Chapter 168 — Pursuit and Capture (Triple Length Chapter)
Taichi only spared the command tent a single glance before turning away. Right now, the most important thing was rest—he needed to recover his chakra as quickly as possible. Only then could he continue contributing, whether in battle or in healing.
Returning to where they had rested before, he saw his teammates still sleeping soundly. A satisfied smile spread across his face.
Good… everyone's still here.
He found a comfortable spot and lay down. Just before sleep claimed him, one last thought flickered through his mind—
Once things settle down, I have to learn the Yin Seal.
And then, like a tide washing over him, exhaustion dragged his consciousness into deep sleep.
---
The next morning, sunlight filtered through his eyelids.
Taichi groggily opened his eyes. The sky was already bright—another night had passed without a sound.
Looking around, he found Yōhei, Kakashi, and the others already gone. Somehow, he had become the last one to wake up.
He checked his condition and smiled in satisfaction. After a full night's rest, his chakra had completely recovered, and even the fatigue in his body had vanished.
After a quick wash and breakfast, he was just about to head to the medical camp when a chūnin hurried toward him.
"Taichi-sama! I've finally found you!" The man was clearly out of breath, as if he had been searching for quite some time.
"What's wrong? Are there more critically injured patients?" Taichi immediately tensed—being sought out at this hour usually meant something serious.
But the man shook his head, confused. "No, it's not that. The command tent is about to hold a meeting. Jiraiya-sama specifically asked for you to attend."
"I see." Taichi let out a small sigh of relief. No new critical injuries—that was good.
"Alright, thank you. I'll head there right away."
---
Changing direction, he made his way toward the central command tent.
So Jiraiya-sensei has returned… Is this a post-battle summary? I wonder how the ambush turned out.
With that thought, he stepped inside.
---
The tent was filled with jōnin—almost all those currently in the camp were present. Many still bore injuries, but the atmosphere was lively. People chatted, laughed, even joked.
A great victory had clearly lifted everyone's spirits.
At the head seat sat Jiraiya. Though his face showed exhaustion and his eyes were bloodshot—clearly from staying up all night—his energy was unmistakably high. Even if forced to rest, he probably wouldn't be able to sleep.
As Taichi entered, many jōnin noticed him and nodded in greeting.
Previously, their goodwill toward him had been because of his medical skills.
Now—
It included something more.
His strength.
---
At the front, Jiraiya glanced at the time and lightly coughed.
Instantly, the tent fell silent. Every jōnin returned to their seats, eyes forward, waiting.
"First," Jiraiya began, "congratulations to everyone. In this ambush, we achieved a decisive victory. We successfully captured Sunagakure's frontline commander, Shamon, and drove the enemy out of the Land of Rivers!"
"Victory!"
Someone shouted first, then others followed, until it became a unified roar—
"Victory!"
Jiraiya raised a hand, calming the crowd before continuing.
"Now, I'll have Shikaku explain the details."
---
Nara Shikaku stood, composed and authoritative.
"Everyone here has the right to know the results of this battle."
At the back, Taichi scratched his nose awkwardly—he was the only one here still technically a chūnin.
Shikaku continued:
"This ambush, from the morning interception to the afternoon decisive battle, dealt devastating losses to Sunagakure."
"Based on our current estimates, the enemy suffered a total of 773 casualties, including both dead and captured. This accounts for nearly half of their deployed forces in the Land of Rivers—and among them were 35 jōnin-level elites."
"In reality, their losses are likely even higher."
"This is a severe strategic blow to Sunagakure. Control of the Land of Rivers has returned to Konoha, and in the short term, they no longer pose a direct threat to the Land of Fire's borders. The southern front is, for now, stabilized."
---
Thunderous applause erupted.
But Shikaku didn't stop.
His expression grew heavy.
"To achieve this victory… we paid a heavy price."
"Our losses total 338 fallen shinobi—including 12 jōnin, 124 chūnin, and 202 genin."
---
Silence.
The joy of victory was dulled by the weight of reality.
Many of those lost—
Were friends.
Subordinates.
Even family.
Yesterday, they had laughed together.
Today—
They were gone.
---
Jiraiya sensed the shift in mood immediately.
His voice turned firm, cutting through the silence.
"I didn't tell you this so you could drown in grief! The war isn't over. Sacrifice exists to protect—to secure victory now, and peace in the future!"
His gaze swept across every jōnin present.
"This victory was hard-won. You all understand its importance. What matters now is how we hold onto it—how we make sure their sacrifices weren't in vain."
He turned back to Shikaku.
"Continue."
---
Shikaku nodded and unfurled a detailed map.
"Our immediate priority is consolidating defenses. Frontline units will secure the newly captured positions and establish outposts—especially former Sunagakure strongholds within the Land of Rivers."
