Chapter 35 - Punishment (1/2)

I retreated from the battlefield alone while searching for a safe place to recover my stamina and Chakra.

I sometimes looked back to see whether someone was following me.

After 10 minutes of searching, I found a nice dark, deserted-looking cave and subsequently checked the cave carefully to see if someone was already there before. I also checked whether there were traps set up.

Fortunately, there were no traps nor people in the cave, beside me.

'Ha! Jackpot! There is no one here. I will rest here to recover my chakra.'

I sat down and ate some food pills to fill my stomach and chakra. I felt totally comfortable but didn't fall asleep.

'Ahh, this is so comfortable. No battle noises or the annoying sound of metal clashing, just in peace. Maybe I should just stay here until the battle ends.

But if I do that, Ishika would definitely kill me. Is there any way I can return without being seen by others? Hmm....'

I was thinking about what excuses to make, in case Ishika caught me. Suddenly I heard the sound of several footsteps.

I hide immediately and grabbed my buŧŧerfly swords to be readied for battle.

'Who could possibly come to this deserted cave far away from the battlefield?

Are they Iwa shinobi? No, we are the winning side. There is no way they would retreat here.

Then Suna shinobi? Highly likely. Should I attack them first?

But they also could be civilians migrating or one of injured Iwa spies from Suna force.

What should I do???'

While I was thinking carefully, footsteps came closer. I prepared to jump out, then I heard unexpected familiar voices.

”Hey Gari, is it really okay for us to just ditch from the battlefield?”

”Yea, what if someone saw us and tell Kento-san Senko-san about it?”

”Don't worry guys. I made a huge contribution to this battle by getting enemy ambush intel.

Besides, all of us ran out chakra after fighting for almost 7 hours. I am sure they will forgive us.”

When I saw the intruders' faces, I was surprised but I relaxed my sword. Intruders were Gari and my two squad members.

'What are they doing here? Did Gari and others also retreat from the battlefield? Is this what we say 'Great minds think alike'? hehehehe'

I stopped hiding and appeared in front of Gari and others.

Gari and others got scared that there was someone else in this cave, but relaxed after seeing who it was.

”You scared the shit out of us. What are you doing here, Genji?” Gari asked me.

”I am here for the same reason as you guys,” I answered Gari.

”What? We were chasing several Suna shinobi running away and accidentally arrived here. Were you also chasing Suna shinobi? ” Gari shamelessly lied through his teeth.

”Shut up, I eavesdropped you guys about ditching the battlefield.” I denied him.

'To think that I meet these guys here. With these guys, I don't worry about my back during the battlefield. It seems like my luck is still good.'

Four of us chatted and rested for 45 minutes and returned to the battlefield right away.

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Sun started to rise as the battle between Iwa and Suna force is about to end.

When Ebizo received news about the number of Suna shinobi survived currently, he couldn't help but frown his face and curse.

”Shiiittttt!!! Out of 958 shinobi, only 133 survived? Our remaining soldiers are not even 150?

Fuck, How the hell did Iwa invasion force struck us from behind? Didn't I order to set an ambush to our rear side?

If it wasn't them, we wouldn't have this much loss.”

”Ebizo-sama, please calm down. It seems like the Iwa invasion force already predicted our ambush and countered us using explosive clones.” Guard reported to Ebizo in the middle of the battlefield.

'What the fuċk? Did they predict my ambush? When did Iwa have so many talented strategies?' Ebizo wondered.

Ebizo immediately ordered a retreat. He couldn't just stay and let Iwa force kill every last of his force.