CHAPTER 166
"Who dares take another step forward?!"
Guy firmly supported the heavily injured White Fang with his left arm. Sakumo Hatake had already fallen into a semi-conscious state from excessive blood loss and Chakra exhaustion, while Guy's right hand gripped his nunchaku tightly across his chest. Deep green azure steam continued to swirl around his body as veins bulged across his forehead. The terrifying aura erupting from him was violent and oppressive, causing the surrounding air to feel unbearably heavy. His cold gaze swept across the restless Iwagakure Shinobi searching for an opening to attack. Like a fierce beast protecting its wounded companion, he radiated an inviolable battle intent that no one dared challenge.
Many of the surrounding Iwagakure Shinobi had personally witnessed Guy's astonishing speed when he rescued everyone from the range of Ōnoki's Dust Release. They had also seen him charge fearlessly into the destructive zone to rescue Kurenai and Shikuro before escaping at the very last instant. Facing that same overwhelming aura now, even those battle-hardened Shinobi found themselves instinctively intimidated. No one dared recklessly take another step.
Just as the atmosphere reached its most suffocating point...
"Father!!"
A cry filled with panic and urgency abruptly shattered the deadlock.
It was Kitsuchi.
Whether they belonged to Konoha or Iwagakure, everyone's attention instinctively shifted toward the source of the voice.
Not far away, Kitsuchi was carefully helping Ōnoki to his feet. The Third Tsuchikage's face was deathly pale, his breathing rapid and weak. Yet what shocked everyone most was not his complexion but the blood continuously flowing beneath him. Dark crimson stained a large portion of his Tsuchikage robes before dripping steadily onto the ground.
Fortunately...
He was still alive.
Although his appearance was incomparably miserable, he had indeed survived.
"Tsuchikage-sama!"
"Lord Tsuchikage!"
The tightly clenched hearts of the Iwagakure Shinobi finally relaxed as cries of relief erupted throughout the battlefield. Fear mixed together with overwhelming joy. Some remained vigilant, keeping their eyes locked on Guy and White Fang, while many others rushed toward Ōnoki without hesitation.
"Tsuchikage-sama! Are you alright?!"
"Lord Tsuchikage! Give the order! We'll fight them to the death!"
"Lord Tsuchikage..."
Voices filled with anxiety echoed one after another.
Supported by Kitsuchi and barely able to remain standing, Ōnoki slowly raised his uninjured hand. His movement was weak, yet incomparably resolute as he waved it once before speaking in a hoarse voice.
"Retreat..."
That single word exhausted nearly all of his remaining strength.
He didn't say another sentence.
Some hot-blooded Iwagakure Shinobi immediately wanted to object, but the instant they met Ōnoki's sharp gaze, every word they wished to speak became lodged in their throats. No one dared continue.
"As expected of Lord Tsuchikage. Even after suffering such severe injuries, his gaze is still so imposing."
"Lord Tsuchikage truly keeps his promises."
Various thoughts surfaced in everyone's minds.
None of them realized that hidden beneath Ōnoki's fierce expression was an emotion completely different from what they imagined.
Shame.
And resentment.
At this moment, Ōnoki wanted nothing more than to leave this battlefield immediately.
Forget restoring his dignity.
Forget uttering heroic words before his troops.
He no longer wanted to say another sentence.
Only one thought remained in his mind.
Leave.
Leave this cursed place immediately.
Because...
It was simply too embarrassing.
Earlier, when White Fang's Lightning Release had pierced into his body, the highly concentrated lightning had numbed every nerve. At that time, his attention had been completely focused on White Fang's terrifying speed, overwhelming strength, and the horrifying sensation of that Lightning Release piercing his body. He had even secretly rejoiced after realizing that his vital organs had escaped serious damage.
But now...
As the numbing effect of the Lightning Release gradually disappeared, waves of searing pain spread throughout his body. Every sensation returned with astonishing clarity.
Especially...
The exact location of his injury.
It was just below the tailbone.
An unbelievably awkward location.
An incredibly private place.
A place that absolutely should never be wounded in front of countless Shinobi from two great villages.
The instant he realized exactly where he had been injured, an unnatural flush spread across his pale face.
