Naruto: Starting from the Reincarnation of the Otsutsuki.

For a moment, the mountain ninja couldn't recall the other's name, and could only open his mouth, standing there somewhat awkwardly.

Nara Suzaku waved his hand, indicating that he didn't need to worry about these things and should continue reporting.

"A large-scale chakra reaction has been detected at the border!" The mountain ninja quickly regained his senses and said rapidly, "Preliminary assessment indicates that a large force from Sunagakure is approaching our border!"

Sand Village?!

Before Nara Suzaku could even be shocked, the mountain ninja quickly added, "Furthermore, traces of Kirigakure's infiltration have been discovered near the south coast!"

Hidden in the mist?!

Suzaku Nara's expression finally changed.

Since half of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were lost in the Land of Fire, Kirigakure has almost withdrawn from the main battlefield, and the front line has been quiet for a long time.

A few days ago, they were swept away by Lord Minato and forced to leave the Land of Fire.

As a result, the Hidden Mist suddenly reappeared at this critical juncture?

Moreover, they acted almost simultaneously with Sunagakure.

"They've joined forces?"

Nara Suzaku's heart sank, and the worst possible judgment flashed through his mind almost instantly.

But if that's the case, what exactly does Sunagakure want to do?

Although Lord Orochimaru has been dragging his feet on peace talks, he hasn't explicitly stated his refusal...

Could it be that Luo Sha wants to have a big fight before the negotiations even begin?

The fish died and the net was broken?

In a short moment, countless speculations flashed through Nara Suzaku's mind, but he quickly forced himself to calm down.

Especially in times like these, it's crucial to stay calm and avoid making a rash decision.

"Immediately place all combat troops on Level 1 alert, and prepare defenses on the spot!"

"Pass this message on to the village!"

Suzaku Nara swiftly gave the order, his voice crisp and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

One order after another was issued from his mouth, and the atmosphere in the camp became extremely tense at that moment.

As the orders were relayed, the ninjas of the Yamanaka clan gradually calmed down from their initial panic and began preparing for battle.

After the crowd that had come upon hearing the commotion received orders and left the tent to relay the message, Nara Suzaku finally breathed a long sigh of relief, his expression revealing a hint of unconcealed exhaustion.

"The number of ninja troops is still too small..."

As the chief strategist of the Jiegeng Mountain position, no one understood the dire situation of the troops there better than him. Apart from the necessary garrison troops to maintain the various defensive lines, the number of troops that could actually be mobilized for mobile operations was pitifully small.

If Sunagakure and Kirigakure really did launch a joint attack, then this number of people is hardly a large number.

Strictly speaking, it could even be described as being stretched thin.

The village's leadership originally planned to send Lord Orochimaru to oversee the peace talks with Sunagakure.

Once the negotiations are successful, the front lines will no longer need to be so heavily guarded as before, and everyone will be able to breathe a little easier.

But ideals are ultimately just ideals.

Only after arriving at the front lines did Suzaku Nara realize just how much the actual situation differed from the high command's expectations.

Orochimaru, as the commander-in-chief, had no intention of continuing to negotiate properly with Sunagakure. He often appeared and disappeared without a trace.

Almost all the affairs, big and small, frontline coordination, and pressure at Kikyō-yama fell on the shoulders of Suzaku Nara alone.

"Hey..."

Suzaku Nara rubbed his temples.

This is really troublesome...

Just then—

"boom!"

Without warning, a cloud of white smoke suddenly exploded in the main seat of the tent!

The two looked up at almost the same time.

The smoke billowed and slowly dissipated.

The one appearing in the main seat was actually a weakened Orochimaru?

Do not……

Or was it a giant snake?

Chapter 74 True Peace is Coming

"Lord Orochimaru, what's wrong with you...?"

Suzaku Nara opened his mouth slightly, his face full of disbelief.

At this moment, Orochimaru was almost unrecognizable compared to his usual cold and gloomy appearance, which still retained a human-like outline.

His upper body still barely maintained a human form, but from the waist down, he already showed extremely obvious snake-like characteristics.

Snake scales were faintly visible beneath his pale skin, and the lines of his back and lower limbs became increasingly twisted and ferocious.

It's as if with just a little more stimulation, the person would completely transform into a real white-scaled serpent.

In the past, one might have described his temperament as "feminine and eerie," but now, Orochimaru gives off an impression of bone-chilling coldness and inhuman oppression.

This serpentine state...

Furthermore, this chaotic state was also mixed with the residual aura of natural energy...

Is it the Sage Mode of Ryuchi Cave?

Hinata Seiran's eyes flashed, and a sense of understanding arose in his heart.

It seems Orochimaru's mind is as cunning as ever.

Judging from its current state...

Most likely, it failed.

"Ho..."

Orochimaru slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air, his voice carrying an undeniable weakness, as if he had just escaped from some kind of extreme and intense pain.

"What happened...?"

He raised his head, his gaze first sweeping over the military orders and intelligence scrolls piled on the table, before finally settling on the two men in the tent.

"This is what happened, Lord Orochimaru..."

Nara Suzaku composed himself and reported all the intelligence sent from the front lines to Orochimaru.

From the large-scale chakra reaction that appeared on the border of Sunagakure, to the traces of infiltration by Kirigakure ninja on the south coast, to the current troop deployment and response arrangements within the camp, Suzaku Nara spoke clearly and concisely, without any ambiguity.

Beneath that outward calm, it wasn't hard to detect a hidden expectation.

After all, the great war had only just ended.

For Konoha now, the most precious thing is not another victory, but the hard-won breathing room.

If a peace agreement can be reached with Sunagakure to stop the advance.

Even if they could use this opportunity to achieve some degree of reconciliation, that would undoubtedly be the best outcome for Konoha.

At least……

It can save many people from dying.

“A greedy scoundrel…” Orochimaru sneered, “Report this information to the village.”

"The rest, send a message to Luo Sha, and tell him to wait for the peace negotiation team."

Upon hearing this, Nara Suzaku was startled, as if he had been pulled out of a trough, and his spirits instantly lifted.

"Yes! I'll take care of it right away!"

Soon, only Hyuga Seiran and Orochimaru remained in the tent.

To be precise, it was Orochimaru in his snake form.

"But Lord Orochimaru, are you really alright?"

Hyuga Seiran crossed his arms and asked curiously, "If you keep looking like this, you might not even be able to compete for the position of Fourth Hokage, right?"

"You don't need to worry about that, Qinglan-kun," Orochimaru glanced at him sideways and said indifferently, "If you can complete the task I give you, I might be even more excited."

"Besides, I'm not that weak..."

Orochimaru slightly raised the corners of his lips, his narrow eyes staring directly into Hyuga Seiran's white pupils.

But soon, he looked away and his gaze drifted downwards uncontrollably.

At this moment, his lower body had almost completely transformed into a snake's body.

Cold, pale, and ferocious.