Chapter 7: Ashes (Part 1)
Ambushes are an efficient means of killing—but when used too frequently, they border on dishonorable conduct.
Fortunately, in the world of ninja, no one bothers with notions like honor. On the battlefield, victory is not determined by moral character but by sheer effectiveness.
At this point, Yugami Genshin already held the upper hand against the lone remaining enemy. With the cooperation of Yugami Gensukawa, the outcome was obvious.
As Genshin himself had said earlier: two against one—there was only one way this would end.
Now, the enemy's corpse lay at Genshin's feet, his face frozen in an expression of unwilling defeat. Gensukawa knelt beside the body, collecting what tools and ninja gear he could to replenish the ones he'd used earlier.
"Two-thirds down... we've taken out more than half of them. Next, we should move to support Ryunosuke. Hopefully, we'll still get a shot at wiping them all out."
But the answer was likely: no.
"Yes, Clan Leader," Gensukawa responded stiffly.
His face was taut, his emotions a blur—a mix of relief at surviving, confusion at the absurdity of the situation, and even a trace of helplessness.
He couldn't comprehend how Genshin had suddenly grown so powerful, nor how he had managed to eliminate the enemy so swiftly.
Could it really have been just a well-timed Transformation Technique that secured the kill? Was the Transformation Technique truly that versatile and effective in real combat? That didn't make sense.
Still, regardless of his inner turmoil, Gensukawa followed Genshin without hesitation. The two of them set out to support the third battlefield.
But enemies aren't programmed drones that blindly follow orders. Battlefields are dynamic. And when surveillance tools are available, shifts in the tide are quickly noticed.
The final enemy team had already received long-distance intel from their scout ninja. They were fully aware that their two other teams had been completely wiped out.
So by the time Genshin and Gensukawa arrived near Ryunosuke's location, the last five enemies had already retreated.
Though they didn't know exactly what had transpired, the rapid disappearance of ten chakra signals was undeniable. And not just any ten—all ten. That alone said enough.
It meant their comrades had met an overwhelming force. And if even the most powerful squad leader was among the first to fall, what chance did the rest stand?
Faced with such a reality, fleeing didn't require intelligence—just instinct.
Abandoning the mission and escaping became not only reasonable, but the only logical choice.
Genshin reached Ryunosuke and immediately noticed his condition. He was badly injured—his left leg bore several deep, penetrating wounds, and he was rapidly losing blood. Immediate treatment was critical.
Had they arrived even a little later, Ryunosuke likely would've died on the spot.
His expression was one of disbelief. He'd been prepared to die—yet, inexplicably, the enemies had retreated on their own.
Genshin and Gensukawa's timely arrival confirmed one thing: the clan leader had succeeded in wiping out his designated targets, just as planned.
But… how?
How could that be possible?
"Clan Leader, shall we pursue? The enemy is about to slip out of my line of sight," Gensukawa called out from atop a tree.
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Eliminating the enemy completely was, of course, the ideal outcome—it would prevent any intelligence leaks and further safeguard the location of their own forces.
If even a single enemy escaped, it could mean a swift and ruthless retaliation.
Although they had taken down ten enemies, the opposing faction's overall strength remained largely intact—and still far surpassed their own.
After some thought, Yugami Genshin shook his head.
"Forget it. We're in no shape to pursue."
Everyone on their side was injured, and one of them needed urgent medical attention. More importantly, the enemy had already begun retreating, guided by their reconnaissance ninja. "Visual tracking" alone wouldn't be enough to follow their precise escape route.
"They might bring back reinforcements," Gensukawa couldn't help but say, even though he understood Genshin's decision was a rational one.
"I know," Genshin replied calmly. "We'll likely face an even fiercer reprisal soon. But… this was their best chance. And even then, they failed to wipe us out. It'll only be harder for them from here on."
"We need to relocate again. As long as we get even a moment to regroup and catch our breath, they won't be as terrifying."
Something in Genshin's words sparked a faint sense of confidence in the other two. They had no choice but to believe in him.
The truth was, they understood they lacked the capacity to pursue. They had just been momentarily tempted by the rare chance to annihilate the enemy—and having to let that opportunity slip away left a bitter taste.
But Genshin truly wasn't concerned anymore. He was beginning to believe that his rate of growth had already surpassed that of his enemies. In that case, time was on his side.
It was ironic, really. The reason the Yugami clan had suffered such devastating losses—almost to the brink of extinction—was because they had chosen to die defending their village.
Now, forced into exile as wandering ninja with no home to return to, their mobility had become their greatest asset. They were harder to track, harder to pin down.
Repelling this latest attack meant only one thing—the enemy had lost their trail. And tracking down a small ninja clan on the run wouldn't be easy.
"Don't be too discouraged," Genshin said, tending to his comrade's wounds as he spoke. "Even if we do cross paths with the Tsugawa clan again and are forced to fight… who's to say how that battle would turn out?"
Gensukawa approached just in time to hear that and added, "Yeah, who knows? Maybe before we even meet them again, the Tsugawa clan gets wiped out by some other ninja faction."
Genshin turned to glance at him, resisting the urge to retort. Did you even hear what I said? I meant we'd win with our own strength. How did you turn that into dumb luck?
Still, he had to admit—Gensukawa had a point. In times like these, entire clans could vanish overnight. Even a mid-sized ninja clan might look fine one day and be erased the next.
After stopping Ryunosuke's bleeding, Genshin treated his own shoulder wound and wrapped it tightly. The three of them took a short rest, then set off to locate the other remaining clan members.
Truthfully, those left behind were in no condition to defend themselves. If they'd run into enemy ninja—or even a wild beast in the forest—they would've suffered devastating losses.
Thankfully, their luck hadn't run out just yet. Genshin and the others soon located the rest of the clan. They were hidden deep within the forest, safe for the time being.
After a brief explanation of what had just happened, the group began moving once again—heading in the opposite direction, away from the battleground.
Where exactly they were headed didn't matter. What mattered was putting as much distance between them and this place as quickly as possible.
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