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  The stro Genin of the Leaf Vilge was standing out in the halls of the Hokage tower, waiting for his teacher to finish his meeting with the Hokage. Soon he saw Kakashi ing out of the room.

  'Is it just me or does he seem less tense?' Daichi pondered as he gazed at the silver haired man.

  "Is everything alright sensei?"

  Hearing the boy's question Kakashi merely smiled. "Everything's fine Daichi. Let's head to the analysis wing."

  Daichi looked at the man and hey began making their way towards the Leaf Intelligence Division building.

  "So Lord Hokage has already sent teams to attack Orochimaru's hideouts huh." Daichi began to run simutions of the oute of this event in his mind.

  "Yes. Don't worry. They'll be successful." The Jonin spoke af if reassuring the boy.

  "They will be successful in taking down those bases and capturing everyone. But saving Tsunade sensei and Shizune senpai… I'm not so sure about that."

  "Because you believe they're in the Land of Earth. That possibility is high but it's still a theory. Besides, the seven bases are sedary targets. There is another base Orochimaru created meant to tain you. They might be in that location." Kakashi said with a calm tone as he took out his e book. 'This might be the st time I get to read this. Guess I better make good use of it.'

  Daichi stayed silent and thought about the military as of the vilge. 'It's been a little over 25 hours since I got the quest to save them. But in that time the Hokage was able to quickly gather intelligend unch a ter attack... So the old man work fast when he wants to huh… But still, that was way too fast. That means… Unless I'm mistaken, he already had his eyes on Orochimaru. His Anbu spying on Kabuto is proof of that. So it's also possible he knows more than he says.'

  "What are you thinking Daichi?" Kakashi asked as he g his student from the er of his eye.

  "This attack… I'm w how it will go."

  "Don't worry. We've dealt with these kinds of situations before."

  Kakashi replied and Daichi turned his head with a questioning look.

  "During the Sed and Third World war, enemy shinobi or anizations with signifit resources would kidnap a high value target to gain an advantage. We know how to respond to such situations."

  Daiodded. "I know. But the military response would be highly depe on the specific circumstances, including the try, jurisdi, enemy strength and target involved, wouldn't it?"

  "It seems you've been expanding your horizons." Kakashi wasn't surprised Daichi was looking up information on Military tactics.

  Daichi had a smirk as he replied. "Like I said earlier. Last night was very productive. But still, I only know the general steps. Intelligehering, Pnning, Deployment, Execution."

  Kakashi nodded and began to expin the basic process. "We have special trag and reaissaeams. Lord Hokage had already sent them yesterday. The intelligence department would e up with several strategies and a detailed pn. Even tingens would be developed for potential obstacles or plications. Ohe pn is developed, the selected unit would be deployed to the target location, possibly with support from additional units if necessary. Stealth and surprise would be key factors in ensuring the success of the operation."

  "Is Anbu in charge of creating these strategies?"

  "In some cases, yes. The entire operation would be uheir and. But this is different. The man tasked with creating an attack strategy is Shikaku Nara."

  That name immediately brought a face to Daichi's mind and he nodded. "That guy huh."

  "It seems you know the man." Kakashi didn't know Daichi had already crossed paths with the Jonin ander.

  "We've met one time ago."

  Kakashi nodded and turned his focus back to his book. "Well, he's as smart as they e. So you don't o worry too much."

  "It's hard not to… Our ehis time is Orochimaru. He knows our pybook."

  Hearing Daichi's words, Kakashi internally sighed. 'He's n. Orochimaru knows our resources, capabilities and has an intimate knowledge of our operational tactics. He would already have deferategies in pce.'

  Daichi meanwhile was thinking about how Orochimaru would defend himself from the Leaf's attack. At that time his sensei spoke.

  "You like ing up with iing theories and strategies? What do you think Orochimaru would do to protect himself?"

  "stantly moving the target to different locations to make it difficult for the military to locate them would be orategy." Daichi replied after a few moments of thought.

  "But the targets in Orochimaru's hand are Lady Tsunade and Shizuhey're nur shinobi h value civilians. Many things could g with that strategy. So that's out of the question. He 't move from where he is…" Kakashi made a terpoint.

  "Orochimaru will have to keep an eye on any rge-scale a and military response from our side. He'll have to protect himself from infiltration attempts. He'll also use deception tactid will be baiting us with false leads to buy himself some time."

