Chapter 26: The Konoha Crush Plan Begins!
"This is bad!"
Seeing Gaara's body start to change,
Baki's expression changed drastically.
"Now the whole plan is messed up!
Damn it…
How is that Hinata so strong?
She actually forced Gaara to this point!"
While he was feeling frustrated inside,
he suddenly noticed white feathers beginning to drift through the air.
This was the sign of a large-scale genjutsu taking effect.
Along with the dancing feathers,
the ordinary audience members in the stands started falling asleep one after another.
The only ones still awake… were all shinobi!
In an instant, the targets became perfectly clear.
"Hm?"
Baki was stunned for a moment when he saw this.
Then joy quickly replaced the shock.
"Finally… the operation is starting?"
...
"Damn it."
Orochimaru was also quite irritated at the moment.
"This is the second time!
Last time I didn't get to see Sasuke's real strength either.
I was planning to watch it properly this time…
But who would've thought
something like this would happen.
Gaara is truly useless."
Orochimaru felt helpless.
But helplessness wouldn't change anything.
The situation had already reached this point—some things had to be done whether he liked it or not.
After all,
the real purpose of launching the Konoha Crush plan
wasn't just to observe Sasuke's power.
So…
he suddenly turned his head sharply toward Sarutobi Hiruzen.
And as if sensing it, Hiruzen also turned to look at him.
"Begin!"
Orochimaru gave the signal.
At the same time, he rushed straight toward the Third Hokage.
His subordinates immediately threw out a smoke bomb!
That smoke bomb seemed to function like a signal flare.
The moment it exploded, countless shinobi sprang into action.
They swiftly charged toward the hidden ANBU stationed among the audience seats,
planning to eliminate them first.
However…
the ANBU weren't pushovers either.
They reacted almost instantly and clashed with the invaders.
...
Baki didn't join the attack on the Leaf shinobi.
Instead, he frowned and looked toward Gaara.
Right now, Gaara was still in the middle of "transforming."
Because his chakra was sealed, his body paralyzed, and his mind completely deranged,
he had lost all control.
His entire body kept swelling larger and larger.
It looked like he would soon complete the full transformation into Shukaku!
"Gaara…"
Kankuro's eyelid twitched nonstop.
Looking at the scene before him, he had no idea what to do.
He knew better than anyone just how powerful the One-Tail was.
If Gaara finished transforming and two Kage were fighting over there…
then there was probably no one left in this place who could suppress the One-Tail!
"What do we do now?"
Temari clutched her head, squatting down in fear.
Her bad premonition had come true!
Something completely uncontrollable really had happened.
Fortunately… she had held back her strength.
"Don't get close to Gaara.
He's completely lost control."
Baki let out a heavy sigh.
"Just be careful yourselves.
Follow the plan."
"Yes, sir!"
...
On the Leaf side, the shinobi who hadn't fallen asleep stared at the constantly changing One-Tail monster.
Fear filled their hearts.
"W-What… is that monster!?"
"So… so terrifying…"
"Where's the Hokage-sama?!"
"This is bad!
There's smoke over there…
The Hokage-sama seems to be tangled up with the Kazekage!"
"Damn it!
What the hell is the Sand Village planning?!"
...
While the group of shinobi panicked and fought the enemies at the same time,
Kakashi stepped forward.
"Everyone, calm down.
This is an attack launched by Orochimaru in cooperation with the Sand Village.
But the Hokage-sama has known about it for a long time.
We came fully prepared!"
Hearing Kakashi's words, the crowd immediately felt much more at ease.
In their hearts, Sarutobi Hiruzen was the strongest Hokage.
With such a Hokage protecting them, what was there to fear?
...
"They do have preparations, yes.
But… can they really stop Orochimaru?"
Byakuya quietly watched the entire scene, brows slightly furrowed.
He wasn't paying attention to Hinata's side.
If the enemy were the full-power Shukaku in the middle of the desert,
he might worry that Hinata would be forced to use "Pikachu Mode."
But right now, it was just a berserk One-Tail.
There wasn't much sand around at all.
That was why Byakuya could remain so calm and watch the show like this.
"I always feel like that old man Sarutobi is too confident.
He seems to overestimate himself and underestimate Orochimaru."
Up on the main viewing platform,
the fierce battle hadn't lasted long at all.
The Third Hokage's three bodyguards were taken down in seconds by a few kunai from Orochimaru's subordinates.
Immediately afterward, the Sound Four swiftly deployed a barrier.
This prevented any other arriving ANBU from helping the Hokage.
Seeing this, Byakuya couldn't help but frown.
"Sarutobi Hiruzen really has gotten old…
His heart has aged, and his mind has dulled too.
I told him everything, yet nothing changed at all.
Does he really think he can beat Orochimaru?
Looks like I'll have to step in myself later."
...
"Is that you, Orochimaru?"
Inside the barrier,
Hiruzen first glanced at the chaos below, then turned to look at the "Kazekage."
Thanks to Byakuya's prior warning,
he was a bit sharper than in the original story.
He could tell at a glance that his opponent was Orochimaru!
"Sarutobi-sensei."
Orochimaru seemed slightly surprised.
"I didn't expect you to recognize me.
What a gratifying thing~"
"Orochimaru… is your goal this village?"
"Is Konohagakure really that important to you?"
Orochimaru's tone carried three parts disdain
and seven parts dissatisfaction.
"Compared to this village, Sensei…
take a look at Gaara.
Isn't he something far more interesting than a village?
The charm of ninjutsu and scientific research is much greater than some village~"
"Hmph!"
"Enough of that, Sensei.
Because of your foolishness, Konoha has fallen into utter chaos.
I've already won!"
"Things aren't decided until the very last moment.
Isn't that what I taught you?"
Hearing this, Orochimaru suddenly became excited.
He reached up and peeled off his disguise, revealing his true face.
"Orochimaru."
Hiruzen looked at him calmly.
"I knew this day would come long ago.
But if you want to take my head…
it won't be that easy!"
"ROOOOAR!!"
At that exact moment,
Gaara finally completed his full transformation into the One-Tail.
That terrifying pressure,
those hair-raising eyes—
everything about him filled the shinobi with dread.
"Sensei…
The village you cherish so much…
is about to be finished~"
Orochimaru extended his long tongue, licking the kunai in his hand.
His eyes were filled with wild excitement.