On Kakashi's shoulder, Pakkun said, "The scent's gone."
"What does that mean?"
Kakashi's brows furrowed.
He had been prepared to trade a severe injury for a chance to strike, but now Pakkun was saying the scent had vanished.
Pakkun explained, "Either they're using the blood of the injured to mask their own scent, or… you scared them off!"
"How's that possible?"
Kakashi was speechless but didn't dare lower his guard.
"Let me try!"
Shizune, dragging her injured body, limped toward the gravely wounded Asuma.
Everyone knew Shizune's actions were tantamount to suicide, but with no better options, they could only heighten their vigilance and watch as she put herself in danger.
Soon, Shizune reached Asuma and began performing medical ninjutsu.
An Anbu with some medical ninjutsu knowledge also risked approaching Hayate to treat him.
Seeing that neither Shizune nor the Anbu treating Hayate was attacked, the group finally confirmed the enemy might have truly left.
Kakashi approached Asuma and Hayate, quickly assessed their injuries, and then ordered the others, "Get all the wounded to the hospital and notify the barrier team to come!"
Yamato leaned in and asked, "Kakashi-senpai, did you really scare that guy off?"
Kakashi shook his head.
Even if his plan to lure the enemy had gone perfectly, it would've only been a trade of heavy injuries. Given the situation, the enemy had no reason to retreat.
"Unless…"
Kakashi's gaze shifted to the still-churning sea of trees in the distance.
…
Boom
In the sea of trees, after shattering another wave of attacking trees with a punch, Shinji pressed forward without pause, leading the breakout.
Ryuzetsu and Chino, flanking him, wore expressions of utter bewilderment.
Perhaps because they, too, had trained in the "Twelve Palaces," or perhaps because they often sparred with the Leader, they were extraordinarily familiar with his attack patterns, speed, and strength.
Especially Chino, with her "Ketsuryugan," could judge familiar individuals through subtle details like blood that others couldn't notice.
Thus, while coordinating closely with Shinji during the breakout, they vaguely realized Shinji might be the Leader.
Shinji had long noticed their suspicion, but he had no intention of hiding it.
First, he needed Ryuzetsu and Chino's strength right now. Second, as shinobi from Hidden Grass Village, not one of the five great nations, they had no conflicting loyalties. Having been personally trained by him for so long, their loyalty was reliable.
Swish
At that moment, the First Hokage leapt forward, closing in on Shinji.
Without wasting words, Shinji met the First's assault head-on and instructed Chino beside him, "Clear the nearby 'Wood Release'!"
Hearing that familiar tone, Chino acted without hesitation, activating her "Ketsuryugan."
In an instant, she sliced her wrist, drawing some of her blood. With a grip of her right hand, the blood gathered in her palm as if alive, forming a thin, three-to-four-meter-long blood blade.
Swish
With a whistle of cutting air, the blood blade slashed outward, severing all trees and vines in its path, accompanied by a series of booming explosions.
"This!?"
Naruto and Sakura's eyes widened.
Even Sasuke was visibly shocked.
He had wondered how Chino from Hidden Grass Village had defeated Yakumo. Now, seeing her abilities, he had his answer.
Not just Naruto and Sasuke—Haku and Karin were also taken aback.
Though Karin knew Chino was planted in Hidden Grass Village by the Leader, like Ryuzetsu, and was a comrade in the organization, she hadn't expected Chino to have such techniques.
The First Hokage, clashing with Shinji, glanced at Chino but quickly looked away.
To modern shinobi, the "Ketsuryugan" might seem a mysterious dojutsu, but to the First, who grew up in the Warring States period, it held little mystique.
Though Chino's "Ketsuryugan" pupil power slightly exceeded his expectations, it still wasn't enough to draw his full attention.
At that moment, the Second Hokage darted from the other side, aiming straight for Naruto, who was carrying Sasuke.
"Watch out!"
Sakura cried out.
As Haku and Karin prepared to intervene, Ryuzetsu moved faster, intercepting the Second Hokage and engaging him in taijutsu!
From a distance, Orochimaru watched Ryuzetsu and Chino coordinate with Shinji, showing signs of breaking through. His expression darkened as he thought, "I didn't expect these two kids from Hidden Grass Village to be this strong!"
Boom boom
With two muffled thuds, Shinji and Ryuzetsu repelled the First and Second Hokages simultaneously.
Shinji didn't stop. "Don't get bogged down. Keep breaking through!"
The enemy were "Impure World" bodies. Without sealing them with sealing jutsu or erasing them with "Truth-Seeking Orbs," no matter how many times they were defeated, they'd recover quickly.
"Understood!"
The group responded and followed Shinji closely.
Swish
Suddenly, a flash of cold light appeared without warning, aimed straight at Shinji's throat.
Shinji remained calm, dodging with a tilt of his head while swinging his right fist forward with force!
Boom!
With a massive crash, a transparent, blurry figure was sent flying by Shinji's punch, crashing through countless trees before finally stopping.
Ryuzetsu asked, puzzled, "What was that just now?"
Chino shook her head, equally confused.
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, farther back, hadn't even noticed the sudden attack.
Shinji, staring at the rising dust in the distance, narrowed his eyes slightly.
Honestly, he hadn't clearly seen what attacked him either. He had only reacted in time thanks to his "killing intent perception," allowing him to counter calmly.
If he had relied solely on his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, he might not have dodged that strike so easily.
At that moment, Chino, with her "Ketsuryugan" active, pointed to the dust cloud. "There's someone there, and their chakra is strong!"
Though her "Ketsuryugan" wasn't a Byakugan, its keen blood-sensing ability allowed her to detect nearby signs of life.
Karin, guarding the rear, didn't say anything but silently activated her "Mind's Eye of the Kagura."
In the crater…
Still in his "Transparent Release" state, Ranmaru felt dizzy. He hadn't expected his supposedly foolproof strike to fail.
On his way here, neither Hidden Leaf's Anbu nor their jonin had been able to resist him.
Yet, he had stumbled against Uchiha Shinji.
Pat pat
Ranmaru climbed out of the crater, brushed off the dust, and thought, "That must have been a fluke. I don't believe Uchiha Shinji can see through my Transparent Release!"
With that, his figure flickered, and he struck again.