Uchiha Koji was utterly dumbfounded.
More than sixty shinobi had participated in the charge, yet fewer than twenty remained standing after the explosion.
The rest had been blown apart.
Even among the survivors, most had suffered severe injuries.
How were they supposed to keep fighting?
Koji had only just escaped the blast radius when another barrage of kunai greeted him.
A kunai was embedded deep in his shoulder, crimson blood streaming down his arm.
His back had also been badly burned by the explosion, sending waves of searing pain through his entire body.
Ignoring his injuries, Koji struggled to his feet.
His body swayed unsteadily.
“The Senju Clan!
I never imagined you would resort to such cowardly methods!” The moment he finished speaking, his eyes widened once again.
A large force of Senju shinobi was rapidly approaching.
“Retreat!” Koji reluctantly issued the order, and the surviving Uchiha immediately withdrew deeper into the valley.
“Shigure, they’re escaping.
Should we pursue them?” Akira asked as he appeared beside Shigure.
“Maintain our distance.
We’ll enter the valley.” Shigure had no intention of chasing them.
If the Uchiha had prepared another trap farther inside, rushing after them would only invite disaster.
Several sensory jonin were sent ahead to scout the route, after which the Senju and Uzumaki forces cautiously entered the valley in formation.
“Shigure, your tactics have truly opened my eyes!” This time, Uzumaki Nagakaze hurried to Shigure’s side before anyone else could approach.
His voice was filled with excitement.
“It was nothing worth mentioning.” Shigure gave him a composed glance and continued maintaining the dignified bearing of an unfathomable master.
“You’re far too modest, Shigure!
Now I understand why the Senju are known as the strongest clan.
I’m sure your contributions played no small part in that reputation!” Nagakaze continued showering him with praise, completely oblivious to the strange expressions of the surrounding shinobi.
“Ahem… You flatter me.” Shigure waved his hand, raising an eyebrow as he brought the conversation to an abrupt end.
He could not let Nagakaze continue.
If the man praised him any further, everyone might realise something was wrong.
Shigure had already noticed the Senju shinobi looking at Nagakaze as though he were an idiot.
That was definitely not a promising sign.
Akira, who stood beside him, had simply raised his head and begun studying the clear blue sky as though he wanted no part in the conversation.
Apparently sensing Shigure’s reluctance to continue, Nagakaze smiled awkwardly and wisely closed his mouth.
Whoosh!
At that moment, a shinobi appeared before the group and delivered the latest scouting report.
“There are still Uchiha shinobi guarding the exit?” Shigure was somewhat surprised.
Given how badly the Uchiha had just been defeated, he had expected them to recognise the danger and withdraw.
He had not imagined they would continue blocking the far end of the valley.
Several Uzumaki shinobi turned towards him, waiting for his orders.
The Senju shinobi also strained their ears, eager to hear what he would say.
His previous plan had exploited the terrain of Sunset Valley to leave the Uchiha disoriented and helpless.
Now, however, their positions had been reversed.
The Senju and Uzumaki were inside the valley, while the Uchiha controlled the exit.
“What tactics will we use this time?” Nagakaze asked, stepping closer with the attitude of a student awaiting instruction.
Shigure glanced at the eager anticipation in his eyes and smiled faintly.
“Continue advancing!” “Uh…” Everyone was stunned by Shigure’s command.
What happened to the brilliant tactics they had been expecting?
However, when Nagakaze saw Shigure’s mysterious expression, he did not question him further.
Since Shigure had ordered them to advance, he naturally had his reasons.
With several jonin leading the way, the entire force continued towards the far end of the valley.
Shigure’s heart, however, was nowhere near as calm as his expression suggested.
It was pounding violently inside his chest.
He was no legendary strategist.
How was he supposed to produce one brilliant plan after another whenever they asked?
At the far exit of Sunset Valley, the badly wounded Koji and his remaining dozen shinobi finally reunited with the force stationed there.
The sight of them nearly made the waiting Uchiha shinobi’s eyes pop from their sockets.
Every member of the returning group was covered in injuries.
Even worse, a kunai remained deeply embedded in their commander’s shoulder.
“Captain!
What happened?” A clan jonin hurried forwards and began bandaging Koji’s wound, his voice filled with unease.
How could Koji possibly answer?
He could hardly admit that they had nearly been annihilated without even getting close enough to touch the enemy.
He clenched his teeth, his expression turning frighteningly dark.
The other survivors also began treating their wounds.
Every one of them hung their head in dejection.
“Akatsuchi, what exactly happened?” a clan shinobi quietly asked while bandaging one of his comrades.
“Did the enemy have far more shinobi than expected?” “Don’t even ask.” Uchiha Akatsuchi sighed bitterly.
“If the captain hadn’t kept ordering us to charge, we never would have ended up like this…” His quiet complaint carried deep resentment.
Merely remembering those violent explosions made his scalp tingle.
What angered him even more was that the commander appointed by the clan had issued one reckless order after another.
If Koji had not repeatedly forced them to charge, how could their forces have suffered such catastrophic losses?
“What?
The captain’s poor decisions caused this?” The shinobi stationed at the exit naturally overheard him.
One after another, they turned to look at Koji.
The other survivors also regained their nerve and stared at their commander resentfully.
Some even displayed traces of hatred in their eyes.
“I admit that I made a mistake in commanding the attack!” A bitter expression appeared on Koji’s face, but he quickly composed himself and raised his voice.
“This time, however, the terrain favours us.
It is the perfect opportunity to ambush the Senju Clan!” “What?
You still want to ambush them?” Akatsuchi was the first to leap to his feet and object.
“Not a single one of their shinobi was even injured!” “What?” “Not one of them was injured?
How is that possible?” “Don’t tell me Hashirama Senju came with them!” The twenty Uchiha stationed at the exit immediately erupted into an uproar.
More than sixty shinobi had joined the charge, yet they had nearly been wiped out without inflicting a single casualty on the enemy.
What did that say about the difference between their forces?
And now Koji wanted them to attack again?
He had already lost most of his advance force.
If they followed him into another battle, their entire force would probably be annihilated.
“I’m returning to the clan!” One of the survivors glared furiously at Koji.
“Koji, you can wait for me to report everything that happened here!” With that, he swiftly departed.
Akatsuchi also rose to his feet and left with a look of bitter disappointment.
The others watched the two men go, their resolve beginning to waver.
They exchanged meaningful glances among themselves, completely ignoring Koji’s increasingly ugly expression.
At that moment, one of the sentries returned with another report.
The Senju force was already approaching the valley exit.
“How many of them are there?” one of the jonin stationed there asked.
“By my estimate, at least 150!” Everyone inhaled sharply.
The enemy outnumbered them five to one, and more than a dozen of their own shinobi were severely wounded.
How were they supposed to fight?
Everyone present had already lost the will to resist.
They exchanged glances until they silently reached the same decision.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
In the blink of an eye, they all disappeared.
Koji looked around and discovered that only he and one severely wounded clansman remained.
A miserable smile appeared on his face as he walked towards his final companion.
“So, in the end, you’re the only one brave enough to remain by my side.” “Remain by your side, my ass!
Can’t you see that my legs won’t move?”
Add to library.
Send some Power Stones.