With the death of Shicun, the shadow clones that were attacking Shikaku and Inoichi suddenly vanished. Shikaku and Inoichi were momentarily stunned, then both collapsed to the ground, gasping for air as if their nerves were about to snap from the pressure of impending death.
"We're saved..." Shikaku felt as if he were suffocating and gulped air as if he were a fish on the brink of death. Suddenly, he remembered why the shadow clones had disappeared and was struck by a thought—had Ye Zi actually killed that formidable enemy?
Realizing this, Shikaku helped Inoichi and carried the unconscious Chōza towards Ye Zi. Soon, they saw Ye Zi, kneeling with one knee on the ground, and the conspicuous corpse beside him. Their expressions were filled with surprise.
Such a powerful enemy had truly fallen to Ye Zi's blade.
It's no wonder they call him the Little White Fang…
Noticing the movement, Ye Zi abruptly turned to face them. His eyes still held a trace of murderous intent. The icy glare made Shikaku and Inoichi shiver, goosebumps rising on their skin as they looked at Ye Zi with some trepidation.
When Ye Zi recognized them, he withdrew the killing intent from his gaze, worked to steady his chaotic breathing, and took out a soldier pill, shoving it into his mouth to quickly recover some stamina and chakra. Before the fight, when he heard Shicun's words, he knew that the Rock Ninjas had targeted him for some unknown reason.
After some thought, Ye Zi concluded it was related to his physical traits. As for how the Rock Ninjas knew, it was undoubtedly the detestable spies at work.
Forgetting about Ye Zi's terrifying gaze, Shikaku looked at him, thanking him, "Ye Zi, thank you. If it weren't for you, we might have all been dead. It's a pity about Mura…"
Ye Zi glanced at him coldly, then stood up and walked towards the nearest tree, sitting down against it. He said indifferently, "This is war; death is a common occurrence."
Shikaku nodded silently and said, "I heard that their target might be you, so it would be better for you to join the main force as soon as possible."
"And you?" Ye Zi didn't respond to that question but looked at Chōza, who was unconscious, and at Shikaku and Inoichi, who were injured—Shikaku's arms and Inoichi's internal organs. They were a bunch of wounded soldiers.
Shikaku, looking at the pained Chōza, sighed deeply and said, "We don't know how many of them have invaded. Moving rashly would only increase the risk. So we decided to find a secluded place to avoid further danger and wait for the Rock Ninjas to retreat."
Ye Zi glanced at Chōza's hand and said, "His hand is shattered, and his internal organs are injured. If he doesn't receive medical treatment soon, not only will his hand be useless, but he might also be in life-threatening danger."
Shikaku and Inoichi fell silent. They were aware of this but knew that in this perilous forest, their state meant that encountering an enemy would almost certainly lead to death. When compared to losing a hand, preserving life was naturally more important. This is where having a medical ninja in the team becomes crucial. They wanted to ask Ye Zi to join them but felt hesitant due to their unfamiliarity and Ye Zi's overly indifferent demeanor.
Ye Zi didn't want to carry dead weight, but sometimes, dead weight could be used as bait or a guide. After some thought, he looked at Shikaku and calmly said, "If you don't want him to lose his hand, follow me. The base is relatively close, and although returning there is dangerous, it's the quickest way to get medical treatment. On the other hand, the Land of Grass is farther away, with lower risks but longer travel. Which route do you prefer?"
Personally, Ye Zi preferred going to the base where he could quickly join the main force. However, he didn't want to show his preference and left the decision to Shikaku and the others.
He wasn't particularly enthusiastic. If he encountered a stronger enemy, he would not hesitate to abandon Shikaku and the others.
Hearing Ye Zi's offer of help, Shikaku and Inoichi were overjoyed.
"To the base." Shikaku decided decisively.
Ye Zi nodded and said coldly, "I specialize in surprise attacks and am weak in direct combat, so I will quietly follow behind you. If we encounter enemies, I will strike them down with lightning speed."
Weak in direct combat…!
Shikaku's mouth twitched slightly, and a chill ran through his heart. He didn't show his concerns on his face immediately but agreed, "Then it's settled."
Seeing Shikaku and Inoichi had no objections, Ye Zi said, "There's no time to lose. You should leave now."
Shikaku nodded and, with Inoichi's help, carried the unconscious Chōza towards the base. Ye Zi leaped into the trees, trailing closely behind them.
"Is he bait? Or a guide? It shouldn't be that bad, since we are from the same village." Shikaku thought with a slight frown, trying to see the situation in a more positive light. Yet, the unease in his heart remained. After several encounters, he could sense that Ye Zi's indifference was not just superficial but deeply ingrained. To someone like him, other people's lives might not be worth much.
"Powerful, indifferent... perhaps even ruthless. What kind of person is he really?"
Shikaku pondered silently. He often heard discussions about Ye Zi but had only now witnessed his strength firsthand. The rumors were not exaggerated, but perhaps no one had yet fully understood what kind of person Ye Zi was.
Meanwhile, as En entered the area guarded by the Uchiha siblings, the Rock Ninja chasing him seized the opportunity and shot several kunai. One of them pierced En's thigh, causing him to scream and fall to the ground.
Like a hunter watching his prey fall after firing a shot, the Rock Ninja considered En dead.
He approached En like a grim reaper wielding a scythe, while keeping vigilant. Suddenly, he felt his feet sinking and looked down to see his feet trapped in the mire. His expression changed slightly; as someone familiar with earth techniques, he was preparing to free himself. But then, the surrounding area erupted with mud waves over three meters high, and several giant yellowish snakes reared up, glaring at him. The snakes then opened their enormous mouths and lunged at him.
He let out a horrified scream as the light turned to darkness.
Snap.
With a cold expression, Uchiha Kōri snapped the Rock Ninja's neck and then released her grip, letting the Rock Ninja fall slowly to the ground.
The Rock Ninja died without ever realizing he had been caught in Uchiha Ninashi's illusion. He thought he had been swallowed by the snakes when, in fact, Kōri had merely flicked her wrist.
Seeing the Rock Ninja easily fall to the combined efforts of the Uchiha siblings, En was both surprised and relieved.
Kōri glanced at En with a cold expression, said nothing, and lifted the corpse, tossing it into a dense thicket.
Ninashi narrowed his eyes at En and said, "Don't interfere with us."
En was taken aback and was left speechless.
At the same time, the two Rock Ninjas pursuing Kato Dan had been killed by Kato Dan himself, and Kato Dan had narrowly survived. However, he sustained knife wounds on his abdomen and lower leg. The wound on his abdomen was relatively shallow, while the one on his leg was deeper.
These wounds were not inflicted by the two Rock Ninjas, but they were related to them. Kato Dan had been engaged in a fierce battle with two Rock Ninja Jonin and was almost certain to win without injury. However, Kuroki led two Rock Ninjas close to Jonin level, which caused Kato Dan to be injured, while Kuroki escaped unscathed...
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