Early morning.
Atop the walls of the Central Fortress.
Ōnoki looked over the battlefield one final time.
Too many Iwa shinobi had died here for this stretch of land.
Every inch of soil was soaked in blood.
And now, they had no choice but to give it up voluntarily.
"Tsuchikage-sama." Ishikawa walked over. "The troops are ready. We can depart at any time."
Ōnoki gave a slight nod, then turned to face the Iwa shinobi preparing to leave.
Their faces were filled with reluctance and sorrow.
"Everyone!" Ōnoki's voice rang out, echoing across the camp, "I know you're unwilling."
"I know you feel wronged."
"But we have no choice."
"The granary was destroyed by forces from the Land of Fire. Our supplies are gone."
"If we remain here, we will only starve to death on this battlefield."
"Therefore, we must retreat."
"Retreat to Iwagakure."
"There, we will fight them again."
His voice grew louder and more forceful. "I know retreating is a disgrace."
"But only by surviving, can there be hope."
"As long as we defend Iwagakure, as long as we protect the Land of Earth..."
"One day, we will reclaim everything we lost today!"
"Yes!" the Iwa shinobi responded in unison.
Though their voices carried bitterness, their determination remained unshaken.
"Move out!"
Ōnoki gave the order.
The Iwa shinobi began their retreat in an orderly formation.
They left the Central Fortress.
They left this blood-drenched land behind.
They began their journey back to Iwagakure.
Meanwhile, in the Allied Forces' camp in the distance...
The scouts quickly spotted Iwa's movements.
"Report! Iwagakure has started retreating!"
Rasa and Orochimaru exchanged a glance.
"As expected." Orochimaru smiled. "Ōnoki made the only correct decision."
"Should we pursue?" Rasa asked.
"Of course." Orochimaru chuckled. "But don't follow too closely."
"Harass them. Wear them down."
"By the time they return to Iwagakure, they'll be completely exhausted."
"Understood."
Rasa nodded.
Soon, the Allied Forces also began to move.
Five thousand troops followed closely behind the retreating Iwa forces.
From time to time, two-thousand-man units would split off to flank and strike from both sides.
They wouldn't engage in full battles. Just unleash a few Ninjutsu and retreat.
Leaving Ōnoki unable to respond...
Land of Lightning, Kumogakure.
The Village that once belonged to Kumo was now occupied by Iwa.
Iwa had set up a camp in this village.
In the command tent, the commander of the front held a military order personally written by Ōnoki.
Iwagakure had been attacked. The granary destroyed.
Reading the report made his hands tremble.
Following that was Tsuchikage-sama's order—to abandon Kumogakure and retreat to the Land of Earth.
As the overall commander of the Land of Lightning front, he didn't want to retreat. He didn't want to give up.
But the situation at home...
This military order carried more weight than anything. He could only imagine how much heavier it had been for Tsuchikage-sama to write it.
"Sir."
A deputy walked in. "All units have received the order. They're awaiting your command."
The commander set down the military order and said, "Gather all captains. We're holding a meeting immediately."
"Yes."
Soon, over twenty Iwa captains gathered inside the command tent.
Their expressions were grim.
Clearly, the news from Iwagakure and the retreat order weighed heavily on their minds.
"Gentlemen." The commander looked around the room. "You've all seen Tsuchikage-sama's order."
"We have," one captain replied through clenched teeth. "But sir, do we really have to retreat?"
"We've been fighting in the Land of Lightning for so long. We finally carved out a foothold—"
"What else can we do if we don't retreat?" another captain cut in. "The granary's been destroyed. We have no supplies. If we stay here, we'll starve."
"But..."
"No buts."
The commander made his stance clear. "Tsuchikage-sama's decision is my decision. Begin preparations for retreat."
Though unwilling, the captains still acknowledged the order.
"Also," the commander continued, "be on high alert for the Allied Forces' pursuit during the retreat."
"Especially Kirigakure and Sunagakure. After fighting them for so long, they won't let us go easily."
"All units must stay vigilant."
"Understood." The captains nodded.
"Go prepare. Meeting dismissed."
As word of the retreat spread among the troops, the atmosphere grew heavy.
"Tsuchikage-sama really ordered a full withdrawal from the western front?" a young Chūnin asked in a low voice.
"Yes," the Jōnin beside him nodded. "The order came last night."
"And our comrades on the Land of Grass and western fronts have also been ordered to retreat."
The Chūnin fell silent.
He had only just become a Chūnin.
He had finally followed the main force into the Land of Lightning and thought he'd get a share of the glory.
But now... they were pulling out?
"Not satisfied?" the Jōnin asked, seeing through his thoughts.
"Yeah." The Chūnin nodded. "We've sacrificed so much, and now we're just giving up..."
"What else can we do?" the Jōnin sighed. "The granary's gone. We're out of supplies."
"If we keep fighting, we'll be wiped out."
"Tsuchikage-sama didn't want to retreat either. This is a last resort."
The Chūnin lowered his head.
He knew the Jōnin was right.
But in his heart... he just couldn't accept it.
Land of Lightning, Allied Forces Camp.
Gensui from Kirigakure was in a meeting with Sunagakure's representative.
"Iwagakure is retreating." Gensui smiled. "Should we pursue?"
The Suna representative shook his head. "Gensui-sama, our mission was only to tie down Iwa."
"Now that they're withdrawing on their own, our mission is complete."
"No need to pursue."
"That's what I thought too," Gensui nodded. "If Iwa wants to retreat, let them."
"We've been fighting for long enough. It's time to rest."
The two exchanged smiles.
They understood each other well.
Iwa's retreat was good news.
Now they could slowly divide the spoils of the Land of Lightning.
Why chase Iwa down and risk losses, only for others to benefit?
"However," Gensui added, "Konoha doesn't seem to think that way."
"Oh?"
The Suna representative turned to look toward Konoha's camp.
He saw Uchiha Fugaku leading a Konoha unit preparing to depart.
"The Uchiha Clan Chief..."
The Suna representative shook his head. "Konoha really is a good ally."
"Good ally?" Gensui laughed. "I'd call it greed."
"Before, the Land of Lightning could rival the Land of Fire. But now, only the Land of Earth remains."
"Of course they won't let this chance slip by."
The Suna representative nodded. "Seems like the Land of Fire has secured its position as the dominant power in the shinobi world."
They chatted a bit more before returning to their respective camps.
Their minds were already made up.
No pursuit.
Let Konoha chase.
After all, it wasn't their men who would die...
Meanwhile.
Land of Grass front.
Iwa's commander Kitsuchi also received the retreat order.
"What? Retreat?" Kitsuchi stared at the scroll in his hands, stunned.
"Father-sama ordered us to fall back to Iwagakure?"
"Yes." The messenger nodded. "The granary has been destroyed. The front lines are out of supplies."
"Tsuchikage-sama has decided to abandon all fronts and regroup for the defense of Iwagakure."
Kitsuchi went silent, his face pale.
After a long pause, he exhaled deeply.
"Pass on the order. Prepare to retreat."
"Yes."
(To be continued.)