Fujita stretched out his hand to catch the scroll. In the darkness, he could feel Fujita looking in his own direction at Qianren, but he didn't make any movement, instead turned and left.
"Huh!" Seeing this, Chao Yanqian was also secretly relieved. In all fairness, Chao Yanqian really didn't want to die with this guy named Fujita. Although this guy had the strength of a jōnin, Chao Yanqian still felt it would be a waste.
Waiting for Fujita to leave, Chao Yanqian also left silently. Without the Byakugan guiding the way, Chao Yanqian could only be careful and cautious, ensuring that Suna's patrol team wouldn't find him.
Feeling something wrong with the current situation, he immediately used the Transformation Jutsu, and it took about half an hour before rushing back to the sand cave.
However, once Chao Yanqian returned to the sand cave, he found the place was empty. It seemed that Minato Namikaze had completed their mission and left. Or maybe the location had been compromised, so they had to relocate.
Chao Yanqian didn't know whether Minato had time to save Hinata Keita, but all this could only be known after he returned to the Konoha camp.
And it was obviously not the time to consider that issue. Since they had separated from Minato Namikaze, escaping from the Land of Wind was now Chao Yanqian's biggest problem.
He drank a little water, ate a bit of dry food, and walked toward Den Qianmei, leaving the sand cave under cover of night, heading in the direction of the Land of Rain.
The current environment was very unfavorable for Chao Yanqian. Most of the Land of Wind was desert, with no terrain to hide in.
It was night now, so the situation was slightly better, but if it were daytime, the enemy a few hundred meters away would easily spot Chao Yanqian's tracks. Without the assistance of the Byakugan, trying to escape Suna's layers of defense during y
the day was simply a fool's dream.
So, these few hours before dawn were the last opportunity to escape the Land of Wind.
Even though Chao Yanqian wasn't a sensory-type ninja, he was very alert. Perhaps it was due to strong mental power, but he could often sense danger before it appeared.
Spotting a Suna patrol team from afar, he immediately used Transformation Jutsu to hide. He had tried this method many times. If the enemy hadn't received prior intel, an average ninja would often overlook something that looked ordinary.
"I heard there was a raid on the village by Konoha ninjas today. I wonder if they were caught," said a very short man who looked much younger than his actual age—he was barely 1.5 meters tall despite being in his twenties.
"Kuraki, don't underestimate that ninja. He's said to be a disciple of Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Sannin. His name is Minato Namikaze. Despite his young age, he's already made a name for himself," said one Suna shinobi.
"Kuraki, Asai—you two must not underestimate Minato Namikaze. If he could infiltrate our village alone and escape, he must be exceptional. If we encounter him, don't engage. First, relay the information," another ninja said in a deep voice.
"Understood, Captain Yuki!" Kuraki and Asai responded in unison.
Chao Yanqian, who was still transformed, had an unpleasant expression. Damn it—these three were getting closer. If they got too close, even with strong chakra control, experienced ninjas might still sense something.
If discovered, Chao Yanqian would have no choice but to fight. And if other Suna shinobi arrived, he'd be dead for sure.
What to do?
Should he run now or wait and bet on luck?
They were close!
The three Suna-nin passed by Chao Yanqian. He held his breath, suppressing every movement. He was so close to the Land of Rain. Just another hour or two and he'd be safe. He absolutely couldn't get caught now.
It was past 3 a.m., and daylight would arrive in two hours at most. If Chao Yanqian was delayed here and couldn't escape the Land of Wind before dawn, his chances of survival would plummet.
He glanced at the three Suna-nin, and suddenly noticed Kuraki's eyes glowing faintly green—like a wild beast's in the dark.
Dangerous eyes. Had he been discovered?
He glanced at the other two again and saw Yuki glancing at him—intentionally or not.
He gritted his teeth—he'd strike first.
If they had already found him, taking the initiative would give him the advantage. If they hadn't, a sudden sneak attack might eliminate them before they reacted.
He threw four kunai—no special technique, just a distraction.
Kuraki, Asai, and Yuki dodged in time. As Yuki evaded, he also counterattacked with kunai.
"Sure enough, I've been found." Chao Yanqian felt a chill. Luckily, he acted first. If he had hesitated and been attacked first, he would've been in serious danger.
He released the Transformation Jutsu and sprinted straight at Kuraki, aiming a kunai at his throat.
"It's just a kid! Die!" Kuraki sneered, ignoring the attack, and stabbed toward Chao Yanqian's heart.
Psh!
At the last moment, Kuraki leaned back, dodging Chao Yanqian's strike. His own kunai pierced Chao Yanqian's chest.
Strange body movement. No wonder he was fearless.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Asai threw several kunai, pinning Chao Yanqian in the back.
Chao Yanqian grinned as he clutched Kuraki's arm—and then his entire body turned to dirt.
Earth Clone Jutsu!
Boom!
The exploding tag hidden in the clone detonated, seriously injuring Kuraki.
Chao Yanqian had grown fond of using exploding tags. Though expensive, they were effective. When hidden on the body, they were great for surprise attacks. And they consumed little chakra—perfect for a ninja like Chao Yanqian, whose chakra reserves were low.
Suddenly, a powerful killing intent ripped through the night, locking onto Chao Yanqian as a massive blade came crashing down.
It was Yuki—the Suna jōnin—with a blade.
At the same time, Chao Yanqian felt his leg grabbed from underground. But Kuraki had been gravely injured. Yuki was above with a blade. Asai was still on the side. Then… who was this person underground?
Damn it—it's a trap!
Chao Yanqian felt dread swell in his chest.