Bab 141: Chapter 141: Camouflage
The main reason the battle with Hanzo didn't turn into an all-out summon beast brawl was the poison of Hanzo's salamander, which could kill nearly anything that came close, including summoned beasts. Tsunade's antidote was specifically tailored for human use; she didn't have enough to safely treat massive creatures like Gamabunta, Katsuyu. So, the Sannin had to face Hanzo on their own.
As for Orochimaru's snake, Yamata it was one of Orochimaru's many "unique creations."
Watching the battle unfold, Jiraiya couldn't hide his astonishment. Despite his injuries, he was so caught up in what he'd just witnessed that he seemed to forget his own pain.
He'd seen Orochimaru summon a snake, inject it with Tsunade's antidote, and then send it out with the Kusanagi sword for support. But the strangest part was when the snake… vanished?
"Can snakes actually go invisible?" Jiraiya muttered, bewildered.
Tsunade looked equally stunned. She had seen the black snake before during their mission to the Land of Whirlpools, but she hadn't realized the extent of its abilities. The way it seemed to blend into its surroundings, disappear, then reappear, it was unlike anything she'd ever seen.
"Is this snake not only capable of speech but also has immobilization and camouflage techniques?" she asked, incredulous.
Orochimaru, noticing their expressions, gave a casual shrug. "It's not invisibility. It's just color-changing camouflage."
"Color change? Like a chameleon?" Jiraiya asked, catching on quickly. But the concept sounded ridiculous. Could a snake really adapt a chameleon's abilities?
"Are you serious?" Tsunade asked, still doubtful, even though she'd seen it with her own eyes.
"Why would I lie?" Orochimaru replied with a smirk. "Yamata can change color, immobilize targets, use anesthetic venom, and even perform a basic Earth Release."
Jiraiya and Tsunade stared at him, speechless.
Completely unbothered, Orochimaru continued his explanation, openly sharing details that he had kept even from Hiruzen and Danzo.
Over the years, he had enhanced Yamata's abilities through careful experimentation. The snake's camouflage was inspired by chameleons, using chakra to blend into its surroundings. Unlike typical invisibility jutsu, Yamata camouflage was more effective, especially against those without special sensory abilities.
"When trained and enhanced with chakra, a snake can surpass a chameleon's natural camouflage ability," Orochimaru explained, still unfazed. "For Yamata, changing colors is an active skill, consuming chakra. But it's useful when the right moment arises."
In addition to camouflage, Yamata was enhanced with an anesthetic venom that could paralyze targets and a modified Earth Release technique, adapted specifically for a snake. Orochimaru had modeled this ability on Iwa's Earth Rock Fist, enabling Yamata to form high-density rock scales, laced with metallic minerals, for protection. This armor was the reason Hanzo's sickle failed to slice it in two earlier.
Hanzo had assumed it was just an ordinary snake, so his strike had been casual. If he had known, the outcome might have been different. But for now, Yamata had survived and succeeded in its mission.
Despite his cautious demeanor, Hanzo hadn't detected the snake's presence until it was too late. After all, snakes were cold-blooded, and their movements were subtle. Once in camouflage, Yamata was nearly impossible to spot without specialized sensory abilities.
"Even Hanzo was caught off guard," Orochimaru remarked, a hint of satisfaction in his voice.
Meanwhile, Hanzo was being assisted by a handful of Rain ninja, who were just as astonished as he was. "Unbelievable… even Lord Hanzo…" one of them whispered in shock. "Who are these people?"
The once-imposing "demigod of the ninja world" looked shaken, his mind still reeling from the battle.
"Stop here," Hanzo ordered suddenly, signaling his subordinates to halt. They gently lowered him under a large tree, where he took a seat, leaning back and staring into the rain, letting it wash over him.
The immobilization jutsu had long worn off, but the mental weight of the battle still lingered. As he sat there, his thoughts drifted back to the bizarre encounter with Orochimaru's snake.
After so many years of standing at the top, facing these three young shinobi had given him pause. These weren't ordinary opponents. They were extraordinary in ways he hadn't anticipated.
"The Sannin of Konoha…" he murmured, almost to himself, as he closed his eyes and let the rain drip down his gas mask.
---
On the other side of the battlefield, Konoha's forces had achieved a decisive victory. The ninja army celebrated, relieved that the intense battles were finally over. The officers issued orders to clean up the battlefield and prepare for the withdrawal from the Land of Rain.
Nara Hakushu, Konoha's chief strategist, received word from Jiraiya's contact frog about the outcome of the fight with Hanzo. When he read the message, his eyes widened in disbelief.
"Hanzo… defeated? And the three of them are unharmed?"
The news spread like wildfire through Konoha's ranks, and soon the entire army was abuzz with excitement. For many of the younger ninja, it was almost too incredible to believe.
"Did they really defeat Hanzo, the demigod of the ninja world?"
"That's amazing! Those three are unstoppable!"
"They really are worthy of being Lord Hokage's students!"
In no time, Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade became legends within the Konoha forces, their names spoken with awe and respect. Even the usually stoic Uchiha clan was moved by the news.
Uchiha Soyama, the clan head, gathered his key members. He'd been keeping a close eye on the battlefield, and this turn of events had changed his calculations.
"Remember this," Soyama told his advisors. "The strength of Orochimaru and Jiraiya cannot be underestimated. We need to observe them closely from now on."
"Especially Orochimaru," he added, frowning. "If there's an opportunity, we should establish a relationship with him."
"But Orochimaru doesn't trust people easily," one advisor noted.
"Everyone has weaknesses," Soyama replied. "Pay attention, observe, and one will always appear. We can't afford to let someone of his talent operate unchecked."
"No matter what, we Uchiha cannot be led by the nose. We must plan ahead."
"Yes!"
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