The Tailed Beast Ball was exceptionally dark, but when it exploded, the light was blindingly white.
In this burst of white brilliance from the Tailed Beast Ball, Haseo's small body was like a tiny flickering glow of a firefly—yet he would not die. Even if he couldn't claim to be the fastest in the entire ninja world just yet, at least he ranked among the very few quickest people alive.
He could even practically call himself the fastest—after all, no one else in the world still knew how to use the Flying Thunder God technique.
Haseo zipped along the outermost edge of the explosion, racing forward at full speed until the blast behind him had fully expanded and could go no further.
Yet what Haseo did couldn't really be called a successful escape—it was more accurately described as…
Overloading.
Luckily, once that unique Lightning Release white glow faded from his body, the rampaging Eight-Tails paid him no further attention. Otherwise, unwillingly yet unavoidably, Haseo would have been forced to swallow his third black "ball."
Being on the defensive is always a losing game compared to attacking, because no matter how alert one might be, eventually they will get hit. Moreover, Haseo could only maintain his maximum speed for a short time, while tailed beasts could literally launch as many balls as they pleased.
Whether beast or man, all who wielded such balls seemed to have an endless supply—such was simply the way of this world.
Thankfully now, the Eight-Tails had lost interest in Haseo.
Activating its Lightning Release mode, the Eight-Tails attacked suddenly; deactivating it, it instantly switched targets… Observing this unpredictable transformation in the tailed beast, an exhausted and battered Haseo began contemplating deeply.
Up until now, he'd managed to keep his thinking abilities intact—an achievement undeniably worth commending.
The Eight-Tails was clearly rampaging irrationally, but precisely because of this chaotic change in behavior, something meaningful was beginning to surface.
Haseo struggled to stand up. Where the Kumo shinobi had once gathered was now nothing more than scorched earth, completely empty. Across this entire area, seemingly the only living beings left were Haseo, Katsuyu, and the Eight-Tails.
Oh right, there was also Chichio.
Stumbling slightly, Haseo followed Katsuyu's guidance toward where Chichio was hiding. While carefully circumventing the massive Eight-Tails, he continued observing the monstrous creature… Good, finally this monster showed zero interest in Haseo, whose current combat effectiveness had dropped to merely five as a human being.
The battle seemed over—for now. As for finishing off the remaining Eight-Tails, Haseo didn't have the will or the strength left in him.
Blood streamed down from his forehead, soaking his cheeks. No matter how hard he blinked, each staggering step made his vision blur worse than before.
His five viscera and six bowels felt roasted by flames, his limbs were practically numb, and his mind alternated between dazed confusion and sharp pain. Haseo had pushed his physical limits to one hundred percent… At this moment, he truly understood the consequences of Kinjutsu (forbidden techniques), silently vowing that whoever used them again deserved to be called mentally handicapped.
Not yet satisfied, he added one final crucial sentence...
Not gonna happen.
Haseo clung to scattered, desperate thoughts just to stay conscious. Snow piled onto his shoulders as he took step by step, taking a long time before finally nearing where Chichio was hiding.
Yet, a figure stood in his way.
Haseo stopped, drew his sword, and spoke, "Renjiro, you look pretty rough... Did you get stepped on by the Eight-Tails?"
"At least better than your condition," replied Renjiro, equally covered in blood.
Actually, Renjiro's plight wasn't far from what Haseo had described. Remember, when the Eight-Tails transformed, Renjiro had been right beside the jinchuriki. At that time, Haseo had been dragged away by Katsuyu, but Renjiro hadn't been so lucky to have help—so yes, he really had been stepped on by the Eight-Tails.
But then again, sometimes the most dangerous place is the safest one of all. Although Renjiro was in bad shape, he was still alive. After all, being stepped on by a tailed beast was still better than taking a direct hit from a Tailed Beast Ball.
Granted, Renjiro was still slightly better off—though that meant little more than being the less-wounded of two badly hurt men.
"Wouldn't it be better to retreat and report the key intelligence here to the Raikage? If you die, no one will ever know exactly what happened on this battlefield." Haseo spoke again.
But Renjiro slowly shook his head. "A person should always see things through from start to finish... Besides, I can't return to Kumo alone."
