"So this is Konoha? As expected of the most prosperous village in the shinobi world!" Jugo stood atop a hill, overlooking the vista before him, unable to suppress a sigh of admiration.
"Hmph! No matter how prosperous it is, it will be reduced to a pile of rubble in a moment," Guren sneered with disdain.
Since Orochimaru's death, apart from the five die-hard loyalists, Kimimaro and the Sound Four, the remaining forces had either been absorbed by Kabuto or had defected to Sasuke, the "Second Young Master" who had killed Orochimaru.
The shinobi world had always been a place where might made right; the dead held no meaning or value. This was evident from the way the Fourth Hokage's legacy grew cold after his death, leaving Naruto to suffer a miserable childhood. If even a Great Shinobi Village operated this way, one could only imagine the state of an ad-hoc organization like Orochimaru's, built in the shadows.
Many of those brainwashed followers felt as if their very faith had collapsed the moment they heard of Orochimaru's demise. They fell into a state of the walking dead, and some even chose to commit suicide on the spot. As for those with more flexible minds, they were naturally fair-weather friends, gravitating toward whoever was strongest.
It just so happened that Sasuke needed a workforce to launch his revenge operation against Konoha, so he treated these individuals as cannon fodder, bringing them all along in one fell swoop.
Looking at this crowd of Kekkei Genkai users Orochimaru had collected from across the land, along with the "misfits" who were the results of various cruel, failed experiments, a flicker of contempt flashed in Sasuke's eyes. In a chilling tone, he declared, "That's right. After today, Konoha will vanish from this world forever, just like the Hidden Stone."
"When do we move?" Suigetsu asked, flashing a grin that revealed his rows of sharp, shark-like teeth.
"No rush. I want those decaying, filthy Konoha elders to stew in their fear a little longer. We strike after we've rested," Sasuke replied, intentionally projecting an air of absolute confidence.
It wasn't that he didn't want to attack immediately; rather, the "misfits" behind him simply lacked the stamina to engage in a head-on confrontation with elite Konoha shinobi immediately after a long-distance forced march.
While Orochimaru's subordinates were, almost to a man, mentally unstable fanatics who didn't fear death, their actual combat strength was far too weak. Having originated from Konoha himself, Sasuke knew exactly how much exceptional combat power the village possessed. Even with his Mangekyō Sharingan and Sage Mode, he did not dare be careless.
…
An invasion of this scale could not possibly go undetected by the Anbu and patrol squads Konoha had stationed in the surrounding areas. To be precise, Konoha's Sensor Team had been tracking them since they entered the Land of Fire, monitoring the movements of this rebel army from the shadows.
Just as Sasuke ordered his troops to rest, the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade, received detailed intelligence on the enemy. She swept her gaze over the gathered Jōnin and said with a cold expression, "Everyone! I know many of you privately resent my teacher, the Third Hokage, for his indulgence of Danzō and Root. I know you resent Danzō for pushing the situation to an irreparable state for his own selfish gains. But regardless, Konoha is our home. Sasuke Uchiha is here today not just for revenge, but to destroy the homes of everyone here. So, if only for the sake of your families and friends, please give this your absolute all."
"Hokage-sama, rest assured. The Hyuga clan will always stand and fall with Konoha."
Hiashi Hyuga, head of Konoha's premier noble clan, was the first to step forward and declare his stance. Since Neji's public defection, the situation within the Hyuga clan had become increasingly complex. Specifically, many members of the Branch House, after seeing the disappearance of the Caged Bird Curse Seal, had begun to harbor thoughts they shouldn't have. Some had even tried to contact Neji privately, hoping to remove their own seals, even if the price was becoming a rogue ninja.
This meant that the sparsely populated Main House had to cling tightly to the Hokage's support just to suppress the restless Branch House members. After all, Hiashi couldn't exactly kill every single clan member who harbored such thoughts...
With the first leader taking the initiative, the other shinobi clans rooted in Konoha followed suit, swearing their loyalty. Some were truly devoted to Konoha, while others simply had no other choice. Even a fool could see that while the Resistance might accept rogue ninja or civilian shinobi, they would never accept an established, systematic shinobi clan.
Thus, no matter what their private thoughts were, they could only shelter under the Great Tree of Konoha for now, even if that tree was showing signs of withering.
"Thank you for your support! In that case, let us march! Let's show that Uchiha brat what we're made of!"
With that, Tsunade took off her hat, the symbol of the Hokage, and led the way toward the enemy camp. Her plan was simple: if they could fight the decisive battle outside the village, they would never let the flames of war reach the interior. Since Orochimaru's followers were mostly weaklings, the only true threat was Sasuke, who was suspected of possessing the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Under the siege of so many Jōnin, she refused to believe he could still cause a significant stir.
…
As a highly trained military force, the Konoha shinobi were undoubtedly one of the finest organizations in the world. Utilizing superior stealth techniques, they easily surrounded Orochimaru's motley crew. Before the enemy could even realize what was happening, nearly a third of the unlucky stragglers had their throats slit.
Stealthy. Fast. Efficient.
A large number of Jōnin and elite Chūnin gave the enemy a practical lesson in the reality of war.
"Dammit! Konoha took the initiative and attacked us!" Guren bolted upright, narrowing her eyes at the Jōnin who were continuously reaping lives around them.
However, Sasuke, the "Second Young Master," unsheathed his sword with indifference. "It doesn't matter," he responded with a cold laugh. "Those guys were just fodder brought along to fill the numbers. It doesn't matter how many die."
Before the words had even fully left his mouth, he vanished from his spot!
A second later, the heads of two unnamed Jōnin were severed. Bright red blood geyser-ed from their carotid arteries, forming beautiful blossoms of crimson in the air. They didn't even have the chance to weave the signs for a Substitution Jutsu before their headless corpses collapsed to the ground.
"Sasuke Uchiha!!!!"
Seeing this, Tsunade's eyes instantly erupted with intense fury and killing intent.
"Old hag! You must be the last of the Senju bloodline, aren't you?" Sasuke's two crimson Sharingan shifted into the shape of the Mangekyō, radiating a hatred that made everyone present shudder. "Our Uchiha clan was coaxed and deceived into this dead end by your two grandfathers. Even my older brother, Itachi, was influenced by your bullshit 'Will of Fire,' eventually committing an unforgivable crime. Your grandfathers deserve to die! Your teacher, the Third, and Danzō deserve to die! And you deserve to die just the same!"
Under Allen's subtle influence, Sasuke had long ago made Konoha his ultimate target for vengeance. Combined with Indra's chakra and his own tendency toward extremes, not even Naruto's "Talk no Jutsu" could bring this avenger back now.