It wasn't because blood had returned to his complexion.
It was pure embarrassment.
Utter humiliation.
Burning resentment.
Although White Fang's attack had narrowly avoided causing truly permanent damage, and although a skilled Medical Ninja would likely heal him within several days, none of that mattered now.
Blood was still flowing continuously from that humiliating location.
Pain was no longer the greatest issue.
The real problem was this posture...
This location...
This battlefield...
Under the gazes of thousands of people.
Ōnoki suddenly felt that the prestige he had accumulated throughout decades of serving as Tsuchikage, together with his dignity, was flowing away alongside the blood staining his robes.
It was unbearably humiliating.
"We're leaving immediately."
"Before anyone notices."
"Immediately!"
Meeting his father's unusually fierce gaze, Kitsuchi almost instantly understood his true meaning.
Retreat at once.
Don't let everyone continue watching.
Without the slightest hesitation, Kitsuchi immediately shouted across the battlefield.
"All Iwagakure forces!"
"Retreat immediately!"
"Withdraw from the battlefield!"
Before his command had completely echoed away, Kitsuchi had already bent down and lifted Ōnoki into his arms before turning toward the rear and sprinting away at full speed.
As he was carried, Ōnoki instinctively endured the sharp pain while subtly adjusting his injured lower body deeper into Kitsuchi's embrace, deliberately using Kitsuchi's body to shield the embarrassing wound from everyone's view. Although every slight movement tugged painfully at the injury, causing the corners of his mouth to twitch, it was still better than allowing countless people to continue staring toward that awkward location where blood stubbornly continued to flow.
Just as Kitsuchi turned around to leave, Ōnoki's eyes happened to meet White Fang's through the gap beneath Kitsuchi's arm.
Supported by Guy, White Fang remained barely conscious despite his own severe injuries. Their eyes met for only an instant, yet the expressions on both men's faces became strangely complicated.
Even White Fang himself hadn't expected that the final Lightning Release technique, which he had intended to use to severely cripple Ōnoki's lower back and waist, would shift because of that tiny last-second dodge and end up striking such an awkward position.
"...Did it actually hit there? It doesn't seem to have landed completely..."
An indescribably strange expression appeared across White Fang's pale face. He even struggled to lift his neck slightly, attempting to look beneath Ōnoki one more time as though trying to confirm the exact result of his final attack.
That subtle movement was completely noticed by Ōnoki.
His already flushed face instantly turned even redder.
It looked as though it might drip blood at any moment.
Grinding his teeth in both embarrassment and frustration, he immediately turned his head away before burying his face firmly into Kitsuchi's shoulder, refusing to look at White Fang again.
However, just before completely lowering his head, he couldn't stop himself from taking one final glance.
His eyes quietly swept past Kitsuchi's shoulder before settling upon the young Shinobi supporting White Fang.
"Might Guy..."
Ōnoki silently repeated the name.
Today, this young Konoha Shinobi had shocked him time and time again.
That name was firmly engraved into his memory.
Afterward, he completely buried his face against Kitsuchi's shoulder, refusing to hear another sound from the battlefield as though doing so could shut out every trace of today's humiliation.
His figure rapidly disappeared into the dust together with Kitsuchi.
Seeing their Tsuchikage leave, the remaining Iwagakure Shinobi no longer hesitated. They immediately organized an orderly retreat, gradually withdrawing from the battlefield like the receding tide.
Meanwhile, more and more Konoha Shinobi gathered around Guy. After noticing something had happened, Akimichi Torifu, Inuzuka Tsume, Orochimaru, and many others had rushed over as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, none of them possessed the explosive speed Guy had displayed earlier.
Now that the danger had finally passed and Iwagakure was withdrawing, everyone surrounded the two while maintaining vigilance toward the retreating enemy. Their eyes were filled with concern as they looked at Guy and the unconscious White Fang resting in his arms.
White Fang slowly swept his gaze across the familiar faces of his comrades one final time. Seeing their expressions of relief, concern, and respect, the will that had supported him until now finally relaxed completely.
He knew...
He was safe.
His head slowly tilted to one side.
Then Sakumo Hatake finally lost consciousness.
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