Outside the Hidden Leaf Village.
After packing his gear, Kimimaro didn't delay and immediately followed the continuously retreating Sky Ninjas, trailing them all the way out of the village.
After leaving the Hidden Leaf Village, he looked back at the Hidden Leaf behind him and breathed a sigh of relief.
Such an expression rarely appeared on his face.
Actually, being able to leave at this time was also a relief for him, because he knew very well that Orochimaru wouldn't let go of this opportunity. Once Orochimaru attacked the Hidden Leaf during this period, if he stayed in the village, he would fall into a dilemma.
At that time, he would have to either betray Orochimaru or betray the organization that placed him in the Military Police Force.
If it were before, he wouldn't hesitate.
Because it was Orochimaru who gave him direction in life and a goal to live for, so let alone risking his life for Orochimaru, even offering his body for Orochimaru to possess, he wouldn't have any complaints.
But after joining the Akatsuki organization, especially after experiencing the destruction of the Demon Slayer World, he suddenly realized that he shouldn't just live for one person.
At this time, a voice came from a distance: "'F', how long are you going to stare blankly?"
Kimimaro looked up and found a figure standing on a big tree in the distance, wearing a blank mask and the Akatsuki organization's hooded red cloud cloak.
Kimimaro chuckled rarely: "'G', you indeed know my identity!"
'G' smiled: "Don't you also know my identity? Let's go, if we delay any longer, we might not catch up with those Sky Ninjas!"
Undoubtedly.
The one dressed as an Akatsuki member was none other than Neji, who had just sneaked out of the village.
Because they both had half of 'H' in them, they actually knew each other's identity long ago, just didn't point it out explicitly.
This time Neji received orders to assist Kimimaro in dealing with the Sky Ninja fleet at sea, so he revealed their identities.
Kimimaro nodded: "Let's go!"
With the retreat of the first wave of attacking Sky Ninjas, the explosions in the Hidden Leaf Village completely stopped, leaving only soaring flames and occasional collapsing houses.
Fortunately, the Ninja Village Alliance had set up intelligence stations in various countries and discovered the incoming Sky Ninja army in advance, conducting emergency evacuation before the attack occurred. Otherwise, this time it wouldn't be just a simple matter of loss of houses and property.
Soon, Hidden Leaf ninjas began to fight the fire.
Some used Water Release ninjutsu to extinguish the fire directly, some used Wind Release ninjutsu to draw out the air to extinguish the fire, and some used Earth Release sand and dust to cover and extinguish the fire.
For a time, busy figures were everywhere in the village, and even Sasuke couldn't help joining the ranks of firefighting.
Inside the Military Police Building.
Shinji still stood by the window, quietly watching the village outside.
Only Mumei and Karin remained standing behind him in the office.
Other subordinates, like Yakumo, had been following Tsunade all along. Her several Blood Clones were all distributed throughout the Ninja World, leaving only one on the Hidden Leaf side, and for safety, it was not in the village but hidden outside the village.
Ryuzetsu and Chino were also taken by Tsunade.
Now as Shion, Haku, Kimimaro, and Neji left for missions one after another, only Mumei, Karin, and Sasuke remained by Shinji's side.
Seeing Shinji slightly frowning, Karin asked softly: "Will Orochimaru come?"
"Probably!" Pausing, Shinji curled his lips: "He seems not to have completely let go of his obsession with destroying the Hidden Leaf."
Unlike in the original timeline, although the Chunin Exam battle also occurred in this timeline, Orochimaru didn't kill the Third Hokage but was captured and became a prisoner of the Hidden Leaf.
This was obviously unacceptable to the proud Orochimaru. So when imprisoned in the secret prison, no matter how Tsunade persuaded him, he refused to bow his head.
Although he later successfully escaped from prison, this experience of being captured was obviously a considerable stain for him.
And to wipe away this stain, the simplest and most direct way was to destroy the Hidden Leaf!
So even without discovering the little tricks Orochimaru played recently, Shinji was very certain that he would not let go of this opportunity to destroy the Hidden Leaf.
However, Shinji frowned not because of Orochimaru.
What he was really worried about was the mysterious power that the Fear Hegemon secretly infiltrated into the Ninja World.
Don't know if it was because the outbreak of the Great Ninja War caused chaos in various countries, or that power hid very well. Anyway, many days had passed, and he still hadn't discovered where the power infiltrated by the Hegemon was! Or what it was planning to do!
Mumei asked at this time: "Is that Orochimaru very powerful?"
Karin said: "The opponent is one of the Legendary Sannin of the Hidden Leaf, as famous as the Fifth Hokage. Moreover, he has mastered the forbidden technique to resurrect the dead, controlling the 'Impure World Reincarnation bodies' of the First, Second, and Fourth Hokage. There is also Yakushi Kabuto who mastered Sage Mode by his side, very troublesome!"
Mumei rubbed her wrist: "Hearing you say this, even I am somewhat interested!"
After being unsealed by Shinji, she, originally a Mangekyo Uchiha, first merged Fugaku Uchiha's Mangekyo Sharingan, creating a pair of Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan. Subsequently, she transplanted Hashira cells, obtaining the 'Power of All Creation' combining Yin and Yang, while also mastering 'Wood Release'.
Recently, she practiced the 'Twelve Palaces', and even her taijutsu, which was her shortcoming, had a qualitative leap. So she really wanted to find one or two powerful opponents to properly test how far her strength had reached!
Outside the Hidden Leaf Village.
Looking at the Hidden Leaf with flames bursting and thick smoke billowing in the distance, Orochimaru sighed with emotion: "Things that even I didn't accomplish, unexpectedly were accomplished by a group of Sky Ninja remnants. What irony!"
Yakushi Kabuto beside him pushed the glasses frame on the bridge of his nose: "Orochimaru-sama, it seems the Hidden Leaf has become a broken house that will collapse at any time. Let's go up and kick it!"
Orochimaru was somewhat dispirited. Destroying such a Hidden Leaf couldn't excite him.
But on second thought, he grinned again: "Is the intelligence reliable?"
Yakushi Kabuto answered respectfully: "Please rest assured, I have confirmed through multiple sources that Shinji Uchiha and Sasuke Uchiha are both staying behind in the Hidden Leaf Village, so you won't return empty-handed this time!"
"'Takamagahara'..." Muttering, Orochimaru sighed: "Sharingan is really a magical Kekkei Genkai, actually awakening such a wondrous dojutsu! If I were Nagato, I would probably feel uneasy too!"
Yakushi Kabuto echoed: "Indeed!"
Orochimaru said: "Do you think they used 'Takamagahara' to simulate scenarios of dealing with me?"
Yakushi Kabuto smiled: "We'll know soon!"
Orochimaru stepped forward, walking towards the Hidden Leaf Village: "Then let me verify if 'Takamagahara' is really as wondrous as rumored!"