  The silver haired Jonin nodded. "Yes. Employing terintelligend surveilnce. Right now we've already taken such a rge a. If he has spies hidden in the vilge, he most probably knows about the uping attack."

  Daiodded. "If we do have his real location, he won't go down easily. He'd have powerful guards and other robust security measures."

  "Yes. And a frontation would be to his disadvantage. So he'll need a way out. Well, it's not like he just vanish into thin air…" Kakashi muttered the st part and Daichi agreed but then their eyes suddenly widened in realization.

  "Son of a bitch! Reverse summoning! Orochimaru has the Snake tract. If he wants to, he use them to reverse summon himself and ah him." Daichi ched his fist. 'Damn it, how could I fet about that. If someone mao get close he might just reverse summon himself to safety.'

  Kakashi was only momentarily surprised. "Don't fet, Daichi. Lord Hokage also uses summoning creatures to fight. So he would know of su escape strategy. I'm sure he would have a tingen pce."

  Daichi slowly nodded but his mind was still on the issue. 'If Summoning or reverse summoning is possible why hasn't Tsunade used it. Or Katsuyu?... Is it possible that they 't?... I'll o look into that.'

  The versatioweewo ninjas faded and they quickly made their way to their destination. Kakashi quickly found and spoke with the Jonin in charge.

  "We've received word that you two would be ing." A member of the Analysis divisioed them and led Daichi and Kakashi to another room filled with books, scrolls and several other dots. "Let me know if you need any assistance."

  Kakashi gave the man a polite nod. "Thank you" and looked at his student. "Well, we better get started."

  The Genin nodded and two immediately got to work.

  —-

  The early m sun cast a pale light through the window over the bustling unicatioer within the Hidden Leaf vilge.

  Hiruzen Sarutobi stood at the heart of it all, like a steady pilr of calm in a storm of activity. His hands were csped behind his bad his eyes were focused but weary as he surveyed the se before him.

  Every person in the room could feel the tension. Hiruzehat any mistake could bee fatal for the hostages uhe rogue ninja. 'Tsunade and Shizune's lives are hanging in the bance. Orochimaru… This time you made it personal. I won't five you for this transgression.'

  The Yamanaka in charge of unications sat cross-legged in the ter of the room, glowing faintly with chakra as he kept the mental link active with the seven teams scattered across the Land of Fire. All of them had arrived at their designated positions an ho and were waiting for the signal to begin their coordinated assault.

  The Hokage turned and g the shinobi standing around him. His sensei's, teammate's and students' faces, although older, fshed briefly in his mind.

  'Time slows for no one. Now, it's the new geion carrying the burden of my decisions. They're going to face whatever Orochimaru has in store. I have to trust that they're ready.'

  He closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. The decision weighed on him, but there was no other choice.

  He snapped his eyes open and gazed at the nearby shinobi. "Are they ready?" Hiruzen asked. His voice carried a calm authority despite the turmoil within.

  "Yes. They've been studying the defenses around the base for hours, Lord Hokage," one of the Jonin replied, reading a report. "They're now waiting for your order."

  The Yamanaka opened his eyes briefly and nodded. "We're in tact with all seven teams. Standing by awaiting your orders.."

  Hiruzen took a step forward, straightening his Hokage hat. His gaze hardened, his battle-scarred hands ched into fists as he prepared to give the final and. He could sehe oute of his ina all those years ago weighing down on his shoulders.

  'I had lost Orochimaru once, and now the price might be Tsunade. I 't afford to hesitate this time.'

  "Begin the assault."

  The Yamanaka's eyes snapped shut again as he transmitted the order, and almost immediately, the echo of battle surged through the unication links.

  Hiruzen could almost hear the csh of steel. He envisiohe thundering of jutsu, and the grunts of exertion as the seven teams uheir atta the seven bases Orochimaru had set up to stall them.

  —-

  Team 03. Asuma Sarutobi's team.

  Asuma's team moved swiftly, crashing through the dense underbrush like a gust of wind. His trenives gleamed in the m light as he signaled his team to spread out. The base loomed ahead and was half-hidden by thick forest, but the presence of enemies was unmistakable.

