In a secluded mountain hollow, Sasuke found a spot to lean against a rock wall, struggling to sit down as he inspected his wounds, his expression dark.
The superficial cuts and bruises covering his body weren't the issue. He estimated at least three or four of his ribs were broken, and every breath tugged painfully at his chest, sapping his strength.
"Damn it!"
The physical injuries alone wouldn't have darkened his mood so much.
What truly gnawed at him was the piercing, drilling pain emanating from his Mangekyo Sharingan.
This wasn't the first time he'd felt this sensation. He knew it was a symptom of severe dojutsu overexertion.
Accompanying the pain was a haze of disorientation.
Since the mysterious figure was subdued by their leader and the battle ended, Sasuke's tension had eased, only for him to realize he could barely focus. Everything in his vision left lingering afterimages.
"I might have pushed it too far. No idea how long it'll take to recover…"
Sasuke sighed.
At that moment, Haku approached and softly asked, "E, let me help bandage your wounds."
Sasuke wanted to refuse, but the pain was too much, so he gave a sullen nod.
Haku's technique was deft, and he had prepared high-quality medical supplies. He quickly treated Sasuke's wounds with efficiency.
"Thanks!"
Feeling much better, Sasuke offered his gratitude.
"No need."
Haku shook his head and sat beside Sasuke to rest.
With his condition slightly improved, Sasuke finally had the leisure to look up and observe the others recuperating in the hollow.
His gaze swept over Karin, Yakumo, Neji and Kimimaro—who had disengaged their combined form—and finally Shion, his thoughts stirring.
In truth, the others were also quietly sizing each other up.
During the intense battle, they had noticed some oddities, but with a formidable enemy at hand, no one dared to let their focus waver.
Now, with downtime, their minds naturally grew active.
Sasuke stared at Karin for a while before whispering to Haku, "'B' knows 'Wood Release'?! Isn't she an Uchiha? If she had used 'Susanoo' earlier, we could've had an easier time!"
"I'm not sure."
Haku shook his head.
He knew Karin's true identity, of course, but he was unaware of Shinji's 'Rinnegan Plan' or the changes to Karin's eyes. Even if he knew, he wouldn't share such details with Sasuke.
Sasuke's brow furrowed tightly.
In his mind, 'B' was ridiculously powerful. Her performance earlier, while impressive—unleashing 'Wood Release'—paled in comparison to the awe-inspiring hundred-meter-tall fully realized 'Susanoo' she'd displayed in the past!
While Sasuke puzzled over this, Yakumo's gaze shifted between Neji and Kimimaro.
Ido, in its spirit form, floated beside her and asked, "What are you looking at?"
Yakumo, somewhat uncertain, asked, "Did I just see them use Gentle Fist's 'acupoint strikes' and 'Shikotsumyaku'? Ido, did you see clearly?"
During the battle with the mysterious figure, the others might have missed the details of Neji and Kimimaro's combined form due to the interference of countless vines, but Yakumo, with her Koryugan, had seen everything clearly.
Prompted by Yakumo, Ido recalled and nodded. "Yeah, it seems so!"
"How is that possible?"
Yakumo's expression darkened.
Having trained under Tsunade, she was no longer the self-pitying Kurama clan heiress of old. She knew Gentle Fist was a Hyuga clan secret, requiring the Byakugan to execute, and 'Shikotsumyaku' was the long-extinct Kaguya clan's Bloodline Limit.
For them to use both Gentle Fist and 'Shikotsumyaku' meant one was a Hyuga and the other a Kaguya!
What struck Yakumo as even stranger was that she happened to know two people who fit those descriptions.
"Could it be Neji and Kimimaro?" The thought flashed through her mind, but she quickly shook her head, muttering, "How could that be?"
Elsewhere, Shion was curiously observing the group.
Her gaze passed over Sasuke. "So 'E' is Sasuke. The Mangekyo Sharingan is only this strong? Doesn't seem like much!"
After a brief critique, she glanced at Haku. "Don't know this one!"
Her gaze then shifted to Karin and Yakumo, who, as partners, sat close together.
"Two 'Wood Release' users!" Shion frowned, thinking, "Rumor has it that the fox-masked 'B' in the organization is a Mangekyo Uchiha, right? How strange! As for 'D' beside her, that familiar feeling… could it be Yakumo?"
As part of the same three-person team in ninja academy, Shion was naturally very familiar with Yakumo, even vaguely aware of Ido's existence. Combined with the rare 'Wood Release,' she was convinced that one of 'B' or 'D' had to be Yakumo.
The more Shion looked at 'D,' the more she felt it was Yakumo, chuckling inwardly, "Hehe, Yakumo, we're in the same organization now!"
Her gaze moved again, landing on Neji and Kimimaro, when she suddenly sensed something off. "There are clearly only two people there, so why do I feel a third chakra?"
Undoubtedly, the presence of the 'bio-exosuit' disrupted Shion's judgment, preventing her from recognizing Neji and Kimimaro.
Across from her, Karin was quietly sizing up Shion.
Though she had lost her Rinnegan, her Sage Body—a fusion of Uzumaki and Senju bloodlines—remained, so her injuries had already healed, making her the best off among the group.
Recalling Shion's sealing technique, Karin marveled inwardly, "What a powerful sealing technique! Who is she?"
Karin had been ready to use the Uzumaki clan's sealing technique earlier.
The Uzumaki's 'Adamantine Sealing Chains' excelled at binding Tailed Beast-level entities, but against humanoid targets, timing was critical. The mysterious figure's speed was so astonishing that Karin couldn't find an opening to act.
She hadn't expected her brief hesitation to cost her the chance when the mysterious figure lunged at their leader.
Though each harbored their own thoughts, no one spoke up to chat. First, the recent battle had left them all needing some degree of rest. Second, their pride in their strength kept them from breaking the silence. Third, the ongoing crisis in the shinobi world weighed on their minds.
Though the mysterious figure had been captured, the shinobi world's peril persisted. With their thoughts occupied, they all eventually turned their gazes toward Shinji in the distance.