Sora stood at the front of the team, his expression impassive as he surveyed the Konoha shinobi, now divided into two squads.
It had been five days since they sent their request for reinforcements to Konoha.
Considering the distance between Konoha and the Land of Hot Springs, plus the time required to arrange for ninja support, it would take at least a day and a half for the reinforcements to arrive.
For now, Sora's mission was to withstand the pressure from the advancing Kumogakure shinobi and hold the line for as long as possible—at least until the 36-hour mark.
At the back of the team, Jiraiya let out a sigh. "he really takes after you. Your disciple is definitely capable, but his personality is so cold. We're all comrades here, so why say such heartless things?"
Orochimaru responded coolly, "A leader doesn't have the luxury of seeing comrades. There are only commanders and subordinates. Only then can he make precise decisions without being swayed by personal feelings."
Orochimaru continued, his tone decisive. "Sora's approach is the most logical. Rules must be established before any words or actions can follow. Otherwise, the situation descends into chaos, and there's no way to lead a team effectively."
He cast a sidelong glance at Jiraiya. "You're too emotional on the battlefield. That's why you find yourself restrained at every turn. Sometimes, sacrifices must be made when the situation demands it, or the losses will only be greater."
Jiraiya sighed again, shaking his head. "That's exactly why I'm not cut out for command. Still, this kid Sora… he seems cold to everyone. That's not a good thing. Especially with Minato—those two don't get along at all. Otherwise, I'd have loved to see them partner up. What a shame."
He hesitated before adding, "But who knows? We didn't get along much at first either, yet here we are—close friends. Orochimaru, do you think Sora and Minato might become like us someday?"
Orochimaru glanced at Jiraiya, his expression inscrutable, but said nothing.
Jiraiya frowned, puzzled. "Why are you looking at me like that? Am I wrong? They might grow close through this war, don't you think?"
Orochimaru turned away, his tone dismissive. "Think what you want."
Jiraiya couldn't help but feel there was something odd about Orochimaru's behaviour.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru crossed his arms, his gaze fixed on Sora as thoughts swirled in his mind. He no longer cared for conventional morals. His focus was singular: to obtain eternal life and master every jutsu in the ninja world.
As for Sora, his immediate goal was clear—Uzumaki Kushina.
Whether it was Orochimaru or Sora, both were prepared to stop at nothing to achieve their ambitions. Orochimaru was acutely aware that if it came to it, Sora wouldn't hesitate to turn against him if Kushina was involved.
But the feeling was mutual. If Sora stood in the way of his quest for eternal life, he would see him as an enemy without hesitation.
A small snake slithered up to Orochimaru, delivering its report on the movements of the Kumogakure shinobi.
Orochimaru nodded at Sora.
Understanding the signal, Sora announced, "Everyone, follow me!"
With that, Sora began to lead the Konoha shinobi in a strategic retreat.
Meanwhile, all fifty Kumogakure shinobi were already on the move, advancing toward the Konoha camp.
As they moved, they remained cautious, scanning their surroundings for any signs of a trap.
Setting traps around the camp was a basic tactic for any ninja garrison.
As expected, the advancing Kumogakure shinobi soon detected one of the traps.
Just as they began dismantling it, preparing to resume their march, a panicked shout erupted from within their group.
"It's a double trap! Look o—"
Before the final word could leave his mouth, the hidden mechanism within the trap was triggered.
In an instant, a series of explosions erupted, accompanied by a hailstorm of shuriken riding the force of the blasts, slicing through the air toward the Kumogakure team.
The quicker shinobi reacted immediately, evading the incoming danger. Those slower to react, however, were not so fortunate—some were injured, while others fell into the trap.
Though the damage was not catastrophic, the triggered trap successfully disrupted the Kumogakure shinobi's momentum. Now more cautious, the shinobi began checking for secondary traps at every step, and their progress slowed significantly.
This delay bought precious time for the Konoha forces.
On Sora's side, his pace deliberately matched the slowed advance of their pursuers. After all, their objective was not escape but strategic delay.
A small snake coiled around Sora's arm slithered closer to his ear, relaying information it had gathered from Orochimaru's reconnaissance behind the line.
Sora halted and issued his orders: "Stop here. All ninjas and their Shadow Clones set traps immediately. If you're out of explosive tags or other ninja tools, create decoys to mislead them!"
After a short pause, more information filtered in through the snake. Kumogakure shinobi were closing in once again.
"Move out," Sora commanded, and the team resumed their retreat.
As the chase continued, the distance between the Kumogakure shinobi and Konoha's forces steadily shrank.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru, positioned at the rear, were now able to see the first wave of Kumogakure shinobi emerging from the tree line.
Jiraiya leapt onto a tree trunk, forming a series of hand seals with practised precision.
"Fire Style: Big Flame Bullet!"
Channelling chakra into oil, Jiraiya spat the flaming liquid from his mouth, creating a wave of fire that roared toward the advancing Kumogakure shinobi.
The flames, fueled by the oil, were not easily extinguished. Combined with the surrounding forest, the fire rapidly spread, intensifying and effectively stalling the Kumogakure forces' advance.
The Kumogakure commander's sharp eyes quickly picked out Orochimaru and Jiraiya amidst the chaos.
His expression darkened. If both Orochimaru and Jiraiya were stationed here, neither could be the overall commander of the Konoha forces. That meant the real commander was still ahead.
The commander barked orders without hesitation: "Split into two squads of seven and flank them! Circle around to intercept their commander and force them to stop. At the same time, send word to the nearest reinforcements for backup!"
Without delay, two squads of Kumogakure shinobi broke off, flanking Orochimaru and Jiraiya's position to catch up with the retreating Konoha forces.
Sora, leading the main group, remained unbothered by the commotion behind him and continued directing the team's retreat.
Namikaze Minato, accelerating ahead of the others, appeared beside Sora. "Chiba, traces of Kumogakure shinobi have been spotted on the right flank!"
"Can you confirm their numbers?" Sora asked without turning his head.
Minato frowned. "No. We only have one sensory ninja with us, and they couldn't determine the exact count."
Sora's brows knitted together briefly. "Return to the group," he instructed.
Minato hesitated, expecting Sora to take immediate action against the flanking forces. However, his lack of urgency caught him off guard.
From Minato's perspective, the Kumogakure shinobi were likely planning an ambush to cut them off. Wouldn't it be better to strike first, before they had a chance to attack?
He opened his mouth to speak, but Sora cut him off sharply. "You just said it yourself—we only have one sensory ninja. Without confirmation of their numbers, acting rashly could put us at a disadvantage. Focus on defence. Now, back to the team!"
Reluctantly, Minato nodded. "Understood." He retreated into the group, glancing back at Sora as he rejoined the formation.
Sora remained calm and composed, summoning the system he had access to and opening the exchange store.
Their lack of sensory ninjas was a glaring weakness. Additionally, he was not skilled in sensory techniques, leaving the team vulnerable to unseen threats. Browsing through the exchange store, Sora began searching for an ability or tool that could compensate for this gap.
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