Chapter 104: Young Ninja Yearn to Achieve Merit

Having experienced the baptism of war, Yamanaka Chujiu's style of action became swift and decisive.

That afternoon, he dragged Orochimaru out of the laboratory and let him see these green terraced fields with his own eyes.

When Orochimaru saw the shimmering terraced fields under the sunlight and the vibrant, hopeful children, the irritability he felt from having his experiment interrupted vanished without a trace.

He stared in a daze for a long time before asking Chujiu in disbelief: "You created this?"

Yamanaka Chujiu nodded: "I organized it."

Orochimaru pressed: "When did you do this?"

Yamanaka Chujiu thought for a moment and replied: "Around the time you, Teacher Orochimaru, took me as your student."

Orochimaru was even more surprised: "To have such a scene in less than three months, how is this possible?"

Yamanaka Chujiu laughed: "Hehe, Teacher Orochimaru, you cannot underestimate our Rising Sun Organization."

"Although the members of the organization are all children, we are the children of ninja; we have chakra, can learn Ninjutsu, and our production capacity is ten times that of ordinary people!"

Mitarashi Anko also followed over, jumping up to claim credit: "I participated too, we are amazing!"

Orochimaru: "..."

He looked at the terraced fields, then at the two students, and finally focused on the children working, carefully observing the various Ninjutsu they used.

In the end, Orochimaru sighed: "Yamanaka Chujiu, you have found true peace."

Yamanaka Chujiu said: "That requires first ensuring that Rising Sun can grow and become your foundation, Teacher Orochimaru, and only then can it bring lasting peace to the Ninja World."

Orochimaru said: "I already understand what you mean."

"Rest assured, I will protect Rising Sun; I cannot refuse an organization that can become the most solid foundation for a Hokage."

"However, you must speed up your preparations and stir up a monstrous wave on the East Front as soon as possible to firmly attract the attention of Teacher Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo."

Yamanaka Chujiu said: "Rest assured, Teacher Orochimaru, I have already prepared everything."

"We only need one day to be able to go to the East Front."

Orochimaru waved his hand: "Decide these matters yourself; call me when you are ready to set off, and do not disturb my experiments before then."

Yamanaka Chujiu smiled embarrassedly: "Rest assured, Teacher Orochimaru, I will not disturb you again."

That night, Yamanaka Chujiu was surrounded.

The intelligence that he was going to select eight hundred elite ninja to head to the East Front battlefield to fight the Mist Ninja had leaked!

After the Konoha Ninja obtained this information, they immediately ran to the Yamanaka clan grounds, blocked Yamanaka Chujiu, and desperately expressed their willingness to follow Orochimaru.

In the eyes of all the Konoha Ninja was firm fighting spirit and a fanatical pursuit of victory.

Everyone believed that as long as Orochimaru and Yamanaka Chujiu took the field, Kirigakure would soon be defeated.

As long as they followed the two adults, they could achieve greater merit and become heroes of Konoha.

Yamanaka Chujiu was blocked and had no choice but to speak up to dissuade them: "Everyone, listen to me."

"You all know that I never engage in schemes or tricks, so I will speak plainly; decide whether or not you want to follow after you have heard me out."

"First, my teacher Orochimaru and I are dissatisfied with the policies of the Third Hokage, so our conquering of Kumogakure, defeating the Cloud Hidden Army, and forcing the Fourth Raikage to surrender was a rogue operation carried out without the Hokage's orders!"

"Secondly, Teacher Orochimaru has already fallen out with the Third Hokage; our rescue of the East Front battlefield will also be impossible to wait for official Hokage orders, and it will be another rogue operation!"

"Finally, the Fourth Raikage of Kumogakure is very strong, but the intelligence is clear and the enemy is well-defined, whereas everything about Kirigakure is hidden in the mist, and it is possible that accidents may occur."

"Alright, I have finished speaking."

"If you still decide to follow Teacher Orochimaru to strive for honor, then gather at the village's East Gate the morning after next and come with us!"