He began assigning tasks with precision—teams, leaders, locations.
Each order was met with a firm response: "Yes!"
The atmosphere shifted again—focused, efficient, intense.
---
"Next—medical care remains critical," Shikaku continued. "We still have hundreds of injured, both light and severe. The medical corps is under immense pressure."
His gaze shifted naturally toward Taichi.
Feeling the attention, Taichi straightened.
"Taichi, you are still a core force in the medical team. Continue assisting Director Fujita—especially in handling critical cases."
"Understood," Taichi replied firmly, without hesitation.
---
Jiraiya spoke again, his tone resolute despite the fatigue.
"Shamon's value must be utilized immediately. The interrogation unit will extract all possible intelligence—defensive layouts, future counterattack plans. We need that information."
The intelligence team nodded.
---
"Minato," Shikaku called.
Minato looked up, eyes tired but expression steady.
"Form a team of your choosing. Patrol within five kilometers of the camp. Sunagakure may have retreated, but scattered units—or rescue attempts—are still possible. Ensure the safety of the camp and the prisoner."
"Yes," Minato replied calmly. "Leave it to me."
---
Finally, Jiraiya concluded:
"This victory belongs to every Konoha shinobi who fought and bled. We held our ground and crushed the enemy—but the war is not over."
"What comes next is recovery, consolidation, and growth."
"Everyone—fulfill your duties to the utmost."
"This battle report will be submitted to the Hokage. Rewards will be determined by the village."
"Dismissed!"
---
The jōnin responded in unison and rose.
The earlier heaviness was gone, replaced by purpose. One by one, they left, already returning to their responsibilities.
Taichi watched them go.
The smoke of war had not yet cleared—
And already, the next phase had begun.
He clenched his fist.
Then, recalling the thought from last night, he turned and headed toward the resting tents without hesitation.
---
After finding a quiet resting tent, Taichi slipped inside, took out paper and pen from his ninja pouch, and immediately began writing a letter to his teacher, Tsunade.
First, he expressed how much he missed her.
Though, as he wrote those lines, his own face flushed red—he couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed by how overly sentimental it sounded.
Second, he described his recent experiences—what battles he had gone through, his current condition—and asked about her well-being, hoping she would return to Konoha when she had time.
And third—the true purpose of the letter—he asked about the Yin Seal.
He explained that he had seen references to it in the notes she had given him, and believed it could effectively solve his current problem of insufficient chakra.
Lately, he had often found himself troubled by a lack of chakra. Just yesterday, he had even been forced to watch severely injured Konoha ninja die in front of him because he had nothing left to give.
Of course, Taichi exaggerated that part slightly. While he did feel responsibility as a medical ninja, he wasn't the type to burden himself with guilt beyond his limits.
---
After finishing, he reread the letter.
It was sincere. Almost painfully so.
Nodding in satisfaction, he formed hand seals and summoned Katsuyu, entrusting her with delivering the letter to Tsunade.
Now, all that remained—
Was to wait for her reply.
---
Stepping out of the tent, Taichi was about to head toward the medical camp when his eyes caught a familiar figure in the distance.
Minato—his blond-haired senior—stood near the camp entrance, issuing instructions to a group that had gathered.
And those gathered…
Were Yōhei, Saori, Kakashi, Obito, and Rin.
They were fully geared up—ready to move.
---
Curious, Taichi walked over.
Yōhei noticed him first, raising his arm and waving exaggeratedly.
"Hey, Taichi! You finally came out!"
Taichi's face darkened instantly.
What do you mean "finally came out"? I wasn't in prison!
"I just attended a meeting and wrote a letter. Why do you make it sound so weird?" he complained helplessly, earning quiet laughter from Saori and Rin.
Glancing over the group, he turned to Minato.
"Senpai, you're taking them on patrol?"
Though phrased as a question, his tone was certain—it had been assigned during the meeting. He just hadn't expected Minato to move so quickly.
"Correct," Minato replied with a warm smile, his blue eyes calm as ever. "The camp perimeter needs stronger surveillance. This is a good opportunity to take them out."
After yesterday's battle, he clearly acknowledged their abilities. Even Obito and Rin had performed far beyond typical genin—they were no longer mere academy graduates.
---
Yōhei casually hooked an arm around Obito's neck and grinned at Taichi.
"You'll be stuck helping at the medical camp anyway, right?"
He gestured toward the busy area in the distance.
"I heard you went back there last night right after recovering a bit of chakra and treated all the critically injured again. No wonder you woke up so late—you were pulling overtime!"
His tone was light, but Taichi could hear the concern beneath it.
Yōhei patted Obito's shoulder.
"Anyway, no one's assigning us missions, and Captain Minato happens to need people. Going on patrol with him is perfect—better than sitting around doing nothing, right, Saori?"
