Chapter 107: Didn't Expect It Would Be This Easy

The Mist Ninja fell into chaos.

They wanted to flee, but discovered that traps were everywhere around them, and Konoha Ninja were everywhere.

No matter which direction they ran, their companions nearby would step on traps, and dense barrages of Ninjutsu fell from above.

Poison, Genjutsu, and Five Elements Release Ninjutsu were crazily reaping the lives of the Mist Ninja.

Especially Fire Release; in this forest, Fire Release ignited a great blaze, and the scorching high temperature burned people's throats and lungs whenever they breathed.

The Uchiha ninja went mad; they opened up and used Fire Release in the sea of fire, achieving unprecedented battle results.

On this battlefield where the air was sticky and damp, in a place filled with rivers and lakes everywhere, using Fire Release against Mist Ninja who were all masters of Water Style was simply suicide!

The Uchiha, who were most proficient in Fire Release, were forced to fight only with ninja swords and Kunai, and the stifled frustration in their hearts could be imagined.

It had been too long, too long since they had such a refreshing attack!

Every time the Uchiha ninja launched an attack, their favor for Orochimaru increased.

For the Uchiha, who were filled with love in their hearts, this was truly moving; without waiting for the battle to end, they had already become loyal supporters of Orochimaru.

As long as Orochimaru pointed a finger, they could rush up and risk their lives against the Third Hokage!

It wasn't just the Uchiha who thought this way; all the Konoha Ninja on the East Front thought so too, and they had long since had enough.

Even the two extremely rare Sarutobi ninja felt that Orochimaru was their savior!

Orochimaru felt nothing about this; he was busy fighting.

"Summoning Technique: Manda!"

Amidst a huge roaring sound, a massive blue-black giant snake emerged from the white smoke.

Manda, having been trained to be obedient, did not set conditions; it directly opened its huge mouth and swept toward the Mist Ninja.

Since Orochimaru wouldn't give it, and it didn't dare to ask, it would just do it itself and fill its belly.

Yamanaka Chujiu, as always, did not participate in the fighting; his spirit was highly tense, and he issued orders rapidly with his mouth, directing the Konoha Ninja to adjust the battle line and driving the Mist Ninja to flee along the predetermined route.

That road was covered with traps, which could effectively reduce the enemy's effective strength.

At the same time, countless Thought Threads covered the battlefield, stirring the emotions of the Mist Ninja and making them fall into panic and fear from which they could not extricate themselves.

But what Yamanaka Chujiu did not expect was that the Mist Ninja, terrified to the extreme, suddenly swung their ninja swords at their companions nearby without warning.

And the Mist Ninja who were slashed seemed to have been prepared, raising the Kunai they had readied to block, and simultaneously launching a counterattack.

The mutual slaughter of the Mist Ninja was everywhere, and even the fleeing teams were thrown into complete chaos.

Even more bizarre was that the other Mist Ninja turned a blind eye to this, and no one stopped it, as if this was how it should be.

This was the kind of ninja cultivated by the "Blood Mist Village" policy of Kirigakure.

"Retreat! Retreat quickly!"

The Jonin of the Mist ordered loudly, but they were not trying to lead the Mist Ninja to rush out of the trap zone; instead, they wanted to use others as cannon fodder to attract the attention of the Konoha Ninja and then take the opportunity to escape.

A mocking smile curled at the corners of Orochimaru's mouth, and cold killing intent flashed in his golden pupils: "It's too late to run now."

As he spoke, he appeared beside a shouting Mist Jonin, and the Kusanagi Sword instantly pierced the Mist captain's throat, blocking his voice inside his body.

The Mist Jonin made a gurgling sound, and the Kunai in his hand fell powerlessly to the ground.

And by this time, Orochimaru had already gone to find the next Mist Jonin.

As the Mist Jonin who attempted to command were killed, the Mist Ninja became even more chaotic.

Some fought desperately, some tried to play dead to muddle through, and some tried to turn and flee, but no one chose to surrender.

That was fine too; the Konoha Ninja didn't need to screen them when killing, nor would they have any psychological burden.

Satisfying!

