The Dust Release Ōnoki had unleashed earlier destroyed two Konoha ninja positions. Although no one had been killed or injured, it left a gap in the Explosive Cannons' suppressive fire, giving the Iwagakure ninja another chance to catch their breath. The town, which had been on the verge of falling, held out once more.
The Konoha ninja had been just a step away from taking it, only for Ōnoki's arrival to undo their efforts. They, too, were nearing their limits. The Explosive Cannons had little ammunition left, and if the fighting continued, they would have to engage the enemy themselves—exactly what the Iwagakure ninja were hoping for.
Kazemori Masaki felt there was little point in continuing like this. Both sides ought to regroup, which was why he had said as much to Ōnoki. After finally finding a chance to look over the battlefield, Ōnoki reached the same conclusion.
"Are you sure about that? Ending it here, when you were so close to taking the town?" Ōnoki asked.
"Are you saying you want to keep fighting?" Kazemori Masaki asked, sounding somewhat surprised. Just as Ōnoki's heart tightened, he continued, "Forget it. Continuing would mean heavy losses, and we might not even be able to hold on to our gains. We'll come back another day."
"You bastard," Ōnoki muttered through gritted teeth. He drew a deep breath. "If you want to leave, then leave. What does that have to do with us? We'd be happy to see you go."
"That's what I'd like to say, but everyone seems reluctant. They're all watching our fight, hoping it will break the stalemate." Kazemori Masaki looked down at the people below. "What we did just now probably didn't leave much of an impression. Let's show them what a battle between Kage looks like."
With that,