MM Racing Chapter 427 The Battle of Amegakure
Chapter 427 The Battle of Amegakure
Rain Village is shrouded in a constant drizzle all year round, the rain falling incessantly as if it would never stop. The village roads, soaked by rain for so long, have become muddy and slippery, and one must be careful with every step, or else one will be covered in mud and water.
The village is surrounded by towering, precipitous mountains, forming a natural barrier that completely isolates Rain Village from the outside world. These mountains, layer upon layer, shrouded in mist and clouds, inspire awe and make Rain Village appear even more isolated and mysterious.
The architecture here is unique, mostly constructed of sturdy stone. The stone walls, weathered by time and covered in moss, exude a rustic and ancient charm. The houses, scattered in a charmingly irregular pattern, and the winding alleyways intertwine to create a distinctive and picturesque scene. Walking through it feels like stepping back in time, inspiring a sense of awe and wonder.
A thick, damp scent filled the air, seeping into every crevice of the nose and bringing a slight chill. Occasionally, a deep rumble of thunder echoed from the distant horizon, like the low growl of a giant beast, chilling the soul. In this gloomy and oppressive atmosphere, few pedestrians lingered on the streets. Most hurried along, heads down, as if desperate to escape this land shrouded in gloom, fearing that even a moment's pause would be swallowed by the endless rain.
Orochimaru, like a ghost, silently infiltrated the interior of Amegakure. His cold gaze swept over everything around him, a complex and indescribable emotion welling up within him. The Amegakure he once knew so well, yet was now in ruins, had undergone a tremendous transformation.
Years ago, this place suffered the relentless ravages of war, leaving behind ruins and billowing smoke. Yet, what now lay before him was a bustling, vibrant town. Brand-new buildings stood on both sides of the streets, unique in style and brimming with modern flair. Only the sky remained overcast, and the air was thick with a dampness, as if whispering tales of that dark past.
Compared to the scenes of memory, Amegakure today is a completely different place. Although it is not as bustling as Konoha, the exquisite buildings and the peaceful smiles on the villagers' faces are enough to prove that the village is gradually becoming prosperous. In fact, in some ways, the tranquility here even surpasses that of Konoha, which is currently in turmoil.
However, with the passing of Nagato, the exceptionally powerful and formidable leader, and the loss of his strong protection, the future of Amegakure is truly worrisome. In this turbulent and unpredictable ninja world, lacking sufficient strength to protect oneself is like a small boat in a raging storm, vulnerable to being mercilessly swallowed by the covetous powerful ninja villages. After all, these powerful villages are all formidable, ambitious, and insatiable in their thirst for resources and territory. Once they perceive Amegakure's weakness and vulnerability, they will undoubtedly launch an attack to expand their influence. Amegakure's current predicament stems from the lack of its core internal strength and the escalating external threats. Under such dual pressure, it's uncertain how long this once peaceful village can hold out, or whether it can withstand the impending onslaught of attacks. Perhaps only time will tell. But regardless of the outcome, this journey, fraught with uncertainty and challenges, is destined to become a gripping chapter in the history of the ninja world.
However, all of this was as insignificant as fleeting clouds to Orochimaru. He had long since passed the age when he felt compassion for all things and the suffering of all beings. Looking back, Orochimaru had once been filled with passion and grand ambitions, hoping to completely transform the world and lead it to a peaceful future. But harsh reality was like a bucket of ice water poured over his head, ruthlessly extinguishing the flame of his dreams and making him deeply realize that he alone could not shake the complex and ever-changing world order.
In this vast and boundless world, humanity is like a flock of lost lambs. If their minds are not truly guided and not bound by rules, then no matter how time flows, they will find it difficult to escape their innate, combative nature.
Many years ago, the wise and profound Orochimaru discerned this cruel truth. With his keen insight and extraordinary wisdom, he saw through the dark corners of human nature and those inherent flaws that could not be easily erased. Therefore, he abandoned his futile attempt to change the world long ago.
For Orochimaru, this realization was not achieved overnight, but rather through countless experiments and observations. He had witnessed people killing each other because of power, desire, and hatred, and he had also seen so-called righteous people instantly turn their backs on each other for personal gain. These experiences made him deeply understand that relying solely on external forces or moral preaching could not possibly touch the deep-seated ills of the human soul.
