The reception team stepped onto Sunagakure’s defensive camp, established on the border of the Land of Wind.
What greeted their eyes was a scene of ruins and a charred graveyard.
The pungent smell of burning and the strong scent of blood mixed together, drifting across the desolate Gobi desert with the night wind.
The pale blue sky slowly spread from the horizon. The dark night had passed, and dawn was approaching.
The bodies of Sunagakure ninjas were scattered everywhere in various twisted poses, mixed with over a dozen bizarre monster remains.
"Captain, what is this?"
An Amegakure ninja frowned, staring at the monster corpse on the ground, and called out to Suzaku, who was not far away.
Suzaku, acting as the reception team’s captain, stepped forward and slowly crouched in front of the monster’s corpse. His gaze fell on the headbands scattered around the monster.
"There are headbands, but no bodies..."
A strange glint flashed in Suzaku’s eyes.
A bold conjecture immediately surfaced in his mind.
Suzaku stood up with a solemn expression and said, "Let’s go meet up with Isoname and the others first, they should know what happened."
The Amegakure ninja nodded, following behind Suzaku.
Suzaku walked towards the center of the camp.
Soon, Amegakure’s forces appeared within Suzaku’s sight. They were gathered in the center of the camp, with mountains of bodies piled beside them. Their armor was covered in congealed dark red bloodstains.
Suzaku looked around, there were no casualties. He breathed a sigh of relief, his gaze quickly drawn to Isoname.
Haruki was curled up on Isoname’s broad shoulder, his face pale, his eyes tightly closed.
[System detected Suzaku’s Pain Value +5000]
[Your Cursed Spirit Kenjaku’s rank has increased to 35%]
Suzaku walked towards Haruki, his legs feeling weak. His heart kept sinking.
[System detected Suzaku’s Pain Value +5000]
[Your Cursed Spirit Kenjaku’s rank has increased to 40%]
Haruki silently thought to himself, ’He wouldn’t think I’m dead, would he?’
Suzaku walked step by step to Haruki’s front, extending his trembling hand.
His hand paused. Haruki, leaning on Isoname’s shoulder, had his lips slightly parted, emitting an extremely faint breathing sound.
Suzaku’s eyes were slightly red, and relief immediately surged from the bottom of his heart.
"Haruki, what happened to him?" Suzaku stared at Isoname and asked.
Isoname explained, "Don’t worry, he’s just over-exhausted his Chakra and fallen asleep."
Pity filled Suzaku’s eyes as he said to Isoname, "You guys go back to the camp first. Leave this place to us."
He hoped Isoname could quickly take Haruki back to the camp to rest properly. Cleaning up the battlefield was, after all, the task of their reception team.
"Okay." Isoname nodded.
He carefully supported Haruki, his steps steady, and led the infiltration team’s ninjas back to the camp on the border of the Land of Rain.
On the way back, the sky was bright, and the distant mountains were draped in a layer of red.
The sun gradually rose from the deepest part of the valley, casting a golden glow that paved the path beneath their feet.
The Amegakure ninja camp gradually became clear in their sight.
"They’re back! It’s Isoname-sama and the others "
"The assassination team! It’s Hiruma-sama."
"Look! It’s Isoname. And on his back... it’s Haruki."
The Amegakure ninjas rushed towards the camp gate, their eyes bursting with ecstatic light as they watched Isoname and the others return safely.
No casualties was the greatest victory!
Suddenly, the crowd parted as if by an invisible force, automatically creating a wide passage.
At the end of the path, Hanzo stood quietly. Hanzo did not speak or make any movements.
But the entire camp’s clamor, the moment he appeared, was as if a mute button had been pressed, instantly falling silent.
Isoname gradually walked forward and bowed his head before Hanzo.
"I have fulfilled Hanzo-sama’s trust."
"Sunagakure’s border camp..."
"Completely annihilated!"
The Amegakure ninjas immediately erupted in fervent cheers.
Hanzo’s gaze slowly moved, sweeping over Isoname, Hiruma, Miozawa, and the others one by one, finally resting on Haruki on Isoname’s shoulder.
His eyes conveyed a questioning look.
Isoname immediately explained, "Hanzo-sama, Haruki has over-exhausted his Chakra and fallen into a deep sleep."
The emotions in Hanzo’s eyes were complex. All the ninjas who carried out the surprise attack mission returned safely, yet only Haruki was over-exhausted and in a coma.
[System detected Hanzo’s Nostalgia Value +3000]
[Your Cursed Spirit Choso’s rank has increased to 52.2%]
Haruki lied on Isoname’s back, trying his best to control his facial expression.
Why is it Nostalgia Value?
As soon as this question came to his mind, Haruki somehow understood.
’Hanzo is so shameless.’
Hanzo looked at the medical ninjas standing nearby.
Souta and Ruka had long been impatient, and once Hanzo signaled with his eyes, they immediately rushed out of the crowd and quickly came before Isoname.
Souta’s movements were gentle as she carefully checked Haruki’s condition. After confirming that Isoname’s words were true, she nodded to Isoname.
Isoname very carefully transferred the sleeping Haruki from his shoulder to the stretcher prepared by Souta and Ruka.
The stretcher was lifted by Souta and Ruka, and the two walked steadily towards the medical tent under the solemn gaze of all the ninjas. The ninjas’ gaze fell on Haruki’s pale face.
Haruki lied on the snow-white stretcher, appearing exceptionally fragile.
The ninjas once again clearly realized that Haruki was still a child.
Yet, it was this child who had selflessly saved their lives multiple times, fearlessly stepped forward to protect ninjas much older than him multiple times, and brought victory and hope to Amegakure multiple times.
[System detected Amegakure ninja A’s Awe Value +1000]
[System detected Amegakure ninja B’s Awe Value +1000]
[Cursed Spirit activation value not reached, Awe Value has been stored]
[System detected Amegakure ninja C’s Faith Value +2000]
[System detected Amegakure ninja D’s Faith Value +2000]
[Cursed Spirit activation value not reached, Faith Value has been stored]
What Cursed Spirits can Awe Value and Faith Value activate?
Haruki couldn’t figure it out for a moment.