猿飛ヒルゼン
The village's defenders, a score of some of the best Shinobi left in the village who had been throwing themselves one-by-one, unrelentingly at the Demon Fox, were beginning to gather around the Third. The disappearance of the Fox had given them temporary respite but had also left them with no clear purpose.
"The Fourth has given us a moment to collect ourselves. But it is no indication that he will be able to subdue the Nine-tails by himself."
He looked around at his soldiers. Their faces were lined and haggard. They were tired, they were scared. They had watched many of their own die this night for no more reason than to simply stall the Nine-tails' attention. Many seemed at their limits. Their eyes, however, were lit with a slow-burning fire, a fire which burned directly from the flames in their hearts. It was the Hidden Leaf's Will of Fire - the will to protect those that were huddling in fear inside the village walls - and it never seemed to be burning stronger than it did tonight.
He would have the people he needed.
Hiruzen looked each of the brave people standing before him in the eyes with utmost sincerity. "Many have already given their lives and many more have been taken from us. You have been brave, but our task is not yet finished. Those who are still willing to put their lives on the line for our village, for our family and for our people, come with me. We shall find our Fourth Hokage and we shall do what we can to assist him.
"Those who would return and ensure the security of your loved ones, you may do so." He added as an alternative. With that he went off, moving as fast as his old feet could carry him toward the evil aura that emanated from far over the horizon. Only a small contingent followed behind him.
The rest headed back in the direction of the village to count casualties, to see if those they cared about were still alive, and to sift through the wreck that had been their homes.
He didn't blame them. The aftermath of the night would be wrought with grief and political backlash. There would be a lot of reconstruction and many burials. Even if they did manage to vanquish the Fox, the Leaf's security and position as one of the Great Five Shinobi Nations would be in peril for a time.
Already, the village's former leader thought on how to put up a front to ward off and deter potential invasion from other ambitious Shinobi states.
And then there was the mysterious murder of his wife and his niece along with the disappearance of Kushina. The Nine-tails' release was the work of another human being, perhaps an invader. How one could have gotten past the wards set up by the Fourth Hokage himself he had yet to figure out, and he wondered whether Kushina was even alive.
So many deaths and so little time to grieve. As he neared the source of the night's disaster, as the air grew heavy and breathing became slightly more difficult, the old Kage felt an acute sensation of loss.