Even if Renjiro returned to Kumo now, he couldn't hide the fact that Kumo's entire mission had completely failed. And at this moment, the losses suffered by Kumo were simply too great... [The Great Ninja World War] had already seen many battles, but aside from the one that cost them the life of The Second Raikage, had any other engagement cost Kumo more than this one?
"But fighting me is pointless. You cannot win. Do you have any idea who the strongest fighter on this battlefield is right now?"
"Certainly not you."
Renjiro remained calm. With a kunai clenched in his fist, he lunged straight at Haseo.
If Kumo had won this fight—easily defeating Haseo—then Renjiro would have options. But since Kumo had completely lost this battle, Renjiro had only one choice.
Facing the attack head-on, Haseo stood rooted to the spot. He seemed to have no strength left to even lift his sword. Yet just as the kunai was about to touch his skin, a long arrow crackling with lightning abruptly appeared and pierced straight through Renjiro's chest from behind.
The force in that arrow caused him, already severely weakened, to collapse forward instantly, landing right in front of Haseo.
Haseo gripped his sword with both hands, driving the blade into the ground starting from the back of his opponent's neck.
Renjiro had already lost a lot of blood, yet now even more flowed from his new wound, quickly staining the ground beneath Haseo red.
How could one person have so much blood in them?
"Of course not me... it's Chichio."
"Now, the strongest person on this battlefield isn't Haseo or Renjiro. It's Chichio, who has been hiding and idling around since the beginning of the war while maintaining his full strength.
There's a strange kind of poetic irony here.
'We have our own positions to uphold, but... I hope someday you'll be reunited with the most important person in your life, and with the fate you long for the most.'
Haseo drew his sword and said these words.
He was always a pro. In better shape, he'd have said those words before delivering the killing blow—but not today. He could only speak them after it was already done.
Unfortunately, his opponent seemingly couldn't hear him anymore.
Chichio walked up in front of Haseo. A Katsuyu clung to her shoulder, and an even larger individual followed behind her.
She silently looked at Renjiro's body before asking Haseo, 'Haseo, are... are you okay?'
Even without knowing any Medical Ninjutsu, she could determine from Haseo's current appearance alone that his condition was extremely poor.
"Not dying yet—I might not live through later, though." He replied briefly. After a short pause, he asked Chichio, "Tell me... do you think he discovered your hiding place before the end?"
If Renjiro hadn't detected Chichio's presence, why would he have waited here for Haseo? And if he had found her, then why didn't he attack her first? Remember, despite being somewhat clumsy, Renjiro was still a Sensor Ninja after all.
Does this world truly contain spies capable of chivalry?
Who knows?
Chichio shook her head. "I don't know, and honestly... what's the point in dwelling on such questions?"
"You're right—it doesn't seem very meaningful."
But surely no human could be completely heartless? Well, maybe not entirely, but apparently even someone like Renjiro as a spy—whether it was insincere pretense, mere hesitation, or lack of confidence—must have retained some small shred of conscience deep inside.
Spies may have no other choice, but was his time in Konoha really meaningless?
The Katsuyu perched on Haseo's shoulder and the one resting on Chichio's shoulder both leapt onto the largest Katsuyu, fusing together into one being.
Haseo glanced once more toward the distant Eight-Tails and then spoke to Chichio. "The battle's over—we should evacuate now. So there's one question I need to ask... Chichio, do you mind tight spaces, slippery goo, or... uh... slimy contact?"
Chichio: "..."
"Let's just hope you don't mind. Either way, this is the only way out now."
Before Haseo could finish speaking, Chichio suddenly felt herself go dark as she was instantly 'swallowed' by the Katsuyu.
Given Haseo's current state, he absolutely couldn't face any new enemies, so he resorted to this one escape method, sincerely hoping Chichio wouldn't get sick from it.
Then—the Summoning Jutsu unraveled. [Retrograde Summoning] began."
The Konoha ninja left the battlefield.
It could barely be called...
a triumphant return, perhaps.
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!
<><><><><><><><>
~ 100+ Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
~ More *Free* Chapters and Books Available on Patreon!
patreon.com/Tansnovel
<><><><><><><><>