Yamanaka Chujiu's voice was clear and powerful, spreading throughout the massive crowd.

The Konoha Ninja were quiet for a moment, then someone suddenly shouted:

"Defeat the Mist Ninja! Strike at the Land of Water!"

"Follow Lord Orochimaru!!"

"The Third doesn't know what he's doing; we believe in Lord Orochimaru now!"

"For Konohagakure, we have no choice but to disregard the Third!"

Enthusiastic cheers erupted from the crowd, and the Konoha Ninja clapped one after another to show their agreement.

They believed that Orochimaru could win, and believed that they could defeat the Mist Ninja and achieve immortal merit.

From pair after pair of eyes, Yamanaka Chujiu saw a longing for honor and victory.

He could not help but think of a phrase: Young ninja yearn to achieve merit!

Out of decadent thinking, the Third Hokage desperately suppressed the young ninja of Konohagakure, long since becoming alienated from the civilian ninja.

If it were not for the fact that the Konoha Ninja had no other choice, the Third could not have remained stable for twelve years after his restoration.

Yamanaka Chujiu had already spoken plainly; the Konoha Ninja who followed to the East Front were actively breaking with the Third Hokage and standing under Orochimaru's command.

He did not know how many Konoha Ninja would make that choice when the time came, but Sarutobi Hiruzen would certainly be devastated.

What was even more terrifying was that after the Konoha Ninja dispersed that night, the Third Hokage did not even know such a thing had happened.

The next day, the rest continued, and the Third Hokage still did not know.

It was not until the early hours of the third day, when Shimura Danzo had formulated the "Anti-Orochimaru Plan" and sent Root ninja to prepare, that he inadvertently discovered the abnormal gathering of Konoha Ninja.

By the time dawn broke, the Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen finally received the report from the Anbu Captain, and he was completely stunned.

"What do you mean the Konoha Ninja are gathering at the East Gate, and you don't know what they are going to do?"

When Sarutobi Hiruzen rushed to the village's East Gate, Orochimaru and Yamanaka Chujiu had already set off.

The eight hundred Konoha Ninja they led were all the elites who had taken down Kumogakure.

Another five thousand seven hundred young ninja who yearned for merit, ignoring that Orochimaru had not requested permission from the Third Hokage and had not received any orders, voluntarily followed Orochimaru to charge toward the battlefield.

Six thousand five hundred Konoha Ninja left Konohagakure in a grand procession, heading in the direction of the East Front battlefield.

The unit's flags flew high, the ninja's steps were firm, and their momentum was like a rainbow.

Seeing this from afar at the East Gate, Sarutobi Hiruzen was so angry he flew into a rage.

He had never imagined that Orochimaru and Yamanaka Chujiu would be so audacious as to ignore the authority of the Hokage right under his nose and lead ninjas to the East Front battlefield without authorization.

Sarutobi Hiruzen roared: "Orochimaru, rebellious disciple! Yamanaka Chujiu, rogue ninja!"

"You are audacious, openly challenging my authority, openly betraying the Konoha Hokage! I will definitely make you pay the price!"

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura saw it clearly; Sarutobi Hiruzen was merely venting, so they hurriedly offered him a way out:

"Lord Hokage, please calm your anger. Orochimaru and Yamanaka Chujiu have already departed; even if we wanted to stop them, it is already too late."

"Indeed, they have six thousand five hundred elite ninjas in their hands. If we send people to pursue them, it will escalate into a civil war in Konohagakure, which will not only cause needless casualties but also incite widespread dissatisfaction."

"Am I just to watch them do as they please?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen's tone was icy, but the rage in his eyes had clearly diminished.

Utatane Koharu said: "Lord Hokage, we can only endure this for now."

Mitokado Homura said: "Kirigakure is not so easy to deal with. As long as they fail to achieve a swift victory, we can spread propaganda and strike at Orochimaru's reputation."

Sarutobi Hiruzen began to nod.

But Shimura Danzo jumped out: "You are all too weak!"