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Akira Tsubaki hoisted Minako onto his back and ran wildly.
"Chase!"
A group of enemy ninjas burst out of the smoke and dust, immediately focusing their pursuit on Akira Tsubaki.
But the next moment.
Their steps all halted.
The fleeing boy tossed out another huge stack of Detonating Tags which scattered across the sky with a 'crash!'
"That Konoha brat is arrogant, isn't he?"
"He's using Detonating Tags one stack after another?"
Faced with such a massive volume of explosions, the enemy was forced to scatter and dodge once more.
A few minutes later.
Akira Tsubaki merged with the rest of Team Minato.
To his relief, they had come back to provide support.
"I truly didn't notice you were gone just now," Kakashi said, slightly embarrassed, trying to explain losing the employer.
He was a genius, but faced with over fifty Chūnin suddenly appearing, even the genius had panicked.
"Akira, it's great that you're safe," Obito sighed with relief, thankful for his good brother.
The team had initially run together, but Obito quickly realized that Akira Tsubaki and the employer were no longer with them. Only then did the rest of Team Minato turn back to handle the situation.
"What should we do now?" Rin asked anxiously, filled with dread.
"Continue to escape, and set up explosive traps along the way to slow down the pursuers," Kakashi provided the immediate countermeasure. He continued, "As long as we enter the Daimyō's Manor, we should be safe."
"No!"
Akira Tsubaki immediately rejected Kakashi's suggestion.
In this scenario, they absolutely could not stay on the road, as their whereabouts would be impossible to conceal.
As for the safety of the Daimyō's Manor?
These unknown ninjas were already blocking people at the border. Safe? What a joke!
"If we don't run toward the Daimyō's Manor, where are we going?" Kakashi frowned.
"We're plunging into the woods," Akira Tsubaki's tone was sharp.
"The woods? If we enter the woods, our speed will be drastically slowed."
"Then have you considered that if we are slowed down, the pursuers will also be slowed down?"
In Akira Tsubaki's calculation, entering the woods would not only slow the pursuers but also force them to disperse.
Dispersing the enemy meant the squad's probability of survival increased.
Logically, given such simple analysis, did Kakashi really not know this?
"I'm afraid in his eyes, completing the mission is still the most important thing," Akira Tsubaki judged internally, glancing at Kakashi.
"I hope Kakashi can be sensible, otherwise, I can only run away alone."
Team Minato plunged into the woods.
As soon as they entered, Akira Tsubaki led them on a weaving, unpredictable route.
This direction was neither toward the Daimyō's Manor nor back toward the Land of Fire.
"You're taking the wrong direction," Kakashi reminded him.
"That's right," Akira Tsubaki replied without turning back, continuing to lead the way.
Obito and Rin were confused. Was this wrong, or right?
In the forest, Akira Tsubaki looked up, identified their direction using the sun, and kept leading the team.
Kakashi was responsible for meticulously cleaning up their tracks.
This is a genius ninja, always doing what a genius should do.
Unexpectedly, Minako sprained her ankle.
They had no choice but to construct a simple stretcher out of tree branches, with Obito and Rin taking turns carrying Minako.
"Akira, can we really escape?"
Carrying the stretcher, Rin was deeply worried.
The gap in numbers was simply too large.
Although they had temporarily evaded the pursuers by entering the woods, if the enemy conducted a large-scale search, they would surely be found.
Especially now, with the team carrying Minako, their speed was severely compromised.
Akira Tsubaki understood Rin's fears perfectly.
The numerical difference is critical.
Half an hour later.
On a hidden mountainside.
Akira Tsubaki and Kakashi stood on a tree, spotting scattered, rising birds at the foot of the mountain.
"They are searching, and there are many of them," Kakashi said gravely.
Although he had tried to clean up their tracks along the way, he had missed a lot due to the rush.
"If you engaged the enemy, how many could you defeat?" Akira Tsubaki turned and asked.
"Four or five shouldn't be a problem; seven or eight might be the limit," Kakashi responded seriously, based on a combination of factors.
"Seven or eight…"
Akira Tsubaki stroked his chin.
That number seemed significant, but there was one massive issue: How much stamina and Chakra would Kakashi have left after defeating eight pursuers?
The pursuers weren't stupid; they would undoubtedly send up a signal.
Once dozens of enemies descended upon hearing the signal, Team Minato would be instantly wiped out.
It now seems that fleeing into the woods was only delaying the time until they were annihilated.
"Oh~~"
Sighing, Akira Tsubaki truly did not want to resort to this.
In this situation, he had no choice but to consider his escape plan.
As for the others?
Good luck to everyone.
Back at the temporary hiding spot, Akira Tsubaki explained their current predicament.
"The current situation is that even if we continue to run, the pursuers will eventually catch up."
The air fell silent.
Dozens of Chūnin hunting a Genin squad—there was no chance of survival. Even Kakashi wasn't confident of getting away cleanly.
Seeing that the mood was perfectly set, Akira Tsubaki began paving the way for his run.
"However, there is one last way!"
"A way?"
"What solution?"
"You still have a plan?"
Obito and Rin hurriedly asked, even Kakashi looked disbelieving.
In this situation, is there truly any way out?
Being stared at by the group, Akira Tsubaki felt a little awkward.
Clearing his throat, he spoke.
"Currently, the only option is for someone to lure the enemy away."
Lure the enemy away?
Isn't that just a suicide mission?
On the ground.
Obito clenched his fist, lacking the final courage to speak.
Rin opened her mouth, but no sound came out.
Kakashi glanced at Minako, hesitated, but remained motionless.
Seeing their reactions, Akira Tsubaki let out a breath of relief.
"Kakashi, from now on, the team is dependent on you."
Glancing at Kakashi, Akira Tsubaki left that sentence, turned, and walked down the mountain, simply and efficiently.
"Akira!"
Obito cried out softly.
Then, he watched Akira Tsubaki wave his hand without looking back, as if offering his final farewell.
"Akira…"
Rin's eyes were slightly red, staring at the retreating figure.
That back looked incredibly tall.
"Is that your choice?"
Kakashi murmured to himself, a belief he had always held in his heart quietly shifting.
"Akira," Minako silently whispered the name, etching it into her memory.