Sasuke clenched his fists: "Damn it, why at this time!"
In the great battle of the Land of Rice Fields not long ago, he lost to Yakushi Kabuto, and later in a spar with Naruto, he lost to Naruto in 'Nine-Tails Chakra Mode'. So although he was still proud and confident in his Mangekyo Sharingan, he was also clear about his own limits.
Shikamaru was worried: "This is troublesome. Orochimaru controls the 'Impure World Reincarnation' bodies of the First, Second, and Fourth Hokage, and has a guy like Yakushi Kabuto who has mastered Sage Mode by his side. With the current strength of the village, I'm afraid it will be difficult to resist!"
Ino asked: "Then what should we do?"
Shikamaru shook his head: "We can only choose to take refuge!"
Sakura was shocked: "What?! Then... what about the village?"
Shikamaru supported his chin with his hand and analyzed: "I heard from my old man that Orochimaru's subordinates have been mostly wiped out by the village, so Orochimaru probably didn't bring many people this time."
Hearing Shikamaru start to analyze, the peers all cast their eyes over, even Sasuke was no exception.
Shikamaru continued: "It's impossible for Orochimaru to really raze the village to the ground. He doesn't have the ability, nor is it necessary!"
Choji couldn't help asking: "Then why did he come?"
Shikamaru said: "He might want to avenge his capture last time, or he might be targeting someone, for example..."
Saying that, Shikamaru's gaze shifted to Sasuke.
Sasuke also realized that Orochimaru's arrival this time might be targeting his Mangekyo Sharingan, which undoubtedly made him more conflicted.
Seeing this, Sakura persuaded: "Sasuke, you'd better take cover!"
Sasuke said: "You want me to run away?"
Shikamaru explained: "This is not running away! Sasuke, you possess the Mangekyo Sharingan coveted even by Orochimaru at such a young age. You are a genius just like Shinji. It would be a pity to die here!"
Sasuke said coldly: "It's not that easy for them to kill me!"
Clap clap clap...
Just then, a crisp applause came from the street in the distance.
Everyone hurriedly looked towards the sound, and their faces changed drastically.
The one applauding and walking slowly towards them from the distance was none other than Orochimaru, whom they were discussing!
Orochimaru applauded and said with a playful face: "As expected of Sasuke, always maintaining such confidence!"
"Oh no!"
"So fast!?"
"We're done for!"
Seeing it was Orochimaru, the peers all turned pale, enveloped by fear. This was not because they were weak, but because Orochimaru's reputation was too loud!
Sasuke's face sank.
He didn't expect Orochimaru to be so fast. Listening to the explosion just now, it was at least a few blocks away, and a large number of Anbu rushed to stop him. Unexpectedly, in the time they were talking, Orochimaru had already strolled to the core area of the village.
As Orochimaru approached step by step, among the peers, Sakura and Ino had begun to tremble instinctively. Tenten was slightly better, but her face was also full of panic.
Among the boys, Shikamaru looked solemn, seeming to be thinking about countermeasures.
Shino was assigned to the air defense force and wasn't here. The remaining Kiba, Choji, and Lee were also chattering their teeth, not showing much more strength than the girls.
Actually, this was normal.
In the Chunin Exam of the original timeline, an elite Jonin of the village like Kakashi didn't show due composure when facing Orochimaru.
Sasuke waved his hand fiercely at this time, awakening everyone: "You guys run quickly, I'll deal with this guy!"
Sakura said: "But..."
"Get lost!"
Sasuke interrupted Sakura almost roaring.
At this time, he had activated his Mangekyo Sharingan, and a sinister chakra unique to the Uchiha permeated from his body.
Shikamaru understood Sasuke's meaning, hurriedly pulled Sakura and Ino, and greeted the others to evacuate this street together.
After escaping for a while, Sakura broke free from Shikamaru's hand: "Are we just leaving Sasuke there alone like this?"
Shikamaru said: "In a battle of that level, even if we go back, it won't help, but will only get in the way. The only way to save Sasuke now is to find Shinji!"
"Right, right, Shinji must have a way!"
Sakura nodded repeatedly, only then realizing that the direction Shikamaru was leading them to evacuate was exactly the direction of the Hidden Leaf Military Police Building.
Inside the Hidden Leaf Military Police Building.
Karin closed her eyes to sense for a moment, then reported to Shinji: "Orochimaru and Yakushi Kabuto have attacked into the village. Sasuke seems to have encountered them!"
"Mhm."
Shinji responded lightly, indicating he knew.
Mumei volunteered: "Shinji, let me handle it!"
Shinji shook his head: "Not for now. Orochimaru attacking the village at this time, it's hard to say whether the Dark Akatsuki is pushing behind the scenes."
Karin said: "But I'm afraid Sasuke alone is not a match for Orochimaru and his group."
Shinji smiled: "Sasuke won't be in danger!"
If the opponent were someone else, he might worry a bit. But the opponent was Orochimaru, so even if Sasuke lost, there shouldn't be any life-threatening danger.
Moreover, through several previous encounters between Karin and Orochimaru, he had judged that Orochimaru's control over the 'Impure World Reincarnation' bodies of the First, Second, and Fourth Hokage was very limited.
Fighting in the special environment of the Hidden Leaf, even if Orochimaru summoned the 'Impure World Reincarnation' bodies of the three Hokage, he probably wouldn't dare to release their consciousness. So Orochimaru's threat was actually not as big as imagined.
Just as Sasuke encountered Orochimaru, he could use Sasuke to test what Orochimaru's real purpose in attacking the Hidden Leaf this time was, and whether there was any conspiracy behind it.
On the moon.
Toneri Otsutsuki took the towel handed by the puppet and wiped the sweat from his body.
Since the palace on the moon was invaded by 'people from the ground', Toneri Otsutsuki had a strong sense of crisis, so he doubled his daily training volume, aiming to fulfill the ancestors' last wish and purify all polluted 'people from the ground'.
And with the abnormal daily training curriculum, he, who was originally the most talented in the Otsutsuki branch family, grew stronger day by day, having a qualitative change compared to a year ago!
Suddenly, he seemed to sense something, tossed the towel to the puppet beside him, flashed out of the palace, and arrived at the shrine worshipping the Giant Tenseigan.
First, he respectfully finished reciting the prayer, then he walked slowly to the front of the Giant Tenseigan and began to resonate with it.
A moment later, his consciousness withdrew from the Giant Tenseigan, muttering: "The ancestors were indeed right. The fallen people from the ground have started fighting each other again! But this is an opportunity for me, the Hyuga clan..."