The battlefield was drenched in blood. Despite the heavy rain, the air was thick with the stench of iron and death. Corpses lay scattered everywhere—so many that one couldn't take a few steps without encountering another. However, the number of fallen Konoha ninjas was relatively low, possibly just a dozen or so. Among them was the very person Jiraiya had mentioned—Inuzuka Fei.
Inuzuka Fei appeared to be around twenty-five or twenty-six years old. He lay slumped against a fallen tree, his body riddled with no less than twenty wounds. His tattered clothes bore the marks of a fierce battle. Two wounds had been fatal—one in his chest, pierced through by a kunai, and the other a deep, torn gash on his neck.
After carefully surveying the area and confirming that no enemies remained nearby, the three figures emerged from the forest and stepped onto the battlefield.
Ignoring the other corpses for now, they rushed straight toward Inuzuka Fei's lifeless body.
It was truly him.
Tsunade knelt beside him and immediately confirmed his identity. Inuzuka Fei lay with his face turned toward the sky, his body slumped, eyes wide open in an expression of eternal defiance.
"Damn it! Why was he even here? Why?!" Jiraiya clenched his fists, his emotions surging. He had known Inuzuka Fei since childhood. Both had a mischievous nature, and their shared antics had forged a strong bond. Despite surpassing Inuzuka Fei in strength as a teenager, Jiraiya had always regarded him as an older brother. Their relationship had never changed.
Tsunade placed a firm hand on Jiraiya's shoulder. After a moment of silence, she said, "One day, we might meet the same fate. This is the destiny of a ninja."
Haruto Saito glanced at Tsunade, his expression unreadable. Some way to comfort someone, he thought to himself.
"Let's gather the bodies," Tsunade said, taking a deep breath before turning to Haruto. "Kid, collect all the fallen Konoha ninjas from the battlefield and bring them here."
"Got it," Haruto responded with a brief nod before scanning the surroundings and running northward.
Retrieving the bodies of fallen comrades wasn't just about respect; it was about preventing them from being left to decay in the wilderness. Whether they were given a proper burial or cremated, it was far better than having their corpses devoured by wild beasts.
Even in death, Haruto's True Sight ability allowed him to see the identities of the fallen. This ensured he could accurately distinguish Konoha ninjas from the enemy.
The small number of Konoha casualties suggested that the battle had ended in their favor. As for the opposition, Haruto could see that they were scouts from the Second Corps of Amegakure.
However, something was odd about Konoha's fallen warriors. Some belonged to military units, others were mission-based ninjas, and a few were even from the internal security forces of prominent clans. Internal security forces were typically responsible for oversight within the clan and were rarely deployed outside Konoha.
Finding the first corpse, Haruto hoisted it onto his back and carried it over to where Inuzuka Fei lay before heading out again.
Jiraiya and Tsunade had also begun retrieving bodies, moving them to the same spot.
The battlefield was vast, and Haruto continued heading north. After three trips back and forth, he found himself venturing even farther. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks, furrowing his brow as he turned toward the southwest.
There was a faint trace of life.
"Someone's still alive?" Haruto's hand instinctively rested on the hilt of his blade as he leapt over a fallen tree, sprinting several dozen meters southwest before stopping in front of a massive crater.
The pit had been created by a powerful impact. The ground bore scorch marks, the dirt partially melted from intense heat.
Beside the crater lay a massive boulder, over two meters in diameter. Trapped beneath it was a charred figure, his leg crushed under the rock. His body had been ravaged by flames, the worst of the burns concentrated on his back, as he had likely collapsed face-down.
Yet, despite his horrific injuries, he was still alive.
Anyone else would have assumed he was already dead. But Haruto's sensory abilities detected a lingering, albeit weak, life force within him.
The man was on the verge of death—barely clinging to life.
Name: Niza.
Affiliation: Amegakure, Second Corps, Scout Unit.
Reputation: 2,788 points.
Relationship: Hostile.
Niza was only an elite Chunin, but his tenacity was remarkable. Who knew how long he had been lying there unconscious?
Haruto raised his blade, intending to end it quickly. However, he hesitated before lowering his weapon.
It would be wiser to keep him alive for interrogation.
He approached the massive boulder, planting his hands against it and heaving with all his strength. The stone rolled aside with a heavy thud.
Haruto glanced at Niza's mangled leg and felt a wave of nausea. Clicking his tongue in mild disgust, he crouched down, hoisted the injured man onto his shoulder, and began carrying him back toward Inuzuka Fei's resting place.
By the time Haruto arrived, Tsunade had just placed another Konoha ninja's body onto the growing pile. Jiraiya stood before Inuzuka Fei's corpse, lost in thought.
More than a dozen fallen Konoha ninjas had now been gathered.
Haruto approached Tsunade and carefully set Niza down.
Tsunade, who was about to leave, glanced sideways and immediately furrowed her brow. "That's not a Konoha ninja. His clothing is all wrong."
"This guy is still alive," Haruto replied, handling Niza gently to avoid accidentally killing him. "Though barely. Heal him up just enough to wake him. We need information."
"Step aside," Tsunade ordered, immediately pushing Haruto out of the way and forming hand seals at lightning speed.
Jiraiya, having overheard, quickly moved closer as well.
There was no denying it—Tsunade's medical ninjutsu was unparalleled. Perhaps the only one who could surpass her was herself. After three consecutive healing jutsus, Niza's life force began to stabilize. She wasn't trying to fully heal him, only to revive him—making the process much simpler.
Haruto also knew healing techniques, but clearly, Tsunade had things under control.
"Ugh… cough… cough cough…" As Tsunade administered a fourth healing jutsu, Niza stirred, breaking into a fit of weak coughs.
Tsunade immediately withdrew her hands, the glow of chakra fading from her palms.
The severely weakened Niza slowly opened his eyes. Cold raindrops splattered against his face. First, he saw Tsunade, then Jiraiya, and finally, Haruto, who stood shrouded in misty darkness. His gaze lingered on Haruto for several seconds before his expression shifted in realization.
"Black Samurai… Tsunade… Jiraiya… it's you…" Niza's voice was hoarse and trembling. His burned face twitched with pain; Tsunade had not healed him entirely.
"Tell me what happened, and I'll grant you a quick death," Tsunade said coldly.
"Heh…" Niza let out a dry chuckle, his lips twisting into a mocking smile before he shut his eyes.
A clear invitation—if they wanted information, they would have to extract it from him by force.
"So stubborn?" Tsunade's voice grew icier as she grabbed his shoulder and slowly applied pressure. "I don't enjoy torture, but you're going to die anyway. You might as well talk."
Crack! Snap!
Haruto heard the sickening crunch of bone—Tsunade was slowly shattering Niza's shoulder.
The pain would be excruciating beyond measure.