Chapter 29: Kumogakure's Fear
With a small smile playing at the corner of his mouth, Orochimaru stepped out of the Hokage Building and paused at the entrance.
Beside him, Uchiha Fugaku walked silently, his expression solemn. He moved as though walking on the edge of a cliff, not daring to relax for even a moment.
Orochimaru couldn't help but think, This man has everything riding on this.
To Orochimaru, the outcome of this war—whether it was a win or a loss—was merely a matter of degree. But for Fugaku, the Uchiha clan was everything. This war was his life's gamble. So, it was no surprise that he seemed tense, anxious, and on edge.
Such a mindset wasn't ideal for the battlefield. It was rare to see a leader of the Uchiha clan so consumed by personal stakes.
Sensing the strain in Fugaku, Orochimaru clapped a hand on his shoulder and spoke softly, "Chief Fugaku, do you remember our agreement from before?"
Fugaku's face darkened. He nodded, a slight dip of his head.
How could he forget the decision he'd been forced to make? A war that would severely damage the clan, designed to erase any suspicion of the Uchiha's rebellion and prevent any further attempts to sully their reputation.
While this would ultimately benefit the Uchiha in the long run, the thought of sacrificing so many lives weighed heavily on Fugaku. He had spent countless sleepless nights, turning the decision over in his mind, questioning whether it had been the right choice.
Orochimaru, sensing the guilt, gave a small, reassuring smile. "I told you, I didn't intend to harm the Uchiha directly. That would have been too crude, too obvious."
He paused, letting the words sink in before continuing. "This time, Kumogakure has sent their Raikage and two Jinchūriki, but they've imposed certain restrictions on them. I've already made adjustments to their enchantment technique, and I've taught you what I've learned."
Orochimaru gave Fugaku's shoulder a firm pat. "Rather than dwell on the past, focus on minimizing casualties and making the most of this opportunity to gain more credit for yourself."
Fugaku seemed deep in thought, and Orochimaru began walking ahead. He glanced around at the ninja troops who had been waiting patiently, a smile forming on his face. "Let's go!"
"Understood!" came the chorus of replies.
A gust of wind followed, and soon, the area in front of the Hokage Building was empty.
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Elsewhere, deep within the Konoha border, a low, round fortress lay hidden in the forest, its outer walls obscured by thick vines and branches.
On a normal day, someone might mistake the structure for an abandoned building. However, to the Kumogakure forces that had come here specifically, it was anything but abandoned.
The Fourth Raikage, his voice low and grave, issued a command. "Yugito Nii, destroy it."
Behind him, a woman with straight, beige-colored hair stepped forward. She transformed mid-air into a cat wreathed in blue flames—her Tailed Beast form igniting the forest air with burning intensity.
"Boom!"
There was no need for elaborate ninjutsu. The transformed Yugito, empowered by the Two-Tails, collided with the fortress in a crushing blow. The earth and rocks crumbled, and in an instant, the structure was reduced to rubble—vines, trees, and all.
"This is the thirteenth," the Raikage said, a brief glimmer of pity crossing his features. "Only half remain."
His eyes flashed with anger—not at the destruction itself, but at the big dog who had forced them into this relentless hunt.
Ninja warfare isn't the same as small skirmishes.
When dealing with troops numbering in the hundreds, you need more than just strength—you need infrastructure. That's why every major village maintains fortified stations along its borders.
The fortress before them was one such installation, used specifically during wartime with Konoha. It came equipped with layers of protection—sealing techniques, enchantments, and more. While it seemed easy to destroy now, if it had been fully activated and reinforced by defending ninja, taking it down would've required ten times the effort.
What infuriated the Fourth Raikage was the sheer number of these fortresses Konoha had prepared.
There were twenty-six just along the border facing the Land of Lightning—and that didn't even account for the ones their spies hadn't discovered yet.
But they had no choice. If they didn't run themselves ragged tearing down every one of these outposts, Konoha's forces would use them to regroup, fortify, and launch coordinated counterattacks. The seals and enchantments Konoha used were inherited from the Uzumaki clan—infamous for their durability. These "turtle shells" were a nightmare to deal with.
With these strongholds, Konoha's army could organize and resist surprise attacks from Kumogakure. And if they had time to prepare their formations? That would kill any hope of quick victory.
"Hah…"
As the fortress crumbled into dust, Yugito Nii released her tailed beast form, breathing heavily from exertion.
The Fourth Raikage watched, his gruff features softening slightly with approval. Yugito's strength didn't match his own in direct combat, but when it came to large-scale destruction, Jinchūriki like her were essential.
Noticing her pale complexion, the Raikage asked, "Yugito, how long can you keep this up?"
"I can continue," she replied quickly, standing straighter despite her fatigue. She knew how important it was to destroy these fortresses. "Lord Raikage, we're in this together. Don't worry about me."
The Raikage glanced around at the surrounding Kumo-nin, then nodded. "We'll rest for now."
When he saw that Yugito still seemed determined to push forward, he added more firmly, "Our mission isn't just to tear down Konoha's fortresses. You're going to be a vital force in the upcoming battle. Don't burn yourself out yet."
With that, Yugito had no choice but to focus on recovering her strength.
"Shff…"
A Kumogakure scout appeared suddenly, handing the Raikage a report. "Urgent intel from Konoha, sir."
The Raikage took the document and scanned it. His brow furrowed.
Only two key pieces of information were listed—but both were troubling:
1. The Uchiha Police Force had been fully mobilized.
2. The commander of Konoha's forces was Orochimaru—one of the legendary Sannin.
This last bit was unexpected. During the Third Great Ninja War, Orochimaru hadn't led the army; he had operated from the shadows with the Root.
"Tch… the old ghosts from the past are crawling out again," the Raikage muttered.
But no matter how dismissive his tone, he wasn't foolish enough to underestimate Orochimaru.
He turned to the communications squad. "Tell Killer Bee to speed up the sweep through the Konoha garrison in the Land of Hot Water. If those rats aren't cleared out by nightfall, abandon the search. He must regroup at the rally point by then."
"Yes, sir!"
With that, the intelligence team dispersed, using summoned creatures to relay the orders.
The Raikage gazed into the distance, his voice low. "Konoha's foundation really is something else…"
In the First Great Ninja War, Konoha stood alone against four major villages—and didn't falter.
Even after the Second Hokage and the first generation of elite shinobi died, three legendary ninja—Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade—rose up to take their place.
In the Third War, Minato and the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki changed the tides of battle again.
Now, even after the chaos of the Nine-Tails Rebellion, any other village would've taken years to recover. But Konoha? They had already rallied and assembled a full ninja army to face off against Kumogakure.
If they're given time to heal… who knows what kind of monsters they'll raise next?
The Raikage's voice dropped to a gravelly murmur. "Yugito, rest up. Things are about to get much more complicated."
"Yes, Lord Raikage!" Yugito snapped to attention. "I'm ready whenever you need me."
Even if her body was straining, she wouldn't stop. Not when her village needed her.
The Raikage turned his gaze back toward the forests of Konoha, his tone firm.
"These strongholds need to be wiped out. Every last one of them."
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