The situation had completely reversed.
What had begun as "Allied Forces Jonin launching a surprise attack on Konoha" had become "Allied Forces Jonin pinned down in the mountains by Konoha Jonin."
Cloud Falcon glanced up at the flare of fire, then looked back at Chisen and suddenly said, "You're not going to let me return alive."
Chisen held his blade against his chest, his voice ice-cold.
"You only just figured that out?"
Cloud Falcon smiled, blood staining the corner of his mouth.
"What a shame."
"What is?"
"That we didn't all come together."
Those words made Chisen's heart sink.
Before he could ask another question, the Sunagakure Jonin behind Cloud Falcon, who had barely fought at all, suddenly tore open the protective cloth over his chest, revealing a row of Exploding Tags bound against his body.
Shikamaru's eyes nearly popped out.
"Fuck! Get back!"
Before the words had even left his mouth, Chisen slashed across Cloud Falcon's throat, then threw himself at Shikamaru and rammed him toward the outer edge of the ridge with all his strength.
Tenzo wasn't here. No one could raise an entire earthen wall in time.
Shikamaru's back slammed into a rock, and his vision went black for an instant. A moment later, a deafening explosion erupted on the ridge.
BOOM!!
Flames, shattered rock, lightning arcs, and the stench of blood burst into the night sky all at once.
Half the ridge had been blasted away at one corner.
Shikamaru rolled several times before a jutting spur of rock caught him. His ears rang, and his mouth tasted of dirt and blood. Several breaths passed before his vision finally began to focus. The first thing he did was look for Chisen.
"Chisen!"
No one answered.
"Chisen!!"
At last, something moved in a heap of rubble farther