The night was deep. A heavy, oppressive air hung over the valleys of Kumo's Lightning Gorge.
Uchiha Chiya and Orochimaru had successfully dealt with the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki Fukai, and the mission had gone smoothly.
The two quietly withdrew from the depths of Kumo's Lightning Gorge and met up with Yakushi Nono, who had been waiting outside the village.
"How did the mission go?"
Yakushi Nono looked at the two returning figures, a note of urgency in her voice.
Chiya gave a nod.
"Everything went smoothly."
Orochimaru looked at Yakushi Nono, then reached into his ninja tool pouch and took out a scroll, tossing it over.
"Lord Danzo has new orders. You no longer need to remain embedded in Kumogakure."
Yakushi Nono caught the scroll. Her eyes tightened slightly, and she seemed to hesitate.
She glanced up at Chiya and Orochimaru. Her lips parted, but she said nothing.
Chiya noticed her hesitation with sharp attention, and raised an eyebrow slightly.
'She's about to leave Kumogakure and she's still hesitating...'
'Does she enjoy living undercover that much?'
"Nono, is there something on your mind?"
Yakushi Nono was silent for a moment, and finally let out a quiet sigh.
"Chiya-kun, Lord Orochimaru, actually... there is something I want to tell you both."
The corner of Orochimaru's mouth curled slightly upward in a cold smile. He had clearly taken notice of Nono's expression just now.
"Oh? What is it?"
Yakushi Nono lowered her head, her voice subdued.
"While I was embedded in Kumogakure, a few children saved my life. I have always cared deeply about them. Now that I am leaving, I am worried they will be caught up in things because of my disappearance."
Chiya frowned slightly, already understanding her concern.
After all, a ninja's sudden disappearance would trigger a thorough investigation.
Once any loose end surfaced and confirmed the identity of a spy, those children would naturally not be spared.
He looked toward Orochimaru, waiting for his reaction.
Orochimaru's gaze turned a few degrees colder.
"Nono, if you truly cared about those orphans, you should never have gotten close to them.
Now that you are leaving, Kumogakure's ninja will notice easily enough. Not a single one of those orphans will survive."
Yakushi Nono's face went pale in an instant.
She bit down hard.
"I cannot just leave like this."
Chiya looked at the gentleness and resolve in Yakushi Nono's eyes.
He knew she had already made up her mind. A thought passed through his eyes.
"Perhaps we can use the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki's rampage to create a plan for a fake death for you."
Orochimaru's cold gaze swept over. He was clearly signaling Chiya to continue.
"Today the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki went on a rampage, and Kumogakure is certain to have suffered casualties. We can use the chaos to stage a fake death scene and make Kumogakure's people believe that Nono has already died. That way, they will no longer have any reason to suspect her."
Yakushi Nono heard this, and a flash of hope crossed her eyes.
"Can that really work?"
Chiya gave a slight smile.
"As long as we plan carefully, the chances of success are high. Besides, this is currently the only way to protect those children."
Orochimaru was silent for a moment.
"Very well. We will go with your plan. However, we must act with caution. There cannot be a single gap."
Chiya gave a nod, then began laying out the details of the fake death plan.
The night grew even darker. The smell of blood drifted through the valleys of Kumo's Lightning Gorge.
The Eight-Tails' rampage had clearly been brought to a stop by force. The silence was uncanny.
Kumogakure's ninja stood at the outer perimeter, already sealing off the entire area.
At the boundary between the outer area and the village.
Chiya, Orochimaru, and Yakushi Nono arrived at the spot.
They quietly approached a concealed cave on the outskirts of Kumogakure.
Chiya's Sharingan flickered faintly in the darkness, taking in every detail.
"How is this spot?"
Chiya asked in a low voice, his gaze sweeping the surroundings.
Yakushi Nono gave a nod.
"This place is fairly well hidden, and it is not far from where those children are.
As long as we make it convincing enough, we should be able to fool them."
Orochimaru took a scroll from his ninja tool pouch, unrolled it quickly, and called out in a low voice.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
At his call, a massive snake burst up through the ground.
From the great snake's mouth dropped a Kumo-nin who was lost inside a genjutsu.
Orochimaru took a blade in hand and went to work on the man's face, performing what could only be called a surgery.
In no time at all, the entire face was covered in blood.
"Nono, treat the wounds."
