When news of the elite ninja army reached Hidden Leaf, the Third Hokage, who had just finished dealing with Moryo's summoned 'Death Legion,' was stunned.
He hadn't anticipated that Akatsuki would be bold enough to ambush the elite ninja army, nor could he fathom the extent of their devastating losses.
Seeing the Third's grim expression, Koharu Utatane took the report and gasped: "How is this possible?!"
Mitokado Homura also reviewed the report, his voice heavy: "So their real target was the elite ninja army led by the four Kage! Such audacity…"
He wanted to denounce Akatsuki's recklessness, but the thought of the elite ninja army's losses sent a chill down his spine.
The elite ninja army, assembled by the Five Great Shinobi Villages specifically to crush Akatsuki, was meant for this very confrontation. Yet, the more expected the battle, the harder their defeat was to accept.
Steadying himself, Homura looked to the Third: "Hizashi, what now?"
The Third replied: "The report is clear. Akatsuki took losses too. Several members were heavily injured, and the Tsuchikage destroyed multiple puppets of their leader, Nagato. They likely won't launch another large-scale attack anytime soon."
Homura hesitated: "And in the future…"
The Third shook his head.
As a one-armed old man, he could no longer concern himself with the future.
Counting himself, three of the five Kage were either dead or wounded—more than half incapacitated. If not for Onoki and the Fourth Raikage's strength, the elite ninja army might not have retreated safely at all.
Koharu sighed: "Let's clean up the mess first."
On their front, they'd lost many ninja holding back the 'Death Legion's' advance.
Fortunately, Hidden Leaf was a great ninja village, and with various contingency plans in place, the first wave of ninja sacrificed their lives to stall the 'Death Legion.' This allowed the sealing team to arrive in time, working with the frontline ninja to seal the legion's clay soldiers in batches.
Soon after, the first wave of the elite ninja army's defeated forces returned to Hidden Leaf.
Naturally, this group was primarily from Hidden Mist, as the Fourth Mizukage, a Jinchuriki, was prioritized for evacuation.
Akatsuki sent Kakuzu and Hidan to intercept.
Kisame Hoshigaki held off Kakuzu, while Zabuza stalled Hidan, allowing Terumi Mei to escape with the critically injured, unconscious Fourth Mizukage.
However, the Mizukage's wounds were caused by the Mangekyo Sharingan's dojutsu Amaterasu. The searing heat had nearly incinerated him instantly, breaking his defenses. If Itachi hadn't deliberately held back, sparing further attacks, the Mizukage might have died on the spot like the Fourth Kazekage, unable to wait for Hidden Mist's rescue.
Even so, the rescued Mizukage was barely clinging to life.
As the defeated forces returned, news of the elite ninja army's crushing defeat against Akatsuki spread through Hidden Leaf, becoming the talk of the village.
The villagers, still buzzing from watching the grandest Chunin Exams in history, only now realized how many battles had unfolded that day.
Soon, the remaining defeated forces trickled back to the village.
The Third Tsuchikage, flying through the air, was the last to enter Hidden Leaf. As he descended and saw the Third Hokage, now missing an arm, waiting to greet him, he said nothing, only letting out a helpless sigh.
The Third Hokage sighed silently in return.
This round, they had lost!
…
Hidden Sand Encampment.
The ground was littered with wounded ninja and stained with blood, making the Hidden Sand encampment look chaotic. Amid this disarray, Chiyo sat silently, staring at Gaara's lifeless body.
After a long pause, she spoke in a hoarse voice: "How did he die?"
Temari and Kankuro recounted how Gaara, provoked into a rampage, fought against his Tailed Beast with sheer willpower, nearly regaining clarity. But then, overwhelmed by Hiruko's Mangekyo dojutsu, he fully lost control. In the end, he struggled alongside others against Hiruko, trying to protect the One-Tail for the village.
Hearing that Gaara resisted until the end, only succumbing after the One-Tail was extracted, Chiyo fell silent.
It was she who had proposed to the village that Gaara become Shukaku's new vessel, setting him on a path of endless nightmares.
Reflecting on this, Chiyo murmured: "Perhaps only death could let him sleep so peacefully."
Temari and Kankuro glanced at Gaara and realized Chiyo was right. The lifeless Gaara no longer bore the suppressed madness and ferocity of his living days, looking as if he were in a deep, serene slumber.
Chiyo waved her hand: "Leave."
Temari and Kankuro nodded, preparing to carry Gaara's body away.
As they lifted him, Chiyo said calmly: "Leave his body here."
Not daring to question her, they set Gaara's body down and left the room.
Chiyo approached Gaara's body and began forming hand signs.
In this battle, not only had the Fourth Kazekage died on the spot, but his body was taken by Sasori. Counting the previous Kazekage, Hidden Sand had now lost two Kage to her precious grandson.
Even as the current highest authority in Hidden Sand, with no one daring to blame her, Chiyo couldn't forgive herself.
"The mistake I made, I'll correct with my life!" Completing her hand signs, Chiyo placed her hands on Gaara's body: "Forbidden Jutsu, One's Own Life Reincarnation!"
Chiyo had developed this jutsu intending to resurrect her son and daughter-in-law for her grandson, Sasori, so he could have a complete childhood like other children.
However, a jutsu involving life and death was immensely difficult to create. Even for a genius like Chiyo, who dazzled Hidden Sand in her generation, it took her entire life, only completing it in her old age.
By then, her obsession with reviving her son and daughter-in-law had faded, replaced by guilt for the sins committed against her grandson.
Compared to her own aging self, Gaara—this twelve-year-old who fought Akatsuki to the bitter end—was clearly Hidden Sand's true hope and future.
The One's Own Life Reincarnation was a forbidden jutsu that traded one life for another. But if it meant exchanging her life for the village's future, she deemed it worth it!
Moments later, Chiyo called Temari and Kankuro back into the room and pointed at Gaara: "Take him to Hidden Leaf Hospital. Have Tsunade treat him properly—this is a debt Hidden Leaf owes us!"
Kankuro couldn't help but say: "Elder Chiyo, Gaara is already…"
Temari interrupted, her face full of shock: "Gaara's breathing!"
Kankuro looked over and saw that Gaara, who had been lifeless, now had a faint rise and fall in his chest.