Otogakure, Outskirts.
Countless Otogakure's Shinobi scattered and fled, their faces showing extreme terror, as if witnessing the most frightening thing in their lives.
Standing before them, however, was a Kunoichi with strikingly red lips and an excellent figure.
Her name was… Yuhi Kurenai.
As one of the few Shinobi in the village skilled in Genjutsu, Kurenai's effectiveness in group battles surpassed even that of many Elite Jonin.
After all, unlike Taijutsu and Ninjutsu, Genjutsu consumed very little of the user's own energy.
Moreover, once a Genjutsu was deployed, its area of effect covered at least several people, making it perfect for clearing out low-willpower grunts.
"Don't kill me! I was wrong! Don't come any closer!"
"Monster! Monster! I surrender! I'm willing to pledge loyalty to Konoha!"
Wherever Kurenai passed, it was a scene of utter misery.
But her expression remained icy, because these people were Orochimaru's subordinates, Konoha's enemies.
"By order of Sandaime-sama, all ordinary Shinobi on the north side of Otogakure are to be annihilated."
Kurenai pressed her ear, as if transmitting a message to somewhere far away, and spoke softly.
"Understood."
Thousands of meters away, inside the Konoha's command headquarters.
Ebisu received the message and reported it fully to Sandaime Hokage.
In war, what is fought over is intelligence, is information.
And Konoha, leader of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, placed even greater importance on transmitting information than on combat power itself.
This technique of remote communication, similar in principle to the crystal ball once used to monitor Naruto, was one of Konoha's highest secrets.
"Good. Yuhi Kurenai hasn't disappointed me. Next, let's see how the Akimichi Clan's representative performs."
Sandaime Hokage nodded slightly, a trace of satisfaction appearing on his aged face.
Kurenai was his chosen daughter-in-law for the Sarutobi Clan. How could he not be happy to see such outstanding performance?
No matter how much Sandaime acted for the village, no matter how loyal he was, a little bit of favoritism towards his own clan still existed.
Meanwhile, the southern side of Otogakure.
The force responsible for attacking here was the Akimichi Clan, one of Konoha's twelve renowned clans. Their 'Butterfly Mode' technique was considered one of the strongest single-target enhancement Ninjutsu.
Indeed, the situation on the battlefield did not disappoint Sandaime Hokage.
"Human Bullet Tank!"
"Minions of Otogakure, followers of Orochimaru, disappear!"
On the high ground of Otogakure, a massive fleshy ball transformed into a rampaging earth dragon, crushing all the Shinobi on the ground.
This was the Akimichi Clan's unique ability, the Human Bullet Tank.
The twelve major clans each had their specialties. Among them, the Aburame Clan excelled at reconnaissance, the Hyuga Clan at perceiving enemy weaknesses, and the Sarutobi Clan at learning from all schools.
The Akimichi Clan, without a doubt, were the most suited for group battles, the universally acknowledged battlefield wrecking ball.
Just imagine:
In an evenly matched battle, a massive Human Boulder suddenly charges at you with boundless force. How would you feel?
At this moment, the low-level Shinobi of Otogakure were experiencing exactly that feeling.
"This should do it."
Soon, after a series of impacts, the Akimichi Clan's Clan Head looked down at the group of ordinary Shinobi below, thoroughly battered and disoriented, a smile curling his lips.
The Akimichi Clan's performance in group battles was always reliable.
"Hah, is that all?"
However…
The moment the Akimichi Clan's Clan Head let his guard down, a pale young figure slowly walked out from behind him.
Instantly, the Akimichi Clan's Clan Head's pupils contracted sharply.
His intuition told him:
The opponent before him was troublesome.
"What? Aside from the northern front where Yuhi Kurenai is fighting, the Shinobi Forces on all other fronts are locked in difficult battles?"
Half an hour later, Ebisu, hearing the battle reports from all sides, immediately furrowed his brow.
In his view, the behemoth Konoha attacking a newly risen Otogakure should be like crushing dead weeds and sweeping away fallen leaves… instantly destroying this village.
The only potentially tricky parts were probably Orochimaru, one of the Sannin, and the Kyubi's Jinchuriki he controlled.
However…
Ebisu never imagined that these ordinary Otogakure's Shinobi, whom he regarded as ants and minions, could pose such a huge threat to Konoha's elite Shinobi.
'How was this possible?'
'Absolutely, utterly unacceptable.'
'Given Konoha's lofty status, how could these characters, insignificant as mere straw, force our Shinobi Forces into a stalemate?'
"Heh heh, just as I initially anticipated."
Unlike Ebisu's shock, Sandaime Hokage remained calm. He looked quietly at the battle reports before him, analyzing coolly.
From the very beginning, he never thought this battle would be a one-sided rout.
After all, this was Orochimaru.
Among the Sannin, the most brilliantly talented, the one he had once placed his highest hopes in, the one who was perfect in every aspect.
The village cultivated by that man was, from the start, regarded by Sandaime Hokage as an enemy of the same level.
"Ebisu, don't panic. Relay my orders: all squads change formation. The battle enters Phase Two."
"It's time for us old bones to move."
After saying this, a long-absent fighting spirit flashed in Sandaime Hokage's eyes.
An old steed in the stable still aspires to gallop a thousand kilometers.
He just didn't know if this aged monkey could still, like in the old days, firmly grasp the throat of that cunning white snake, Orochimaru.
Deep within Otogakure, a mysterious hideout.
"The north has been breached, but all other areas are locked in a stalemate as I arranged, hmm?"
Orochimaru's gaze was distant, a mysterious smile curling his lips.
"I have managed the war to this extent. Shouldn't Danzo's side also show a little sincerity?"
"What do you say, Yamato?"
Orochimaru's gaze shifted, landing on the expressionless young man before him, his tone sinister.
The main reason Konoha targeted him for attack was that they pinned the whereabouts of the Kyubi's Jinchuriki, Naruto, on his territory.
And the key to his cooperation with Danzo was also Naruto.
With things having developed to this point, he, Orochimaru, needed to see a glimmer of results.
"Hah, when Danzo-sama acts, he is never petty. I can tell you Naruto's coordinates in detail. I'm just afraid you wouldn't dare to go after him."