Chapter 31:
Bang, bang, bang!
As the last Kumo ninja hit the ground, the four summoned beasts disappeared in clouds of white smoke, leaving the battlefield eerily silent once again. The once tranquil forest was now a chaotic mess, the earth torn and scarred, trees uprooted, and the ground littered with debris an all-too-familiar scene in the aftermath of a battle.
The Konoha ANBU quickly moved in to assess the battlefield, checking for any signs of lingering danger.
"You kids did an amazing job!" one of the ANBU members approached the trio, his voice filled with admiration.
To think that these were just children, children who had shown such combat proficiency and teamwork on their first real battlefield experience. It was simply unbelievable.
"Orochimaru, Jiraiya, Tsunade you really are something special."
"W-where... no way!!" Jiraiya stammered awkwardly, his face flushed with embarrassment. Tsunade and Orochimaru handled the compliment calmly, but Jiraiya couldn't help feeling ashamed. He had panicked the most during the battle. If Orochimaru hadn't been there to pull him out of danger, he likely would have been seriously injured or worse.
Still, Jiraiya was no coward. He had managed to hold his ground after that initial panic, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was still lagging behind his teammates.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru ignored the praise and the small talk. His gaze shifted to the Kumo ninjas who had been incapacitated but were still alive, groaning on the ground. A strange, inexplicable feeling surged within him.