"They're coming."
At this moment, Yagami and Kushina were sitting on a large rock, quietly recovering their strength.
After Kagura sensed Kakashi and the others approaching, Yagami calmly said those words to Kushina.
Before she could respond—
Whoooosh!
The sound of figures tearing through the air rang out.
Silhouettes descended one after another.
"Th—this…"
When Yūhi Shinku and the others finally arrived at the battlefield, they were completely stunned by what lay before them.
Countless Sand Shinobi lay collapsed in pools of blood.
Deep craters and long gashes crisscrossed the ground, tearing the entire battlefield apart.
Large and small pits littered the area, gunpowder smoke still drifting through the air.
The stench of blood hung thick in the sky—so heavy it was almost nauseating.
Nearly the entire stretch of land had been dyed crimson.
"Yagami-sensei!"
"Captain Yagami!"
Spotting the two figures seated at the center of the battlefield, Kakashi and Tekuno cried out at the same time and rushed forward.
The scene around them shook them to the core.
"Quick—clean up the battlefield!"
Yūhi Shinku also noticed the two resting figures.
After issuing orders to the shinobi beside him, he followed after Kakashi.
"Sensei—Captain—are you both alright?!"
Catching up, Kakashi and Tekuno asked with undisguised concern.
The sheer devastation around them made it impossible to imagine how fierce the battle had been.
Seeing Yagami still seated, they couldn't help but feel uneasy.
"I'm fine."
Yagami replied simply, then stood up together with Kushina.
The instant he rose to his feet, a fierce, oppressive aura followed him—like a blade unsheathed—suddenly radiating outward.
Kakashi and the others instinctively staggered back a step.
"…What's wrong?"
Yagami looked at them in confusion.
Kushina also wore a puzzled expression.
She had stayed beside Yagami the entire time and had already grown accustomed to the aura surrounding him.
To her, it no longer felt strange at all.
"Uh… Captain Yagami…"
Yūhi Shinku stepped forward carefully.
"If possible, I recommend you take a bath and change your clothes. The killing intent on your body is… far too heavy."
Kakashi and Tekuno didn't understand Yagami's condition.
They only knew that, instinctively, it made their skin crawl.
Because he wasn't particularly familiar with Yagami, Yūhi Shinku addressed him by title rather than name.
Even if Yagami was "only" a team captain—
That Kage-level presence made it impossible to treat him lightly.
"…Is it really that bad?"
Yagami turned his head and looked at Kushina.
He had been with her the whole time and hadn't noticed any discomfort from her at all.
"For a moment, you scared me too," Kushina admitted softly.
"But now… I can't feel it anymore."
As Yagami looked at her, her pretty face flushed slightly.
She wasn't sure when it started, but she no longer felt afraid around him at all.
"Ah… really?"
Hearing that, Yagami scratched his head, a little embarrassed.
Kagura's perception spread out in all directions.
Soon, Yagami located a wide river not far away.
"I'll be back in a bit."
If bathing could wash away blood and grime, then maybe it could wash away killing intent too.
After saying that, Yagami leapt away, vanishing from the scene.
"Phew…"
Only after he left did Kakashi and Tekuno finally let out the breath they'd been holding.
Facing Yagami earlier had been suffocating.
It felt as if their bodies had grown unbearably heavy.
"Captain Shinku!"
At that moment, the shinobi finished cleaning up the battlefield and gathered together.
Every face was pale and solemn.
The scene before them had left a deep impact.
This place had become a true hellscape.
Especially the area where the Sand Shinobi had self-detonated—
Several people vomited the moment they approached it.
"How is it?"
Yūhi Shinku asked as he looked at his subordinates.
"One hundred and sixty-one Sand Shinobi bodies confirmed on site."
"The vast majority were killed in a single strike."
"There's one location where… only minced flesh remains. No intact bodies."
The reporting shinobi's voice trembled.
It was clear they had never witnessed such carnage before.
Even now, the thick smell of blood clung to the air, making everyone uncomfortable.
"…What…?"
Yūhi Shinku, Kakashi, and Tekuno all sucked in a sharp breath at the same time.
Because the battlefield covered such a wide area, they hadn't been able to grasp the full scale earlier.
Hearing the confirmed number now left them shaken.
No wonder Yagami's presence had carried such overwhelming killing intent.
After steadying himself, Yūhi Shinku turned his gaze toward Kushina, who had also participated in the battle.
"Can you tell us exactly what happened?"
Feeling everyone's curious eyes on her, Kushina suddenly felt… a little proud.
Even though she hadn't personally taken down many enemies—
She had fought beside Yagami.
That alone filled her with pride.
"Ahem."
She cleared her throat deliberately, drawing out the suspense.
Then, slowly, she began recounting everything.
From Yagami instantly killing the first enemy—
To the desperate counterattacks—
To the horrifying final moment when the Sand Shinobi turned themselves into human bombs.
She described every turning point vividly, like a storyteller reliving the battle.
What Kushina didn't realize was—
What sounded dramatic to her was pure terror to everyone listening.
The Konoha shinobi unconsciously imagined themselves in the Sand Shinobi's place.
And then they realized—
If the roles were reversed, their fate wouldn't have been any better.
Good thing… he's on our side.
That thought appeared in everyone's heart at the same time.
If Yagami had belonged to the enemy village—
He would have been an absolute nightmare.
"I'll report everything about this battle back to the village,"
Yūhi Shinku said solemnly.
"You've made a tremendous contribution. Sunagakure's morale will undoubtedly take a massive hit after this."
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