As the allied forces of Kumogakure and Kirigakure fled in disarray, dozens of bodies lay scattered across the beach.
Fewer than a fifth of the allied shinobi made it back to their warships alive.
Suikazan Fuguki was tightly bound with chakra seals and dumped beside the rocks like a wrapped dumpling.
Tsunade had already confiscated his personal Ninja Blade, Samehada, eliminating any chance of him making a move.
When the time came to negotiate reparations, that thing would fetch a tidy sum.
Tsunade crouched on the sand, her head lowered as she checked the battlefield casualty list.
Medical shinobi moved through the ruins, carrying the wounded back and forth and treating their injuries.
Jiraiya lounged on a pile of broken rubble, looking utterly relaxed.
Orochimaru stood quietly at the edge of the Salt Field, the Kusanagi Sword securely sheathed.
On the ground behind him lay more than a dozen intact skins shed by gray-scaled snakes.
His gaze swept over Jinin Akebino's cold corpse, then settled on the tightly bound Suikazan Fuguki.
"Suikazan Fuguki captured alive, Jinin Akebino killed."
"Two of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist taken out in one go. Kirigakure took a serious hit this time. They'll be hurting for a good while."
Jiraiya chewed on shredded squid, his words casual and muffled, before changing the subject.
"But what surprised me most was Maki. How many enemies did you take down behind their lines, kid?"
"Five Chunin and one Special Jōnin."
Maki sat leaning against a rock, fresh flecks of blood seeping through the bandages on his left shoulder.
His expression remained calm as he popped a soldier pill into his mouth with his right hand, chewed, and swallowed.
Jiraiya abruptly stopped chewing and turned toward Orochimaru beside him.
"Five Chunin, one Special Jōnin, and another Special