  The fuardian twelve ninja could feel the pulse of chakra signatures just beyond the clearing—many of them faint but dangerous. 'Based on Genma and Anko's report, these guys would most probably have some sort of a curse seal. That would make them uable and a votile enemy.'

  "Spread out, and remember. If possible, capture. But if not, kill." Asuma muttered, his cigarette sm between his lips. "They're waiting for us. Stay sharp."

  His team nodded in silent aowledgment, their faces te focused. They were experienced, but Asuma khese meraries wouldn't go down easily. 'Orochimaru's influend power has made them loyal to the point of being fanatics. That makes these guys more dangerous than ordinary thugs.'

  As the Leaf ninjas waited, the first wave came, surging out of the base with wild, feral energy. Asuma Sarutobi lunged forward, trenives sparking against a merary's bde as they cshed head-on. The man's eyes glowed with the power of the curse mark and his movements became erratic but powerful.

  Asuma's grip tightehe power of his chakra-infused knives protected him as he deflected a series of rapid strikes. 'Above average strength. Orochimaru sure knows how to create good meat shields.'

  "Persistent bastards," Asuma growled and suddenly ducked low as another merary swung a massive club down toward him. The curse seal was active and his body was bulging grotesquely due to the sheer power flowing through.

  Asuma parried atack with a small grunt, his muscles slightly straining against the sheer force.

  Orochimaru's minion ughed with a twisted and distorted sound ing from his throat. "You Leaf ninjas don't stand a ce! Lord Orochimaru's power flows through all of us!"

  "Yeah?" Asuma's voice was cool, but a metaphorical fme burned in his eyes. "Well, today that won't be enough to save you."

  He spun in pce, his trenives crag with chakra, and sshed through the merary's defenses with ease. Blood spshed in the air, and the cursed man crumpled to the ground with a rge gash on his chest.

  Without waiting for the other eo react, Asuma rushed ahead and pierced through the left side of his torso. The sudden brutal attack took the merary ninja by surprise and he lost the grip on his sword as he fell to the ground.

  'More of them are ing.' Asuma sensed a dozen more rushing out of the base, all wielding the power of the curse seal.

  The Leaf Jonin and his team spread out, engaging the swarm of enemies. As the fight raged on, a member of Asuma's team, Jogan, stood bad was analyzing the battlefield with his sharp eyes while the other teams moved to intercept another wave ing from the north side.

  The sheer number of enemies was overwhelming, but Asuma was unfazed and even grinned. "e on, then," he muttered, gripping his kightly. "Let's see what you've got."

  The Leaf ninjas were outnumbered but they had several advantages. A Yamanaka and a sensory ninja were standing back reying key intelligeo them and they had an advantage in the quality of shinobi oeam.

  More meraries poured from the hidden base and their bodies surged with curse seal power. Some sprouted grotesque limbs, others had chakra-enhanced muscles bulgih their skin.

  "Die!" e enemy ninja swung his fist but Asuma easily evaded it.

  The enraged ma powerful fast punches but Asuma weaved through them with ease and soo oack. His knives were like a blur of sharp steel as he cut them dower another.

  Just as he was about to move forward, he sensed movement behind and immediately evaded to the side.

  The Jonin saw a sword sshing down where he stood a sed ago. Asuma turned around and saw the enemy he ianding up even with his stomach bleeding. A few seds ter the bleeding slowed down and stopped.

  "Hahaha. Do you see now? This is the power Lord Orochimaru gave us. Now we'll be able to fight anyone." Arrogance was overflowing from the man and Asuma frowned in displeasure. He gnced around and saw the fallen meraries getting up and standing ready for round two.

  'As expected. This won't be easy. But still, if they're anything like the ones Genma entered, then they be killed.'

  He g his own teammates and saw that they were not too surprised or flustered. 'They've all ready the reports. So they've expected this. Good.'

  The fuardian twelve ninja turned his gaze back to the enemy in front. He gripped his trenives and stood ready.

  Time the Leaf begaack: 7:45 am.

  Author's note.

  For any of you worried about any dungeon chapter ing before the end of this arc, let me put you at ease. No dungeons before the end of this ard possibly the end of the one.

  And I also won't drag out this operation by showing the fight ses from all the seven teams.

  If you enjoy my story then please take a moment to review and rate. A thumbs up always helps.

  And if you are ied in reading ahead, then chey patreon site. I’ve uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there…

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