Surprise Attack Begins
The sky hadn't fully surrendered to night.
Orochimaru led a squad of shinobi as they moved out, shadows stretching long before the final dusk.
By the time darkness cloaked the land, they had reached a dense forest a few hundred meters from Yugakure's outskirts.
Orochimaru's sharp gaze flicked to the three sensory ninjas in the formation.
Without a word, the sensory team sensed it was time to execute their mission.
Silently, they slipped away from the main force, prowling cautiously toward Yugakure, their senses attuned to every subtle shift in the environment.
Meanwhile, the rest remained behind, tense and motionless.
Two hours passed.
The night deepened; only the hum of insects disturbed the stillness.
Anxiety gnawed at the group — each moment that ticked by lowered the odds of the sensory team's survival.
Another thirty minutes dragged on.
Suddenly, two of the three sensory ninjas staggered back into the fold.
One clutched his severed left arm, blood soaking his fingers, barely able to stand.
Minato Namikaze immediately activated the Body Flicker Technique, appearing beside him to steady the wounded shinobi.
Before Orochimaru, the two sensory ninjas reported grim news.
The third had been spotted and eliminated by Cloud Village guards stationed just outside Yugakure, never making it inside.
But their sacrifice allowed the other two to infiltrate successfully.
However, their exfiltration was compromised—Yugakure's internal sensory units had given chase.
Surviving with the loss of an arm was a costly but fortunate outcome.
Critically, they had gathered valuable intel on the approximate distribution of enemy forces within Yugakure.
Orochimaru nodded in approval. "Well done. Your mission is complete. Rest and recover."
Minato's chest tightened.
The strike hadn't even begun, and already they had lost one of their own.
Moreover, the Cloud Village had discovered Konoha's reconnaissance efforts, a dangerous sign.
Minato feared the mission might be doomed from the start.
Forcing an attack on a fully alert enemy—especially one as well-fortified as Yugakure—was a tall order.
Then Orochimaru dropped the bombshell.
"The operation begins at 4 a.m., five hours from now. Jiraiya and I will spearhead the assault on Yugakure itself. The others must carry out the original plan without deviation."
Minato blinked in disbelief.
Why push forward when their presence was compromised?
Jiraiya, lounging beside him, grinned knowingly.
"Puzzled why Orochimaru insists on proceeding despite being discovered?" he asked.
Minato nodded.
Jiraiya leaned in, voice low but firm.
"The Cloud ninja guards don't expect an all-out attack. They'll keep playing their parts, ignoring the probing we do in their territory.
We've done the same—sending our own spies into the Cloud Village.
They think our incursions are mere reconnaissance, nothing more.
The gap in strength between Konoha and Cloud is massive; they don't expect us to gamble on a frontal strike.
Yugakure's defenses are deep, heavily manned by both Yugakure and Cloud ninjas.
From their perspective, any attack there is suicide. They'll never anticipate a surprise offensive."
By the time Jiraiya finished, Minato had already grasped Orochimaru's gamble.
Jiraiya's satisfaction was evident; his disciple was quick to understand without needing everything spelled out.
Before Orochimaru's arrival, Jiraiya had managed operations—his style emphasizing caution, minimizing casualties, and slow, steady gains.
That approach, while safe, meant their frontline kept retreating, inching toward the brink.
Minato trusted Jiraiya implicitly, following orders without question.
His idealism, even in war, still lingered.
Jiraiya admired Orochimaru and Chiyu's presence on the battlefield—it was transformative.
He knew his own strengths: a lone wolf by nature, not suited to command.
Orochimaru, in contrast, was a master strategist, having led during the Second Shinobi World War alongside Tsunade and Jiraiya themselves.
Orochimaru's plans turned impossible situations around—pulling victories from the jaws of defeat.
Chiyu, a prodigy in his own right, showed a tactical acumen rare for a first-timer on the battlefield.
The similarity between Orochimaru and Chiyu was striking; no wonder the two were master and disciple.
With them here, Minato was seeing war's true cruelty—not just from the enemy but from within.
During the Second Shinobi World War, countless lives were pawned off as bait to secure victory, sacrifices accepted without question.
Chiyu's arrival intensified the pressure on Minato.
But that pressure was a crucible—shaping him into the ninja he was destined to become.
Jiraiya silently bet on his own disciple, believing Minato's talent and drive would outpace even Chiyu's.
---
Five hours slipped by.
The team regrouped.
Orochimaru turned to Jiraiya.
"It's time."
Jiraiya stretched, a lazy smirk crossing his face.
"Been a while since we fought side by side, Orochimaru. Feels good to get the band back together."
"Stick to the plan. Once the perimeter Cloud ninjas move inside Yugakure, you can make your move."
Without hesitation, Orochimaru and Jiraiya surged forward toward Yugakure.
The remaining ninjas, including Chiyu and Minato, advanced cautiously to a strategic distance, awaiting the perfect moment to enter the fray.