Just Beat Up One

Moomu would never forget it.

That day...

As usual, the weather was clear and sunny. The autumn wind made them feel somewhat lazy, while the Grass Ninja and Stone Ninja attacked the Sand Ninja just as they always did.

Although the offensive was not very fierce, it was... by no means weak!

However, as time passed, with Lord Rasa protecting them, the Sand Ninja's daily casualties on this battlefield gradually decreased.

After all... this was war. No matter what, some sacrifices were inevitable.

And that day... as Lord Rasa's right-hand man and indispensable subordinate, Moomu was no different from usual: handsome, serious, and only a little weaker than Lord Rasa. But... as his right-hand man, he naturally had to help Lord Rasa shoulder his heavy burden~

So...

That day...

Facing the enemy surging toward them, Moomu, hardened by fierce battles and looking exhausted, patted his pockets but could not find a single silver liang. He turned to his equally exhausted comrade and asked, "Do you have any money? Lend me some!"

However, just as he had expected, after such a long war, all the silver liang on them had been taken by Lord Rasa. Everyone had long been penniless. How could they possibly have any silver liang left?

Therefore, in order to help Lord Rasa shoulder his burdens...

He pondered for a moment, glanced at the ninjas lying forever in the desert in the distance, then turned to his companions. His expression became resolute as he said, "Cover me. I'm going to borrow some money!"

As soon as he finished speaking...

Ignoring his companions' attempts to dissuade him, he vaulted over the sandpit and crossed the battlefield. Under his companions' shocked, admiring, and bewildered gazes, he handsomely and gracefully dodged the enemy's ninjutsu before crawling step by step toward the corpses lying in the desert.

At that moment, smoke billowed and the fires of war roared, but he still successfully reached his destination. He quickly obtained what he wanted from the enemy corpses, and his harvest was exceptionally rich.

Several of them were lying together, which saved him a lot of trouble.

However... on his way back.

His companions' shouts of "Come back! Come back quickly, Moomu!" and a terrifying roar that suddenly erupted beside his ear exploded at the same time.

And he...

Passed out!

"So, Lord Rasa, this really isn't much..." Moomu smiled sheepishly, scratched his head, and said, "It's only a hundred-some thousand silver liang. Last time, I heard Lord Rasa say that you could become stronger by spending money, but... hehe, Sunagakure is simply too poor."

"You..."

"Lord Rasa, there's no need to thank me. We're all part of Sunagakure, after all. Besides, Lord Rasa, you're the hope of the entire village!"

"In that case, you can go back and recuperate."

"...Then I won't disturb your rest, Lord Rasa."

"This guy..." Rasa watched Moomu's departing back in silence, then smiled and shook his head. He muttered, "Why pretend you don't want any thanks?"

If he truly did not want any thanks, why tell him such a detailed story—and why come personally on crutches, hobbling all the way over?

Besides, this story...

It seemed somewhat familiar~

If cigarettes were substituted... oh my, wasn't this...

However, just as Rasa was deep in thought, Kana beside him once again spoke gently. "Everyone really recognizes and trusts you, Lord Rasa!"

"Perhaps!"

Rasa smiled and nodded. He directly pulled out the tightly wrapped hundred-some thousand silver liang, not a small amount... roughly one hundred and sixty thousand. Adding in his savings from the past few days, it would be enough for a twenty-pull.

No wonder... Rasa worked so seriously at panning gold to support the village~

First, he was poor. Second... he had responsibilities weighing on him!

Then, looking at the somewhat dimming sky, he stood up and stretched. "Time to go back and take a bath!"

Besides... he had actually forgotten the essential skill for playing online games: looting corpses. That was truly... unforgivable. Though now that he thought about it, aside from the Stone Ninja Vanguard at the beginning, which had been relatively safe, looting corpses at other times... was quite dangerous. The slightest mistake would leave him like Moomu.

Of course...

Now that he thought about it, he still felt as if he had lost several hundred million~

Meanwhile...

The Stone Ninja were also growing somewhat frustrated. It had been nearly a year since they had borrowed a passage to come here, and over the course of that year... the Stone Ninja's casualties had been painful to bear~

Although they had not gained nothing, the intelligence on Rasa of Sunagakure alone was already their greatest prize.

Everyone had been deceived by that man. What... mental trauma, muddled consciousness—those were all definitely information deliberately leaked by Sunagakure, intended to make the other ninja villages lower their guard against it.

Otherwise... why would that man be so strong? Moreover... he seemed to grow a little stronger every day.

He... was definitely hiding his true strength!

Kitsuchi crossed his hands before his chin, his brow slightly furrowed in deep thought. After a moment, he looked at the Stone Ninja who had come for the meeting.

"What do you all think we should do now?"

"This..."

The other Stone Ninja glanced at one another. In the end, one of them sighed and shook his head helplessly.

"What does the Tsuchikage think?"

"The Tsuchikage..." Hearing their cautious question, Kitsuchi fell silent for a moment. He furrowed his brow again and said, "The Tsuchikage wants us to maintain the situation like this, or... withdraw directly!"

Although the Tsuchikage was his father, he still addressed him as the Tsuchikage when it came to work.

"Withdraw?!"

As soon as Kitsuchi finished speaking, the Stone Ninja all looked confused and shocked. The entire meeting room became noisy as they seemed to debate the matter among themselves.

A moment later...

"...That doesn't seem appropriate~" one of the Stone Ninja said hesitantly. "We haven't been defeated. We even have the advantage."

You weren't going to attack directly, fine—but you were actually thinking of surrendering and withdrawing?

"Iwagakure would become a laughingstock."

"I know, but..." Kitsuchi helplessly shook his head. With a trace of bitterness and anger, he said grimly, "According to the intelligence we've obtained, Kumogakure and Konoha..."

However, before he could finish speaking...

"Lord Kitsuchi!" A Stone Ninja rushed in, dropped to one knee, and said respectfully and nervously, "Sunagakure... has launched an attack against us!"

"???"

The Stone Ninja froze at once, as if they still had not processed what was happening.

What were these Sand Ninja trying to do now?!

"What are we doing?" Rasa said solemnly as he looked at the Sand Ninja before him. "We can't continue like this. The battlefield where Chiyo is stationed is still in dire straits, and the village has no more manpower to spare to support her. So..."

He raised his fist, his tone serious.

"We must quickly finish the battle on this side, then send some of our ninjas to support Chiyo and the others."

"But... Lord Rasa, Iwagakure and Kusagakure..."

A Sand Ninja hesitantly raised his hand, but before he could finish speaking...

Rasa waved his hand, cutting him off. Then, with a solemn and serious expression, he said, "I know what you're worried about, but this time... we have only one enemy!"

"Lord Rasa means..."

What did he mean, only one?

They didn't understand!

However...

Rasa smiled, narrowed his eyes, and slightly raised the corners of his mouth. With a sinister grin, he chuckled and said, "This time... we're focusing exclusively on the Grass Ninja!"

"..."