Chapter 34 - Preparations Before Departure
With the elite squad members decided, the Jōnin meeting concluded swiftly.
Orochimaru dismissed the other ninja, leaving only the elite squad's Kazane and three Jōnin from the Uchiha clan.
"This is the intel we've gathered on Hikaru from Iwagakure. Take a look."
As he spoke, Orochimaru pulled out a scroll from his mouth and handed it to Kazane. Having witnessed this countless times, Kazane remained unfazed. However, the Uchiha Jōnin standing nearby, seeing this for the first time, felt their stomachs churn in disgust.
That thing was so big and thick—how did he swallow it? And then spit it out? Doesn't his throat hurt?
Meanwhile, Kazane , who was used to this sight, casually wiped off the saliva on the scroll before spreading it open on the table.
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Name: Hikaru
Rank: Elite Jōnin of Iwagakure
Abilities: Proficient in Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and Genjutsu
Highly skilled in all aspects, making him one of the top shinobi in Iwagakure.
Weapon: Dual arm-mounted blades, exceptionally sharp.
Notable Battles: …
---
Upon reading the information, Uchiha Fugaku's expression darkened, revealing a trace of concern.
He had never truly believed that Kazane , at such a young age, could possess the strength of an elite Jōnin.
In his mind, this was just a formality to appease Orochimaru. While Kazane was nominally leading the mission, he had planned to be the one to actually handle Hikaru in battle.
However, based on the report, Hikaru was a highly versatile fighter with no apparent weaknesses. He had already defeated many well-known shinobi. As someone who spent most of his time in the Uchiha Police Force rather than on the battlefield, Fugaku knew his combat experience was lacking in comparison.
If Hikaru managed to stall him long enough for Iwagakure reinforcements to arrive, things could turn disastrous.
But the mission had already been unanimously approved in the meeting. There was no turning back now.
Fugaku made up his mind—if the battle proved unwinnable, he would retreat with his Uchiha clansmen.
He couldn't allow their Sharingan to fall into enemy hands.
Of course, Kazane was unaware of Fugaku's thoughts. Instead, upon seeing that Hikaru wielded swords, his interest was piqued.
'I wonder if he's strong enough for me to test my blade on.'
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Nightfall – Hatake Residence
"Haha! Kakashi, do you think Kazane will be surprised when we arrive at the front lines?"
Standing in the Hatake family's training yard, Uchiha Obito grinned as he spoke to Kakashi, who was in the center of the courtyard practicing the Hatake sword style.
That's right—Obito had moved into the Hatake residence.
With his parents having died on the battlefield, Obito had been raised by his grandmother. Meanwhile, ever since Kazane had left, Kakashi had been living alone in the vast Hatake estate.
Feeling lonely, he had invited Nohara Rin and Obito over for dinner the previous night.
Upon learning of Kakashi's situation, Rin had brought it up to Obito, who—without hesitation—decided to move in.
Although Kakashi had protested, his actions betrayed him, as he made no real effort to drive Obito away.
"… …"
Kakashi remained focused on his training.
"Hey, Kakashi, what if I take out the enemy commander the moment I arrive on the battlefield? Wouldn't everyone see me in a whole new light?"
"… …"
Kakashi continued training in silence. Obito was already used to his quiet demeanor.
"I bet Rin would be so impressed that she'd start chasing after me instead!"
This time, Kakashi finally reacted. He paused his training, walked inside, and returned with a book, handing it to Obito before resuming his practice.
"The Way of Steadfast Will and Perseverance? Kakashi, why are you giving me this? You know I hate reading!"
Obito stared at the book in confusion.
"This was written by Lord Jiraiya. It contains the secrets of his strength. If you master it, you might just become a 'One Hundred-Man Slayer.'"
Kakashi finally spoke, his tone as cool as ever, before returning to his sword training.
"'One Hundred-Man Slayer'? That's me! I'll be the One Hundred-Man Slayer!"
Obito only caught the words Jiraiya's book and One Hundred-Man Slayer, missing everything else. Excited, he eagerly ran inside to start reading.
Watching him finally quiet down, Kakashi stopped his training and turned his gaze to the short tanto in his hand.
"…Brother, soon we'll be fighting side by side."
"…Father, I will carry on the name of the White Fang."
Under the moonlight, the gleaming blade seemed to shine with a silent response.
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Fire Country Border – Orochimaru's Camp
"Kazane , after reading Hikaru's intel, do you think you can handle him?"
After dinner, Orochimaru sat at the head of the command tent, flipping through reports as he casually asked Kazane , who sat to his left, carefully polishing his sword.
"If his abilities are only as described in the report, he's not my match. Even if he's stronger than expected, I will be stronger."
Kazane 's response was firm, his focus never leaving his blade - Wadō Ichimonji.
"I expected as much. However, I have additional intel."
Orochimaru lifted his head and pulled out another document from beneath the pile, handing it to Kazane .
Kazane scanned the paper and saw only four names listed:
Captain: Hikaru
Member: Mahiru
Member: Daishi
Member: Sumashi
"…What's this?"
"These are Hikaru's squad members."
Orochimaru explained patiently, knowing that Kazane wouldn't recognize these names.
"Hikaru, Magiru, and Daishi are all elite Jōnin. Sumashi is a Tokubetsu Jōnin with exceptional skill in Earth Release—stronger in that area than most full-fledged Jōnin."
"If I had revealed this information earlier, Uchiha Syōma would never have agreed to this mission."
Hearing this, Kazane fell into deep thought, while Orochimaru remained silent, watching him.
After spending months observing Kazane , Orochimaru knew better than anyone how powerful he was. While Kazane might not match top-tier Kage-level fighters in Ninjutsu and Genjutsu, his offensive capabilities alone were enough to rival most.
Even against three elite Jōnin, Kazane would come out on top.
But after a while, Kazane finally spoke, his concern lying elsewhere.
"What if they try to escape?"
Orochimaru smirked. He had expected this question.
"If all three of them flee at once, then we'll have to gamble on who carries the supplies. If we lose that gamble, Iwagakure will increase their vigilance, making it nearly impossible to get another opportunity like this."
"At this point, we have no choice but to take the risk."
"Uchiha Syōma sent his son, Fugaku, as part of the mission because he doesn't trust you. Tomorrow, he'll likely have Fugaku take charge of the battle."
"Fugaku isn't strong enough to defeat Hikaru, but he can hold him off for a while. Your job is to eliminate Magiru and Daishi as quickly as possible, then return to assist Fugaku. Otherwise, if he realizes he can't win, he might retreat with his Uchiha subordinates."
Orochimaru turned toward the window, gazing at the full moon hanging over the night sky.
"If we lose this chance… things will become far more difficult."