Chapter 53: Direct Confrontation
As Orochimaru advanced, Yamaru had already led the Amegakure ninja to block Konoha's path. A sense of relief washed over him—finally, he understood the Konoha ninja's intentions.
"Yamaru-sama, the Konoha forces are outnumbered. Should we avoid direct confrontation?" Tsugijirō suggested cautiously beside him. He still believed that engaging head-on was unwise.
"Lord Hanzō's orders are clear: stop the Konoha ninja at all costs," Yamaru snapped. "If we avoid the fight, are you saying we should let them pass? Let them devastate our land and our people?"
Yamaru's frustration boiled over, drowning out Tsugijirō's reasoning. One thought consumed him: to kill Orochimaru and make him feel pain.
Seeing Yamaru's rage, Tsugijirō silently stepped back. Hanzō himself had appointed Yamaru as the leader, and there was no changing his mind now.
"Lord Yamaru, the Konoha forces have been spotted," reported a surveillance ninja.
"Attack! Prepare Water Release techniques!" Yamaru ordered sharply. "Let them know what it feels like to drown."
Despite his anger, Yamaru wasn't reckless—he understood how to exploit their terrain. A flood of water techniques would scatter the Konoha forces, with weaker ones likely swept away.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"
"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"
"Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"