The friction between Sasori and Yubi was only a minor incident.
Soon, everyone in the outpost settled down to wait patiently...
Waiting for the intelligence personnel to send word from the battlefield.
Yubi no longer needed to treat the wounded... As time passed and the fighting escalated, the Sunagakure shinobi fighting with injuries no longer had any chance of being sent back. If they were injured again, death was almost certain.
Besides, Sunagakure's manpower was dwindling too... They no longer even had enough people to transport the wounded.
If they retreated, no one knew how many of the few dozen people remaining in the outpost would survive.
"Get ready to move."
At that moment, an older Sunagakure veteran spoke up.
"Yubi, Sasori... and you two medical ninja, along with some of the younger people, will leave first."
"We probably won't make it back to the village alive. Since that's the case, we'll put what little strength we have left to use and buy you time."
There was an air of acceptance and resolve in his voice.
Yubi said nothing.
Because this was the best choice available.
And the only choice.
Even underground, they could sense the fighting outside growing fiercer, and every so often, they heard noises... This also meant that this last outpost in the canyon could be exposed at any moment.
Rather than wait for the enemy to find them, it was better to leave first.
Based on the intelligence personnel's earlier reports, one thing was certain: Amegakure's main force had broken through the defenses at the very front of the border, and more and more enemies would enter the surrounding area.
Hearing this, they exchanged glances and began packing their limited supplies.
The Sunagakure shinobi prepared to face death discussed routes for intercepting the enemy and battle plans.
They would escort Yubi and the others out.
But just as everyone was ready to retreat...
Suddenly, footsteps came from the entrance to the underground passage.
Then a familiar face came into view.
It was Granny Chiyo.
An entire medical team had arrived with her.
Reinforcements were here!
At the sight, everyone in the outpost broke into expressions of surprise and joy at having escaped death.
Yubi breathed a sigh of relief too.
"Treat them, quickly!"
Seeing their sorry state, a Sunagakure shinobi immediately ordered his subordinates to get to work.
At once, numerous medical ninja ran up to the wounded with their packs.
Granny Chiyo saw her grandson, but instead of going over to him, she approached Yubi. Smiling, she stroked the boy's head with gratification. "Yubi, right? I remember you... Well done. We owe you a great deal this time."
Yubi had met Granny Chiyo during his internship at the village hospital. Some of his medical knowledge and insights had left a deep impression on the old woman... She had considered Yubi a promising talent who, with training, would surely become an outstanding medical ninja in the future.
But at the time, Chiyo had only thought that Yubi possessed extensive medical knowledge for his age and had unique insights into certain treatment plans. That was all.
She had not seen any further abilities.
She had never expected this little fellow to work with such extraordinary efficiency even on the battlefield, demonstrating the importance of medical ninja to the fullest.
This was no ordinary "talent."
Whether someone could become a powerful medical ninja ultimately depended on whether they could be useful on the battlefield.
Having experience and possessing practical combat ability were two different things.
Chiyo had also learned that Yubi knew the Mystical Palm Technique, but she did not question him about it now.
Only then did Chiyo walk over to Sasori and examine his injuries, a somewhat complicated look in her eyes.
"Amegakure and Konoha have ceased hostilities... That old man with the breathing tube couldn't stomach losing to us before, so he's planning a comeback. He thinks that without having to worry about Konoha, he can devote all his strength to dealing with us... But this time, he's destined to taste defeat again."
A little later, Granny Chiyo explained the current state of the war and the intelligence the village had gathered.
The old man she mentioned was undoubtedly Hanzo of the Salamander.
This was not the first time the two had fought. Hanzō had even given Granny Chiyo a nickname: Puppet Old Hag.
During the fiercest period of the shinobi war, Amegakure and Sunagakure had fought several battles.
If Konoha had left Amegakure helpless through its vast reserves and fighting strength...
Then Sunagakure was something of a natural counter to Amegakure.
First, Granny Chiyo had found a way to counter the poison gas Hanzō took such pride in... Then there were Sunagakure's signature fighters, its puppeteers, who were very difficult for Amegakure's shinobi to handle.
The Third Kazekage's Kekkei Genkai abilities, too, could inflict large-scale area damage on the battlefield, just like Hanzō's poison gas. Amegakure had no answer to any of these things.
Hanzō could accept being unable to touch Konoha.
But his continued failure to crack the Land of Wind probably left him somewhat unwilling to accept it.
Unfortunately... although Sunagakure's overall fighting strength could not compare to Konoha's, it was more than enough to deal with his Amegakure.
Of course, the most crucial point... was that Chiyo had countered Hanzō's trump card.
Otherwise, Hanzō's poison gas was an invincible weapon on the battlefield.
Without Chiyo, even relying on the Third, hailed as the strongest Kazekage in history, might not have worked.
According to Granny Chiyo, the Third Kazekage was taking to the field personally, determined to deal Amegakure a heavy blow this time.
The Third Kazekage had already headed to the border front.
What they needed to do now was restore the defensive forces at the front. Once the gap in the front line was filled, the enemy would naturally be unable to penetrate the rear.
Granny Chiyo had specifically stopped here with her people, mainly to see Yubi and Sasori.
"It's over."
Hearing this, Yubi was finally completely reassured.
He knew very well that even if the Third Kazekage had not come, once the village's senior figures, led by Granny Chiyo, arrived, Amegakure would struggle to gain any advantage.
At that moment, he felt immensely relieved.
Then the fatigue and weakness he had been suppressing swept through his entire body in an instant.
There was a thud.
Yubi's eyes closed, and he fell straight over, unconscious.
"Lady Chiyo."
A Sunagakure shinobi immediately lifted Yubi from the ground and looked toward Chiyo.
"Let him get some proper rest."
Chiyo sighed.
She could tell that Yubi was simply exhausted.
"Heh."
But at the sight of Yubi fainting, Sasori suddenly gave a gloating little laugh beside her.
His laugh immediately took Granny Chiyo by surprise.
Noticing the old woman's gaze, Sasori immediately returned to his expressionless look.
"..."
Granny Chiyo.
Ever since Sasori's parents had passed away, Chiyo had not seen a smile on his face in a very long time.
Even if that smile just now had been a little mean... it was still a genuine expression of Sasori's feelings.
At least he was no longer closing off his heart.
Chiyo's gaze shifted between Yubi and Sasori, thoughtful.
But Chiyo did not linger much longer. After giving Sasori a few instructions, she left with her people.
She had to hurry to the battlefield at the front.
Word had come that old bastard Hanzō... had also set out.