A thin mist enveloped the forest outside Konoha Village, and a damp chill permeated the air.
Uchiha Akira 's gaze inadvertently swept over the slender figure in front of him.
At this moment, Orochimaru was looking at the treetops nearby, his golden vertical pupils slightly narrowed, lost in thought.
What an unpleasant gaze…
Every time Akira met Orochimaru's eyes, he felt a sense of discomfort.
He could sense the coldness emanating from Orochimaru.
It wasn't murderous intent towards an enemy, but a nearly fanatical desire for exploration.
It was like the focused flick of a viper's tongue as it fixated on its prey.
"Your aura seems a bit different from yesterday."
Orochimaru suddenly turned to look at Uchiha Akira , his hoarse voice cutting through the air.
Akira 's heart skipped a beat, but his expression remained calm.
"From last night until now, I haven't cultivated at all. It's good enough that I haven't regressed, Lord Orochimaru must be joking."
He paused, then put on a puzzled expression, testing him.
"Could it be that Lord Orochimaru also studies changes in aura?"
Orochimaru's lips pulled into a meaningful smile, and he didn't continue the topic.
"Tsunade asked me to give you this!"
Hearing Tsunade's name, Akira was momentarily stunned.
He then took a box from Orochimaru's hand and opened it.
Oh, it's a token of love!
Hmm? This necklace?
That 'lucky' First Hokage's necklace?!
Holy crap!
Akira 's heart jolted.
The note beneath the necklace was pulled out.
"I'm giving this to you. I wish you a safe return!"
Akira shivered for no reason.
This, this, this… Is she afraid I won't die, so she's sending me a 'lucky' buff?!
You don't intend for me to live!
"Akira -kun, what do you think is the meaning of life?"
Orochimaru's question interrupted Akira 's thoughts. Akira thought for a moment, still put away the necklace, and after a brief contemplation, spoke.
"It lies in protection!"
Hearing this answer, Orochimaru looked at Uchiha Akira , seemingly with emotion.
"Protection? What a naive and pale word."
"Lord Orochimaru, what do you think is the meaning of life?"
Orochimaru's golden pupils lowered.
"Life is too fragile; it has no meaning in itself."
As his words fell, he turned to look towards Konoha.
"It's almost time. Prepare to depart!"
Orochimaru swept his gaze over everyone, his face even colder.
"Yes!"
Akira and the others responded.
At the last moment before leaving the village, Akira couldn't help but look back.
At the village entrance, shrouded in morning mist, a golden figure was faintly visible.
Tsunade stood with her arms crossed, her bright brown eyes piercing through the mist, meeting his from afar.
She suddenly raised her fist, making a gesture that meant, "You must come back!"
A smile appeared on Akira 's face.
He likewise waved his hand, indicating he understood.
Tsunade, don't worry!
I'm the man who will become the Fifth Hokage; I'll definitely come back safely!
Akira turned and quickly followed the team, heading towards Hidden Rain Village.
"Akira -kun."
As he ran, Orochimaru's gaze suddenly fell on Akira , his hoarse voice carrying an eerie familiarity.
"This time, just follow me!"
"Yes!"
Akira 's expression was respectful. Follow him?
Just don't sell me out when the time comes!
Akira became extremely vigilant.
After about half a day of running, as they entered Hidden Rain Village, the weather began to become unpredictable.
After leaving Konoha Village, the team led by Orochimaru moved swiftly through the dense forest.
Akira remained vigilant, able to feel Orochimaru's probing gaze on him from time to time.
That look wasn't like observing a comrade; it was more like scrutinizing an interesting experimental subject.
It seemed that the current Orochimaru had already undergone a 'rational' transformation.
"Akira -kun seems very nervous?"
Orochimaru suddenly spoke, his hoarse voice laced with amusement.
Akira 's expression remained unchanged.
"It's my first time on such an important mission; it's always good to be cautious."
Orochimaru smiled meaningfully, saying no more.
The team continued to advance in silence, only the sound of footsteps and rustling leaves echoing through the forest.
As the elevation gradually increased, the surrounding vegetation began to change.
