Chapter Sixty: Snow and Wind at Mount Fuji

Orochimaru stood atop the towering city wall, gazing down at the wreckage of the Snow Ninja Village. It was clear that this village was indeed a hub of advanced technology; within the ruins of its buildings, the innards revealed an array of sophisticated machinery.

Excellent, just as expected. There would be no embarrassing situation where, after conquering the Land of Snow, they would be unable to transform the mobile fortress into a true war bastion.

The war bastion was the key to victory in the ninja war.

“Who is the leader of your village?” Orochimaru asked calmly.

The Snow Ninja Village had no Kage, only the lord, Kazehana Rage, who essentially served as the village’s shadow.

“I… I…” Kazehana Rage raised his hand, genuinely startled. A mobile fortress had crashed straight into the Snow Ninja Village and crushed it—an unstoppable force.

Orochimaru looked at him. The latter, clad in armor, lay amidst the rubble, sparks flying from his battered suit.

“I am Orochimaru. I invite you to join the Sound Ninja Village.” Orochimaru smiled faintly.

Kazehana Rage was taken aback. An invitation to join the Sound Ninja Village? Was this how invitations worked? Half the village had been reduced to ruins.

Orochimaru leapt down from the mobile fortress, landing with a crash that left a crater. He walked up to Kazehana Rage, extended his hand, and smiled: “Welcome aboard.”

Kazehana Rage, nervous, gripped Orochimaru’s hand and was pulled to his feet.

Whether out of fear or some other reason, the Snow Ninja Village ultimately chose to join the Sound Ninja Village.

The entire village mobilized, migrating into the mobile fortress, bringing with them chakra technology, core research, and all vital materials.

In the conference room of the mobile fortress, Orochimaru sat at the head seat while Kazehana Rage introduced a piece of chakra armor.

“This is the chakra armor I developed. It can store chakra energy and nature transformation, releasing it directly when needed. Very convenient.”

Orochimaru glanced at the armor. With his recent studies, his mastery of technology had deepened considerably. He already possessed some technological expertise, so his growth had not been difficult.

“Kazehana Rage, what is your dream?” Orochimaru turned to him, who had been enthusiastically describing the armor’s advantages, now suddenly pausing.

“Lord Orochimaru…” Kazehana Rage was uneasy, unsure of his intent.

Orochimaru smiled gently. “Kazehana Rage, you planned to participate in the ninja war, didn’t you?”

Almost every Snow ninja owned a suit of armor—a colossal financial investment. The Land of Snow was a small nation and couldn’t sustain this long-term. The motive was clear: preparation for war.

Though Kazehana Rage didn’t know if they would actually join the war, subconsciously, he had already made preparations.

“Let me guess: your goal in the war is to turn your small nation into a great one? Gain more population and territory?”

The reasons for war were invariably such. Kazehana Rage’s pupils narrowed.

Orochimaru concluded, “I will be the victor in this war.”

Kazehana Rage’s pupils contracted again. He gritted his teeth, abandoning the introduction of petty technology like the chakra armor, instead pulling out a blueprint from his chest. “Lord Orochimaru, this is the highest technology of the Snow Ninja Village: the Chakra Cannon!”

This was a technology developed to counter tailed beast bombs. The Snow Ninja Village had no tailed beasts and couldn’t capture one, so they sought another path.

“The power of this chakra cannon rivals the full-force strike of an elite jonin!” Kazehana Rage went all in, betting on Orochimaru for his future.

Orochimaru smiled with satisfaction. This was why he had pressed Kazehana Rage earlier—to make him reveal his true trump card.

He took the blueprint, which reminded him of memories from his rebirth—of the future Cloud Ninja Village, which had developed a chakra cannon even more powerful than a Kage-level strike.

“Shadow Clone Technique.”

Orochimaru summoned two shadow clones, who took the chakra cannon blueprint to nearby instruments to operate and began making modifications.

“What…” Kazehana Rage was stunned. Orochimaru actually understood technology.

“Your chakra cannon still has room for improvement. I’ll have someone discuss it with you soon.” The shadow clone finished the redesign and sent the data to the Ideal Nation’s technicians.

The fusion of Ideal Nation and Snow Country technology would certainly usher in a leap forward.

Kazehana Rage was even more awed by Orochimaru’s strength—not only powerful, but deeply versed in technology, unlike those who only wield brute force.

Moreover, his highest technology, the chakra cannon, seemed not to impress Orochimaru much. Perhaps it was non-essential; given time, the chakra cannon’s development would be inevitable.

Gritting his teeth, Kazehana Rage said, “Lord Orochimaru, the Land of Snow actually has an even more formidable technological artifact—a treasure left by my brother, far superior to the chakra cannon.”

“Oh?”

The chakra cannon was already impressive, enough for this war.

Kazehana Rage had murdered his brother to usurp power and become lord of the Land of Snow. Therefore, he had never obtained his brother’s treasure.

“I’ve already found my brother’s daughter; she’ll be escorted here in two days. When she arrives, we’ll find the treasure!”

Orochimaru calculated. He could remain here for five days—enough time for the Snow Ninja Village to fully move into the mobile fortress and for the so-called treasure to arrive.

…

While Orochimaru dealt with the Snow Ninja Village, the Four Nations Ninja Alliance finally began clashing with the Sound Ninja Village.

The Sound Ninja Village aimed to stall for time, while the Four Nations Ninja Alliance sought a swift victory.

Shikamaru had arrived at the Sound Ninja Village, taking command of the war.

Kabuto stood beside him, gazing into the distance. “Are you confident?”

Shikamaru rubbed his brow. “Who knows.”

Everything that could be done had been done. The rest was up to fate and adaptability.

“I just hope Lord Orochimaru returns soon.”

…

Two more days passed in a flash. Fujikaze Yukie was finally escorted back to the Snow Ninja Village. Seeing the village reduced to ruin, with a mobile fortress towering amid the debris, both the Snow ninjas who brought her back and she herself were dumbfounded.

Was this really the Snow Ninja Village?

She was taken to the mobile fortress to meet Orochimaru and Kazehana Rage.

“Little Yukie, it’s been years. You’ve grown so beautiful.” Kazehana Rage greeted her with a smile.

“Hmph!” Fujikaze Yukie wished she could kill the uncle before her.

“We’ll reminisce later. First, tell your uncle—where is the treasure your father left behind?”

This treasure was vital to the future of the Land of Snow, crucial for upgrading the war bastion. The better the bastion, the quicker the war would end.

“You’ll never get it!” Fujikaze Yukie was determined to resist.

She looked at Orochimaru, who sat at the head seat, his expression ever calm. Her uncle had actually become this man’s subordinate.

Fujikaze Yukie addressed Orochimaru: “If you kill Kazehana Rage, I’ll give you the treasure!”

Kazehana Rage’s heart skipped a beat—he genuinely feared Orochimaru would kill him for the treasure.

A purple surge of ocular power flashed; Orochimaru unleashed his eye technique. Fujikaze Yukie’s gaze became vacant, her eyes tinged with purple.

“Master, Kazehana Yukie is yours to command.” Fujikaze Yukie knelt on one knee, ensnared by Orochimaru’s illusion.

Kazehana Yukie was Fujikaze Yukie's real name; as for her words, they likely stemmed from her former life as a film star, accustomed to such phrasing.

“Take us to the treasure,” Orochimaru said calmly.

He was curious as well—what kind of treasure could the Land of Snow possibly possess?