One month later.
Camp canteen.
Ebisu is sitting on the bench, holding a bowl in his left hand, grabbing a rice ball in his right hand and stuffing it into his mouth.
Genma sat opposite, holding a toothpick in his mouth and chewing pickled radish slowly.
I don't feel too anxious about eating.
"I said," Ebisu swallowed what was in his mouth and took a sip of water, "This month has been too easy, hasn't it?"
He put the bowl on the table, leaned against the wall, and crossed his legs.
"Iwagakure guys, they haven't shown their heads since we drove them away."
"It's been almost a month, and not even a reconnaissance team has been sent here. They must be scared out of their wits."
Ebisu became more and more enthusiastic as he spoke, and his eyes lit up.
"It would be great if it could always be like this!"
"Tenten Eat rice balls, bask in the sun, and sleep well."
"When the war is over, go back to the village and tell people that we are veterans who have been on the battlefield."
"Hey, those brats who are still practicing shuriken in school, don't you envy them to death?"
Genma glanced at him.
Although he didn't speak, he turned the toothpick in his mouth, obviously he was in a good mood.
Ebisu continues to babble:
"Don't you think so, Kai?"
"Iwagakure We killed more than half of the two thousand people, and the remaining few hundred people ran back. They probably won't want to come back again Kikyo Mountain after being beaten to death."
"If you ask me, this Kikyo Mountain is their cemetery--"
"Where is Sunagakure?"
Kai next to him put down his bowl and suddenly interrupted him.
Ebisu was stunned for a moment. "Sunagakure?"
"Sunagakure There has been no movement?"
Kai's expression was a little serious.
Ebisu blinked, thought for a long time, and then waved his hand.
"Sunagakure? They are busy."
"Kirigakure's front line is tight. Sunagakure's main force has been transferred to the east coast. How can you still have time to take care of our side?"
"I also heard that Lord Third sent several teams to the Kirigakure border."
Ebisu scratched his head. "Why did you suddenly ask Sunagakure? Are you worried that they will come and kill you?"
Kai said nothing.
"Oh, you think too much."
Ebisu grabbed another rice ball.
"Sunagakure can't take care of himself now, how could he come to fight Kikyo Mountain?"
"Besides, what's so good about this place? It's a broken hilltop, with Land of Grass in front and Konoha behind it."
"If they want to attack, they also attack the supply lines at the border. Why are they attacking us here? Take a long way around?"
Kai didn't answer, and began to recall the events of the past month in his mind.
This month, a lot of things actually happened.
The support team arrived the day after Iwagakure retreated.
Three hundred people came on a rapid march from Konoha.
The leader is a jounin named Yamashiro Kazumasa.
Yamashiro Kazumasa stood in the center of the camp, looking at the wounded and corpses on the ground, and was silent for a long time.
That night, a Ninja Hawk took off from the camp and flew in the direction of Konoha.
On the third day, another Ninja Hawk flew over.
With a handwritten letter from Third Hokage.
The letter is very short.
The general idea is: Kikyo Mountain holds the defensive line, Iwagakure retreats, Konoha is up and down.
But Kirigakure's front is tight and requires military support.
Yamashiro Kazumasa's team will be transferred back today.
The wounded Kikyo Mountain will be transferred back to Konoha in batches.
Starting from the fifth day, the wounded were sent back one by one.
The seriously injured ones go first, lying on the stretcher, protected by medical ninjas, and go in the direction of Konoha.
Some of those with minor injuries who could walk carried their own belongings and followed behind.
By the tenth day, there were less than a thousand people left in the entire camp.
On the fourteenth day, another Ninja Hawk flew over.
It is the order of three generations.
In view of Nara Shikaku Kikyo Mountain's outstanding performance in the first battle, he was transferred to the Kirigakure front.
Kirigakure is fighting fiercely over there and needs someone like him to direct it.
The deer left in a hurry, so he packed up his things that day and left with two Guard.
Before leaving, he stood on the ridge and looked back deeply at Kikyo Mountain.
There is worry in his eyes.
There are other inexplicable looks.
On the fifteenth day, Konoha arrived with a new commander.
Sarutobi Sosuke.
Kai was stunned for a moment when he heard the name.
He has never heard of this person.
Asked Ebisu, Ebisu has never heard of it.
Asked Genma, Genma shook his head.
Asked Choza, Choza was silent for a while and said, "Sarutobi Clan's junior graduated two years ahead of me, but has never been on the battlefield."
Never been on the battlefield!
Kai was silent.
Sarutobi Sosuke was quite grand when he came.
I brought four Guard, two Chunin and two Genin.
He also brought a clerk and a cook.
He stood in the center of the camp, asked everyone to assemble, and then stood in front and spoke.
"Thank you for your hard work! Kikyo Mountain showed Konoha's majesty in the first battle! Lord Third is very satisfied with it!"
"Although we have temporarily won the victory, we must not take it lightly! We must continue to remain vigilant and guard against the enemy's counterattack!"
He spoke beautifully.
The words are straight and round, the voice is loud and full of energy.
But Kai noticed that when he said these words, his eyes kept looking to the side.
Look at your tent.
He seemed to be thinking about how to place the things he brought.
