After four long days of travel, the delegations from both Konoha and Kumogakure finally arrived—taking nearly twice the usual time.
It wasn't due to any attacks or delays. Rather, it was because of Orochimaru's deliberate pace. Under his quiet suppression, their march slowed to a crawl, as if they were sightseeing.
Kakashi and the others were baffled, but none dared question Orochimaru directly. Instead, they diverted their energy into hunting game and gathering ingredients along the way.
Yet once they entered the Land of Frost, Orochimaru's behavior became even more baffling. He handed over leadership of the route to the Kumogakure team, claiming that the locals would be more familiar with the terrain.
Seriously?
The Konoha shinobi wanted to protest. They weren't locals, true—but they were plenty familiar with the geography here. This wasn't new ground for them.
Still, Orochimaru's word was law. Open resistance wasn't an option. So instead, the Konoha team quietly reminded Hizashi Hyuga, their best sensor, to keep a close watch on the Kumogakure delegation—just in case they tried to lead them into a trap.
And so, under this tense arrangement, the group continued deeper into the Land of Frost.
---
"Stop."
Orochimaru, who had been hanging back until now, suddenly surged to the front and raised a hand. Everyone—Konoha and Kumogakure alike—halted on the tree branches.
"Lord Orochimaru?" one of the interim leaders of the Kumogakure peace team asked, voice unsteady. "Is something wrong? This path… it's the safest route to the Land of Thunder."
His words were polite, but his trembling tone betrayed his fear. This wasn't respect—it was instinctive dread of the man in front of him.
"There's nothing wrong with the road," Orochimaru said with a smile. "But we're not going any farther."
He gestured to the Konoha shinobi to rest, then stepped up to the Kumogakure captain, lips curling into a sharp grin.
"You can contact Kumogakure, can't you? Good. Tell them—no need for an ambush. The peace talks won't be happening further ahead. We'll be conducting them here."
The Kumogakure captain froze.
"Lord Orochimaru… what are you saying? I… I don't understand…"
"You don't?" Orochimaru murmured.
He rested a hand on the man's shoulder. From beneath his sleeve, a white snake slithered out, coiling around the captain's neck. Its tongue flicked across his cheek as the grip began to tighten.
"You have five minutes to notify your village," Orochimaru whispered. "Do it, or die. Now do you understand?"
The captain was drenched in cold sweat. The snake's tongue felt like ice against his skin. Its body coiled tighter around his throat with every second.
"I understand!" he shouted at last.
There was no point pretending anymore—the ambush had been discovered. What mattered now was getting word to the village before things escalated.
"Good."
The snake uncoiled and slithered back into Orochimaru's sleeve. The Sannin's smile softened, but the danger in his eyes remained.
"I have no desire to kill you," he said, "as long as you don't do anything stupid."
The captain understood the unspoken message clearly: try to play dumb again, and you're dead.
He fumbled to retrieve a communication scroll, nearly dropping it in his panic. This wasn't the behavior of a hardened shinobi—but that was the effect of standing alone before Orochimaru.
Though he wasn't an elite, the man had plenty of field experience. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have lost composure so easily. But this wasn't the battlefield. This was a cage, and Orochimaru was the beast inside it.
The psychological pressure chipped away at his reason. Staying calm was impossible.
Even the Konoha shinobi didn't mock him for his panic. They understood too well.
After all, in the original timeline, even a wounded, defector Orochimaru had scared Kakashi off with a glance. And now? Orochimaru was in his prime—more dangerous than ever.
---
As Orochimaru had expected, the message spread quickly. Within fifteen minutes, Kumogakure shinobi began appearing from all directions.
Hizashi Hyuga had already activated his Byakugan. His expression soon darkened as chakra signatures began entering his field of vision—one after another.
There wasn't a single genin among them. Even chūnin were few. Instead, nearly a hundred high-level shinobi had gathered, including over thirty elite jōnin.
Among Konoha's mid-ranked ninja, there were no more than two or three elite-level shinobi—and sometimes not even that many.
So when two enormous chakra signatures suddenly filled Hyuga Hizashi's field of vision, he couldn't stay calm. He flashed to Orochimaru's side, his voice urgent.
"...It's more than we expected. The Fourth Raikage is here—and so are two Jinchuriki. Orochimaru-sama, they're not here for peace talks. Their target is you."
Kakashi and the others stiffened at the news. But almost immediately, their expressions turned firm. Without hesitation, they leapt into position among the trees, forming a tight defensive formation.
They didn't need to speak. Their resolve was clear.
They were prepared to die to cover Orochimaru's retreat—even if it was Orochimaru who had dragged them into this situation.
Because what they were protecting wasn't the man himself—but what he represented to the village. And that was worth more than their lives.
Even the Cloud ninja could sense the unwavering resolve radiating from the Konoha shinobi. A few looked on with a flash of admiration—before the weight of their own fate settled back in.
They were probably going to die too.
Still, they thought bitterly, if their lives could buy the death of a legendary "Konoha Sannin," it might be worth it. They didn't fear death—but to die like this, just before the real battle even began, was a cruel kind of failure.
Sensing the shift in mood, Orochimaru gave a small smile and waved a hand, gesturing for the Cloud ninja to leave.
Captain Yunin looked surprised.
"I told you," Orochimaru said calmly. "I don't want to kill you—as long as you don't insist on dying."
He turned his gaze to Kakashi and the others.
"There's no need for the theatrics. I anticipated this situation before we even set out."
The Cloud ninja looked uncertain but didn't question the reprieve. Grateful or simply afraid, they began slowly withdrawing, keeping wary eyes on the Konoha squad as if expecting an ambush at any moment.
Just before they moved out of range, Orochimaru's voice echoed in their minds—calm, composed, and bone-chilling.
"Tell the Raikage—if he wishes to avoid heavy losses, speak with me first. Don't say I didn't warn you."
Captain Yunin's face went pale, and he quickened his pace.
Moments later, the Fourth Raikage arrived on the treetops, flanked by elite ninja squads. In three other directions, Konoha's position was surrounded—by teams led by the two Jinchuriki and C.
Despite the overwhelming advantage, Raikage did not immediately attack.
Perhaps it was gratitude for sparing the Cloud Ninja, or perhaps it was wariness. Either way, he only narrowed his eyes and spoke lowly.
"Orochimaru… You want to talk? I doubt there's anything worth saying."
The wound at his side, though long healed, gave a phantom ache at the very sight of the man.
Orochimaru's smile widened as he looked around at the encircling forces.
"True, there's not much to say… at least not like this."
He formed a hand seal.
In a puff of smoke, Tagorihime appeared beside him—regal and silent. Without delay, she summoned two more Snake Princesses.
And they, in turn, unleashed their own summonings.
With a thunderous crack, the battlefield shook—two colossal figures appeared: Manda and Kagari the massive serpents coiling with menace.
The tension in the air thickened.
The real battle was about to begin.
_____________________
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