A vast expanse of yellow sand stretched for miles, bleak and desolate.
After the meteorites' rampage, nothing remained but endless sorrow. The earth was scarred beyond recognition, its terrain utterly warped. Ninjas lay scattered everywhere; some had been mangled beyond recognition beneath the falling meteorites, while many others had vanished without even leaving behind bodies.
Fewer than one in ten of the surviving ninjas remained.
Naruto's clone had escaped disaster by hiding within the rubber defense. Gasping heavily, he said, "Rubber Uncle, why did you save just one clone like me at a time like this? You should have used your abilities to save more people, shouldn't you?"
The Kumogakure ninja replied, "Sorry. Even though you're only a clone, your power is indispensable to winning. I could only do my best to preserve you with my own strength. As for the others... all I can say is that I'm sorry."
Naruto's clone clenched his fists in silence, crushing the sand in his palms. Then, as if recalling something, he hurriedly looked around and ran in one direction, shouting, "Grandpa Tsuchikage! Grandpa Tsuchikage...!"
There, Ōnoki lay on the ground while an Iwagakure ninja carefully examined him at his side. Though his breath was weak, he was still alive.
Seeing Naruto rushing over, the ninja quickly said, "Uzumaki Naruto? Lord Tsuchikage is alive, but he's seriously injured. At the moment the meteorite fell, Lord Kazekage protected him."
Not far away, a boulder was pushed aside, and Gaara emerged, panting. Though he appeared badly injured, he was in far better condition than the Tsuchikage.
He slowly walked over to Ōnoki and Naruto, then asked quietly, "Can you still go on?"
Ōnoki barely opened his eyes. The ninja beside him hurriedly helped him up as he murmured, "I won't die for now. This is