Minutes earlier, in a thicket beyond the river at the edge of the grasslands.
"Tap!"
An exhausted landing sound rang out from the thicket, where two or three Iwagakure Ninja were concealed within every bush.
"Phew... phew..."
This was followed by a string of labored breaths.
"Are you all right, Lord Kitsuchi?"
"Lord Kitsuchi, what happened to you?"
"What... who was it?"
Amid the panting, startled and horrified voices rose from all around.
At that moment, in the center of the thicket where so many Hidden Rock shinobi lay hidden, the stout and powerful Kitsuchi was practically kneeling on one knee, gasping heavily. His body was covered in charred marks that still smoked. He looked both wretched and dangerous.
Had he not still been supporting himself and avoided collapsing face-first onto the ground, every Hidden Rock shinobi there would likely have thought he had been gravely injured and fallen unconscious, perhaps even fatally wounded.
Kitsuchi's appearance, as if his entire body had been scorched, was truly anything but reassuring.
No wonder these Hidden Rock shinobi had disregarded the need to stay hidden and spoken up.
"I'm fine... I'm fine!"
Hearing their startled cries, Kitsuchi shook his head repeatedly and hurriedly replied.
"But... Lord Kitsuchi?"
At that moment, someone finally could not hold back. A head poked out from the nearest bush beside him as its owner spoke.
"Akaiwa, I'm fine."
Kitsuchi looked at the head that had emerged, took several breaths, shook his head, and hurriedly said so. Then he dropped onto the ground, allowing the smoke to slowly rise from his body, before asking, "How is the ambush force?"
"Nothing has happened. We haven't spotted a single unit or any sign of people in the past two days."
It was clear that Akaiwa was the person in charge of