The next evening.
The guards outside the Kumogakure camp leaned lazily at their posts, shooting the breeze to kill time.
"Do you think Konoha even cares about their comrades?"
"There must be someone who does, but in a group, individual opinions are always ignored."
"Wonder how long they'll keep this up."
"Let's hope they surrender soon."
"Tomorrow we'll see their final decision."
Suddenly, the guards felt the temperature around them rise.
"It's getting hot..."
"No—it's Fire Release!"
Blazing heat suddenly appeared before their eyes, the surrounding brightness increasing. The guards instantly became alert and shouted toward the camp interior, "Enemy attack!"
Everyone snapped to attention at the shout.
Kumogakure ninja rushed out armed, quickly forming ranks and casting defensive ninjutsu to douse the flames surrounding the camp.
Konoha ninja emerged from all directions, surrounding the Kumogakure camp as both sides engaged in fierce combat.
Orochimaru and his two companions calmly walked out of their rooms, watching the scene with cold indifference, showing no intention of helping whatsoever.
"You didn't tell Dodai about Konoha's plan?" Kakuzu asked.
Orochimaru lightly smiled. "I assumed you'd handle it."
"I thought the same," Sasori of the Red Sands replied indifferently.
Hearing this, Kakuzu gave a soft chuckle.
While conversing, the three proceeded toward where Konoha prisoners were being held.
The Kumogakure ninja couldn't believe what was happening. They couldn't figure out how Konoha had surrounded their camp without being noticed. Taken completely by surprise, they struggled to respond at first.
Shisui Uchiha led six fellow shinobi using Transformation Jutsu to infiltrate the Kumogakure camp.
Everything went smoothly beyond belief.
Perhaps past victories had made the Cloud ninja overconfident—only after this unexpected ambush did they become flustered before gradually regaining composure.
As he entered the prisoner compound, Orochimaru glanced at the remaining guards and said, "We'll handle this. Go help outside."
The guards exchanged glances and left after nodding in agreement.
The trio stood silently in place.
The prisoners also heard the sounds of battle outside. Tension rose among them as they prayed for Konoha's victory.
Soon, Shisui Uchiha's team entered the prisoner compound.
"Not even one guard here?" Shisui asked suspiciously.
Just then, a door creaked open somewhere. The seven exchanged glances before continuing deeper into the compound.
Hearing approaching footsteps, Orochimaru and his two allies turned in unison, eyes cold and calculating as they watched them.
"You must be those three mysterious experts... Orochimaru!" Shisui exclaimed in shock.
The Frost Shinobi had been told there were three unknown experts present, but they didn't know who they were or how strong they were.
With limited contact available, the Kumogakure ninja were also unwilling to share much information with them.
Therefore, the Konoha shinobi hadn't known about Orochimaru's existence previously.
"You're Konoha ninja, aren't you? No need to pretend anymore—who among you is Shisui Uchiha?"
"Stay in your Transformation Jutsu," Kakuzu said flatly to the group still maintaining their disguises.
Upon hearing this, Shisui Uchiha and the others felt even more confused.
"You've known all along we were coming?"
"Release!"
With battle imminent, Shisui Uchiha and his companions no longer wished to waste energy on transformation techniques. They simultaneously dropped their illusions, revealing their true identities.
Three pairs of eyes turned toward Shisui Uchiha standing at the center.
"I'll claim first rights," Orochimaru spoke first, his gaze fixed on the Mangekyo Sharingan swirling within Shisui's eyes, a gleam of fascination flashing across his face.
"He will make an excellent human puppet," Sasori of the Red Sands stated calmly.
"Might be better to take his head and claim the bounty," Kakuzu grumbled in response.
"Sallow-minded!" Sasori snapped back.
The three stood at odds with one another, each silently sending waves of disdain toward the others.
Remaining expressionless despite being treated like merchandise, Shisui formed hand seals with both hands.
[Shifting Body Technique.]
Several illusions simultaneously appeared around him.
Then puffing out his cheeks slightly, he formed another set of seals and released his jutsu.
[Fire Release - Great Dragon Fire Technique.]
At the same time, the other Konoha ninja also solemnly unleashed their respective techniques.
They thought those three would head out to help elsewhere — but now they were all just standing here.
[Earth Release - Swamp of the Underworld.]
[Water Release - Water Dragon Bullet.]
...
Unlike the well-coordinated Konoha shinobi, Orochimaru, Sasori, and Kakuzu acted based on individual motives, fighting as if disconnected from one another.
[Hiruko Puppet - Iron Arm Needle Barrage.]
From the mechanical cannon mounted on Hiruko Puppet's arm, countless poisoned needles launched in all directions toward Shisui Uchiha and his six comrades.
[Formation of Ten Thousand Snakes.] Orochimaru spat forth a massive wave of snakes.
"One worse than the next," Kakuzu scoffed under his breath.
[Lightning Release: False Darkness.]
A lightning-infused spear of thunder surged forward from near to far, piercing through space toward its target.
"Could you two quit messing around for once?" Sasori's hand extended outward from Hiruko Puppet, retrieving yet another scroll.
As the trio bickered, Shisui stood helpless while his comrades fell one by one before him.
Orochimaru, Sasori of the Red Sands, and Kakuzu gradually advanced closer toward him.
"Shisui, run! Don't worry about us anymore!" Someone shouted from inside the prison cell.
...
Within the Kumogakure camp,
[Lava Release - Magma Sphere.] Yellow spheres encapsulated those charging forward, immobilizing them effectively.
Dodai turned to a nearby ally. "Where are Kakuzu and the others?"
"They're at the prisoner compound. It seems some Konoha ninjas have infiltrated recently," a subordinate answered.
Suddenly, a green giant materialized from a certain direction. Then it vanished, replaced by a shadow that flickered rapidly, vaulting over numerous obstacles before finally reaching the gathering of Konoha ninja.
"Shisui, where are the others... Wait, what happened to your eyes?" One Konoha ninja gasped upon seeing the fresh blood still dripping from the corner of his eyes.
"The mission failed," Shisui Uchiha replied gravely.
As he spoke, Orochimaru and his two companions approached from this very direction.
Shisui Uchiha's face hardened as three figures drew near. Clutching his eyes, he barked out a single command—"Fall back!"
White Zetsu silently observed everything happening on the battlefield. He quietly approached a fallen Kumogakure ninja and absorbed his chakra, transforming into an exact replica of him.
He walked over to a Frost shinobi who was confused and hiding in a corner, patting his shoulder. "Yongzhong Acheng, well done! We couldn't have made it without you this time!"
His voice ensured that some Konoha and Kumogakure ninja could hear clearly.
Frost shinobi Yongzhong Acheng looked totally baffled, like he had no clue what the hell was going on.
Unbeknownst to others, White Zetsu had actually spoken those words for the benefit of everyone else present.
The Kumogakure ninjas didn't understand immediately.
But a sudden realization flashed through Shisui Uchiha's mind.
To show their allegiance, the Frost shinobi who remained in Konoha had once handed over intel on their own guys in Kumo.
Was all of this—the Frost shinobi siding with Konoha—just one big lie? Were they actually working with Kumogakure?
This must've been a setup from the start… They'd just been played—and badly.
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