章 248: Chapter 247: A Familiar Script
A sharp "chain sword" pierced through the air and impaled two Konoha shinobi before they could react. The sword then swung violently like a scorpion's tail, smashing hard against the gates of Konoha.
Boom!
The gates collapsed. Even though the village had used dense and precious wood, it was no match for the puppet created by Sasori of the Red Sand himself.
The piercing sound of the alarm exploded from the Barrier Team, and in the blink of an eye, it spread across the entire village.
Using the puppet's tailhook as a signal, the Phantom Organization launched a full-scale invasion of Konoha.
One by one, the members of the Phantom Organization, clad in crimson robes, leapt over the walls and entered the village, hurling kunai and shuriken without restraint. They slaughtered anyone in sight until they clashed with the Konoha shinobi rushing to defend the village.
As long as they had no shame, even shinobi who had just learned to control chakra could kill ordinary people like cutting through vegetables. In a short time, Konoha suffered heavy civilian casualties.
"Hokage-sama, I will handle the puppeteer." On the small platform at the top of the Hokage building, Shisui drew his short blade. His gaze swept over the Anbu shinobi. "You all focus on protecting the village." The cold gleam of the blade reflected in the boy's icy Mangekyō Sharingan.
Pop—
Without even making a sound, Shisui vanished from the spot.
"Shisui is getting faster and faster," Orochimaru commented softly. "Kakashi, have you seen Obito?"
"No."
Kakashi had already removed his eye patch and started gathering chakra slowly, ready to activate his Mangekyō Sharingan at any moment.
"Hokage-sama, I suggest you summon the Hyuga Clan. After all, the Byakugan is—"
Nearby, Ruri yawned. "Kakashi-senpai, when it comes to Obito, you get flustered. He gathered so many shinobis to attack the village just for those two Kamui Mangekyō, right? As long as you're here, he'll show up."
"Even you can tell I'm distracted, Ruri?"
"Don't worry. With Hokage-sama here, the village will be fine."
"Kakashi, Ruri, you are the captains of the First and Second Divisions," Orochimaru suddenly spoke, gazing calmly at the two standing before him. "Hiruzen-sensei is not in Konoha. If something happens to me, you both must follow Shisui's orders. Understood?"
Kakashi and Ruri exchanged glances and bowed their heads in acknowledgment. Both thought the Hokage was being overly cautious. With so many skilled shinobi in the village, including three jinchūriki, dealing with the Phantom Organization should be easy. How could things possibly escalate to the point where the Hokage falls in battle?
At that moment, an Anbu appeared on the rooftop, accompanied by two boys.
"Hokage-sama! Captains! Itachi and Sae have important information."
Everyone's attention turned to the two boys. Itachi, however, didn't speak right away but bowed his head and said, "Hokage-sama, please ensure that everyone present is authorized to hear an S-rank secret."
Orochimaru knew that, despite his age, Itachi's mind was more meticulous than most adult shinobi. He waved for the hidden guards to withdraw, leaving only him, the two captains, and Sae with Itachi.
"Jiraiya-sama... he has accepted Uchiha Obito's help." Itachi hesitated, carefully recounting the entire sequence of events without directly using the word "betrayal."
"That's impossible," Kakashi frowned. "Sae, Itachi, you must speak carefully. With the enemy at our gates, this could be a ploy to divide us."
Sae sighed, "What Itachi said is true. My Byakugan saw Jiraiya-sama's intact legs!"
Orochimaru stared into Sae's eyes and calmly asked, "It's best to ask a Hyuga in situations like these. When did you encounter Jiraiya?"
"Fifteen minutes and twenty-two seconds ago, Hokage-sama. I made sure to time it."
"And where was he when you parted?"
"Six kilometers south of the village."
"Was he alone?"
"He was at first, but later, a member of the Phantom Organization wielding a red scythe arrived. We're not sure what the current situation is... no one pursued us."
"You said you saw intact legs. What did the connection look like? Be specific."
"It was peculiar. I saw hook-like tendrils under the skin, which intertwined into scales. The chakra pathways above the knees were distorted, and there were signs of burn marks."
'It is an accurate description of how Hashirama's cells corrode the body. Moreover, Sae's Byakugan and Itachi's Sharingan had both reached considerable strength. Fooling both dojutsu would require a genjutsu that could only be cast by the Mangekyō Sharingan. Jiraiya... have you truly...?' Orochimaru closed his eyes, suppressing the turmoil within. He was the supreme commander of this battle; he couldn't afford to show any uncertainty.
When he reopened his eyes, the golden snake-like pupils were cold and indifferent.
"On the grounds of 'protecting disabled veterans,' prevent Jiraiya from entering the village. Send two Anbu to escort him to Safe House Seven, outside the village."
"Yes, Hokage-sama." Ruri left to instruct her subordinates on this task.
If Jiraiya forced his way in, it would confirm his guilt. If he had not betrayed Konoha, this arrangement would keep him safe from the battle. Although it seemed a bit impersonal, it was the most appropriate course of action.
"Itachi, Sae, besides the five of us, does anyone else know about this?"
"No, Hokage-sama," Sae hesitated slightly before saying, "Actually, I don't think Jiraiya-sama is a member of the Phantom Organization. He and the guy with the scythe seemed very..."
"Baseless speculation won't help Konoha win this war. You both did well," Orochimaru waved them off. "You two won't be participating in this battle. I'll have Morino Ibiki take you to the interrogation unit. Don't make that face—it's just house arrest. We must investigate Jiraiya's case after the war, and as key witnesses, your safety is paramount."
Sae and Itachi exchanged a glance and reluctantly accepted the order.
However, just as Orochimaru was notifying Morino Ibiki, a sudden change occurred.
Boom! Like a bolt from the blue, an explosion rocked Konoha, creating a deep crater.
A masked man had arrived.
Clad in crimson robes and carrying the infamous weapon—the Uchiha Gunbai—on his back!
"Obito..." Kakashi fixated on the man descending from the sky, tanking the blast with his body—something an ordinary Jonin could never do.
The accumulated chakra surged into Kakashi's eyes, his Mangekyō Sharingan activating as he prepared to twist Obito's neck with Kamui.
The masked man seemed to sense this and waved a finger in warning. He crouched down, placing his hand on the ground.
Roar!
A gigantic beast with five tails, resembling a horse and a dolphin, was summoned by the masked man.
The violent and brutal chakra storm once again engulfed the disaster-stricken village.
—After the Nine-Tails and Three-Tails attacks, Konoha was, yet again, under assault by a tailed beast!
(End of Chapter)
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