The retreating Sand Ninja force ground to a halt as if someone had pressed a stop button. They stared nervously at Uchiha Yin, who stood in their path.
Had Konoha's forces caught up with them?
Was Konoha going to wipe them out?
Panic flickered in the eyes of the Sunagakure ninjas.
This battle had dealt Sunagakure a devastating blow.
They remembered Uchiha Yin's Lightning Release tearing open the sky, Tsunade's terrifying Wood Release, and Kushina's monstrous Chakra giant...
Even though they had escaped, the Sunagakure ninjas could not help shuddering.
Uchiha Yin...
Rasa glared at Uchiha Yin with hatred, but he did not dare make a move. Instead, he focused all his strength on sensing their surroundings.
If Konoha's forces really had pursued them, Rasa would have no choice but to sacrifice some of the Sand Ninja.
Konoha was in bad shape, but was Sunagakure any better?
And that was without counting the Sand Ninja who had died.
Aside from the forces who had stayed with Karura and Pakura, Sunagakure had committed virtually all its elites to this battle.
So Rasa had no desire to fight Konoha to the bitter end.
Otherwise, even if he made it back to Sunagakure, his days as the Fourth Kazekage would probably be over.
And even if they escaped safely, Sunagakure might have no fighting strength left.
Rasa was not willing to let that happen.
A ninja war had never involved only Konoha and Sunagakure.
If Sunagakure grew too weak, the "sharks" of Kumogakure, Iwagakure, and Kirigakure would smell blood and come to tear at its wounds.
Rasa might not have Ebizo's experience in war, but he was a capable politician.
Becoming Kazekage required more than strength. It also took political judgment.
Ebizo, too, ordered the sensory ninjas beside him to assess the situation.