The Konoha ninja were utterly routed, but most of the survivors managed to escape under Manda's cover.
Meanwhile, Iwagakure swept the battlefield and found that they had lost roughly a tenth of their forces, all during the earlier confrontation with the Konoha ninja.
After the Explosion Release Corps joined the battle, their casualties had essentially dropped to zero.
Seven Jonin-level fighters with area attacks could tear through Konoha's lower-tier battlefield.
"Retreat!"
Seeing Orochimaru protecting the remaining Konoha ninja as they withdrew, Kitsuchi knew he had little chance of killing any more of them. He ordered the Iwagakure ninja to retreat, then returned to camp with a delighted expression.
Didaze had already reached camp under Kari's escort and was now resting there.
After all, Didaze had nearly exhausted his chakra. If someone completely drained their chakra, they would die outright.
"Didaze, you deserve the most credit for this battle!"
After returning to camp, Kitsuchi immediately went to Didaze's resting place.
"Not at all. Without Lord Kitsuchi and Lord Han holding back their strongest fighters, how could I have let loose? If either of you had traded places with me, you would certainly have done better!"
Didaze waved his hands repeatedly, taking the opportunity to praise Kitsuchi and Han.
"No need to be so modest! I know how strong you are now. The next time we attack Konoha, we'll definitely wipe out their entire army!"
Kitsuchi laughed heartily, seemingly in an excellent mood.
Beside him, Han also seemed to smile beneath his mask.
"Exactly! Didaze's strength has my approval! There's no way he'd be weak!"
Kōdo also strode in, speaking with a smile.
"Indeed, this long-range Explosion Release is far stronger than our close-range Explosion Release, whether in damage, flexibility, or range."
Kari, who had escorted Didaze back, nodded too, then looked at Didaze eagerly.
"Once I've recovered, I'll teach you how to use long-range Explosion Release!"
Didaze found Kari's eager expression rather amusing.
This guy had been the first to question him when he arrived, but now he seemed to have become his diehard fan.
"Great! Thank you, Lord Didaze!"
Joy immediately spread across Kari's face, and he bowed respectfully to Didaze.
"No, no, Brother Kari. If you act like this, I'll be upset. We're all brothers from Iwagakure!"
Didaze hurriedly helped Kari straighten up, then spoke to him with a serious expression.
"All right, Brother Didaze. From now on, you're my true brother! Anyone who dares lay a hand on you will have to step over my corpse first!"
Kari patted his chest and declared solemnly.
"Kari, weren't you questioning Didaze just a few days ago?"
Kitsuchi hooked an arm around Kari's neck and asked with a laugh.
"Well... things were different then. I was still too young back then!"
Kari was momentarily speechless, but then replied shamelessly.
"Hahaha!"
Everyone laughed, their smiles full of joy. Every one of them was genuinely delighted by their victory in this battle, and Kari's words had merely been the spark.
"Was it really that funny...?"
Kari scratched his head.
Meanwhile, things were far less cheerful on Konoha's side.
"Lord Orochimaru, the tally is ready!"
One of Orochimaru's trusted subordinates knelt before him and spoke respectfully.
"Speak!"
Before Orochimaru could say anything, Shimura Danzō spoke first, while Orochimaru remained silent.
Orochimaru's subordinate glanced at Shimura Danzō in surprise, but still chose to remain silent.
"I told you to speak! Do you not understand? Or do you have no respect for me?"
Shimura Danzō stood, a terrifying aura emanating from him.
"Shimura Danzō, what are you going to do to my man?"
Orochimaru stood as well, his snake-like eyes brimming with menace.
"I should be asking you what your man is doing! Do my orders mean nothing?"
Shimura Danzō was angry too.
Although he and Orochimaru had some shady dealings, he also regarded Orochimaru as a rival.
After all, Orochimaru had a very good chance of becoming the Fourth Hokage, an even better chance than a veteran powerhouse like him.
He also wanted to take this opportunity to put Orochimaru in his place.
"At a time like this, you're still thinking about fighting for power. You're far too shortsighted... Shimura Danzō!"
Orochimaru was not yet so sinister, and his dealings with Shimura Danzō were still within what Konoha could tolerate.
They mostly involved ordinary experiments, and even the human experiments used ninja from enemy villages. Even if they were discovered, it would not be a major issue.
After all, in Konoha's eyes, ninja from enemy villages did not count as people.
Only when Nawaki died would Orochimaru truly see through the nature of the world.
"I'm shortsighted?"
Shimura Danzō laughed out of sheer anger.
Even Hiruzen Sarutobi's disciple dared to defy him now, which made Shimura Danzō even angrier. After all, he considered Hiruzen Sarutobi his rival.
"Pay him no mind. Give your report."
Orochimaru gave Shimura Danzō a cold look.
Although he had many dealings with Shimura Danzō, such as Root preparing laboratories for him and helping him capture ninja from enemy villages.
That did not mean he was a dog under Shimura Danzō's command.
"Yes, Lord Orochimaru!"
Hearing Orochimaru speak, his trusted subordinate sighed in relief and prepared to begin his report.
Shimura Danzō also sat down with a dark expression. He did not interrupt again, instead preparing to hear exactly how many people they had lost.
He had been fighting Kitsuchi the whole time and really did not know the specifics of the battlefield. All he knew was that they had suffered heavy casualties.
The Hyuga Clan had been wiped out.
The Aburame Clan had been wiped out.
Only a quarter of Konoha's ordinary ninja remained alive.
The Sarutobi Clan had been almost entirely wiped out.
The Shimura Clan had been almost entirely wiped out.
Only Akimichi Chōza and Akimichi Rō remained of the Akimichi Clan.
Only three members of the Nara Clan had come, and one had died.
The Inuzuka Clan, the Yamanaka Clan, and the Uchiha Clan were still relatively intact.
As the ninja gave his report, Shimura Danzō's expression grew increasingly grim.
Orochimaru's expression was little better, and toward the end, he even closed his eyes.
"Why were our losses so great?"
Shimura Danzō asked in shock and uncertainty.
He had considered the casualties, but he had assumed they were all among the ordinary ninja.
He had never expected that only three clans would remain in reasonably good shape.
The Nara Clan served as strategists and had only sent a few people to begin with, so Shimura Danzō automatically excluded them.
"It was all that explosion brat..."
Orochimaru spoke, his eyes cold and sinister.