CHAPTER 145
The moment Orochimaru appeared, every Iwagakure shinobi immediately became tense.
Although they still held the numerical advantage...
And although many of them were elite shinobi...
Standing before one of Konoha's Legendary Sannin still brought an overwhelming pressure born from his reputation and countless battlefield achievements.
The already oppressive atmosphere instantly became even heavier.
However, the leading Iwagakure commander did not retreat.
He stared directly at Orochimaru, gritted his teeth, and said, "Orochimaru! Return Roshi's body to us! Otherwise... your Konoha will regret this! You will definitely regret it!"
His tone was filled with absolute certainty.
It was incomparably serious.
Even his expression carried an indescribable urgency.
His reaction only made everyone present even more convinced.
Something hidden within Roshi's corpse...
Or more precisely, within his memories...
Contained information of extraordinary importance to Iwagakure.
Information that absolutely could not be allowed to fall into Konoha's hands.
The more desperately he demanded it...
The less likely Konoha was to hand it over.
Especially...
Guy quietly glanced toward Orochimaru.
He clearly noticed the undisguised excitement and greed flickering within Orochimaru's golden vertical pupils.
That was the corpse of a Jinchuriki.
To Orochimaru...
It was research material beyond compare.
From the moment the Four Tails' chakra projection appeared until Orochimaru personally arrived here...
Only a little more than ten minutes had passed.
That alone was enough to reveal just how urgently he desired this corpse.
Guy understood perfectly.
No matter what the Iwagakure shinobi said...
Even if everyone else present agreed to return the body...
Orochimaru would never hand it over.
Orochimaru let out a cold snort, his voice icy as he repeated, "I'll say this one last time. If you want the Jinchuriki's corpse... have your father, Ōnoki, come and take it himself."
"You...!"
The Iwagakure commander nearly exploded with rage.
His face flushed bright red.
He was indeed Ōnoki's son.
Kitsuchi.
Orochimaru slowly extended his long tongue and licked his lips.
His hoarse voice carried unconcealed impatience and menace.
"Leave."
"If you don't leave now..."
"Then don't leave at all."
Kitsuchi's expression changed repeatedly.
His gaze moved back and forth between Orochimaru and Akimichi Torifu.
The enemy possessed two top-class combatants.
Meanwhile, Roshi had already fallen.
Although Iwagakure still had many capable shinobi...
None of them possessed the strength to confront Orochimaru head-on.
If they insisted on fighting here...
The casualties would undoubtedly be catastrophic.
They might even be wiped out entirely.
In the end...
Reason overcame anger.
Kitsuchi slowly drew a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down on the surface.
He gave Orochimaru a long, meaningful look.
Then he looked toward Akimichi Torifu with equally complicated eyes.
"You will regret this."
He spoke each word slowly.
His deep voice echoed clearly throughout the battlefield.
"Konoha... will definitely regret this."
"I swear it."
"Definitely."
After saying those final words...
Kitsuchi no longer lingered.
He abruptly waved his hand.
"Withdraw!"
The surviving Iwagakure elites immediately felt as though they had received a pardon.
They quickly regrouped into a defensive formation before following Kitsuchi into the darkness of the forest.
Watching them disappear...
Akimichi Torifu frowned deeply.
Rather than feeling relieved by the enemy's withdrawal...
The uneasiness in his heart instead became even stronger.
Kitsuchi's final warning...
Especially that final look...
Felt like an icy thorn piercing his heart.
Yet the more Kitsuchi behaved like this...
The more desperately Torifu wanted to know...
Exactly what earth-shattering secret Roshi carried.
What could possibly drive Kitsuchi into such a state?
What was Iwagakure trying so desperately to conceal?
He needed the answer immediately.
Meanwhile...
Orochimaru had already begun walking toward Roshi's headless corpse, unable to conceal the excitement in his expression.
To him...
A corpse containing the power of a Tailed Beast...
Possessed immeasurable research value.
Just as Orochimaru was about to store the corpse inside a sealing scroll...
Akimichi Torifu stepped forward and spoke in a deep voice.
"Orochimaru."
"The corpse must first be handed over to Inoichi Yamanaka for intelligence extraction."
Orochimaru's movements stopped.
His golden vertical pupils slowly turned toward Torifu.
A trace of annoyance flashed through his eyes at being interrupted.
However...
He licked his lips once more as if carefully weighing the matter.
He truly coveted this research specimen.
But Torifu's reasoning was equally sound.
Especially after hearing Kitsuchi's warning.
After remaining silent for a brief moment...
Orochimaru finally spoke in his hoarse voice.
"...Very well."
"But be quick."
"And..."
