Kato Dan was injured; the wound on his leg was deep and quite severe, which would significantly impact his mobility. Kuroki appeared quite innocent in the situation; as the one responsible, he hadn't intended for the most powerful Kato Dan to be so badly hurt. The unfortunate thing was the lack of a medical ninja—only herbs and bandages were available, and it would take time to restore Kato Dan's combat effectiveness.
Kato Dan did not blame Kuroki. Sitting on a large tree trunk, he appeared deep in thought. Knowing the situation on Kuroki's side and the lack of timely communication from each team led him to think the worst.
Clearly, there had been a severe misallocation of combat power.
The strength of the Konoha side was vastly inadequate compared to the enemy, something he had realized from the very start of the engagement.
In a single team, there were two jonin.
Such a distribution of strength only suggests two scenarios: either the enemy's numbers are few but elite, or their strength is so overwhelming that two jonin were needed in a single team. Kato Dan suspected the latter.
The disparity in combat strength meant they had to conserve their power.
"Return to the base."
He decisively ordered a return to the base, leading Kuroki and marking the path with codes for communication, heading straight for the base.
Kato Dan's judgment was correct. Konoha's hundred-man ambush team was no match for the Rock ninjas. By the time he and Ye Zi ended their battles, Konoha's forces had been reduced to fewer than twenty. Except for Kato Dan, all the jonin had been killed.
The team Ye Zi encountered was not the strongest, but it was not weak either. It had only one jonin, with the rest being chunin close to jonin level. This was still a fairly standard team, but the Rock ninjas had sent hundreds.
Against such formidable strength, Konoha inevitably suffered a rout. Some Konoha ninjas, valuing self-preservation, chose to retreat, making rational decisions to return to the base. As a result, the Rock ninjas formed a shrinking net, constantly closing in on the base.
The Rock ninjas would not attack the base but would intercept Konoha ninjas before they could return, consuming them all. This meant a race against time, determining whether the remaining Konoha ninjas would make it back to the base first or if the Rock ninjas would intercept them.
Injured, Kato Dan's speed was affected. They were fortunate not to encounter any enemies on the way, but they also did not meet any Konoha ninjas, which weighed heavily on his mind.
At the same time, Shikaku and Inoichi hurriedly carried Chōza. Although they were unsure of the enemy's situation, they knew one thing clearly: they needed to return to the base as quickly as possible.
Ye Zi, who had been secretly following Shikaku and his team, remained vigilant. Along the way, he did not encounter any enemies but did come across several Konoha corpses, one of which was a jonin.
When Shikaku and his team saw these corpses, their mood darkened. The fact that even a jonin had been killed made them feel insignificant.
Perhaps due to a stroke of luck or a matter of timing, they fortunately encountered Kato Dan and Kuroki on the road. Upon seeing Kato Dan injured, Shikaku's expression changed. If even the formidable Kato Dan was hurt, it indicated the enemy's strength was extraordinary.
The group gathered together, forming a small force and gaining a bit of security, which alleviated some of their stress.
After a brief exchange of their situations, they continued without delay. Kato Dan had no objections to Ye Zi's decision to support from the shadows.
While Shikaku was puzzled by Ye Zi's comment about being weak in direct combat and speculated, Kato Dan understood that Ye Zi's strength was better suited for covert support, so he considered this arrangement reasonable.
As they neared the base, the shrinking net of the enemy grew tighter. Soon, Kato Dan's group encountered a Rock ninja squad sent to intercept them.
It was not a standard four-man team but a three-man team, possibly due to the loss of one member in battle. All three were jonin, one of whom was quite well-known.
Upon seeing the well-known ninja, Kato Dan's expression changed. He recognized this Rock ninja as Senjo Ran, renowned for his expertise in Earth Release, having defeated many Konoha ninjas. The other two were also strong, judging by their chakra levels.
Given their current situation, encountering such a team left them with no chance of survival. Even without his injuries, facing such opponents would mean self-preservation for Kato Dan but certain death for the others.
Kato Dan was not like Ye Zi; he would not abandon any teammate. Upon seeing the enemy's strength, he was already contemplating how to help Shikaku and the others escape.
However, the enemy was not merciful. Upon seeing Kato Dan and his group, the three ninjas immediately attacked without a word.
"Scatter and escape!"
Without hesitation, Kato Dan shouted and charged directly at the three attackers despite his injuries.
Shikaku was smart and rational. He assessed the disparity in strength at a glance. Following Kato Dan's orders, he quickly moved away from the battle, heading straight for the base.
Kuroki, not as astute as Shikaku but sensible and somewhat fearful, also fled towards the base as soon as Kato Dan's command was given.
They all understood that avoiding unnecessary casualties was crucial. Preserving their strength was more important than dying without purpose.
Ye Zi, hidden and preparing to leave, saw Kato Dan's actions and was slightly surprised. The decision to make such a move so quickly showed a lack of deep deliberation.
His eyes glinted with interest at Kato Dan's use of the Spirit Transformation technique. With only one Rock ninja left behind, he was not in a hurry to leave.
He found Kato Dan's technique intriguing and wanted to learn it.
So, he chose to stay...
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