Orochimaru thus chose to remain aloof, devoting his energy to his exploration of immortality and the unknown. He believed that rather than wasting time trying to change a world destined to remain unchanged, it was better to focus on his own growth and breakthroughs; perhaps this was the only way to find a path beyond worldly conflicts.
Perhaps only when Orochimaru truly possesses the power to overwhelm the entire world will his grand plan, hidden deep within his heart, begin to be put into practice. At that time, he will unhesitatingly wield the scepter symbolizing absolute power, and with overwhelming force, completely alter the original order and structure of this world.
He wanted the world to operate according to rules he personally established, every detail and every law to be written by his own hand. In his ideal blueprint, war and conflict would be forever eliminated, replaced by endless peace and tranquility. People would no longer live in the shadow of fear and violence, but would be able to freely pursue their dreams and enjoy the beauty of life.
However, achieving such a goal is by no means easy. Orochimaru knew the road ahead was fraught with difficulties and dangers, but he firmly believed that with his exceptional wisdom and immense strength, he could overcome all obstacles. For this, he was willing to pay any price, even sacrificing countless lives, in pursuit of greater power. Because in his eyes, only true strength brought ultimate peace and was the most precious treasure, and the path to peace was destined to be paved with blood and thorns.
Just as Orochimaru silently infiltrated the core area of Amegakure, a strong and chaotic chakra fluctuation instantly alerted his keen senses. Relying on his years of accumulated combat experience and his unique sense of danger, Orochimaru immediately realized that the fluctuation originated from the wide river near Amegakure, and that an exceptionally fierce life-or-death battle was taking place there.
Orochimaru couldn't help but marvel inwardly. Nagato had only recently fallen, yet the person behind it all acted with such speed and efficiency! With almost no delay or hesitation, they had launched a fierce offensive against the powerful Akatsuki organization. Thinking this, Orochimaru's long, narrow, and cold eyes narrowed slightly, a barely perceptible glint of cold light flashing within them.
As Orochimaru drew closer to the battlefield, he finally made out the figures of the two combatants. One of them was none other than Konan, the Akatsuki member he had heard Naruto mention before—known as "Angel." At this moment, she emanated a pale blue light, as light and agile as a butterfly in flight, yet every strike she made contained deadly power.
However, to Orochimaru's surprise, the other party was a mysterious ninja he had never seen before. This ninja wore a long black robe and a swirling mask with red spiral patterns on his face, completely concealing his true appearance. Although he couldn't see the other person's face clearly, Orochimaru could tell from the unfathomable aura emanating from him and his extremely fierce attack methods that this person was definitely not an ordinary person.
The most crucial point was that when Orochimaru's gaze fell upon the masked man, his eyes were instantly drawn to the crimson light emanating from the depths of the man's pupils—a Sharingan gleaming with an eerie glow! This sudden sight greatly shocked Orochimaru. He knew that the once-powerful Uchiha clan had been annihilated, and as far as he knew, only Itachi and Sasuke remained alive.
However, the masked man before them bore no resemblance whatsoever to Itachi Uchiha, the man who single-handedly annihilated the Uchiha clan, in either his unique fighting style or his mannerisms. Furthermore, the masked man possessed only a single, solitary Sharingan, yet even so, the power he displayed was unimaginably formidable.
Orochimaru frowned slightly, concentrating his attention to carefully sense the aura emanating from the masked man. Gradually, a feeling that was both unfamiliar and strangely familiar welled up within him. After repeated confirmation, Orochimaru finally realized something: the aura emanating from the masked man was somewhat similar to the one he had sensed from Tsunade not long ago. However, compared to Tsunade, the aura emanating from the masked man was noticeably fainter.
What's even more surprising is that the aura emanating from the masked man is remarkably similar to the rare trait of the Hashirama Senju cells he's been researching. Could it be... that there's some unknown connection between the masked man and Hashirama Senju? Thinking this, Orochimaru's gaze deepened, as if trying to see through the mask to uncover the true identity hidden behind it.