Naruto: Eating Kaido's Azure Dragon Devil Fruit-Chapter 250: Reactions from All Sides

He miscalculated.

Sora was indeed not in peak condition, but he was not completely unprepared.

He had even anticipated that he would come to ambush, and had reserved enough strength to counterattack.

These three half-beast shadow clones combined with Super Strength might not be enough to kill him, but they were enough to entangle him for a short time, even make him pay a significant price.

And this place, after all, was the Konoha camp.

If the commotion became too great, Akimichi Torifu and Namikaze Minato could arrive at any moment.

Especially Namikaze Minato.

More importantly, Orochimaru saw a kind of confidence born of a sense of security in Sora’s cold eyes.

He vaguely felt that Sora still had some hidden trump card, something specifically aimed at him, that had not been revealed yet.

’What kind of sealing jutsu is it? Or something else?’

Orochimaru’s thoughts raced. He recalled the records of sealing jutsu scrolls Sora had exchanged for in the Anbu, the Adamantine Sealing Chains?

If that was really the case, being entangled in this state would have unimaginable consequences.

Although he craved Sora’s body and secrets, the prerequisite was that he himself could not fall here.

"Hehe. Truly astonishing vigilance and strength."

Orochimaru straightened up, that uncomfortable fake smile reappearing on his face, as if the ambush just now had never happened.

"It seems I have disturbed Sora-kun’s rest."

Sora did not speak, only looked at him coldly, the three half-beast shadow clones in front of him poised and ready.

Orochimaru gave Sora a deep look, finally letting out a low laugh of unclear meaning, his figure slowly sinking into the shadows at his feet and disappearing.

Only after confirming Orochimaru’s chakra signature had completely moved away did Sora slightly relax.

He forced himself to walk back to the tent, feeling the natural energy still raging inside his body and the vitality slowly repairing it, his eyes cold.

He had indeed prepared the Adamantine Sealing Chains. This was originally intended as a ’surprise’ for Orochimaru at a critical moment.

’Now is not the time yet. Orochimaru’s Impure World Reincarnation is not yet perfected. Killing him would be detrimental to my Kekkei Mora plan.’

’Keeping him alive, waiting until his Impure World Reincarnation research is complete, that is the best time to use the Adamantine Sealing Chains and thoroughly resolve this hidden danger.’

Sora sat down cross-legged, continuing to fully focus on dispelling the petrification.

Far from the camp, Orochimaru revealed his form in the darkness, looking back towards the direction of the camp, complex light flickering in his golden snake-like eyes.

Finally, it transformed into a sigh filled with thick regret.

"Sora-kun. Azure Dragon. You have already, ceased to be that target I could covet and manipulate at will."

He realized that this young subordinate had grown into an opponent with terrifying strength, intellect, and hidden resources.

At the very least, in a direct confrontation and when in peak condition, it would be very difficult for him to have another chance to succeed.

’The war. It’s about to end, right.’

Orochimaru licked his lips, a trace of a strange light flashing in his eyes.

’Once we return to the village, away from this kind of environment under everyone’s watchful eyes at the front lines. There will always be an opportunity.’

...

Five days later.

The atmosphere at the frontline camp where Konoha and Kumogakure were confronting each other remained tense. Patrols did not relax in the slightest.

But a subtle consensus seemed to have quietly formed between the two camps. Large scale battles would probably not happen anymore.

According to messages sent back by intelligence agents who had infiltrated the Land of Lightning, the Third Raikage had quietly left the Kumogakure camp the day after the decisive battle, hurriedly heading towards the battlefield against the Land of Earth.

Clearly, after hitting a hard obstacle on Konoha’s side, suffering considerable losses yet failing to achieve a strategic breakthrough, Kumogakure had no choice but to shift its main focus to another troublesome opponent, Iwagakure.

The Third Shinobi World War between Konoha and Kumogakure looked like it was about to end with this kind of silent ceasefire after the stalemate.