After he finished speaking, he turned around and walked into the largest tent.
From that day on, the atmosphere in the campground changed.
When Kai gets up every morning, he first goes to see the sentry at the gate of the camp.
At first there were two people standing guard, but later it became one.
Later, the man dozed off against the wooden fence.
Training is not that active either.
What everyone discussed.
It has also changed from the original tactics and cooperation to when can I return to Konoha.
When will the war be won? Such topics.
Kai's heart sank day by day.
In the cafeteria, Ebisu is still chattering.
"Kay, are you too nervous?"
"Look, nothing happened this month. Iwagakure ran away, and Sunagakure was busy fighting. We have good food and drink here, how nice it is."
He stuffed the last rice ball into his mouth and said vaguely:
"If you ask me, Lord Third is right to transfer everyone."
"Kikyo Mountain is of no use, why leave so many people? It's better to support other places. Don't you think so, Genma?"
Genma put the toothpick back into his mouth. "I don't know."
"Tch, you are so boring."
Ebisu rolled his eyes and looked at Kai again.
"Kay, what do you think?"
Kai didn't answer.
He was thinking about something else.
In other words, he has been thinking about one thing this month.
Why did Battle of Kikyo Pass lose?
He thought about this problem for a long time.
In the original work, Battle of Kikyo Pass is also one of the turning points of Third Shinobi World War.
Konoha suffered a big loss here and many people died.
He always thought it was a sneak attack by Sunagakure.
Yes Rasa is so awesome.
Konoha can't beat it.
But after the war with Iwagakure, he didn't think so anymore.
Iwagakure Two thousand people attacked, Konoha Fifteen hundred people defended it.
Three hundred died, and one thousand and two were killed.
This is a real achievement.
Konoha is not unbeatable.
But Kikyo Mountain held on, and Konoha High Command felt that this place was not important anymore.
The troops were transferred, the wounded were sent away, and the commander was replaced by a second-generation man who had never been on the battlefield.
Guard posts have been reduced, training has been slackened, and everyone is relaxing.
I feel that the war is over, that the enemy will not come, and that I can breathe a sigh of relief.
Not to mention that Sunagakure would make a sneak attack.
"Bang!"
Kai slammed the bowl down on the table.
"Kai?" Ebisu looked at him, "What's wrong with you?"
Kai didn't answer and stood up.
"Hey, why are you going?" Ebisu shouted from behind.
Kai didn't look back.
He walked out of the cafeteria, walked through the camp, and headed towards Choza's tent.
Many people have been evacuated from the camp, leaving many tents empty.
Choza These captains are all assigned separate tents.
His tent was at the eastern end of the camp. Kai opened the Gate of Opening curtain and walked in.
Choza was squatting on the ground looking at a map when he heard footsteps and looked up.
"Kay? What's wrong?"
Kai stood in front of him. "Captain, I have something to say."
Without waiting for Choza to ask, Kai said seriously, "I'm worried that Sunagakure might make a sneak attack."
Choza was stunned for a moment.
Then he laughed.
It's not a perfunctory smile.
It's that "I know you're worried but you're overthinking" kind of smile.
"Sunagakure?"
He shook his head.
"Sunagakure can't get away now. Kirigakure is fighting fiercely over there. Their main force is all on the east coast. How can they come to Kikyo Mountain?"
If it is exactly the same as Ebisu.
Kai's heart sank suddenly.
Ebisu said this, it can also be explained that the height he stood on was not high enough.
But even Choza, one of the eight captains, has this mentality.
"If Sunagakure really comes..."
Kai didn't dare to think about it anymore.
He looked at Choza with a serious look on his face.
"What if they really come?"
Choza's smile froze.
"You don't need too many people. If you have a strong person leading the team and elites following you, how about you bypass Land of Grass while we are unprepared and catch us off guard?"
"Kikyo Mountain There are less than 1,000 people now. The alert is loose. If someone calls at this time..."
"That's enough."
Choza interrupted him.
He looked down at the map and was silent for a long time.
Kai said nothing and stood there waiting.
After a while, Choza raised his head.
"Your concerns are justified. I will tell Commander Sarutobi."
He paused and spoke a little softer.
"But Kai, Sunagakure's current main force is indeed on the east coast. This information is correct. Iwagakure has also retreated. So..."
He didn't finish, but Kai understood.
Choza also doesn't think he can fight.
He just said he wanted to report it because he didn't want to worry himself.
Kai didn't expose him and nodded silently.
He turned around and walked out.
When I walked to the door, the voice of Choza came from behind.
"Kay."
Kai stopped.
"It's good to be careful. But don't be too nervous. War is never a matter of one or two days."
Kai didn't look back, lifted the Gate of Opening curtain and walked out.
Outside the camp, the sun has set.
Kai was alone, walking aimlessly.
Finally, he came to the mountain ridge where he fought Iwagakure.
No one is standing guard on the mountain ridge.
Kai stood there, looking into the distance.
In the direction of Land of Grass, it was pitch black and nothing could be seen.
He suddenly felt helpless.
Everyone is relaxing.
Everyone thinks they can't fight.
Everyone is laughing.
But Kai knew.
They are all wrong.