The sounds of battle still echoed through the forest.
Aomine glanced at the Mist Ninjas around him, debating whether to slow his killing pace slightly to absorb their chakra.
Even though he could absorb 2,000 points of chakra per second—completely draining a person in mere seconds—battle wasn't the place to take such risks. Not even a single second of distraction could be afforded when fighting so many opponents.
If he chose to absorb their chakra, it would undoubtedly extend the time required to eliminate them, which could be detrimental in the current chaotic battlefield.
Aomine's peripheral vision shifted toward Hyuga Sanchai in the distance. He considered removing the "Protective Seal" on his forehead to use the Byakugan for a better view of the surroundings. But he hesitated, wary of exposing his secret possession of the Byakugan.
Now was not the right time to reveal this hidden card.
Moreover, the Byakugan's range of one kilometer was limited. For a ninja, such a distance was trivial—they could cover it in one to two minutes. Identifying his position would only invite further trouble.
Thus, Aomine decided: it was better to end this battle as quickly as possible and avoid unnecessary complications.
Having made up his mind, Aomine prepared to strike again.
But before he could act, a sharp whistle pierced through the forest.
Aomine froze mid-step and turned toward the sound.
He saw an injured Mist Jonin—the same one who had been cornered by two Leaf Jonin earlier.
The Mist Jonin clutched his wounded left arm and held a whistle in his mouth. As he retreated deeper into the forest, he blew the whistle rhythmically.
Although Aomine didn't understand the Mist's signaling codes, the reaction of the surrounding Mist Ninjas was telling.
At the sound of the whistle, the Mist Ninjas began withdrawing from combat, scattering as they fled toward the forest depths.
Clearly, the whistle signaled a retreat.
Since this was the case, there was no need for Aomine to rush his kills.
With that thought, Aomine chased down one of the retreating Mist Chunin and quickly incapacitated him.
Then, forming a seal, Aomine activated the Chakra Absorption Jutsu. As he drained the Mist Ninja's chakra, he dragged the injured man with him to pursue the others.
Thus began a relentless pursuit.
Ahead, the Mist Ninjas scattered and fled.
Behind, the Leaf Ninjas chased swiftly, with occasional clashes breaking out. The sound of combat echoed through the forest, startling flocks of birds into flight.
Approximately fifteen minutes later.
The pursuit ended.
Aomine and two other Leaf Jonin regrouped with their squads and returned to the main battlefield.
Once there, they began organizing tasks:
Some ninjas were assigned to recover weapons and erase any traces of their presence. Others focused on treating the wounded.
The battlefield, chaotic minutes ago, now moved with disciplined efficiency.
Aomine approached a heavily injured Leaf ninja and quickly assessed his condition. Without delay, he began using medical ninjutsu to stabilize the man's injuries.
After stabilizing his condition, Aomine moved to the next critical patient.
With the assistance of several Leaf ninjas, who remained silent out of respect, Aomine efficiently treated one injured ninja after another.
It took about fifteen minutes, but by the end, Aomine had successfully stabilized all the critical injuries on the field with his mastery of medical ninjutsu.
"Phew…"
Exhaling lightly, Aomine wiped nonexistent sweat from his forehead and looked at the last patient. "Don't worry. You'll be fine. Just rest."
"Thank you," came the hoarse reply from the injured ninja.
His gaze toward Aomine was filled with gratitude.
And rightly so—if not for Aomine's timely intervention, he, along with several others, would likely have succumbed to their injuries, even if the battle had been won.
Not every capable squad leader possessed such advanced medical skills.
Hearing the thanks, Aomine nodded slightly, offering no further words.
He then approached the two Leaf Jonin nearby and said, "The wounded are stable. We can move out now."
"Understood."
The two Jonin, equally decisive, confirmed the situation with their squads before leading their groups back to camp.
Aomine, along with his surviving ten team members, didn't separate from the group but instead accompanied them.
While they had won the skirmish, their losses had been significant.
Originally, Aomine's reinforcements consisted of four squads—seventeen people in total, including himself.
Now, only eleven remained.
Of the six casualties, two had fallen during an earlier encounter with Mist reinforcements, while the other four perished in the most recent battle.
And this was with Aomine swiftly eliminating an enemy Jonin and two Special Jonin, drastically lowering the enemy's morale and disrupting their strategy.
One could only imagine the devastation before his arrival.
This loss weighed on Aomine's mind, which is why he chose to stay with the group on their return journey—to ensure their safety and avoid ambushes by Mist reinforcements.
Sometimes, reputation could be burdensome. But in certain situations, it could also serve as protection.
Aomine knew that after the war ended, he would inevitably confront Danzo. Although Danzo was unpopular within the village, he was still part of the leadership.
Once Aomine acted, some individuals in the village would undoubtedly voice their disapproval.
They might even weaponize public opinion against him.
While he wasn't afraid of such tactics, Aomine preferred an environment conducive to his cultivation. Avoiding unnecessary trouble was always wise.
His actions during battle, as well as his repeated efforts to save injured comrades afterward, were part of creating a "protective mask" for himself.
This way, even if someone tried to manipulate public sentiment against him, they would face considerable resistance.
As for the idea that the Leaf wouldn't discover it was him who acted against Danzo?
That was wishful thinking.
Aomine never underestimated the intelligence-gathering capabilities of the Five Great Ninja Villages.
For ninjas, intelligence work was a fundamental skill. And as institutions specializing in training ninjas, the major villages excelled in this regard.
Once they became serious, it was impossible for them not to uncover some trace of evidence.
Besides, they wouldn't even need conclusive proof. A mere suspicion would suffice.
And Aomine, given his history of clashing with the Root, would undoubtedly become a primary suspect.
Thus, preparation was essential. Aomine had no intention of breaking ties with the Leaf.
Not because he feared them, nor because he saw himself tied to the Leaf's fate, but simply because he was comfortable here.
For Aomine, staying in the village allowed him to continue his training while occasionally witnessing the growth of familiar "main characters."
It was a form of entertainment in his otherwise disciplined life.
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