Saori nodded gently in agreement. With their team incomplete and their captain absent, taking missions independently would be restrictive. Following Minato was both practical and reassuring.
Obito puffed out his chest proudly.
"We're not dead weight! Besides, with Minato-sensei leading us, there's nothing to worry about!"
Kakashi stood with his hands in his pockets, his mask covering most of his face. He simply nodded at Taichi. These past battles had pushed his growth rapidly—not only had his strength improved, but his Lightning Release had advanced significantly through discussions with Saori.
All he wanted now—
Was more combat to test his new abilities.
Rin, standing quietly behind him, smiled a little shyly at Taichi.
---
Watching them, Taichi couldn't help but smile.
Yōhei's expression practically said, We've got this, don't worry about us.
And the implication was clear—
Even without Taichi leading, they could operate independently… especially now that Minato was with them.
Funny how things came full circle.
Before, Minato had been too busy and handed Kakashi's team over to him.
Now, Taichi was the busy one—and Yōhei's group had gone to Minato instead.
---
"Then I'll leave them to you, Senpai," Taichi said with a smile. "The frontline just stabilized, but there could still be scattered Suna ninja hiding nearby. Be careful."
"Don't worry," Minato nodded seriously. "I'll keep an eye on things. You, on the other hand, take care of yourself. The medical camp needs you—you can't afford to overextend your chakra."
He knew just how crucial Taichi had been. Without him, at least half of last night's critically injured would have died.
"I know my limits," Taichi replied, waving it off.
Then he pulled several small bottles from his pouch and handed them over.
"These are my custom soldier pills and antidotes. You know how effective they are—keep them just in case."
---
Minato's expression stiffened for a moment before returning to normal. He accepted the bottles and distributed the pills among the group.
Yōhei and Saori reacted normally—they were already used to Taichi's medicine.
But watching Kakashi, Obito, and Rin take them without hesitation—
Their expressions turned… complicated.
---
"Taichi, if you had stuff this good, why didn't you give it earlier? Yesterday I really suffered from low chakra!"
Obito examined the pill curiously, sniffing it and turning it over in his hand.
Then he muttered, "Wow, this one's huge," and—
Licked it.
---
"Don't—!" Minato tried to stop him.
Too late.
No one had expected someone reckless enough to taste-test medicine.
Kakashi and Rin froze, staring at Obito.
---
A second later—
Obito's face twisted like he had eaten something foul beyond belief.
"Pfft—! Pah! Pah! Pah!"
He spat wildly, scrambling for his water flask and chugging it desperately.
"What… WHAT is this?! Even poison wouldn't taste this bad!"
He stared at the pill in horror.
---
Yōhei burst into uncontrollable laughter, nearly doubling over.
Minato looked utterly speechless.
What kind of ninja tastes unknown medicine…
---
"Taichi's pills are extremely effective," Minato explained calmly, "better than standard ones by a wide margin. But the taste… is terrible. So don't chew—just swallow them whole."
Kakashi and Rin nodded thoughtfully.
Obito, on the other hand, looked devastated.
"Sensei… why didn't you say that earlier…"
Minato: You didn't give me time.
More laughter followed.
---
Once the pills were distributed, Minato didn't waste any more time.
He nodded to Taichi and turned to the group.
"Alright, let's move. Kakashi, Obito—you take the left flank. Yōhei, Saori—the right. Rin and I will stay in the center for support."
His commands were precise and efficient.
"Understood!"
The team quickly adjusted formation and, under Minato's lead, vanished into the forest.
---
Soon, only Taichi remained at the gate, dust settling around him.
He watched their departing figures for a moment, took a deep breath—
Then turned toward his own battlefield.
---
Yesterday's ambush battle itself had lasted less than an hour.
Most of the time had been spent pursuing the fleeing enemy.
The battlefield had stretched all the way to the border of the Land of Wind.
And now—
The burden fell on Konoha's cleanup teams.
While handling their regular duties, they also had to:
First—search for surviving Konoha ninja, or recover the bodies of the fallen.
Second—eliminate any Suna ninja still hiding and barely clinging to life.
The third objective was the visible cleanup of the battlefield itself. If enemy corpses and animal remains were not dealt with promptly—especially in the height of summer—they could easily lead to outbreaks of disease.
For example—
When Minato led Yōhei and the others on patrol about four kilometers southeast of the camp, a faint, pained groan suddenly caught their attention.
The team immediately halted and shifted into a defensive formation, listening carefully for the source.
It didn't take long to find it.
Inside the hollow of a large tree, they discovered a Sunagakure ninja.
"Senpai, look." Yōhei gestured toward the man, who had already lost consciousness and could only let out instinctive groans.
