After three hours of fleeing, the Sand Hidden ninja forces and the regular army escaped their pursuers and retreated to a nearby city to await orders.
There were still people guarding the city, and with the advantage of the terrain, they could temporarily hold off the enemy.
Of course, it was estimated that they would have to abandon this place soon, as the Land of Wind no longer had the power to protect it.
The previously annexed land seemed to be a fleeting dream, and everyone's spirits were very low.
They had thought that this time they could finally achieve a decisive victory, but instead, they encountered such a crushing defeat.
After a rough count, the elite samurai army of the Land of Wind was almost completely annihilated, and most of the remaining forces were disorganized.
The Sand Hidden Ninja Village also suffered heavy losses.
Excluding those missing, dead, or captured, the Sand Hidden ninja forces were left with less than three hundred people.
More importantly, there was the loss of high-level ninjas.
Leaving others aside for now, Chiyo's Chikamatsu Collection of Ten Puppets was more than half destroyed.
Even with the blueprints, it would take a considerable amount of time to rebuild them in a short period.
During this time, Chiyo's strength would undoubtedly decline significantly, which was undoubtedly a huge loss for a puppet master.
As for Ebizō, the leader of the Sand Hidden Ninja Village, his situation was even more severe.
In front of Itachi Uchiha's Mangekyo Sharingan, because Itachi Uchiha was using the highly draining Izanagi: Corpse Demon for the first time, he only managed to hold on for two seconds, which allowed Ebizō to barely escape with his life.
Despite this, Ebizō's left arm and part of his body's soul were largely devoured by the Shinigami's illusion.
As a result, Ebizō's left arm completely lost all sensation, and he could neither move it normally nor channel chakra through it.
Furthermore, the left side of his body also became difficult to move.
In the words of medical ninjas, Ebizō was semi-paralyzed.
Although he could still reluctantly walk, fighting would likely be impossible.
His strength had significantly declined.
He would have trouble facing even a Chunin, let alone a Jonin.
Ebizō was Chiyo's younger brother and also her family.
How could Chiyo bear to see him in this state?
She had the village's most skilled medical ninjas treat Ebizō, but they couldn't find any solution because Ebizō's injuries stemmed from the soul level, and ordinary medical ninjutsu couldn't heal them.
After Orochimaru's hands were sealed, he used the forbidden jutsu of Living Corpse Reincarnation to transfer himself into someone else's body, and by readapting to the body, he was able to use ninjutsu again.
However, Ebizō did not possess such a secret technique.
First, her son fell into the hands of the Hidden Leaf Village, and now her younger brother had become like this.
Even Chiyo, with her strong will, couldn't help but burst into tears at this moment, sobbing uncontrollably.
Fortunately, she was in Ebizō's recovery room at the time, and no one saw her in such a vulnerable state.
"Sister," Ebizō said.
Although half of his body was almost paralyzed, he could still speak.
His gaze held a hint of sadness as he looked at Chiyo and said, "We were wrong.
This battle was wrong from beginning to end.
The turning point we imagined was just a mirage.
The Hidden Leaf Village had already planned this; they wanted to lure us out."
"What should we do next?" Chiyo also seemed quite flustered at this moment.
"The village's combat strength is completely depleted.
The entire village has less than seven hundred troops left.
Continuing to fight is probably impossible to win.
This time, we have truly lost too thoroughly."
"What else can we do, Sister?" Ebizō seemed very helpless.
"Let's stop the war.
We no longer have any chance of victory.
Stopping the war now might still lead to a decent outcome.
If we truly exhaust all the remaining vitality of the Sand Hidden Ninja Village, what face do we have to meet the deceased former Kazekage?
As long as we can preserve our vitality, there will be a chance to rise again in the future.
As long as we have a foundation, we are not afraid to try again."
"But, but..." Chiyo's lips trembled slightly.
She found it difficult to accept that they had paid such a heavy price, yet gained nothing, and now had to humiliate themselves by seeking peace.
The Sand Hidden Ninja Village was the one who initiated the war, after all.
"Sister, do you remember what the former generation said?" Ebizō was referring to the words spoken by the Second Kazekage, Shamon, at the end of the First Great Ninja War.
If there was still a chance in the future, they should strive for it, but if not, they should rebuild their relationship with the Hidden Leaf Village.
Chiyo was silent for a moment.
She had to admit that the Sand Hidden Ninja Village had truly failed in this war.
Having a dignified end now was the best possible outcome.
As for the other countries, what else could they manage?
The Sand Hidden Ninja Village itself was barely holding on.
"As a responsibility for the failure of the war, I will resign from the position of Kazekage," Ebizō said, looking with a bitter smile at his completely numb left arm.
"I can't be Kazekage now either, Sister.
I'll have to trouble you during these days.
The specific measures for the ceasefire will all be handed over to you, and I'll also have to trouble you to find a suitable candidate for the new Kazekage."
"You've worked very hard," Chiyo said, understanding how much pressure the strategic Ebizō had borne during his time as Kazekage, and she held Ebizō's hand tightly.
"This time, we must choose a truly responsible Kazekage," Ebizō said quietly.
"To be honest, I was never meant to be Kazekage.
I'm more suited to be a strategist.
Putting me in a leadership position means having too many things to consider, which prevents me from utilizing my abilities."
Chiyo, of course, understood that her younger brother was more suited to be an advisor who offered suggestions.
Making him a leader would restrict his ingenious strategies.
A leader needed to consider too many things, which in turn limited Ebizō's strengths.
However, in the Sand Hidden Ninja Village at that time, besides Chiyo and Ebizō, who else had the ability to serve as Kazekage?
There was originally a most suitable person, but he died at the hands of Fumori Masaki, causing a problem in the succession of the Second Kazekage.
"I will choose carefully," Chiyo said.
Although she said this, she had little confidence in her heart.
In the Sand Hidden Ninja Village, where personnel losses were severe, was there really someone who could shoulder such a great responsibility?
"Yes, thank you, Sister," Ebizō nodded gently, then looked out the window.
At this time, the sun was setting in the west, and the slowly descending red sun seemed to be foreshadowing something.
He said somewhat distractedly, "Sister, I've been thinking, are we no longer suitable for this era?
The ninja villages created by the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, which led to the era of great nations, still had a place for us to display our talents.
But in the new order that the current Hokage—Fumori Masaki—is trying to establish, is there no longer a place for us?"
Chiyo was stunned for a moment.
She didn't know how to answer Ebizō.