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Chapter 447: A Predicament on the Battlefield
Chapter 447: A Predicament on the Battlefield
Hiruko was just an ordinary Jonin of Konoha; he didn't hold any important positions and lacked the notoriety of individuals like Orochimaru. Thus, his defection didn't cause much trouble for Konoha.
Due to the ongoing war, Konoha didn't even bother sending a Jonin squad to pursue him. They merely conducted a perfunctory investigation, and when that yielded nothing, they dropped the matter.
In the grand scheme of things, Hiruko's defection from Konoha was akin to a mighty tree losing a small branch—an insignificant occurrence.
However, even a small branch has leaves connected to it, and for Hiruko's friends, this was no trivial matter.
Orochimaru didn't have many friends, not because he was incapable of making them, but because most people weren't worthy of being his friends.
Hiruko was one of Orochimaru's few friends, and they had been classmates during their academy days, forging a friendship that continued even after graduation.
While Orochimaru and the others went on to become the legendary Sannin, Hiruko remained a regular Jonin. Nonetheless, Orochimaru and the others didn't mind this disparity and maintained their friendship with Hiruko.
However, according to the information retrieved from Hiruko's laboratory, while they didn't care about Hiruko's strength, he seemed to be fixated on his own power.
"Too impulsive," Orochimaru muttered, shaking his head as he put down the documents in his hands.
He had Danzo's help in covering up his human experiments, but Hiruko, acting alone, had recklessly embarked on a path that would inevitably lead to exposure.
Konoha, despite its name, which included the character for "village," was not a quaint rural settlement. Its true nature was that of a military stronghold.
A hint of regret flashed across Orochimaru's face. Hiruko seemed to have had decent research capabilities, and if he had joined forces with Orochimaru and Danzo, he might not have ended up in his current predicament.
However, now that Hiruko had defected, Orochimaru saw no point in dwelling on the past. He had more pressing matters to attend to.
Orochimaru decided to use this opportunity to gauge Mu Yue's attitude towards human experimentation.
As they inspected the various units in the camp, Orochimaru suddenly said, "You know, Mu Yue, a Jonin from Konoha recently defected."
"I'm not sure who it is," Mu Yue replied with a shake of his head.
He hadn't received any information about this, but he assumed it was just an ordinary Jonin, and their actions hadn't significantly impacted Konoha's interests, or else it would have caused a bigger stir.
Orochimaru wasn't surprised by Mu Yue's response. While Hiruko wasn't a notable figure, defection was never a positive event, and Konoha wouldn't publicize it.
Orochimaru had obtained this intelligence partly because Hiruzen knew of the friendship between Orochimaru and Hiruko, and partly because Danzo believed that Hiruko's research might be useful to Orochimaru, so he had provided Orochimaru with the full details of the incident, along with the materials Hiruko had left behind.
"His name is Hiruko," Orochimaru answered.
"I never would have guessed it was Senior Hiruko," Mu Yue exclaimed, feigning surprise.
"You know him, Mu Yue?" Orochimaru asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.
"Not very well," Mu Yue explained. "We were just co-examiners during the Chunin Exams. Senior Hiruko seemed quiet and unassuming, so I never expected him to defect."
At this point in the conversation, Mu Yue had a vague idea of Orochimaru's intentions.
Having read the script, he knew why Hiruko had defected—the same reason that would later drive Orochimaru to conduct human experiments, although Orochimaru's actions would be even more extreme, delving into forbidden areas like Hashirama's cells.
"He was my friend, a ninja from the same graduating class as me," Orochimaru said with a sigh, as if lamenting the loss of a friend. He then glanced at Mu Yue out of the corner of his eye, gauging his reaction.
He wanted to discern Mu Yue's genuine attitude towards human experimentation, as it held significant implications for him.
If Mu Yue showed interest in human experimentation, Orochimaru could fully pull him onto his side and bind him to his cause, creating a mutually beneficial relationship between them.
If Mu Yue didn't show interest but also didn't reject the concept, Orochimaru could still reveal some of his secrets to Mu Yue, turning him into a trusted confidant.
However, if Mu Yue expressed disgust at the idea of human experimentation, Orochimaru would have to be more cautious when using Mu Yue, ensuring that he never learned about Orochimaru's secret research involving Hashirama's cells.
"That's truly excessive and extreme," Mu Yue commented, his tone leaving no room for ambiguity. "Experimenting on innocent villagers is unacceptable."
Mu Yue didn't detest all forms of human experimentation, as he understood that certain types of research necessitated it. However, when it came to harming innocent people, he drew a firm line.