Kakashi took one glance and gave his conclusion immediately. "Collapsed chest cavity, extensive fire-style burns. In this condition… he's beyond saving."
"He looks about our age…" Obito muttered, his tone hard to read—somewhere between sympathy and resignation.
Minato stepped forward, briefly checking the man before speaking calmly. "No value as a prisoner. Give him a quick end."
At this age, being sent to the battlefield usually meant one thing—
Cannon fodder.
Not everyone was like Taichi, Yōhei, or Kakashi.
---
Yōhei nodded and stepped forward.
Looking at the Sunagakure ninja—whose face still showed pain even in unconsciousness—he spoke quietly:
"I'll free you. At least you won't have to suffer anymore."
That… was the greatest mercy he could offer.
With that, he thrust his kunai upward through the man's jaw, piercing the brain. The body twitched once—
Then fell still.
---
Scenes like this were happening all across the battlefield.
Most of the time, it was enemies.
Sometimes—
It was their own comrades.
Those who couldn't make it back to camp… those beyond saving…
Granting them release—
Was often the only kindness left.
---
And so, another day passed.
The news of the ambush in the Land of Rivers finally reached both Konoha and Sunagakure through the fastest channels available.
---
Hokage Office
When Hiruzen Sarutobi read Jiraiya's report—detailing the battle and its aftermath—his expression first lit up with joy.
Then—
Darkened.
Victory was, of course, good.
But the scale of the battle, erupting so suddenly, was far beyond his expectations.
If previous clashes had been small-scale border skirmishes—
Then this…
Was effectively a formal declaration of war by Sunagakure.
---
At the same time, unease crept into Hiruzen's heart.
Jiraiya's report repeatedly described it as "defensive counterattack"—
But Hiruzen wasn't blind.
It was clear this had been a carefully orchestrated trap, planned by Jiraiya and his advisors.
And the plan likely began the moment Taichi developed the antidote.
Nearly a month of preparation—
And yet, not a single report had reached him from the southern front.
---
After a long silence—
"Summon Homura, Koharu, and Danzō. Immediately."
His low voice emerged from the smoke-filled room.
"Yes."
A shadowy figure acknowledged and departed.
---
Soon, the three advisors arrived.
The scene that greeted them was all too familiar—
A room thick with smoke, visibility barely clear.
Since the border situation had worsened, Hiruzen's smoking had increased significantly. His office was often like this.
Koharu frowned slightly, waving away the smoke before opening a window. She glanced at Danzō.
Without a word, Danzō flicked his sleeve. A gust of wind swept through the room, carrying the smoke out the window and clearing the air.
---
Hiruzen said nothing.
He simply watched.
Only after they had settled did he hand them Jiraiya's report.
The three immediately noticed his unusual demeanor—but said nothing, choosing instead to read first.
---
From the very beginning, their reactions diverged.
Danzō's expression brightened.
As a proponent of military strength, any victory for Konoha pleased him.
Koharu and Homura, however, frowned deeply.
They were more concerned with the implications of such a large-scale conflict.
---
When they finished reading, the room fell silent.
Each of them was calculating—
The consequences.
The impact on Konoha.
And on themselves.
---
Finally, Koharu spoke first.
"Regardless of everything else, this was a victory—and a decisive one. We captured Sunagakure's frontline commander. At a time like this, such an achievement must be commended."
The others nodded.
This was an undeniable fact.
With tensions rising across all fronts, such a victory would boost morale and deter other villages.
---
Hiruzen also nodded—
But his expression grew even darker.
The others, experienced as they were, quickly understood why.
Danzō remained calm on the surface, but a trace of disdain flickered in his eyes.
Unable to control even your own disciple… and now wary of him?
Hiruzen… you've grown old.
Perhaps it's time you stepped down as Hokage.
---
Koharu and Homura exchanged a glance.
Neither spoke further.
This was a matter between teacher and student—
Not something outsiders should interfere in.
If they overstepped, they would only end up caught in the middle once things settled.
---
Seeing that no one addressed Jiraiya directly, Hiruzen finally spoke himself.
"Victory deserves recognition," he said slowly. "But such a large-scale operation was carried out without any prior report to the village. That is a failure of responsibility by the frontline command."
His voice hardened.
"If they had failed—if the village had been unprepared—what then? What if Sunagakure had pushed directly into the Land of Fire?"
---
With the tone set by Hiruzen, the others immediately understood what needed to be done.
It didn't take long for a directive to be drafted.
On the surface, it praised and rewarded all frontline shinobi for their victory.
But subtly—
It emphasized the necessity of reporting all operations to the village without delay.
At the same time, reinforcements were dispatched to Jiraiya's command.
And among them—
Two jōnin were directly appointed as advisors, participating in all frontline strategic decisions.
A clear move—
To divide authority.