Chapitre 105: Chapter 105: Uzushiogakure Destroyed
Half a month later, on a deserted mountaintop outside Konoha, a man with long, black flowing hair stood silently, his gaze fixed on a small sapling before him. Orochimaru observed it carefully, lost in thought.
After a moment, he raised his pale, slender hands, and clapped them together with a decisive snap.
"Wood Release!"
The sapling responded to the chakra flowing from Orochimaru's hands, rapidly growing and expanding until it stood as a small tree. Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, extended his right hand, and with a flick of his wrist, space seemed to ripple as a gleaming silver sword materialized in his grip, the Kusanagi Sword.
With a swift, precise motion, the sword sliced cleanly through the tree, cutting it in half.
Orochimaru nodded thoughtfully, lowering the blade. "Just as I suspected. The quality of the Wood Release is decent, but without proper technique, it's limited. If I want to use true Wood Release ninjutsu, I'll need a Wood Release scroll."
Yes, the man contemplating his own power was none other than Orochimaru. He had been delving deeper into his research over the past few months. Due to the advanced genetic enhancement liquid being an extension of the basic and intermediate versions, he had made quick progress only taking about half a month to achieve this state.
After using the advanced enhancement fluid, his body had reached a peak condition practically perfect. With the genes of the First Hokage successfully fused into his body, Orochimaru now possessed a version of the legendary Sage Body.
The Sage Body gave him chakra reserves on par with the Tailed Beasts and a regenerative ability that was extraordinary. Wood Release, the bloodline ability of the First Hokage, was now part of his arsenal. But Orochimaru had an additional edge, the Sharingan, something the First Hokage never had.
However, despite his advancements, Orochimaru knew he was still far from matching the true power of the First Hokage. The difference? Mastery over advanced Wood Release ninjutsu and Sage Mode.
Sage Mode was, for the moment, out of his reach. Orochimaru hadn't yet located Ryuchi Cave, the home of the White Snake Sage and the key to learning Senjutsu. But he wasn't worried; it was only a matter of time before he tracked it down. For now, his focus was on learning and mastering Wood Release techniques.
Ninjutsu wasn't something that could simply be accessed by possessing a chakra nature or even a powerful bloodline limit like Wood Release. To truly wield these abilities, Orochimaru needed to either be taught the techniques or develop them himself. While he enjoyed developing his own jutsu, he wasn't foolish enough to ignore the value of learning pre-existing techniques. Before crafting his own Wood Release abilities, Orochimaru needed to master the basics.
He knew where to start: the original Wood Release techniques developed by the First Hokage himself. Techniques like the Wooden Dragon, the Wood Human, or the Thousand-Armed Buddha each one capable of overwhelming even the Tailed Beasts. But these techniques were tied to Sage Mode, which meant Orochimaru couldn't yet access their full power. For now, he would settle for mastering techniques like the Deep Forest Emergence or other basic Wood Release abilities.
He had heard that the necessary scrolls were in the possession of Danzo. That was his next destination.
---
As Orochimaru leisurely strolled through the streets of Konoha, heading toward Danzo's headquarters, villagers greeted him with respectful nods and waves.
"Good afternoon, Orochimaru-sama!"
"Hello, Orochimaru-sama!"
The greetings were courteous, as expected of civilians toward a respected Jonin. Orochimaru returned their gestures with a casual nod. His promotion to Jonin had significantly raised his status within the village. In the ninja world, the title of Jonin carried weight, and respect followed naturally.
Of course, achieving Jonin status required more than just strength. One had to complete a certain number of high-level missions to earn the title. Orochimaru had done plenty of missions recently, but his personal research had occupied most of his time. Even so, the missions he did take on brought him not only the experience necessary for his promotion but also a fair amount of wealth. The money he earned helped fund his ongoing experiments, so it was well worth it.
As he walked, Orochimaru's attention was suddenly drawn to a squad of Konoha Anbu darting across the rooftops. Their movements were quick and deliberate, heading toward the Hokage's office. Orochimaru's sharp eyes narrowed.
"Hmm, moving in such a rush? Something urgent must be happening."
He stopped in his tracks, watching as more and more ninja emerged from the Hokage building and spread out across the village, heading toward the residences of various Jonin and clan leaders. It wasn't long before one of the figures approached him directly.
"Orochimaru-sama, the Hokage has summoned you," the masked Anbu said, bowing respectfully.
"Understood," Orochimaru replied with a slight nod. He glanced around at the other ninja being summoned. It was clear that whatever this was, it involved nearly all of Konoha's top shinobi.
This must be something serious.
With that thought, Orochimaru turned and made his way toward the Hokage's office, his curiosity piqued.
---
As he approached the building, he noticed Tsunade rushing out of her house, her usual confidence replaced with a rare look of concern.
"Orochimaru!" she called, jogging over to him.
Orochimaru's expression remained calm as ever. "Seems something important is happening. Let's go together."
Tsunade nodded, and the two headed to the Hokage's office side by side.
---
The Hokage's conference room was packed. Sarutobi Hiruzen sat at the head of the long table, his face grim. Gathered around him were the heads of Konoha's major clans, along with high-ranking Jonin and other prominent figures. Almost everyone was present—Ino-Shika-Cho, Hyuga, Aburame, Inuzuka. Even Tsunade and Orochimaru were there. The only person missing was Jiraiya, who was off training or chasing his latest prophecy.
The room buzzed with tension. The urgency of the meeting was palpable, and the whispers among the shinobi were filled with speculation.
"Hokage-sama, what's going on?"
"It's been a long time since we've been called like this. Something serious must've happened."
"Quiet!" Hiruzen's commanding voice cut through the room. "Now that everyone is here, let's begin."
The Third Hokage took a deep breath before speaking, his expression dark. "I've just received word… the village of Uzushiogakure, the home of the Uzumaki clan, was destroyed overnight."
There was a collective gasp.
"What?!"
"Uzushiogakure? Destroyed? How is that possible?"
The room erupted in murmurs of disbelief. Uzushiogakure had been one of Konoha's strongest allies, home to the powerful Uzumaki clan, known for their sealing techniques and vitality. The Uzumaki were closely tied to Konoha through the marriage of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, and Uzumaki Mito. The destruction of their village was unthinkable.
Even Orochimaru, who had long expected this news, couldn't help but feel a flicker of surprise. "So, it finally happened." The destruction of Uzushiogakure had been an event etched in history, but hearing it in real time still caught him off guard.
The island nation of Uzushiogakure, located east of the Land of Fire, had always been strategically difficult to protect. Any large-scale invasion would take time, giving Konoha no chance to mobilize in time to save them. But the timing of this attack still felt strange. "Why now?"
As the whispers continued to fill the room, Orochimaru's sharp mind raced, analyzing the situation. He glanced up at Hiruzen, a thought forming in his mind.
Could this have been influenced by the Third Hokage himself?
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