Two hours into the search, our group still hadn't found anything suspicious.
We had combed through half the forest, checked the ravines, climbed a couple of hills, but everything was empty. At some point, I stopped being surprised. Honestly, it was foolish to expect results: there wasn't a single shinobi in our group with sensory abilities or special tracking techniques. We moved blindly, as if trying to catch the wind.
— Hey… the sound is stopping, — I said, stopping on a branch and listening. Indeed, the thunder of lightning and rolling thunder had faded.
— Let's head back.
— Agreed, — Genma was the first to nod, adjusting the bandage on his head. It was clear that he was tired.
— Neither do I mind, — Guy added, though excitement still lingered in his voice.
We turned around and went back.
We had gone too far, I thought, when after about forty minutes of running along the branches, I realized that the distance to the village was greater than I had expected. The air gradually filled with the smell of smoke and ozone. In the distance, cries and the hum of battle could be heard.
A couple of minutes later, we arrived at the familiar city gates. But the scene that unfolded before my eyes made me freeze. On the square, right at the entrance, life was bustling — a squad of our shinobi was holding a dozen prisoners under guard. Their clothing immediately stood out: the standard Kumogakure uniform — white jackets with a short left sleeve, leaving the right shoulder exposed. A few of them were still twitching, trying to free themselves from the rough ropes, but most had already resigned. Bodies were visible on the ground — some charred, others simply motionless, but clearly dead.
The smell. It hit my nose first — a heavy, suffocating scent of burning flesh mixed with dust and soot. This smell could not be mistaken for anything else. I grimaced, but my gaze naturally drifted further, toward the horizon.
And there, beyond the troops, a hole gaped. Not just a pit — a full crater, as if a giant fist had punched through the earth and the mountain. Its edges still smoked, plumes of steam rose upward, and chunks of rock continued to fall inside. Cracks ran down the slope of the mountain, as if the earth itself was trembling from the impact it had endured.
— What the… — Guy exhaled, stopping beside me. Something resembling both awe and fear flickered in his eyes at the same time.
— This is clearly a bijū technique, — I said aloud, voicing what was already swirling in my head. Only a beast of such scale could leave such a mark behind.
But we didn't have time to process what we saw. Loud shouts came from the left. I turned — our shinobi, surrounding the square, were chanting in unison:
— Orochimaru-sama! Orochimaru-sama! Orochimaru-sama!
The roar rolled across the battlefield as if it were a triumph after a long fight.
Apparently, with the support of others, he had managed to stop Gyūki. But… if the bijū was stopped, then where was its jinchūriki?
I looked around, scanning faces, the crowd, the prisoners. But there was no sign of the one who was supposed to be the bearer of such power.
Ran away? Or was he taken by allies? It was unlikely they would have abandoned him…
— Where is that bijū? — I asked the guy standing closest to the line of prisoners. He didn't even turn his head.
— Orochimaru-sama defeated it, — he answered dryly, without taking his eyes off Orochimaru.
— And the jinchūriki? — I couldn't hold back.
— Managed to escape! — he snapped, waving his hand irritably. — Enough questions, don't get involved now!
I raised an eyebrow and stepped back.
Well, fine.
— Guy, Genma, — I called both teammates, leaning closer so we wouldn't be overheard. — I'll run to the crater, take a closer look. If anything happens, you'll tell me what comes next.
— Why? — Genma frowned. — Don't want to help clear the battlefield?
— I'll be quick. Just a look, — I shrugged, trying to sound as casual as possible.
He snorted but waved his hand:
— Fine, just be quick.
— I'm off, — I said, and already ran forward.
A strange feeling throbbed in my chest — a mix of curiosity and anticipation. I had an idea. If I'm lucky…
A couple of minutes later, I reached the edge of the crater. From above, the scale was even more impressive. The ground fell tens of meters down, and the crater's diameter could rival a whole city square.
— What a scale… — I exhaled.
I stood for another moment, then took a step down. Stones crunched under my feet, but I steadied myself, focusing chakra in my soles. One step, second, third. Slowly I began descending, feeling my heart beat faster with every second.
— Now it's time to put something into action, — I thought, checking my hand equipment on my belt. A plan was spinning in my head — risky, but worth attention.
And I stepped deeper into the gaping maw of the crater.
Five months later…
I stepped into a small reception hall, where we were asked to submit reports on our return from the front. Several tables were around, behind which ordinary civilians or retired ninjas were checking papers and documents. On the table in front of me lay a sheet of paper, neatly placed by someone.
— What is this? — I asked aloud, not hiding my surprise as I examined the writing on the sheet.
The woman at the table, her hair neatly gathered and with a strict but kind face, smiled at me.
— This is an invitation to a qualification exam, — she said in a calm voice, almost emotionless. — Many sensei are currently at the front, so documents are automatically processed here on site.
I frowned, not immediately understanding what to say. Exam? Qualification advancement? Half a year at the front had passed, and here it was as if time in the village hadn't stopped and, apparently, in some cases, had been simplified.
— Alright, thank you, — I replied, handing the woman another sheet, a small application to resume the right to perform missions with a team.
We left the building, and the cool morning air instantly brushed my face, as if washing away the tension and fatigue of the past months. The air smelled fresh after rain, and the sunlight reflected off the village rooftops, illuminating the streets that now seemed familiar and cozy.
— I just wanted to scream at the top of my lungs: we're back!!!