Chapter 123: The House-Demolishing Effect — Hokage-sama Will Be Here Soon!
"If Orochimaru is seen freely wandering around the village, it will make things very difficult for us," Nara Shikaku said calmly.
Jiraiya narrowed his eyes. "So you mean…?"
Shikaku met his gaze. "We hope you can keep an eye on Orochimaru. Don't let him move about unchecked, and above all—don't let him expose his true nature to the villagers."
His earlier words had only been the prelude; this was the real point. Shikaku knew Jiraiya would never agree to hand Orochimaru over, so he offered a compromise.
There was a saying: if a room full of people refuse to open a window, propose tearing down the roof—suddenly, the window won't seem so bad.
As expected, Jiraiya hesitated only briefly before answering.
"…I understand. I'll keep an eye on him."
Jiraiya's voice carried quiet determination. He glanced at Orochimaru once more. Now that he was sure the village wasn't directly threatened, he had no intention of taking action against him—yet he understood Orochimaru's intentions all too well.
Anyone who sought to disrupt the peace of Konoha would face him. Even Orochimaru.
Orochimaru's pale features shifted restlessly. With Jiraiya watching him so closely, there would be no chance to sneak into the Uchiha district to settle his own scores.
"Very well," Shikaku said, rising to his feet. "We trust you, Jiraiya-senpai. We'll take our leave."
The group began to depart. Uchiha elders, having left the matter to Shikaku's judgment, offered Orochimaru nothing more than a cold glare before following suit.
Outside the cavern, Hyūga Tokuma—still young, still proving himself—spoke with unease.
"Assistant… are we just leaving it like this?"
Shikaku gave him a sidelong glance. He wasn't dismissive, even though Tokuma was from the Hyūga branch family.
"Jiraiya is trustworthy. That's why Hokage-sama never branded him a rogue ninja—deep down, Jiraiya cares for the village."
Tokuma nodded slowly, though uncertainty lingered in his eyes.
Shikaku sighed inwardly. If not for the shortage of manpower—so many Hyūga jōnin had already been deployed by Clan Head Hiashi—he would never have needed to bring a special jōnin like Tokuma into such delicate negotiations.
Indeed, Hyūga Hiashi himself had left the village, leading his clan's strongest to the battlefield. For the first time in history, the Hyūga clan head—of the main family, no less—had risked everything by going to the front lines alongside the Fifth Hokage.
It was a daring gamble, staking both his clan and his own life.
Even Shikaku, normally so composed, found himself admiring Hiashi's resolve. The Byakugan was an ability many hidden villages coveted; exposing the clan head to danger was no trivial matter. Yet if Hiashi returned safely, whether or not victory was achieved, his loyalty and courage would secure him an unshakable position as Hokage's advisor.
Shikaku rubbed his temples wearily. Countless administrative matters still awaited him back in Konoha, but another thought pressed at him relentlessly—Hokage-sama's safety. By his calculations, Fugaku and his forces should already be clashing with Kumogakure troops.
The troubling part was the uncertainty. They knew Cloud-nin were coming, but not the size of their force, the exact timing, or even who commanded them. Too much was unknown. Too passive.
Yet there was nothing more he could do now. He could only trust in Hokage-sama.
Please… let the next news I hear be of victory, he thought grimly.
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Meanwhile, in a dark forest near a small border town of the Land of Fire…
A squad of Konoha shinobi wearing leaf-engraved forehead protectors rushed through the night, retreating at top speed.
A sudden, sharp crackle split the air.
Everyone froze for an instant. The sound was strange—electric, violent.
Uchiha Yashiro's eyes narrowed at once. His instincts screamed danger.
Moments later, they saw it: a dazzling, human-shaped bolt of lightning tearing across the night sky, racing toward them with terrifying speed.
The Fourth Raikage was chasing them.
Fear spread instantly among the Konoha ranks. Many had witnessed the Raikage's overwhelming strength before, and the memory alone sent panic through them.
Only the Uchiha remained steady, their expressions unnervingly calm.
"Yashiro-sama! This is bad—the Raikage is on us!" Hyūga Daichi gasped, sweat glistening on his palms. His Byakugan told him what his eyes already confirmed: the lightning-clad juggernaut was closing in fast.
Yashiro scanned the group. He noted their terror and, rather than sharing it, allowed himself a thin smile.
Good. Be afraid. The more frightened you are now, the more you'll worship Clan Head-sama when he appears as your savior.
He had no need to panic—he had already contacted Fugaku, and Hokage-sama was nearby. Reinforcements would arrive in mere minutes.
And though Raikage was formidable, they were not helpless prey. There were several jōnin among them. Even if they couldn't hold him off for long, surely they could endure a few minutes.
The Fourth Raikage isn't the Fourth Hokage, Yashiro thought. If it were Namikaze Minato chasing us, I'd believe he could slaughter us all in an instant. But Raikage? He's strong, yes—but not invincible.
In truth, the Uchiha had little direct combat experience against Raikage. Their clan had fought the Mist during the Third Shinobi War, not the Cloud. Yashiro only knew him through intelligence reports—accounts of terrifying speed and brute strength.
But wipe out their entire squad in minutes? Yashiro didn't believe it.
Pride burned in his chest. The Uchiha, with their three-tomoe Sharingan, could fight above their rank. They would not collapse without resistance.
No—he would make sure of it.
"Everyone, don't panic!" Yashiro's voice rang out over the thunderous approach. "Hokage-sama will be here soon!"
His words, timed with Raikage's imminent arrival, gave the desperate Konoha shinobi something to cling to: hope.
And in war, hope could be as sharp a weapon as any blade.
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✨ End of Chapter 123 ✨