His tone became noticeably heavier.
"Do not damage the corpse."
"Any damage will reduce its research value."
Torifu nodded solemnly.
"I understand."
He immediately signaled for Inoichi Yamanaka to step forward.
At this moment...
Torifu valued the integrity of Roshi's corpse even more than Orochimaru did.
The thorn Kitsuchi had left in his heart...
Had to be removed as quickly as possible.
He needed to uncover exactly what Iwagakure feared...
And exactly what they were hiding.
Without delay...
Torifu handed Roshi's corpse over to Inoichi Yamanaka.
He ordered him to immediately begin extracting whatever intelligence remained.
Afterward...
Torifu strode toward Uchiha Feiquan.
His expression was completely serious.
"Captain Feiquan."
"What exactly happened here?"
"Report everything in detail."
Feiquan was just about to begin recounting the entire battle.
Including Roshi specifically naming Might Guy, Ebisu, and Shiranui Genma.
Including the crucial moment when Guy used the high-level sealing scroll to release the seawater that completely reversed the battle.
But just then...
A thought flashed through his mind.
His expression immediately calmed.
From the very beginning...
Roshi's true targets had been Might Guy, Ebisu, and Shiranui Genma.
His reason had been revenge for the death of his disciple.
If he truthfully revealed everything before so many people...
Wouldn't Iwagakure's future vengeance for Roshi...
Fall directly upon those three?
"No."
"I absolutely cannot allow that."
Feiquan narrowed his eyes.
Guy and the others had just saved everyone at Outpost No. 8.
They were the benefactors of the Uchiha.
For their sake...
This matter had to remain hidden.
Besides...
Every Iwagakure shinobi who had participated in the assault...
Including Roshi himself...
Had already died.
No enemy remained alive to reveal the true course of events.
"At worst..."
"I'll report the full details privately to the Commander later."
Feiquan quickly made his decision.
His gaze shifted toward Guy.
A trace of apology...
And determination...
Appeared within his eyes.
Guy noticed Feiquan's look and was briefly stunned.
He immediately understood.
Feiquan intended to conceal the key contributions of the three of them.
To prevent them from becoming Iwagakure's next targets.
Guy gave a slight nod.
Showing his understanding.
Having made up his mind...
Feiquan immediately began his report.
He briefly recounted the Iwagakure surprise attack...
Roshi's appearance...
The fierce battle...
And how the Uchiha Clan had gradually fallen into a difficult position.
Finally...
At the decisive moment...
The high-level sealing scrolls that had been prepared beforehand played a crucial role.
Working together with Shisui...
They successfully restrained Roshi's Lava Release.
Afterward...
He seized the opening and personally beheaded Roshi.
After listening...
Torifu glanced across the battlefield, where traces of overwhelming Water Release still remained.
He quickly pieced together the overall flow of the battle.
He nodded slightly.
"That explanation is reasonable."
Hearing this...
The surrounding Konoha shinobi immediately looked at the Uchiha Clan differently.
None of them had expected that the Uchiha...
Who were famous throughout the shinobi world for their mastery of Fire Release...
Would actually prepare Water Release sealing scrolls in advance.
What meticulous tactical preparation.
Whispers immediately spread among the surviving Konoha shinobi.
"The Uchiha Clan actually prepared seawater beforehand?"
"No wonder they won."
"They had clearly planned for this."
"As expected of the Uchiha..."
"Their preparations are incredibly thorough."
Listening to these discussions...
Feiquan's expression became somewhat awkward.
The remaining Uchiha Clan members were equally embarrassed.
Yet not a single one of them spoke to refute the misunderstanding.
Every one of them understood Feiquan's intentions.
He was protecting Guy's trio.
Torifu frowned slightly.
With his experience...
He instinctively sensed something was off.
Feiquan's explanation was logical.
But it also felt as though certain key details had been deliberately omitted.
More importantly...
Why had Feiquan repeatedly glanced toward those three unfamiliar young shinobi while giving his report?
"They..."
"Are they Choza's disciples?"
Torifu naturally recognized Guy's trio.
After all...
Choza had praised those three youngsters repeatedly in his letters.
Torifu chose not to question Feiquan in front of everyone.
He could tell...
Feiquan clearly had more to say.
He simply intended to report it privately.
Just then...
Not far away...
Inoichi Yamanaka, who had been pressing one hand against Roshi's head with his eyes tightly shut...
Suddenly shuddered violently.
His eyes snapped open.
Extreme shock and disbelief filled his pupils.
He abruptly turned his head toward Akimichi Torifu.
Their gazes met in midair.
The instant Torifu saw the look in Inoichi's eyes...
His heart violently skipped a beat.
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