Hanzo's Attack
Originally, in addition to the current team, Kato Dan and an elite jōnin named Kime Koto were supposed to be present.
The latter was a formidable shinobi and a trusted confidant of Hiruzen Sarutobi. However, at this moment, both men were already away, carrying out a top-secret mission alongside another jōnin.
"We need to talk about what to do next. The unit sent to strike Yugakure's rear lines is likely close to being completely wiped out."
Mitokado Homura sighed heavily, addressing the three people in front of him.
"Senior Homura, we shouldn't have provoked Hanzo so recklessly. From the current situation, it's likely our troops were discovered and faced Hanzo himself."
Tsunade shook her head, signaling there was little that could be done now.
As the foremost expert in medical ninjutsu in the entire shinobi world, Tsunade understood just how terrifying Hanzo's poison truly was.
His highly corrosive venom was so deadly that even she hadn't developed a fast-acting antidote. All she could do was use precise chakra control to extract and suppress the toxin—an advanced technique very few could replicate.
At this point in history, widespread medical ninja training hadn't yet been implemented. Even though Tsunade had urgently trained a squad after arriving in the Land of Rain, only a handful had mastered this level of control.
Hanzo's poison wasn't just lethal—it had an absurdly wide area of effect, capable of blanketing entire battlefields.
Against such overwhelming force, as long as Hanzo's chakra held out, numbers meant nothing. It was very likely that few, if any, of the ambush team would return alive.
"If we had followed Orochimaru's plan and struck Sunagakure first—demonstrating strength while courting an alliance with Amegakure—then perhaps it would be Chiyo of Sunagakure who'd be panicking now."
Jiraiya shook his head in frustration, glancing at his teammates.
His gaze settled on the one he believed to be the most brilliant among them—Orochimaru.
But Orochimaru sat silently, his pale face unreadable, his thoughts hidden behind hooded eyes.
"This failure is on me," Mitokado Homura admitted. "I'll report to the village and take full responsibility. I just believed that, since Sunagakure is one of the Five Great Nations like us, it would be wiser to take out the smaller threat—Yugakure—first…"
As he rambled, his eyes drifted toward Orochimaru.
"Now's not the time for that," Orochimaru said at last, his voice cold and precise. "What worries me is Yugakure's intelligence network."
"Huh? Orochimaru, what do you mean?" asked Jiraiya, eyes narrowing.
"Why was Yugakure able to detect the movement of our troops? If they can do that… what else do they know?"
"You think… there's a spy among us?" Mitokado's eyes widened, already mentally sifting through possible traitors.
"That's not the point," Orochimaru replied.
"If they knew about the ambush unit, then they may also know the whereabouts of Kato Dan and Kime Koto."
Tsunade's expression shifted immediately.
"You mean… Hanzo might target them next?"
They all knew how dangerous Hanzo of the Salamander was.
Though Kato Dan was a strong elite jōnin, his true edge came from his unique Spiritual Transformation Technique. Without it, he likely couldn't match Hanzo in direct combat—and even with it, survival was uncertain.
"No," Orochimaru said. "If I were Hanzo, I wouldn't go after small groups. I'd seize this moment—now that our elite forces are scattered—to strike directly at Konoha's forward camp. A single decisive assault could win him the war."
The room fell into silence at Orochimaru's chilling logic.
If such a scenario played out, Konoha's campaign in the Land of Rain would be a complete failure.
Given Hanzo's reputation for decisiveness and power, this was a very real possibility.
"I'll go and prepare the camp's defenses right away!" Mitokado stood up.
"…It might already be too late," Tsunade muttered.
At that moment, a sensor-nin burst into the command tent, panting.
"Elder Homura! Everyone! The main force of Amegakure is advancing rapidly toward our camp—just a few kilometers out!"
Mitokado froze, then turned slowly and said, "Take the village's troops and retreat. I'll lead whoever's willing to stay and hold them off."
"Elder Homura, your spirit is admirable," Orochimaru said calmly. "But with your strength, I fear you won't be able to stop Hanzo."
"The three of us should stay behind," he continued. "Elder Homura, please organize the retreat, then send elite reinforcements to support Dan and Kime Koto. If Hanzo is targeting our camp, then we should strike back—attack Yugakure directly. If we die here, we at least die inflicting damage."
At this time, Orochimaru was still considered the ideal successor to the Hokage in Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes. Kato Dan was still alive, and Orochimaru had not yet turned down a darker path. But even then, behind his cold logic lay a fierce and dangerous ambition.
"But—"
"Orochimaru is right," Tsunade interrupted, rising to her feet alongside Jiraiya.
"I'm the only one who can perform the fine-vein extraction technique in battle. With me here, we stand a chance of fighting Hanzo for an extended time!"
"I'm staying too!" Jiraiya declared.
"No, Elder Homura, follow Orochimaru's plan," Tsunade said firmly. "When I'm fighting, I can only detoxify two others. That's our limit."
She looked at her teammates. "The three of us together… it's not certain that Hanzo will win."
Tsunade's voice was resolute, brimming with confidence.
She knew how powerful Hanzo was, but she also believed in their own strength.
This could become the very battle that pushed them to new heights.
Mitokado Homura looked deeply at the three young ninja before him, and he couldn't help but remember the last war council he attended under the Second Hokage's leadership.
Back then, they were nothing compared to these three.
Hiruzen, these students of yours… they are remarkable.
"Remember—come back alive. You are the future of this village."
With that, he turned to rally the remaining ninja for a rear-guard action.
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Author's Note:
In the original manga, Kato Dan died during a mission involving Tsunade and another high-ranking shinobi. Based on Tsunade's panic and the authority of the shinobi who chastised her during that moment, Kime Koto (presumably a high-level jōnin) may have been that person. His presence alongside Tsunade and Dan suggests elite status, worthy of being deployed on missions of critical importance.