With this, the Konoha Ninja gained the comprehensive upper hand, and the battle entered the stage of sweeping away the fallen leaves in an autumn wind.

Yamanaka Chujiu no longer voiced commands, but merely monitored the battlefield to prevent large groups of Mist Ninja or Shadow-level Ninja from Kirigakure from suddenly joining the battle.

The battle ended completely an hour later.

The Konoha Ninja of the East Front, who had been led in retreat by Orochimaru, looked at the corpses of the Mist Ninja all over the ground and breathed in the air filled with the smell of blood, their faces full of the joy of victory.

And the Konoha Ninja who had rushed over from Konohagakure, although also very happy, were more dissatisfied.

Just this many Mist Ninja?

Not enough!

Especially the Konoha Ninja who had experienced Yamanaka Chujiu's command for the first time; they were currently in high spirits, their hearts filled with the urge to continue fighting.

They looked at their companions nearby and saw the longing for victory and merit in each other's eyes.

Then they cast their gazes toward Orochimaru and Yamanaka Chujiu:

"Lord Orochimaru, is it our turn to attack?"

"Lord Chujiu, lead us to continue fighting!"

Orochimaru stood in the center of the battlefield, scanning the surrounding Konoha Ninja, turning a blind eye to the expressions of everyone longing to fight again.

He raised his hand in a wave and ordered: "Clean up the battlefield, rescue the wounded companions, count the casualties..."

"And then, counterattack."

Orochimaru's voice had no ripples; this victory was insignificant in his eyes.

"Yes! Lord Orochimaru!"

The Konoha Ninja responded loudly and immediately began to clean up the battlefield, rescue the wounded, and bury the Mist corpses.

Yamanaka Chujiu walked to Orochimaru's side and said: "Teacher Orochimaru, you watch here; I will take people ahead to confirm the route for the attack."

Orochimaru nodded: "Go, and don't act recklessly if you encounter Karatachi Yagura."

Yamanaka Chujiu curled his lips in dissatisfaction; how could he be compared to Mitarashi Anko?

Am I such an idiot who doesn't know the gravity of the situation?

An hour later, the Konoha Ninja finished cleaning the battlefield and even rested for more than ten minutes to recover some chakra and physical strength.

Orochimaru left behind the exhausted East Front ninja and led the reinforcements from Konohagakure eastward to launch a counterattack against the Mist Ninja.

Yamanaka Chujiu had already planned the route ahead, and the Konoha army thrust fiercely along the weaknesses of the Mist Ninja, instantly shattering the Mist's defensive lines.

The Mist Ninja in the chaos were at a loss, unable to withstand the fierce attacks of the Konoha Ninja.

The Konoha Ninja were in high spirits, striving to be the first, charging toward the Mist Ninja like tigers descending from a mountain, howling as they beat the enemy into a retreat.

In just one day, the Konoha Ninja broke through like bamboo, recovering all lost territory, retaking occupied strongholds, and driving the Mist Ninja straight into the sea.

Orochimaru and Yamanaka Chujiu stood by the seaside, watching the remaining Mist Ninja flee in a pathetic state by treading water, and called a halt to the Konoha Ninja's attack.

Orochimaru rubbed his chin and said, "How could it be this simple?"

Yamanaka Chujiu curled his lip and said, "I didn't expect it to be this easy either."

Orochimaru shook his head and said, "You didn't even need to command this time; I could have won even if I were in command, though the losses would have been slightly greater."

"How did Shimura Danzo manage to turn this into a stalemate, or even get suppressed by Kirigakure?"

"He was incompetent before, but not to this degree."

Yamanaka Chujiu speculated, "Perhaps, probably, maybe, Danzo's mind wasn't on the East Front battlefield, but on Konohagakure."

"Either that, or he plotted and schemed so much that his brain has deteriorated..."

Orochimaru: "..."

"Perhaps, but that doesn't matter anymore."

"Tomorrow, we attack the Land of Waves, and then strike toward the Land of Water!"

Yamanaka Chujiu nodded heavily: "Yes! Strike to the Land of Water!"

The surrounding Konoha Ninja cheered: "Strike to the Land of Water! Defeat Kirigakure!"