The Sunagakure, who were fleeing in a disheveled state, did not stop their frantic pace after realizing that the Konoha troops were not pursuing them. They continued running for more than half an hour before finally stopping.
Seeing that there were indeed no Konoha pursuers behind them, they finally relaxed. Although they were puzzled that Konoha wasn't giving chase, it was actually a good thing for them.
" Lord Kazekage, Konoha has stopped the pursuit. What should we do next?" A Sunagakure, his arm stained with blood, asked Rasa.
"Let's go back to camp first and figure out why Konoha retreated. I don't believe Konoha would give up such a good opportunity for no reason. There must be something that made them afraid to pursue. Perhaps this is our chance to defeat Konoha."
Based on Rasa's understanding of Orochimaru, he would never speak without reason; there must be a reason for Konoha's retreat. Perhaps they can use this opportunity to regain the upper hand on the battlefield.
Soon, Rasa received the reason for Orochimaru's retreat at the camp. Upon seeing this news, he finally showed a relieved smile, something he hadn't done in a long time.
Bunpuku, the Bunpuku of the One-Tail Jinchuriki, is finally coming.
Upon seeing this news, Rasa's previous gloom vanished.
During this period, Sunagakure was beaten so badly by Konoha that they were forced to flee in terror, which was extremely frustrating, although the morale of the ninja below was still boosted by him and Chiyo taking turns.
But clearly, no amount of pep talks can overcome the harsh reality.
Chiyo was injured and unconscious; he was also seriously injured. Coupled with being chased and attacked by Konoha multiple times, the morale of the Sunagakure had plummeted. Now, no amount of encouragement would have much effect on the Sunagakure who had suffered repeated defeats.
The only way to cheer up the Sunagakure is to show them hope for victory.
Now things are much better; hope has truly arrived. It can be said that Bunpuku has come at just the right time.
Otherwise, Rasa really wouldn't know how to motivate the ninjas below him.
" Maeda, how long until Bunpuku and the others arrive at our camp?" After receiving this good news, Rasa asked the ninja in front of him.
"Reporting to Lord Kazekage, at the speed of Bunpuku and Ebizo, they should arrive at the camp in about half an hour," the Sunagakure named Maeda replied to Rasa, whose face lit up with joy.
With half an hour left, Rasa thought to himself: Just as I expected. No wonder Orochimaru retreated. If Orochimaru hadn't retreated then and had continued to pursue them, they would have run into Bunpuku soon. When Shukaku appeared, Konoha's forces would definitely be thrown into chaos by the sudden appearance of the One-Tail, and then Sunagakure would still have a chance to counterattack Konoha.
Thinking of this, Rasa's joy vanished, replaced by intense regret. If he had known Bunpuku was so close, he would have done his best to hold off the Konoha troops. Then Bunpuku and he could have cooperated to defeat Konoha.
As a result, they missed this golden opportunity to turn the tide.
But Rasa didn't consider that if he really tried his best to hold off the Konoha forces, how could he, a wounded man without Chiyo's help, withstand the combined attack of Kōki and Orochimaru? And how could the Sunagakure, who had already lost their fighting spirit, stop the Konoha's attack?
It's estimated that before Bunpuku even arrived at the battlefield, the Sunagakure would have already been completely routed by the Konoha Ninja, and he himself would probably have fallen to Kōki and Orochimaru long ago.
Even if the One-Tail Beast arrives at that point, it will be too late for the war. By then, Sunagakure will have already lost completely and will have no chance to launch a counterattack.
It's understandable that Rasa didn't consider things in such detail, because he had suffered too many defeats in Konoha. Although the subsequent defeats weren't his fault, he was the Kazekage, and whatever the reason for the defeat, it was his responsibility. Therefore, under immense pressure, Rasa desperately wanted to find an opportunity to change the course of the war.
He believes that the current Bunpuku is a crucial turning point that could change the course of the war, so he must seize this opportunity.
Time slipped away little by little. Half an hour was a short time, but it felt incredibly long to Rasa, who was filled with anxiety.
Suddenly, the conference room door was pushed open, and two elderly figures entered.
" Elder Ebizo, Bunpuku, you've arrived!" Upon seeing the two enter, Rasa immediately stood up to greet them. Normally, as the Kazekage, there was no need for him to lower himself by standing up to greet them, but since he was now desperate and had placed all his hopes on Bunpuku, he naturally treated them with Bunpuku courtesy.
Seeing Rasa, Kazekage to greet them, Ebizo and Bunpuku were both somewhat flattered. Ebizo, as an advisor to Sunagakure, was more familiar with Rasa and could accept it, but Bunpuku was meeting Rasa for the first time and quickly shook his head to decline Rasa's politeness. However, Rasa didn't care about that and went directly to the two of them, saying, "Thank you both for your contributions to Sunagakure."
Rasa knew that Bunpuku was doomed after this war. So, regardless of his previous dislike for Bunpuku, at this moment, as the Kazekage, it was his duty to express gratitude to someone who had dedicated himself to Sunagakure.
" Lord Kazekage, I haven't made any contribution; everything was thanks to Bunpuku's sacrifice. You should thank Bunpuku properly." Ebizo didn't take credit for Rasa's gratitude.
As he himself said, the Bunpuku required sacrificing one's life, and he was merely bringing forth the Bunpuku, so he had no right to enjoy Rasa's praise.
Hearing Rasa and Ebizo's words, the Bunpuku simply said, "I was merely fulfilling my duty as a Land of Wind, and I am not worthy of such a generous gift from the Lord Kazekage. I only have one request for the Kazekage: I hope that after my death, the Lord Kazekage will treat the One-Tail well. Shukaku is not a monster of disaster; it shares the same heart as us. So, I beg the Lord Kazekage."
After saying this, Bunpuku his hands together and bowed deeply to Rasa.
Rasa hadn't expected that Bunpuku Fenfu's last words would be just this. Without hesitation, he nodded in agreement to Bunpuku's request.
After seeing that Rasa had agreed, Bunpuku bowed deeply again and turned to leave. He planned to find a place to chant sutras and pray for the ninjas who would die or be wounded on the battlefield the next day.
Seeing Bunpuku leave, Rasa didn't try to stop him. Bunpuku's main purpose was to serve as a vessel for the One-Tail; he could simply release the One-Tail on the battlefield later. Therefore, whether Bunpuku was present or not was irrelevant to the upcoming battle plan.
With the support of Bunpuku and Ebizo, Sunagakure's high-end combat power has been replenished, surpassing that of Konoha.
Therefore, figuring out how to leverage this advantage is the next crucial step.