Fortunately, Killer Bee had recovered somewhat.
He was barely able to fight in his human form, but a full Tailed Beast Transformation was still out of the question. His wounds had not yet fully healed, especially the poison, which had proven impossible to completely cure.
"Hope they don't overestimate themselves, the damn fools."
Bandages were wrapped around Killer Bee's body, and the faint red seeping through them did nothing to diminish his usual bravado. He stood at the edge of the outpost, his gaze piercing through the mist toward the Hidden Mist's position.
Yugito Nii's injuries were bizarre and had yet to heal, rendering her completely unable to enter the battlefield. Killer Bee couldn't fight for long either, or his wounds would tear open again.
But he had to be here, and he certainly couldn't let the Hidden Mist learn the true state of his recovery. He had to hold out until the Raikage arrived.
However, Killer Bee's plan was clearly not going to work. The Hidden Mist's probing attack that afternoon was far more ferocious than before. And Killer Bee recognized several of the figures active on the battlefield.
Kisame, Zabuza, Jūzō.
The three of them acted as the vanguard, swiftly clearing out the Hidden Cloud's outer guards. Their combat prowess was immense, and they performed their roles as the spearhead flawlessly.
"Water Style: Water Clone Technique!"
Kisame once again summoned a horde of water clones, sending them forward to clear out the paper bomb traps set by the Cloud ninja. The area around the Hidden Cloud outpost thundered with constant explosions.
Though using so many water clones was a heavy drain on chakra, Kisame had Samehada to absorb it for him. As a result, he was the most efficient at dismantling the traps.
Just as the Hidden Mist forces were slowly closing in on the Cloud outpost, Jūzō, Zabuza, and Kisame felt an immense threat. It was a feeling they had experienced not long ago!
Jūzō roared, "It's a Tailed Beast Bomb! Run!"
He barely managed to get the words out before he collapsed to the ground, unable to move.
A jet-black Tailed Beast Bomb descended from the sky, striking the center of the Mist formation.
Boom... Rumble!
The massive explosion and shockwave instantly sent most of the Mist ninja flying. A gigantic crater was left in the middle of their ranks. A dozen men were instantly vaporized, while those closer suffered severe internal damage, vomiting blood. It was clear they wouldn't survive.
The Tailed Beast Bomb had landed not far from Kisame, and its incredible power and shockwave launched him through the air. After scrambling back to his feet, Kisame immediately coughed up a mouthful of blood. His internal organs had been damaged by the vibrations.
Fortunately, he had been holding onto Samehada the entire time. The sword had just absorbed a significant amount of chakra. Seeing that Kisame was injured, it quickly transferred that chakra to him, and his wounds began to rapidly heal.
Jūzō Biwa and Zabuza, being farther away, were not seriously affected. They ran over and saw that Kisame was alright.
"The enemy Jinchūriki might have fully recovered! We need to retreat, now!" Zabuza urged.
Kisame knew that Killer Bee was just putting on a brave front. But he had had his fill of fighting for the day; it was unwise to continue.
"Take anyone we can save."
With that, Kisame Hoshigaki scanned the surrounding Mist ninja, gathering up all who could be saved. He urged the other survivors to retreat quickly.
.....
Killer Bee reverted from his Tailed Beast form, his entire body splattered with fresh blood.
He was still muttering, "The damn fools..."
Then, he fell into a state of unconsciousness.
C rushed forward, beginning to heal him as he sighed, "Such recklessness."
Yugito said helplessly, "If Bee hadn't scared them off, our losses would have been catastrophic."
Samui had also fallen back. She had been on the front lines moments before, but upon receiving the message, she had hastily led the Cloud forces in a retreat. Sure enough, the Tailed Beast Bomb descended from the sky moments later. Samui knew Killer Bee's condition, so when she returned, she was not surprised to find him unconscious.
"The deterrent effect of Bee's Tailed Beast Bomb won't last long," Samui proposed. "If the Hidden Mist launches another major assault, we'll be in a very passive position."
"Maybe... maybe we should abandon this outpost."
With Killer Bee unconscious, the decision now effectively rested with Yugito.
She pondered for a moment before asking C, "How many of the wounded are unable to fight?"
C was in charge of medical affairs and had the numbers ready. "Fifty-three are unfit for combat, and that number is likely to increase today."
Yugito sighed. Establishing an outpost so deep in the Land of Water's territory had not been easy. But with both of their Jinchūriki injured, the Hidden Cloud could not possibly withstand the Hidden Mist's offensive.
Abandoning the outpost now, scattering their forces to buy time, and regrouping when the Raikage arrived was a sound strategy. They had needed the outpost before because they were unsure of the Mist Jinchūriki's movements and had to proceed with caution. But now, it seemed clear that the Mist's Jinchūriki was truly not present.
They had to preserve their effective strength, especially the safety of their two Jinchūriki.
.....
Konoha.
Inside the Hokage's Office.
"Old man, I'm back," a familiar voice announced.
He had long black hair, a goatee, and wore a black form-fitting combat suit under a green Jōnin flak jacket. Red Anbu markings were tattooed on his shoulders and back, the emblem of the Land of Fire was on his waist, and a cigarette dangled from his lips.
It was Asuma Sarutobi.
The Third Hokage took a puff from his pipe. "You're back a little earlier than expected."
Although Asuma also had a cigarette in his mouth, it wasn't lit.
"I wouldn't have been in such a rush if you hadn't summoned me back so urgently."
Asuma's tone was calm and his expression composed. Though his words spoke of haste, his face showed no signs of it.
The Third looked at Asuma's relaxed demeanor and couldn't help but sigh. If Asuma hadn't been so rebellious in his youth, the burden of Konoha might have already been passed to his hands. Asuma could now be considered a prodigal son returned.
Though the two had not yet fully reconciled, the Third Hokage could see the change in him. It wasn't too late; there was still time to groom him.
For now, he would let Orochimaru handle the troublesome Uchiha.
That was the Third's internal thought, but what he said was, "The Hidden Cloud and Hidden Mist have already clashed. The future of this war is still unknown. You should stay in the village for the time being."
"A new batch of students is about to graduate from the Academy. I want you to be their supervising Jōnin."
Asuma didn't ask any questions. "Got it. I'm going to find Kurenai first."
The Third nodded.
As Asuma stepped out of the office, he finally took out a lighter, lit his cigarette, and took a deep drag. He slowly exhaled the smoke, the image of the rebellious youth he once was now completely gone.
Ever since becoming one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja and experiencing the turmoil of his conflict with Kazuma, which led to the group's schism, Asuma had gradually come to understand the difficulties his father faced.
In recent years, the Uchiha clan had become exceptionally active. To be precise, their influence had grown significantly ever since Uchiha Kawasaki had begun to make a name for himself. Every strategic move they made greatly enhanced their own power.
In contrast, the Third Hokage's prestige had been severely damaged by several incidents. Danzō's betrayal, in particular, had all but destroyed any possibility of reconciliation between the Uchiha and Konoha. The Third Hokage had since recalled Jiraiya, pardoned Orochimaru and allowed him to return to the village, and summoned back many other powerful ninja.
Asuma suspected that the current pressing issue was not just the war between the Cloud and the Mist. Perhaps the conflict between Konoha and the Uchiha was the true emergency.
He took another deep drag from his cigarette, a sense of unease creeping into his heart. All they could do now was wait and see what the Uchiha's next move would be.