Orochimaru carefully considered Mu Yue's words before speaking. "Hiruko did take things too far. While human experimentation is sometimes necessary for certain jutsu, Konoha has always used convicts and volunteers. Capturing innocent villagers is inexcusable."
Mu Yue nodded in agreement, his expression conveying his approval of Orochimaru's statement.
Orochimaru now had a good idea of Mu Yue's stance on human experimentation—he didn't completely oppose it, but he drew the line at harming the innocent.
"Mu Yue, you still have much to learn," Orochimaru said, believing that Mu Yue could yet evolve in his thinking. "Hopefully, the upcoming war will teach you just how fragile life is."
After all, people could change, and the current Orochimaru was vastly different from who he had been a decade ago.
Changing the subject, Orochimaru said, "Your disciple, Uchiha Stop Water, has been making quite a name for himself on the battlefield lately, even outshining some of the Jonin."
Mu Yue was an intelligent man, so Orochimaru knew he had to be careful not to push too far, lest Mu Yue start making unwanted connections.
"Stop Water has been working very hard," Mu Yue praised with a smile.
…………
"Our squad's fame is growing by the day. Last time, the enemy recognized us before we even engaged them. Who knows, maybe we'll become renowned ninjas if this keeps up," Uesugi Tetsu said excitedly.
"Why are you daydreaming in the middle of the day? If anyone's going to become famous, it'll be Stop Water, not you," Kobayashi Kenji retorted.
Stop Water, having achieved the rank of Chunin at the age of eight, had already become a household name on the Kirigakure battlefield, renowned as Konoha's brightest young talent.
Might Guy was, without a doubt, the most outstanding genius, but he and his team had returned to Konoha for rest and recuperation, so they were temporarily out of the picture.
"Stop Water is part of our squad, so it's the same for us," Uesugi Tetsu said, placing a friendly hand on Stop Water's shoulder. "Right, Stop Water?"
Stop Water nodded. While he wouldn't remain with this squad indefinitely, he was undoubtedly a member for now.
"Alright, quiet down now. We're almost at the mission site. Even with Stop Water here, we mustn't underestimate an A-rank war mission."
Not only Kiri, but Konoha had also suffered casualties, although there were fewer compared to Kiri.
Tomomi silently activated his Sharingan and began to observe their surroundings.
None of them in the squad possessed sensory abilities, so Tomomi's three-tomoe Sharingan was their most effective means of observation.
As they drew closer, Tomomi detected the hidden enemies.
Upon discovering them, Tomomi didn't show any noticeable reaction; he calmly made a few hand signals.
Upon seeing Tomomi's signals, Uesugi Tetsu and the others immediately became alert, understanding that enemies were nearby.
Shhhhh! !
When they got close enough, Tomomi and the others simultaneously threw shuriken at several locations.
Some of the Kirigakure ninjas were caught off guard and were slashed by the shuriken.
The injured Kiri ninjas immediately distanced themselves, creating space.
Just as Uesugi Tetsu prepared to pursue, several streams of water shot towards them from a slightly farther distance.
Whoosh!
Tomomi, quick as lightning, used the Body Flicker Technique to dodge the Water Release attack with Uesugi Tetsu.
"We've hooked a big one—Uchiha Tomomi, who awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan at the age of eight," said one of the eight Kirigakure ninjas who had been hiding in the village.
"A genius who achieved the strength to kill a Jonin at such a young age. It's truly unreasonable, but your ninja career ends here," said a Kiri Jonin with a sword, his face wrapped in bandages.
The information about their presence here had been intentionally leaked to attract weaker Konoha squads to their trap.
Although they might occasionally encounter a powerful Konoha squad, there was no such thing as absolute safety on the battlefield. If they ran into a strong opponent like Mu Yue, they would just have to count themselves unlucky.
"There are three fairly strong chakra signatures..." Tomomi's Sharingan quickly scanned all the Kiri ninjas, and he frowned slightly.
If his judgment was correct, there were three Jonin-level opponents and nine Chuunin and Genin-level opponents.
Tomomi was confident he could take on two of the Kiri Jonin, but the Jonin they faced were not as powerful as the Seven Ninja Swordsmen; they were only slightly above average.
However, the rest of his squad might not be able to handle one Jonin and nine Chuunin and Genin.
"It's a trap! Let's retreat!" Takagi Shinji's expression turned grim as he realized the situation.
Without the Sharingan, he couldn't discern the Kiri ninjas' strengths, but the number of Kiri ninjas present clearly indicated that this was not an A-rank mission unless most of them were Genin and there were no Jonin at all.
