CH_63

Tōji woke up in a tent he didn't recognize. He tried to move, but the pain was so sharp he nearly screamed.

"Hsss~ hsss~" Tōji forced his groans as low as possible, his face scrunched tight around his eyes, a few tears leaking from the corners.

"Tōji, you're that sensitive to pain?" Hearing the commotion, Natchi—who'd been on watch outside the tent—walked in while still chewing on dry bread.

"How long was I out? How's everyone?" Tōji tried to speak without moving any other part of his body, to avoid more pain.

"Just under a day and a night. Captain Kenji got pretty banged up in the fight, but nothing like you." Natchi sat down right on the ground—after all, there weren't any chairs around.

"I…" Tōji could only recall fragments of the attack. He tried wiggling his fingers and toes to check if he still had all his limbs.

"Looks like I've still got all my arms and legs." Tōji confirmed.

All he could remember was that after entering the woods in the Land of Grass, he'd been suddenly bound tight by a 【Water Whip】. Within two seconds, lightning coursed through that whip…

But he hadn't lost consciousness completely—just been stunned by the shock…

『Did someone cut me with a blade after that?』

"The cuts you took were all on your chest and back—nothing got severed." Natchi said. "Good thing the one who sliced you was only a Kiri chūnin—otherwise, the first cut would've hit your heart."

…Was that supposed to be comforting?

"Well, lucky me…" Tōji didn't know what else to say.

"Our squad wasn't too far from a few others—none of them got hit. You're the only one who got taken out of the fight."

"Captain Kenji probably wouldn't have taken much damage on his own. Against Kiri-nin of that level, he could hold his own. But he had to rush in to save you, and he took a few serious hits for it. Still, he's healing faster than you."

"Those Kiri-nin were deadly at silent assassination and ambush. But once the captain engaged, he took them down pretty quickly. Me and Neru didn't even have to do much."

After Natchi's explanation, Tōji still had questions.

"So where are we now?"

"We're already back at the Land of Fire border. Not long after we ran into those Kiri-nin, word came in from the front. The Kiri forces in the Land of Grass aren't that big—and for some reason, they seem to be pulling back."

"We made it back here last night. We're waiting for new orders from command. Neru says we might be heading back to the village in a day or two."

"So I got hurt for nothing…" He hadn't even been there long enough to get properly started, and now he was heading back with a body full of wounds… Tōji didn't know what he'd done to deserve such bad luck.

"Maybe you could volunteer for battlefield cleanup?" Natchi's tone didn't sound like he was joking.

"You volunteering to go with me?" Tōji shot him a look.

"What are you two chatting about? Tōji, you're awake?" Neru appeared at the tent's "doorway," lifting the flap and peeking in, trying to see past Natchi.

"Oh, Neru. Yeah, I just woke up." Tōji could turn his neck without pain—the burns from the electric shock must have been treated. But Neru's 【Healing Technique】 clearly couldn't fully heal the deeper sword wounds.

"A medical team will come check on you soon. Once you can walk, we'll head back to the village." Neru didn't seem to have much else to say—just relaying the news.

"That's great. We'll still have time to sign up for the spring Chūnin Exams!" Natchi suddenly brought up a word Tōji had almost forgotten about.