Orochimaru finished his work and turned his gaze to Yakushi Nono.
Yakushi Nono stepped forward quickly. She extended her hands, and green-glowing chakra flowed through her palms, rapidly mending the cuts on the face.
The treatment was done shortly after.
Chiya looked down at the ninja before them. That face alone bore about eight parts resemblance to Yakushi Nono's own face.
Then Orochimaru drove a kunai into the ninja's chest.
A dull grunt was heard.
The ninja, still lost in the genjutsu, died on the spot.
Orochimaru raised his head. A flash of satisfaction crossed his eyes.
"Let this prisoner take Nono's place. Barring any unexpected complications, the plan is complete."
Chiya's gaze swept the surroundings, checking that no loose ends had been left behind.
"It is time to withdraw."
Orochimaru gave a nod.
"A death like this should be enough to fool Kumogakure's people."
The three quickly left the scene and vanished into the night.
Heavy dark clouds blanketed the sky above Kumogakure. Lightning flickered within the cloud layer, as if heralding an approaching storm.
Inside the Raikage's office, the atmosphere was so oppressive it was nearly suffocating.
The Third Raikage stood before the window, his powerful arms clasped behind his back, his knuckles white from the force of his grip.
His silhouette was like a volcano on the verge of eruption, radiating a bone-chilling pressure.
If not for the Third Raikage personally going to forcibly suppress the unconsciously rampaging Eight-Tails today, it would likely have broken all the way into the village and caused devastation.
"Knock, knock, knock."
Several Kumogakure jonin entered the office. Cold sweat slid down their faces along their cheeks.
"Reporting to Lord Raikage, Eight-Tails Jinchuriki Fukai is confirmed dead. During the Eight-Tails' rampage, eight elite jonin were killed in action, the Lightning Gorge training ground was completely destroyed, and the losses are... beyond measure."
The Third Raikage turned around, his face filled with fury.
"Do you know why the Tailed Beast suddenly went on a rampage?"
The reporting Kumo jonin swallowed.
"At this time... it has not yet been determined. The reason for the Eight-Tails' rampage is still under investigation, but Lord Fukai's condition had been very stable before this. By all reason, it should not have..."
Bang!
The Third Raikage drove his fist into the office desk. The thick solid-wood surface shattered on the spot, sending splinters flying in all directions.
"'By all reason'?! By all reason the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki should not be dead! By all reason Kumogakure should not have lost so many elite ninja! And yet here we are?!"
The entire office seemed to tremble under his roar. Every jonin present was careful to even breathe.
At that moment, the office door was pushed open and a tall, sharp-featured young ninja walked in.
He was the young man who had cut off the Eight-Tails' horn earlier.
"Father, this matter is probably not so simple."
The Third Raikage's sharp gaze turned toward him.
"What have you found?"
"Three days ago I was still speaking with Fukai. His mental state was very stable, and there was nothing abnormal about the Eight-Tails' seal.
A sudden rampage like this could not possibly have been an accident."
The Third Raikage was silent for a moment, then narrowed his eyes.
"You are saying... someone tampered with it?"
"The Eight-Tails' rampage was too sudden. The sensor ninja also detected suspicious chakra traces at the same time.
I suspect that someone from another village infiltrated Kumo's Lightning Gorge and deliberately triggered the Eight-Tails' rampage."
Cold light flashed in the Third Raikage's eyes.
"Which village would dare lay a hand on Kumogakure?!"
"At this point, Konoha is the most likely suspect."
A nearby Kumo jonin blinked in surprise.
"Konoha? But they are currently at war with Sunagakure and Amegakure. How would they have the resources to come and cause trouble in Kumogakure?"
"It is precisely because they are fighting on the front line that they have more reason to weaken us.
If Kumogakure enters the war, Konoha will be under pressure on three fronts. They would certainly want to eliminate that threat in advance."
The Third Raikage let out a sharp grunt.
"Send the order. Conduct an immediate and thorough investigation of all suspicious individuals who have entered Kumogakure recently.
Medical ninja, merchant convoys, wandering ninja, not a single one is to be overlooked."
"Furthermore, reinforce border patrols, especially in the direction closest to the Land of Fire.
If this was truly Konoha's doing, their people cannot have gotten far."
Killing intent burned in the Third Raikage's eyes.
"If I ever find out who did this... I will make them regret being born into this world."