The lush broadleaf forests around Konoha Village were gradually replaced by coniferous forests, and the air was filled with damp moisture.
Distant rumbling like muffled thunder could be heard, and lightning flashed in the sky.
"Ahead is the border of the Land of Rain."
Orochimaru had stopped, signaling everyone to be on alert.
Akira looked up, seeing a hazy curtain of rain covering the distant horizon.
The Land of Rain, true to its name, was perpetually shrouded in overcast clouds, with rain almost never ceasing.
It was said that this weather was intentionally maintained by Hanzo to strengthen his country's defenses, as continuous rain could greatly weaken the power of Fire Release Ninjutsu.
After crossing the border, the environment suddenly became oppressive.
Muddy roads were flanked by rusty barbed wire, and occasionally, white-washed Ninja corpses, scoured by rain, could be seen.
In the distance, towering steel structures were faintly visible—the iconic buildings of Hidden Rain Village.
These defensive fortifications, personally designed by Hanzo, were said to be able to withstand any Ninjutsu attack.
"Everyone, put on your raincoats!"
Orochimaru's hoarse voice came, and everyone couldn't help but stop, taking out their raincoats from their backpacks and putting them on.
Orochimaru glanced at everyone, once they were all dressed.
"Continue!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he bent his knees and ran forward.
Everyone followed.
Soon, sparse raindrops began to fall, pattering against their raincoats.
After running for a short while, Orochimaru slowed his pace.
"Watch your step."
Orochimaru suddenly warned.
"The Land of Rain's ground is covered in explosive tags and traps."
Akira secretly activated his Sharingan and indeed saw faint Chakra lines in the muddy water.
He carefully avoided these death traps, while also noticing some strange marks on the roadside.
They looked like something large had crawled by.
"We're here."
Orochimaru stopped in front of a dilapidated outpost.
This should have been Konoha's frontline base, but now it was eerily silent.
The wooden door of the outpost was ajar, creaking in the wind and rain.
Akira keenly caught a flash of metallic reflection through the crack in the door.
"Something's wrong."
Akira lowered his voice.
"There's a mechanism inside."
Orochimaru also seemed to sense the abnormality; he gestured for everyone to retreat.
With a forceful flick, several small snakes darted from his sleeve, silently slithering towards the outpost.
Just then, an unexpected change occurred!
"Enemy attack!"
With a sharp cry, countless kunai wrapped with explosive tags shot from all directions.
Orochimaru instantly formed a hand seal.
"Earth Release: Earth Wall!"
An earth wall rose from the ground, but the impact of the explosion still knocked everyone to the ground.
In the smoke, dozens of Hidden Rain Village Ninja appeared from the rain.
They wore special gas masks and moved in perfect unison, clearly an elite unit that had undergone special training.
"Retreat!"
Orochimaru ordered coldly, yet he remained standing in place.
Just as Akira was about to move, he suddenly felt his feet sink.
Before he knew it, the muddy ground had turned into a quicksand-like trap.
Akira quickly used Instantaneous Body Technique to escape, as the surrounding Amegakure Ninja began to encircle them.
"It seems we've been ambushed."
Orochimaru licked his lips, a strong murderous intent flashing in his eyes.
The rain grew heavier, large drops stinging their faces.
Akira wiped the rain from his face, his Sharingan searching for a breakthrough in the rain.
Just then, he noticed a figure flash across a distant building.
"Is that… Hanzo?"
That familiar silhouette made everyone's hearts tremble.
The legendary "Demigod" was looking down at the battlefield from above, with several elite Ninja wearing gas masks standing beside him.
Akira 's gaze lowered.
Damn it, this luck is too bad.
They just arrived and already encountered the main force of Hidden Rain Village?!
Akira thought of that lucky necklace…
No, I'm a materialist; how can I be influenced by such subjectivity!
It must be the old scoundrel Danzo's doing!
In the world of Hokage, if something is unreasonable or you can't find the culprit, blaming Danzo is always correct!
"This isn't a normal ambush! They've been waiting for this group from Konoha for a long time…"
Akira looked at Orochimaru. Before he could finish his sentence, a water dragon suddenly burst from the ground, heading straight for him.