At the same time, another piece of news was circulating among the higher-ups.

One of the "Legendary Three," Orochimaru, not long after the decisive battle ended, had received an official transfer order from the Hokage’s office. He had already left the Kumogakure frontline and returned to the main battlefield fighting against Iwagakure.

This series of changes all indicated that the focus of the war was shifting.

...

Somewhere in the Shinobi World, a dark underground space.

The Gedo Statue stood like a silent watcher, countless pipes connected to the withered figure at the center.

Uchiha Madara slowly raised his eyelids, looking at White Zetsu, who emerged from the ground like a plant.

"Madara-sama. Madara-sama. There’s new interesting news, oh." A fei danced around, his tone exaggerated.

"Speak." Madara’s voice was like an ancient well, without ripples.

"It’s about that Konoha ’Azure Dragon’ brat. The one I mentioned to you last time."

A fei excitedly gestured. "Five days ago, in the decisive battle between Kumogakure and Konoha, he made a huge splash."

He began to describe it vividly, although the details were somewhat vague and distorted, the key points were grasped accurately.

"... That’s how it was, oh. He first blocked the Third Raikage old man’s Two-Finger Hellstab, then created several clones, used a super powerful white flame to block the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki’s Tailed Beast Ball. Finally, he used an ultra, powerful staff to fight clang clang with the Third Raikage. I heard even the Third Raikage couldn’t subdue him."

A fei mimicked explosion sound effects, his body twisting around.

"Now, both Kumogakure and Konoha sides are spreading the name ’Konoha’s Azure Dragon,’ saying he is already a Kage-level powerhouse. Madara-sama, should we really not pay attention to him. He’s only thirteen, eh. His potential is super scary."

Madara listened quietly, his eyes still without the slightest fluctuation, as if hearing about fights between ants.

"Kage-level. Blocked the Two-Finger Hellstab."

Madara repeated faintly, his tone carrying a trace of faint mockery. "Merely levels defined by humans. And. A slightly harder turtle shell."

He slowly raised his hand, looking at his own wrinkled skin, feeling the power of all creation within his body.

"In the face of true divine power, peak Kage-level and ordinary shinobi have no essential difference."

His gaze seemed to penetrate the endless void, seeing that illusory moon.

The Eye of the Moon Plan. Infinite Tsukuyomi. That was the only path to creating true peace.

As for one or two exceptionally talented brats appearing in the shinobi world, mastering some peculiar Kekkei Genkai or summoning beasts.

In the era when he, Uchiha Madara, roamed the shinobi world, so-called geniuses, Kekkei Genkai clans, had he seen too few.

In the end, didn’t they all fall before his and Hashirama’s power.

This brat called Sora might be a bit special, but at best, he was just another obstacle that would require a bit more effort to clear.

Far from being a threat, not even worth dispersing his precious energy on.

"Do not waste time on him."

Madara gave a clear order again. "Your task is to keep a close watch on Uchiha Obito."

A fei seemed a bit disappointed, his head drooping.

"Okay, okay. If Madara-sama says don’t, then don’t. Where should I put my energy then. How about, I go research the formation principle of feces. What exactly does it feel like to defecate."

Madara’s brow furrowed slightly. Sometimes he felt a trace of helplessness towards this creation with its jumping thoughts and nonsensical chatter.

"Your energy. Put it all on Obito."

Madara coldly interrupted A fei’s muttering. "Ensure he witnesses the darkness he is supposed to witness according to the script, feels the despair he is supposed to feel. The plan is about to begin."

"Understood, understood."

A fei immediately became cheerful again, giving a sloppy salute. "Mission guaranteed. I will take good ’care’ of that crybaby Obito."

After saying this, his body slowly sank into the ground, leaving only the last muttered sentence drifting in the air.

"But. Is feces really a compulsory course in life."

Madara closed his eyes, no longer paying attention to this nonsensical question.

The empty underground space was once again left with only the Gedo Statue and him, and the grand plan that had been silent for decades.

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