone, he ordered,
"Send a message to the border! Spare no expense—rescue Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya at all costs!"
"Yes, sir!"
Tsunade was the princess of the Senju clan. If something happened to her, the Senju clan's wrath alone would be overwhelming. Orochimaru and Jiraiya were his trusted right-hand men. Losing these elite Jonin would leave him vulnerable in the political struggles to come.
Both the White Fang and Danzo were already eyeing his Hokage position.
"White Fang... Danzo..."
The thought of these two made Hiruzen's headache worsen. His troubles were unending. No matter what, Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya could not be lost.
While the three were elite Jonin, they were only a step away from Kage-level strength. Together, they were formidable enough to challenge even him at full power.
In this generation, only four individuals held Kage-level potential or strength. Among them, only the White Fang was an outsider; Tsunade was considered a partial outsider.
...
The Root Headquarters
"Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru have been cornered?"
When Shimura Danzo received the news, he was initially startled but quickly replaced it with an expression of anger.
"Hiruzen, your indecision has led to this!"
Despite his frustration, Danzo coolly analyzed the information in front of him, weighing the pros and cons. Finally, he spoke in a hoarse voice,
"Order the Root operatives in the Land of Grass to rescue those three at all costs, even if it means exposing themselves!"
He paused briefly before adding,
"Prioritize saving Tsunade. The others can be abandoned if necessary."
"Understood!"
Once alone in the dark chamber, Danzo's expression turned dangerous. With all three trapped, he naturally chose to save the one with the greatest value.
Among the three, Tsunade held the highest worth, especially with her status as a Senju clan member. If Jiraiya and Orochimaru truly fell, the one who would suffer most would be Hiruzen Sarutobi.
If Danzo could earn the favor of the Senju clan, it might even pave the way for him to overthrow Hiruzen. He'd finally have a chance to claim the Hokage seat for himself.
Danzo had never stopped coveting that position, and even Hiruzen knew this well.
...
Inside the Land of Grass
A sharp hawk's cry echoed as a broad-winged eagle soared through the sky. On its back lay Uchiha Shirou, observing the vast forest below as the large bird carried him forward.
"The wildlife and trees in this world are massive, but ordinary animals are powerless against shinobi. Only chakra-trained summoning beasts can truly fight."
As the hawk tired and began to descend, Shirou shook his head.
"In the Forest of Death, there were tigers bigger than bulls and boars the size of houses, as Sasuke once showed. This world truly is strange. Flying jutsu is rare, but someday, I'll need a proper flying summoning beast. Flight can mean life or death in this world."
As the hawk descended into the trees, Shirou leaped off its back.
Unburdened, the hawk let out a joyful cry and took off without hesitation. Watching it leave, Shirou's eye twitched.
"Even animals don't want to be overworked. It's a good thing I have the Sharingan."
Using the Sharingan to hypnotize animals into following simple commands had its limits. Animals lacked true loyalty, and chakra traces left on them could expose him to enemy ninjas.
"This should be past the encirclement. I'm almost there."
As he confirmed his location, a sudden explosion in the distance made his face change. Without looking back, he began to flee.
Boom!
A fiery explosion consumed the eagle, reducing it to ashes.
"Quick! A sensory ninja detected chakra traces on that bird. There's a Konoha ninja nearby!"
"Damn it! Relay the message to all units: keep an eye on ordinary animals, especially anything flying. Don't let a single Konoha ninja escape!"
Amid the dense forest, dozens of Iwa shinobi rushed forward. A sensory ninja suddenly opened his eyes and pointed in Shirouo's direction.
"Ten o'clock! He's about to leave my sensory range!"
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
The Iwa shinobi leaped between the trees, their crimson uniforms cutting through the forest as they pursued.
...
Meanwhile, Uchiha Shirou grimaced as he ran.
"Sensory ninjas are such a pain."
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Explosions from explosive tags echoed in the forest as swarms of rats, some rigged with explosive tags, scurried toward the enemy.
"Be careful! This Konoha ninja excels at controlling animals!" shouted the enraged sensory ninja.