At the exact moment of Kaguya Kotaro's death, every Hidden Mist ninja nearby who had been watching the battle felt a jolt in their hearts. Their movements seemed to falter for just an instant.
Indeed, while the Kaguya clan's ninjas were known for their violent tendencies, love of slaughter, and bloodthirsty, even to the point where their own comrades disliked them, there was no denying their strength on the battlefield. To many Mist ninjas, they were a symbol of power. Particularly in situations where no other strong fighters were present, they served as a crucial spiritual pillar.
But now, that pillar had fallen.
It was easy to imagine the crushing blow this dealt to the Mist ninjas.
However, Ao Akira was not about to show them any mercy. His only thought was to strike while the enemy was vulnerable and finish them off.
Thus, after taking just a brief moment to catch his breath, Ao Akira split up from Shisui Uchiha and immediately joined another battle against the enemy Jonin.
Watching Ao Akira's departing figure and glancing at the other Leaf ninjas still fighting with all their might, Shisui Uchiha sighed softly before also joining the fray against the remaining Mist Jonin.
With the addition of these two powerhouses, the Mist's side was quickly thrown into disarray, verging on collapse.
The Jonin Battlefield
Facing increasing attacks from the Leaf Jonin, the Mist Jonin began to falter. Injuries became more frequent, and casualties started to pile up.
This failure among their upper ranks dealt a severe blow to the morale of the lower- and mid-level Mist ninjas. Their combat effectiveness dropped significantly, with most barely able to muster 60-70% of their usual strength.
In stark contrast, the Leaf's mid- and low-level ninjas were invigorated by the sight of impending victory. Even the force behind their kunai strikes grew stronger.
As one side fell and the other rose, the Mist forces faced defeat at every turn.
In the Valley
Atop a towering tree, Ayata Akikiku's face was as dark as a storm cloud.
He had believed that with the strength of his forces, they could at least hold out for one or two hours. Yet now, they couldn't even last an hour.
This development completely upended his plans to buy time.
Ayata Akikiku swept his gaze across the battlefield. His eyes skimmed over the Leaf's mid- and low-level ninjas, finally fixing on Ao Akira and Shisui Uchiha.
He quickly identified two major reasons for their current predicament. First, the Leaf's unexpected decision to bring nearly all their forces from the Black Rock Outpost to this battle had caught him completely off guard.
He had anticipated the possibility of ambushes along their route, especially with a skilled scout like Ao Akira on the opposing side. Laying a few traps would have been logical.
But the key issue was that the Leaf had acted with such boldness, deploying almost all their available combat power. This alone stretched the Mist's limits.
The second reason was none other than Ao Akira and Shisui Uchiha.
Shisui Uchiha, with his "Shisui of the Body Flicker" nickname, was undeniably formidable. However, he had been preoccupied early on, locked in a one-on-one duel with Kaguya Kotaro, and thus didn't cause significant damage to the Mist forces.
Ao Akira, on the other hand, was an entirely different story.
From the start, he had slain Hase Ichiro single-handedly. Then, teaming up with another Leaf Jonin, he gravely injured Ito Shohei, who was subsequently killed by his ally. After that, when pitted against Shimizu Kenta and another Mist Jonin, Ao Akira managed to heavily wound one and outright kill Shimizu Kenta.
From that point onward, the Mist's situation began to unravel.
With no surplus Jonin to spare, Ao Akira pressed his advantage, teaming up with other Leaf Jonin to take down three more Mist Jonin in quick succession.
Most devastatingly, he and Shisui Uchiha had just jointly killed the Mist's final trump card—Kaguya Kotaro.
This was the final straw.
Summing it up, Ao Akira was undeniably the key force behind the collapse of Ayata Akikiku's plan.
For this reason, Ayata Akikiku's gaze toward Ao Akira brimmed with hatred—though deep within that hatred, a sliver of fear lurked.
Suppressing his frustration, Ayata Akikiku took a deep breath and decisively turned to the Chunin beside him. "Transmit the order immediately: Execute Plan B."
"Plan B?"
The Mist Chunin was visibly startled. Hesitant, he asked, "Captain, isn't it too soon to initiate Plan B? There's still a chance—"
Before he could finish, Ayata Akikiku interrupted impatiently. "Enough. Execute the order now!"
"Yes, Captain!"
Hearing the clear irritation in Ayata Akikiku's tone, Yokoyama Yukio dared not protest further. He quickly left to deliver the orders.
Watching Yokoyama Yukio's retreating figure, Ayata Akikiku's gaze turned contemplative. After a long pause, he murmured to himself, "This is the last chance. Any further delay will cost far more than a few sacrifices."
Indeed, Plan B was a desperate strategy—a last resort.
The essence of the plan was simple: a portion of the Mist ninjas would act as sacrificial pawns, using their lives to delay the enemy's pursuit while the main force retreated.
It was, without doubt, a measure of last resort.
When Ayata Akikiku had originally devised it, he had not expected to ever use it. It was merely a precautionary plan in case of unforeseen defeat.
But now, circumstances had forced his hand.
With a loud thud, Ayata Akikiku slammed his fist into the tree trunk beside him, his eyes filled with unwillingness.
But no matter how bitterly he resented it, he had no other choice.
The situation was clear: his side's advantage had completely evaporated. Continuing the fight would only lead to a slow and inevitable demise.
In the world of ninjas, where power dictated outcomes, wars might involve countless ordinary ninjas, but the ultimate victors were always determined by high-level combatants.
And right now, the Mist's high-level forces had already suffered a decisive defeat.
If they did not retreat promptly, even if reinforcements arrived, they would still lack the strength to execute their original plan of annihilating the Leaf forces.
Thus, to avoid pointless casualties among his subordinates, Ayata Akikiku resolved to retreat for now.
The Execution of Plan B
Time ticked by.
In just fifteen minutes, despite the chaos of the battlefield, the Mist forces managed to relay Ayata Akikiku's orders to everyone involved in Plan B.
Reactions varied. Some Mist ninjas were visibly ashen, some filled with indignation, while others erupted in despairing fury.
Regardless, by the end of the allotted time, all preparations were complete.
Finally, a sharp whistle cut through the air—a signal for the plan's initiation.
Immediately, part of the Mist forces began withdrawing while the remainder filled their positions, holding the line to block the pursuing Leaf ninjas.
At first, the Leaf ninjas tried to chase down the retreating Mist.
But when the sacrificial Mist ninjas unleashed a barrage of relentless attacks, expending their chakra recklessly to hinder pursuit, the Leaf forces were forced to abandon the chase.
Thus, the Mist's Plan B succeeded.
While some designated retreating forces failed to escape, the vast majority managed to withdraw as planned.
For Ayata Akikiku, that was enough.
Casting a final glance at the comrades who remained behind, Ayata Akikiku wasted no time. "Retreat!"
Without further hesitation, he led the remaining Mist forces forward.
Their destination? Not back to Flying Fish Town, but deeper into the valley—toward the Black Rock Outpost.
It was clear that Ayata Akikiku had not given up entirely—or perhaps this retreat was merely another part of Plan B.
After all, Plan B wasn't simply about escape; it included regrouping with other Mist reinforcements and launching a decisive counterattack on the Leaf's Black Rock Outpost.
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