But for a ninja squad to have such a composition, there was only one possibility—the commander must be an idiot, and Takagi Shinji didn't think Kaji Kagura was that foolish.
"Kiri Hiding Technique!"
Three Kiri Jonin worked together to cast the Kiri Hiding Technique, enveloping the entire area in a thick white fog. Takagi Shinji and the others couldn't even tell which direction to retreat in, let alone attempt to escape.
Since the fog was made of chakra, even Tomomi's Sharingan couldn't see through it to detect the hidden enemies.
"Everyone, stay calm and pay attention to your surroundings. Stay alert and face the enemy calmly," Tomomi instructed quickly.
Although the enemy seemed stronger, in the world of ninjas, there was no absolute strength or weakness unless one was as powerful as Mu Yue. A Jonin didn't necessarily have the upper hand against another Jonin, and a Chuunin still had a chance to kill a Jonin.
However, if one panicked, they would be at a disadvantage. In a narrow encounter, the brave would prevail. The first one to panic would be at a disadvantage.
"Tomomi's right. Don't panic," Takagi Shinji added, seeing that retreat was not an option for the time being.
With the dual reassurance of a mentor and a powerful ally, along with the fact that Uesugi Tetsu and the others were already experienced Chuunin, they quickly calmed down and began to observe their surroundings, preparing for battle.
"Heart, head, thigh, arm—which part do you think will be attacked first?"
The cruel laughter of the Kiri ninjas pierced through the fog and reached Tomomi and his squad.
This was no mere pre-battle taunt; it was a mandatory psychological warfare technique taught to all Kiri ninjas for fighting in the fog.
Vision is extremely important to humans, and many things are terrifying because they are unknown. Once something becomes visible and tangible, it often loses its fear factor. Conversely, suddenly losing one's vision can easily induce anxiety.
Cruel words can effectively stimulate these unstable emotions and cause one to panic, thereby exposing weaknesses.
Shhh!
Two kunai, wrapped in flames, flew towards the direction of the speaking Kiri Jonin.
"Oh? You found me?" The Kiri Jonin dodged swiftly, a hint of surprise in his voice.
Speaking to intimidate in the fog required skill. Logically, without special training, one shouldn't be able to pinpoint his location just from the sound of his voice.
Tomomi closed his Sharingan and attacked the Kiri Jonin with his eyes closed.
To prepare for situations like this, Mu Yue had given him special training. In low-visibility conditions like thick fog, he learned to forgo his sense of sight and enhance his other senses.
At first, Tomomi struggled with this training because the Sharingan provided him with exceptional insight. But with practice, Tomomi could eventually fight at full strength even in the fog, although casting genjutsu became a bit inconvenient.
At first, the Kiri Jonin thought it was a coincidence, but Tomomi's subsequent close-range attacks proved that the young genius before him was indeed worthy of his reputation.
"This time, your teammates aren't Might Guy and Kakashi," the Kiri Jonin said, unfazed despite being at a disadvantage.
He knew he couldn't defeat Tomomi, even in the fog. But once his teammates finished off Tomomi's allies, they could gang up on Tomomi together. There was no way one person could take on all twelve of them.
Shing!
The sound of blades slicing through clothing and flesh rang out, followed by the sharp intake of breath from Kobayashi Kenji as he was struck.
"Breath of Fire, full concentration!"
Tomomi pushed his breathing technique to the limit, temporarily forcing back the Kiri Jonin before dashing to Kobayashi Kenji's aid.
Although he was stronger than the Kiri Jonin, killing a Jonin was no easy task. By the time he defeated his opponent, Kobayashi Kenji would be long dead.
If it were Obito or Kakashi, they might be able to pull off a surprise attack and instantly kill a Kiri Jonin, but Tomomi knew he couldn't do it. Among Mu Yue's disciples, his burst capability was the weakest, second only to Nohara Rin.
Obito had the Chakra Mode of Breath of Fire, Kakashi had the Sharingan's 'Eye of Insight,' and Might Guy had the Eight Gates. They all possessed powerful burst skills that Tomomi couldn't match.
With his precise senses and ghost-like Body Flicker Technique, Tomomi managed to rescue Kobayashi Kenji. However, sensing the state of his other teammates, a sense of helplessness welled up within him.
He could handle two Kiri Jonin, but the Kiri ninjas weren't foolish enough to focus on him when they knew his strength. It would be wiser to eliminate his teammates first and then gang up on him. Why take on the genius first?
(End of Chapter)
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