What White Zetsu said to the Frost Shinobi drew considerable attention.
Shisui Uchiha was one of those paying attention, and so was Dodai.
Shisui suspected they had been schemed against through collusion between Kumogakure and the Frost Shinobi.
Dodai's thoughts ran deeper.
Yesterday he'd still received reports saying encounters with Konoha ninja had decreased. Today, a large force had suddenly surrounded the Kumogakure camp.
Was this coincidence? Absolutely not.
Discovering the location of the Kumogakure camp wasn't unusual. But setting up an ambush without being detected meant someone knew their defenses, patrol shifts, personnel changes, and even the positions of hidden lookouts—things that couldn't be learned in just a few days.
Considering this, the Frost Shinobi were indeed suspicious.
Though weak in power, the Frost Shinobi were still trained ninja with analytical skills. After staying here so long, it wouldn't have been hard for them to figure this out.
As for the ninja speaking with the Frost Shinobi, he didn't think it was one of their own.
After all, Kumogakure hadn't made any such plans internally.
That person might have been a Konoha ninja in disguise—or possibly an agent from a third party trying to muddy the waters.
Shelving his doubts about the Frost Shinobi for now, Dodai turned his attention back to the battlefield.
Right now, the most important thing was still driving back these Konoha intruders.
The tide of battle was slowly turning in favor of the Cloud Ninja.
Less than a hundred Konoha ninjas had entered the camp—greatly outnumbered by the Cloud Ninja still stationed inside. Once they recovered their senses, the Cloud Ninja began fighting more effectively.
At this moment, Orochimaru, Kakuzu, and Sasori of the Red Sands finally appeared before everyone's eyes.
Orochimaru's appearance sent shockwaves through the Konoha side.
Dodai's attention, however, was completely captured by Sasori of the Red Sands.
His Akatsuki cloak was now tattered and torn.
The figure standing before the Cloud Ninja was no longer that hunched, oddly coiffed ugly man they'd seen before.
Instead, it was a youthful teenage boy with bright red short hair—handsome and refined in appearance.
Sasori of the Red Sands was furious at this moment. His Hiruko puppet had been completely destroyed by Shisui Uchiha's Susanoo, forcing him to reveal his true form.
"So that 'Sasori' he mentioned really is Sasori of the Red Sands. But why does he still look so young?" Dodai felt complex emotions.
Hiring rogue ninja was always a politically risky move—one that could easily invite backlash from other villages. That's why he hadn't allowed Kakuzu and the others onto the battlefield together until now.
Of these three, Kakuzu was a rogue ninja from a minor village—not too serious an issue.
Orochimaru was a Konoha rogue ninja, now helping them fight against Konoha itself. Even if questioned directly, there was still room for argument.
As for Sasori of the Red Sands, he was a Sand S-class rogue ninja—a prodigious puppet master and also the beloved grandson of the Sand elder Chiyo.
Would the Sand Village raise objections as well? Dodai wondered.
Seeing both sides no longer focused on him, White Zetsu melted into the earth and vanished from sight.
His goal had already been achieved. What they made of it afterward was none of his concern.
"You used something called Susanoo just now, right?" Orochimaru asked Shisui Uchiha.
"Shisui, what should we do?" a Konoha ninja asked gravely.
Orochimaru had defected after the reinstatement of the Third Hokage, and it had been less than four years since then.
Therefore, everyone clearly remembered Orochimaru's strength, achievements, battle records, past mistakes, and various underhanded tactics.
Precisely because they understood him so well, they felt genuine fear.
Shisui Uchiha took a deep breath.
He made several hand seals again, summoning multiple illusory clones, then told his comrades, "I'll cover our retreat. You withdraw first."
Sasori of the Red Sands blocked others who wanted to surround Shisui Uchiha and stated, "I want him to pay the price."
Orochimaru and Kakuzu stopped in their tracks.
Dodai couldn't believe what he was seeing.
This was a battlefield; why were they doing one-on-one duels now?
Next, Sasori of the Red Sands unfurled a scroll, revealing the human puppet version of the Third Kazekage before everyone's eyes.
Dodai was shocked once more.
The body of the Third Kazekage, which Suna had never managed to locate, had actually been in his possession all along.
Was this guy seriously going to reveal it openly like this? Couldn't he be just a little discreet?
Not only Dodai but also some Konoha ninja recognized the Third Kazekage, wearing strange expressions on their faces.
[Magnet Release - Iron Sand Drizzle.]
Facing attacks from the Third Kazekage puppet, Shisui Uchiha deliberately dodged into the crowd of Kumo ninjas, aiming to disrupt them and buy time for his comrades to retreat.
Their battle affected many people, making the Kumo ninja furious yet cautious enough to avoid getting too close.
Meanwhile, the Konoha ninja protected their wounded companions while retreating cautiously.
They even tried to carry away some severely wounded Kumo ninjas who were already unable to fight.
If you Cloudies can pull something like this, then so can we Leaf ninja! If you can take captives, so can we!
Seeing this, the Kumo ninja flew into a rage.
Trying to take away our people right on our territory? Are you looking for death?
The Kumo ninja immediately grew furious, fighting harder than ever.
"Withdraw as soon as possible," Shisui Uchiha urged distractedly while holding off against Sasori of the Red Sands.
Reluctantly, the Konoha ninjas had no choice but to retreat slowly, holding back their urge to stay and fight.
The Kumo ninja still wanted to chase them outside but were stopped by Dodai raising his hand, saying, "Don't pursue anymore; there might be another team waiting for them out there."
Dodai pointed at Shisui Uchiha's direction, signaling his subordinates to completely encircle the two engaged in combat—Shisui Uchiha and Sasori of the Red Sands.
Then, addressing Kakuzu and Orochimaru who remained unmoved nearby, he said, "Kakuzu, Orochimaru, I hope you won't hold back."
He had also seen that green giant previously.
If Shisui used it again, sending ordinary ninja against him would essentially be sending them to their deaths.
Orochimaru shrugged slightly before walking into the battlefield together with Kakuzu.
Instantly displeased, Sasori of the Red Sands did not want anyone interfering with his battle.
[Magnet Release - Iron Sand World Method.]
The sky filled densely with countless cone-shaped iron sand particles covered in long spikes, widely expanding outward as they shot toward Shisui Uchiha and his clones below.
It seemed impossible to dodge...
Shisui glanced up and activated his incomplete Susanoo one more time.
A green, headless giant wielding a spiral-patterned blade emerged.
Dodai sensed something amiss and urged the Kumo ninja to keep retreating.
"Everyone else, scatter!"
...
Konoha Camp.
Ninjas carried the wounded and filed into the camp one by one.
Danzo arrived upon hearing the news. "How is it? Did we manage to extract everyone?"
The ninjas lowered their heads in shame.
Danzo frowned briefly before regaining his composure.
"Which side suffered more casualties — ours or theirs?"
"Ours, I think." The ninja who answered hesitated.
"..." Danzo asked again, "What about Shisui?"
"He's still with the Kumo forces."
Danzo stood outside the camp, gazing toward a certain direction.
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