Sora had eliminated the seven Kumogakure shinobi, leaving only the last Special Jōnin standing.
As the Special Jōnin attempted to escape, Sora's voice came from directly behind him.
"Trying to run? Is this how you honour the sacrifice of your comrades?"
The Special Jōnin's eyes widened in shock. When had Sora gotten behind him? Moments ago, he was still in front... It must have been a Clone Technique.
With his keen sensory skills, Sora pinpointed the Special Jōnin's exact location. The Kumogakure shinobi quickly raised his sword to counterattack, but it was too late—Sora's ninja sword had already pierced the back of his skull, killing him instantly.
Sora withdrew his blade, flicking the blood from it before sheathing it. Without hesitation, he returned to rejoin the main force.
The Konoha shinobi who had been following Sora's Shadow Clone exhaled in relief upon seeing the real Sora return. Following only a Shadow Clone had left them uneasy, but now their leader was back.
Once Sora returned, he noticed that Namikaze Minato and the five shinobi who had accompanied him had yet to rejoin the group. Using his sensory abilities, Sora determined that Minato's team had already taken down four of the seven Kumogakure shinobi they were pursuing. However, two of Minato's own team members were injured, and the battle seemed to have reached a stalemate as Minato worked to protect them while handling the remaining three enemies.
Deciding not to focus further on Minato's situation, Sora led the main group forward. The mission was progressing as planned, and regardless of the outcome of Minato's skirmish, the pursuit by Kumogakure had been successfully thwarted. Sora knew he couldn't afford to divert his attention further—Minato's team was on its own.
About an hour later, Namikaze Minato finally rejoined the group, but only four of the five shinobi he had taken with him returned. Among the two injured shinobi Sora had sensed earlier, both were alive, but one of the remaining three had died in battle.
Minato approached Sora and gave a quiet report. "The seven Kumogakure shinobi have been eliminated," he said before retreating silently into the ranks, looking visibly dispirited.
Sora glanced at him briefly and smirked in disdain. In protecting two injured teammates, Minato had lost another fully capable comrade. On the surface, it might have seemed like a victory, but Chiba saw it as a significant loss.
The two injured shinobi were now liabilities, unable to contribute much in future battles. Furthermore, Minato would likely feel obligated to protect them during any upcoming skirmishes, which meant dragging along two burdens.
'Sacrificing a capable fighter for two deadweight shinobi... Ridiculous,' Sora thought.
"Oh, is this what they call the bond between comrades?" he muttered with a mocking laugh. "Glad I don't have any."
Without sparing another glance at Minato, Sora resumed leading the team forward.
Orochimaru and Jiraiya, both veterans of the Second Shinobi War with extensive combat experience, manoeuvred with ease through the dense forest filled with natural obstacles. Faced with the relentless pursuit of Kumogakure shinobi, the two Sannin skillfully used their expertise to slow the enemy's advance.
However, the sheer number of Kumogakure shinobi in the area presented a significant challenge. Shinobi stationed in the surrounding regions were converging on the location, and their systematic use of ninjutsu to clear traps and hidden dangers allowed them to move at an accelerated pace.
The pursuit tightened as the Kumogakure forces coordinated from multiple directions, forming a pincer movement to encircle Sora's main force.
Sora, fully aware of the worsening situation thanks to his sensory abilities, quickly realized the gravity of the predicament.
The retreat had already lasted nearly 22 hours, and it would take at least another 14 hours to rendezvous with the reinforcements from Konoha. After a moment of calm reflection, Sora issued a decisive order.
"All shinobi! Dispel your Shadow Clones and other clones! Follow me as your leader, and we will break through the encirclement!" he commanded.
Sora relayed his assessment of the situation and the plan to break through to Orochimaru via a summoned snake. Maintaining Shadow Clones at this stage was now counterproductive. Once the enemy's encirclement was complete, the clones would only reveal the ruse, wasting precious chakra in the process. It was far more effective to dispel them immediately and focus their efforts on breaking out before the trap was fully set.
The Konoha shinobi, under Sora's command, were startled to learn that they were already surrounded. Despite their surprise, they obeyed without hesitation, dispelling their Shadow Clones and other techniques. Their trust in Sora wasn't rooted in camaraderie but in his leadership. So far, none of his orders had led them astray.
With the clones dispelled Sora led the group forward at full speed. Before long, they encountered signs of Kumogakure shinobi ahead. Using his sensory abilities once more, Sora confirmed that the enemy forces were moving even faster than he had anticipated. Several Kumogakure shinobi had already moved to block their path, while others in the surrounding area were closing in, preparing to encircle them completely.
Sora halted abruptly and turned to the shinobi behind him. "I'll clear a straight path. Your job is to follow along that path as best as you can. If anyone falls behind, hide and wait for a chance to escape on your own. Don't expect others to help you. If you do, you're only putting your comrades at risk."
As he spoke, his gaze briefly settled on Namikaze Minato and the two injured shinobi standing beside him. Minato lowered his head, clearly affected by the unspoken rebuke, while the injured shinobi avoided meeting Sora's eyes, their shame evident.
Sora exhaled slowly, his breath forming a white mist in the cold air. Placing his hand on the hilt of his ninja sword, he took a deep breath and murmured, "Breath of Thunder: Seventh Form—Flame Thunder God."
Lightning erupted from Sora's body, crackling as it coalesced into the form of a blue thunderdragon. In a flash, Sora surged forward at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye, slashing through the Kumogakure shinobi, blocking their path. The ground beneath him blackened, and the surrounding trees collapsed as the thunderdragon tore through the forest. The shinobi in his way were dismembered in an instant, unable to react before they fell.
The Konoha shinobi followed closely behind, running across the scorched earth that Sora had cleared. The partially formed encirclement of Kumogakure shinobi was torn open, creating an escape route.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru received Sora's message and informed Jiraiya. "We need to withdraw. Sora has already begun the breakout."
"Breakout?" Jiraiya repeated, surprised.
Orochimaru nodded. "Yes. Sora noticed that Kumogakure's forces were on the verge of surrounding them. If they don't break out now, they'll be completely trapped. Let's move to join them."
Abandoning their skirmish with the nearby Kumogakure shinobi, Orochimaru and Jiraiya retreated, heading toward Sora's position.
As Sora continued clearing the path, he felt confident that his chakra reserves were sufficient to push further. However, he abruptly stopped when his sensory abilities detected a significant number of shinobi ahead—roughly eighty. The sheer scale of the enemy's presence forced him to reconsider his approach.
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