Blood still warm and sticky clung to Ye Zi's face. The unpleasant feeling made him immediately reach up to wipe the blood away before slowly sheathing his sword.
"You did well." Kato Dan said, approaching and glancing at the headless corpse on the ground, his tone slightly weary.
Ye Zi turned to look at him and asked seriously, "What kind of technique was that?"
Kato Dan was momentarily taken aback but quickly understood what Ye Zi was referring to. He responded, "That was the Spirit Transformation Technique. It's a forbidden technique related to the soul. In the spirit transformation state, you can kill a target regardless of distance or control their mental world."
"Regardless of distance?" Ye Zi's eyes lit up, filled with eager interest in the technique.
"If you want to learn it, I can teach you, but only after this war is over. Also, this technique isn't easy to master." Kato Dan said with a slight smile. He wasn't inclined to easily share forbidden techniques, but considering Ye Zi's notable performance and the way he had risked himself to help, he felt it was reasonable to pass on this knowledge.
"You really want to teach me this technique?" Ye Zi was surprised by Kato Dan's willingness.
"Of course." Kato Dan nodded, then looked around and said. "Shikaku and the others are in grave danger. We need to catch up with them and regroup at the base."
Ye Zi was thrilled by the prospect of learning the forbidden technique but was silent when he heard that Kato Dan was risking much to rescue Shikaku and the others. He suspected that with the long pursuit and multiple enemy encounters, the Iwa Shinobi likely had them surrounded. The best strategy would be to return to the base to avoid being caught in the Iwa Shinobi's encirclement.
Kato Dan didn't notice Ye Zi's hesitation. He thought Ye Zi's action to rescue him meant he valued his comrades, so he assumed it was natural to attempt to rescue Shikaku . He didn't realize that Ye Zi's motivation was his interest in the soul technique.
"Let's go." Kato Dan, focused on the safety of Shikaku and others, leapt to the treetops, leaving no room for Ye Zi to think.
Ye Zi gritted his teeth. With the forbidden technique being such a strong incentive, he quickly followed Kato Dan.
The Iwa Shinobi had indeed begun encircling the Konoha's blocking force, aiming to wipe out the remaining troops in one go.
The disparity in strength was significant; despite individual prowess, the Konoha forces faced chakra shortages. The battle had no suspense left. The surviving Konoha troops, aware of this, aimed to regroup at the base as quickly as possible, conserve their strength, and call for reinforcements from the main force to eliminate the Iwa Shinobi in their rear.
As a result, the Konoha forces began to consolidate, and the pursuing Iwa Shinobi also started to regroup, tightening the encirclement.
Most of the blocking forces' Jōnin had perished, leaving behind mostly Chūnin and Genin. This was because the Jōnin, being stronger, would often stay behind in the face of overwhelming enemies, allowing the less effective Genin to escape.
This strategy led to the current situation. Though the Iwa Shinobi also suffered losses, their casualties were insignificant compared to Konoha's.
The remaining Konoha troops were being cornered, but Shikaku and the others had managed to regroup with Kushina and the others, thanks to Minato and Kushina, and were not wiped out by the pursuing Iwa Shinobi.
Shikaku felt frustrated after encountering several dangerous situations. As they made their way to the base without encountering enemies, they came across Kōri and Ninashi, both injured.
The team regrouped, traveling together. Shikaku inquired briefly and frowned deeply.
Despite the increasing number of gathered allies, Shikaku did not feel relief. Even though their companions were unharmed and stronger, he could not shake his anxiety. He sensed that the Iwa Shinobi were driving them, aiming to wipe them out in one go. Even with this understanding, they had no choice but to proceed as the enemy intended, hoping that regrouping would give them a chance.
"Have you seen Ye Zi?" Kushina asked Shikaku after not finding Ye Zi and inquiring about the Uchiha siblings.
Shikaku glanced at her, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Yes, he should be with Dan-sensei, but I don't know their current situation."
"I see…" Kushina looked back with worry in her eyes.
With fewer than ten remaining members, the situation was grim. Despite not encountering enemies during their flight, the reality was bleak, a fact both Minato and Shikaku were aware of.
As they neared the base, three Iwa Shinobi appeared on the treetops ahead.
The Konoha group's faces changed as they realized that the Iwa Shinobi had arrived first and were blocking their path.
"We have to break through. Don't hesitate!" Shikaku ordered immediately.
The others understood, but breaking through wasn't simple. The three Iwa Shinobi, without using any jutsu, easily knocked Uchiha Kōri away with their superior physical skills. Soon after, Uchiha Ninashi was severely injured, causing the remaining members to stop their advance.
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