Chapter 98

Genius you say? What an absurdity...

Knock-Knock...

A stomp came from the corridor.

“Neji, how are you?!” – Tenten rushed over and suddenly turned pale when she saw a pile of corpses in the corridor and Neji sitting on the floor.

“I’m fine, better help me put on the protector, please...” Neji asked, shaking his head reassuringly.

Forehead protector?

Tenten, of course, was confused by such a request under the current circumstances, and only then did her gaze linger on the young man's high, clear forehead.

“This is...” the kunoichi opened her mouth in shock, not finding the so-called “birdcage” on her comrade’s forehead.

“Keep this a secret, please,” Hyuuga said seriously.

Tenten had no idea what had happened here, but she could guess the possible consequences of the missing birdcage.

Meanwhile, members of the Anbu, who had also advanced to the sounds of Ranmaru's battle with Hiashi, suddenly stopped and froze in place, rooted to the spot, looking in the direction of the explosions on the outskirts of Konoha.

Konoha's sensitive barrier was rapidly dissipating.

A series of powerful explosions occurred right at his control points!

Disruption of the work of the barrier team, stationed precisely in the blasted places, is tantamount to gouging out the eyes of the entire Konoha. After all, now it will be much more difficult for them to find out where, when and how many enemy shinobi invaded the village.

It was largely for this reason that Yudao wandered around Konoha for several days with Ranmaru.

"Crap! Everyone there, run! Reconnaissance the situation and restore the barrier’s operation as soon as possible, while I report to the Hokage!” – the Anbu members quickly divided into five teams and rushed as fast as they could to different ends of Konoha, completely forgetting about those sounds of battle.

Chuunin Exam Arena.

The next match ended quickly because Kankuro decided to give up before entering the arena. Well, when the Genins were preparing for the third fight, a series of loud explosions intervened.

This caused great confusion among Orochimaru's subordinates and the Suna shinobi, as the time for their plan to be implemented had not yet come.

But Kabuto, hiding among the spectators, instantly took his bearings and launched a previously prepared Genjutsu, without waiting for the Sannin’s command.

Meanwhile, at the top of the central stand.

“Well, of course, he didn’t act according to our plan...” Orochimaru squinted slightly and thoughtfully whispered under his breath.

We'll have to start early now that the trigger has already been pulled and there's no turning back!

Then the Sannin turned and glanced at Hiruzen, who was sitting next to him, and he did the same...

Their piercing gazes crossed!

Boom!

There was a smoke explosion in the stands.

The Jounin of Konoha, who were guarding the Third Hokage, lost their lives before they even had time to understand what had happened.

Bang! Buh...

From the rising smoke came the sounds of battle. And the Anbu hiding around rushed to the podium as soon as Orochimaru attacked Hiruzen.

The Sannin then emerged from the rising smoke with a calm Hiruzen as his hostage and jumped onto the roof of the central stand.

“So Suna betrayed Konoha...” the Third Hokage clenched his teeth with a kunai at his neck.

- Betrayed? Treaties serve only to lull the enemy's vigilance. I'm tired of stupid fools like you. It's time to change history! – Orochimaru grinned sarcastically.

- Do you want to start a war? Forceful solutions to problems do not lead to anything good... It’s not too late to agree on everything, Kazekage... – Hiruzen said seriously, he did not resist at all only because he still hoped for a dialogue with the leader of Suna.

The peaceful Third Hokage by nature did not want to resort to force as long as he saw at least the slightest opportunity to solve the problem with words.

- Heh... Why does everyone in old age cling so much to a peaceful life? A real Kazekage might have accepted your offer, but I'm not like that at all, sensei! – the Sannin croaked affectionately under the guise of the Kazekage.

Hearing this, Hiruzen's old face sharply distorted into a grimace of anger. He certainly suspected Suna of collaborating with Orochimaru as soon as it all started. But I couldn’t even imagine that a careless student would hide under the guise of the Kazekage himself!

Phew! Phew! Phew! Phew!!!

Meanwhile, with the sound of cutting air, four shinobi of the Sound Village stood on opposite sides of them, waiting in the wings at the roof.

Finding an equivalent replacement for the Sound Four, and even in such a short time, was not easy. But installing barrier ninjutsu did not require an equivalent replacement.

“Four Violet Lights Formation!” – the four exclaimed in unison and began to make hand seals.

But halfway there, Anbu members appeared behind them, cold-bloodedly cutting the throats of the enemy four with kunai.

After quickly neutralizing the enemy shinobi, numerous Anbu carefully surrounded Orochimaru and Hiruzen on the rooftop.

“You have nowhere to run, Orochimaru...” Hiruzen spat coldly, continuing to calmly stand in place and not paying attention to the kunai at his neck.

***

Meanwhile outside of Konoha.

Dozens of Suna shinobi, who had been hiding for the time being, appeared.

– Is this a signal? But why so early? – one of them doubted.

- Who knows, maybe something happened, one way or another the plan is already being implemented... Let's start! – the other exclaimed belligerently.

Phew! Phew!!

After these words, six Suna shinobi hurriedly ran forward. They quickly stood in a circle, forming something like a hexagram, and exclaimed in unison: “Summoning Technique!”

Following their cry, a huge column of white smoke poured out of the hexagram, and a moment later a giant three-headed snake appeared.

The summoned snake immediately rushed towards Konoha with an angry hiss.

Seeing this, the guards of the fortress wall immediately attacked the approaching snake, but their pitiful attacks were like pellets to an elephant.

The three-headed snake playfully demolished the fortress wall with its gigantic body, not paying attention to the annoying flies from Konoha.

And when the faces of the Suna shinobi showed excitement.

Out of nowhere, a giant carcass fell from the sky, causing a real earthquake with its fall!

Gradually coming to their senses, the Suna shinobi were shocked to find in place of a three-headed snake... an even larger toad!

– I’ve already been waiting for you, sand babies! – a middle-aged man with blond hair and a horned forehead protector with the kanji for “butter” looked arrogantly at them from the head of this toad.