Chapter 35 - Punishment

I retreated from the battlefield alone while searching for a safe place to recover my stamina and Chakra.

I sometimes looked back to see whether someone was following me.

After 10 minutes of searching, I found a nice dark, deserted-looking cave and subsequently checked the cave carefully to see if someone was already there before. I also checked whether there were traps set up.

Fortunately, there were no traps nor people in the cave, beside me.

'Ha! Jackpot! There is no one here. I will rest here to recover my chakra.'

I sat down and ate some food pills to fill my stomach and chakra. I felt totally comfortable but didn't fall asleep.

'Ahh, this is so comfortable. No battle noises or the annoying sound of metal clashing, just in peace. Maybe I should just stay here until the battle ends.

But if I do that, Ishika would definitely kill me. Is there any way I can return without being seen by others? Hmm....'

I was thinking about what excuses to make, in case Ishika caught me. Suddenly I heard the sound of several footsteps.

I hide immediately and grabbed my buŧŧerfly swords to be readied for battle.

'Who could possibly come to this deserted cave far away from the battlefield?

Are they Iwa shinobi? No, we are the winning side. There is no way they would retreat here.

Then Suna shinobi? Highly likely. Should I attack them first?

But they also could be civilians migrating or one of injured Iwa spies from Suna force.

What should I do???'

While I was thinking carefully, footsteps came closer. I prepared to jump out, then I heard unexpected familiar voices.

"Hey Gari, is it really okay for us to just ditch from the battlefield?"

"Yea, what if someone saw us and tell Kento-san Senko-san about it?"

"Don't worry guys. I made a huge contribution to this battle by getting enemy ambush intel.

Besides, all of us ran out chakra after fighting for almost 7 hours. I am sure they will forgive us."

When I saw the intruders' faces, I was surprised but I relaxed my sword. Intruders were Gari and my two squad members.

'What are they doing here? Did Gari and others also retreat from the battlefield? Is this what we say 'Great minds think alike'? hehehehe'

I stopped hiding and appeared in front of Gari and others.

Gari and others got scared that there was someone else in this cave, but relaxed after seeing who it was.

"You scared the shit out of us. What are you doing here, Genji?" Gari asked me.

"I am here for the same reason as you guys," I answered Gari.

"What? We were chasing several Suna shinobi running away and accidentally arrived here. Were you also chasing Suna shinobi? " Gari shamelessly lied through his teeth.

"Shut up, I eavesdropped you guys about ditching the battlefield." I denied him.

'To think that I meet these guys here. With these guys, I don't worry about my back during the battlefield. It seems like my luck is still good.'

Four of us chatted and rested for 45 minutes and returned to the battlefield right away.

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Sun started to rise as the battle between Iwa and Suna force is about to end.

When Ebizo received news about the number of Suna shinobi survived currently, he couldn't help but frown his face and curse.

"Shiiittttt!!! Out of 958 shinobi, only 133 survived? Our remaining soldiers are not even 150?

Fuck, How the hell did Iwa invasion force struck us from behind? Didn't I order to set an ambush to our rear side?

If it wasn't them, we wouldn't have this much loss."

"Ebizo-sama, please calm down. It seems like the Iwa invasion force already predicted our ambush and countered us using explosive clones." Guard reported to Ebizo in the middle of the battlefield.

'What the fuċk? Did they predict my ambush? When did Iwa have so many talented strategies?' Ebizo wondered.

Ebizo immediately ordered a retreat. He couldn't just stay and let Iwa force kill every last of his force.

He and his remaining his force ran away to the direction of Yudai's force. He just hoped that Yudai's force is near.

Ishika didn't let off Ebizo and his force easily and ordered to chase them.

Me and my squad members just arrived at the scene when Iwa shinobi started to chase off running Suna shinobi.

We joined chasing as naturally as we could. After all, we didn't want others to think we came back at the most convenient timing.

We chased Ebizo and his force until almost it was midday.

Iwa reinforcement and its Invasion force's pincer attack on the Ebizo Suna force was a huge success.

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"So far, we have confirmed around 200 Iwa shinobi losses in this battle. Our current total combined force is around 1700 shinobi.

While Ebizo's Suna force remaining was estimated to be not even 100, sir." Vice-commander of Ishika's reinforcement reported to Ishika in the meeting.

"Unfortunately, Ebizo's remaining shinobi met Yudai's 2000 shinobi force and integrated with it. Now, Yudai and Ebizo are being careful and set up camp 10 km away from us." he finished his report.

In the meeting, there were Senko and several Iwa invasion force leaders.

"Our force is very exhausted from today's battle. But Yudai's force is also tired from rushing all the way here to rescue Ebizo's force.

I am sure Yudai will not provoke us at least this week. Ebizo's loss was too great this time and I am sure they need time to settle things down.

For now, we won't do anything, just increase the patrols.

Also, I heard about the situation regarding Kento's death. We will just tell Kento died during this battle and I succeed in his place.

Okay, dismiss!" Ishika ordered everyone in the meeting.

Just as everyone started to leave, Ishika grabbed Senko.

"Senko, can you bring Gari, Genji, and his two squad members here?"

"Sure, no problem, Ishika-san."

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Me and Gari, along with my two squad members were called to Ishika's tent.

We had a very bad feeling. But it was Ishika's order, there was no way we could disobey.

"Captain Ishika, 4 of us has come under your order," I reported to Ishika.

Ishika looked at us impassively and suddenly punched us.

"You piece of shits. How dare you shits ditch from the battlefield!!

I won't care if you are just regular shinobi, but all of you shits are from explosion corps and are considered geniuses.

What's more, you ȧssholes rested for 1 hour. You dɨċkshits sure are weak as fuċk."

All of us were shocked that Ishika knew about our ditching in detail.

'What the fuċk? How in the naruto's world fuċkɨnġ god did he know?

Did he stalk us instead of fighting with Suna force or what?

How scary!!!'

Ishika continued to punish us for several minutes.

"It seems like you shits need some training. Alright, from now on, all 4 of you will go through week Special Hell training. I will personally guide this training. You shits better get ready, starting tomorrow." Ishika kicked us out after saying.

Although Ishika's punches are painful, his last words gave much more damage to us. His normal training is already considered Hell and we won't dare to imagine his special hell training.

'Fuck, we so screwed!!'

(A/N: For those of you are curious about how Ishika knew.

Ishika was worried about Genji, the Greatest Genius in Iwa, if you haven't forgotten, haha.

He called the explosion corps messenger-bird to follow Genji and save him when his life is in great danger. Genji couldn't detect that bird as it was night and small.

And that bird reported everything it saw to Ishika after the battle.)