Qianyu stood at the front of the group, his expression blank as he watched the ninja divide into two teams.
Five days had passed since they sent their plea for help to Konoha.
Given the distance between Konoha and the Land of Hot Water, plus the time needed to mobilize reinforcements, they'd need to hold out for at least another day and a half.
Their mission now was simple: withstand the pressure from the Cloud ninja for the next thirty-six hours and hold as much of the line as possible.
At the very back of the formation, Jiraiya sighed. "He really does take after you, this student of yours. And he's competent. But that personality… it's ice. They're all comrades. Was there a need to say such ruthless things?"
Orochimaru countered, "A leader doesn't have 'comrades.' They have commanders and subordinates. Only by viewing things that way can Qianyu make the most accurate judgments without emotional interference. His method is correct. Set the rules first, then orders will be followed. Otherwise, everything descends into chaos. How can you command a unit then?"
He glanced sideways at Jiraiya. "You, Jiraiya, are too sentimental on the battlefield. That's why you're constantly held back. Sometimes, you must discard what needs discarding. Otherwise, you incur greater losses."
Jiraiya let out another sigh. "Which is exactly why I'm not suited to be a commander. Speaking of which, that kid Qianyu seems cold to everyone. That's not great. And Minato doesn't get along with him either. Otherwise, I'd have loved for them to become partners. Ah, what a shame."
He scratched his head. "Then again, maybe it's not impossible. You and I didn't get along at first either, and now we're best friends. What do you think, Orochimaru? Could Qianyu and Minato end up like us?"
Orochimaru looked at Jiraiya, his gaze profound and unreadable. He said nothing.
Jiraiya frowned. "Why are you looking at me like that? Am I wrong? It's possible, isn't it? They might become inseparable friends during this war, just like us."
Orochimaru turned his head away. "Think whatever you like."
Jiraiya found him utterly baffling.
Orochimaru crossed his arms, his eyes fixed on Qianyu's back, thoughts churning.
He was no longer bound by worldly ethics. His goal was singular now: achieve immortality and master every technique in the ninja world.
And Qianyu? His goal was also singular: Kushina Uzumaki.
Both he and Qianyu would stop at nothing for their respective objectives.
Orochimaru knew this clearly. Even if he, as his teacher, became entangled with Kushina, Qianyu would not hesitate to see him as an enemy.
The feeling was mutual. If Qianyu hindered his path to immortality, he too would become Orochimaru's enemy.
A snake slithered to his feet, whispering a report on the Cloud ninja's movements. Orochimaru looked toward Qianyu and gave a slight nod.
Qianyu understood. His voice cut through the silence. "All units. Move out!"
He led the Konoha ninja into a tactical withdrawal.
Fifty Cloud ninja were on the move, closing in on the Konoha camp.
They advanced with extreme caution. Setting traps around a campsite was basic procedure for any ninja force.
Just as expected.
They found traps as they pushed forward.
They disarmed them and prepared to advance again. Then a panicked shout erupted from within their ranks.
"It's a double-layered trap! Caref—"
The warning was cut short. The hidden secondary triggers activated.
BOOM! BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!
Explosions ripped through the forest in rapid succession. A storm of shuriken rode the shockwaves, screaming toward the Cloud formation.
The quick-reacting ninja dove for cover.
The slower ones were not so lucky—wounded, or dead.
But these triggered traps were merely an inconvenience. Casualties were minimal.
The lesson, however, was learned. The Cloud ninja became even more painstakingly careful, now checking every trap for hidden secondary triggers.
This meticulousness bought the Konoha forces precious time.
The Cloud's pace slowed. So did Qianyu's.
They weren't just running, after all.
A snake remained coiled around Qianyu's arm, a living communication line feeding him intelligence from Orochimaru at the rear.
"Hold position! All ninja and shadow clones, set traps here. Anyone low on explosive tags or tools, create dummy traps!"
After a tense wait, the snake conveyed another message: the Cloud were approaching again.
"Continue the retreat!"
The chase resumed. But inevitably, the distance between pursuer and pursued began to shrink.
From their vantage point, Orochimaru and Jiraiya finally saw the first Cloud ninja emerge through the trees.
Jiraiya stood firm on a thick branch, hands a blur of seals.
"Fire Style: Great Flame Bomb!"
He converted chakra into oil, filling his mouth before expelling it in a torrent. A fire release technique ignited it mid-air.
A tsunami of flame roared toward the Cloud forces. The oily fire clung to anything it touched, stubbornly resistant to normal methods of extinguishing. Fed by the surrounding trees, the inferno grew, creating a blazing wall that successfully halted the Cloud's advance.
The Cloud commander spotted Orochimaru and Jiraiya. His eyes narrowed.
If both Sannin are here holding the rear… then the one leading the Konoha retreat isn't them.
He barked orders. "Dispatch two seven-man squads! Flank them from the sides, get ahead of the Konoha force, and find a way to cut them off! Also, signal our nearest allies for immediate support!"
Two teams of Cloud ninja broke away, circling wide around the blazing barrier and the two legendary ninja, aiming to intercept.
Qianyu ignored the chaos behind him, coolly directing the retreat.
As they fell back, a flash of yellow appeared beside him. Minato Namikaze.
"Qianyu! Cloud ninja spotted on the right flank!"
"Can you confirm numbers?"
"Negative. We only have one sensor-nin with us right now."
Qianyu's brow furrowed slightly. "Return to your position."
Minato blinked. He'd expected an immediate counter-order, a preemptive strike. Letting the enemy set the ambush seemed risky. He opened his mouth to suggest otherwise.
"You said it," Qianyu cut him off, his voice flat. "One sensor. Unknown numbers. Acting blindly puts us at a disadvantage. Return to your position."
"…Understood."
Minato vanished back into the formation.
Alone for a moment, Qianyu summoned the system interface and opened the Exchange Shop.
Their lack of sensor-types was a critical weakness. He himself wasn't skilled in perception. If they were to survive this running battle, he needed a solution. Now.
A/N: Happy Lunar New Year, everyone! Wishing you all happiness, smooth sailing in all endeavors, academic success, great fortune, continuous advancement, and—most importantly—sudden, overwhelming wealth!
Thank you all for your company over the past year. Looking forward to the year ahead with you.
Much love~