Pakura's Doubt

Inside the command tent, the Sunagakure higher-ups, who had worn relaxed expressions moments before, all fell into grave contemplation upon hearing Pakura's question. Thinking carefully, the Konoha ninjas' reaction today had indeed been strange. They did not resemble the Shinobi Army of the foremost ninja village at all; they looked like cowards afraid of death, utterly devoid of spirit.

At this moment, Rasa had actually noticed that something was wrong as well. However, in order to preserve the prestige he had worked so hard to establish and eliminate the threat Pakura posed, he had to ensure that he was seen as being right and suppress every dissenting voice.

Rasa's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, but he quickly put on an unconcerned smile. "What is so strange about that? All of West Forest and West River are Skywalker's territory, and Konoha's branch was established by him alone. Ever since Skywalker returned to Konoha, this place has been leaderless. We suddenly attacked with a massive army; naturally, these Konoha ninjas, with no one to command them, were at a loss and could only retreat in disorder. Lady Pakura, I know that as a female ninja, you may be more meticulous than us men, but aren't you being overly sensitive this time?"

The Sunagakure higher-ups, who had initially been somewhat wary, relaxed again after hearing Rasa's teasing remarks. They felt that Rasa was right. Without a reliable commander, ninjas were nothing more than a scattered rabble. Hadn't Sunagakure fallen into chaos after the Third Kazekage disappeared? Although the Konoha ninjas had performed poorly, it was a normal response to a surprise attack. When outnumbered, rather than fighting to the death, it was better to retreat to the rear, preserve their strength, and plan for the future. If they had encountered such a situation, there