Sakura Haruno's Choice
On the other side--
After the clone's true form was exposed, the Kumogakure Ninja left only a few to deal with it, while the main force continued to maintain the encirclement and kept up with Sakura's pace.
"Her heart is broken by her self-destruction!"
The lead ninja shouted loudly, dodging the clone's clearly suicidal attack, which was intended to take everyone down with it, and signaled to his companions to deal with the clone using throwing weapons and Ninjutsu.
Under this cautious approach, the Ice Clone quickly found itself stretched thin and exhausted, suffering a humiliating defeat.
"It's the final blow, watch me!"
The captain of the Kumogakure Ninja felt reassured, shouted a command, and completed the hand Hand Seals.
Lightning Release: Black Panther!
Black lightning coalesced in the ninja's hand into a majestic cheetah, roaring as it charged fiercely towards the clone with overwhelming force, and then—
Boom!
Ice Release: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals!
The girl, who Body Flicker Technique appeared from beside the clone, casually threw a punch and blasted the majestic Lightning Black Panther into dust!
"Get out of my way, you piece of trash."
As the girl swept past him, her piercing blue eyes glanced at him indifferently, her sharp gaze like a knife, as if she were coldly whispering those words in his ear.
The Kumogakure Ninja froze on the spot. Sakura Haruno glanced at them with her cold, icy eyes, and her imposing aura, as heavy as a mountain peak, enveloped them, frightening them so much that they dared not move an inch!
Sakura Haruno didn't have time to deal with these people; she stepped barefoot onto the eaves and left.
Sakura Haruno's trick allowed her to temporarily escape the encirclement of the Kumogakure Ninja; however, after escaping this encirclement, Sakura Haruno would face an even larger encirclement from the Kumogakure Ninja!
The Raikage didn't lie to her about at least one thing...
To deal with Sakura Haruno, the Kumogakure Ninja have laid a trap!
They were surrounded in front, and relentlessly pursued by the Raikage and Killer B from behind.
Sakura Haruno's Ice Body Flicker Technique was severely restricted within this encirclement. Under layers of surveillance, her Body Flicker Technique Movement medium was often detected before it could be fully formed, making it extremely difficult to use.
Without using Ice Body Flicker Technique, her speed couldn't keep up with the Raikage's, and she quickly fell into a vicious cycle of using Ice Body Flicker Technique to create distance only to be chased back by the Raikage.
This chase lasted for most of the night!
For a full four hours, Sakura Haruno had only moved ten kilometers towards the Land of Fire.
As the battle dragged on, more and more ninjas from the Kumogakure joined the pursuit and encirclement missions.
Hundreds, or thousands?
Sakura Haruno tried to kill several groups of ninja while fleeing, but to no avail; the Kumogakure Ninja continued to swarm like locusts across the massive encirclement.
Every time she stopped, the Raikage and the Eight-Tails would entangle her, wearing down her stamina and preventing her from escaping.
Sakura Haruno increasingly felt that her Body Flicker Technique was becoming increasingly difficult to use.
The girl began to feel like an insect trapped in layers of spider webs, the more she struggled, the tighter she became stuck in the silk.
"Sage Mode? Wind Blade Torrent? Ice Release? Water Release? Or some other Genjutsu?"
She racked her brains trying to figure out a way to break the deadlock.
These techniques could indeed allow her to easily kill Kumogakure Ninja, including those seemingly strong Jonin and Elite Jonin. When Sakura Haruno was truly determined to kill, they couldn't withstand more than a few moves from her. However, they couldn't break the deadlock—her stamina was limited, and even the Chakra within the Yin Seal was finite.
This overwhelming sense of powerlessness, anxiety, and anger led her to a thought.
It's getting slower and slower...
If this continues, I may never be able to escape their encirclement!
Sakura Haruno stopped, slightly out of breath, feeling utterly powerless for the first time.
"What, not running anymore?"
The Raikage caught up, a smug smile on his face, "I already know... you can't escape!"
I'll kill you first!
The girl's face darkened, and with a roar, she unleashed a near-instantaneous Water Gun Technique. The silver blade sliced through the air, heading straight for the Raikage's neck.
Call out!
The Raikage's figure blurred into an afterimage the instant the water fell.
"Save your breath!"
Ai's figure flashed out from another spot on the ground, letting out a cold snort.
The lightning still shone on his body, and a white mark on his neck oozed blood, clearly the mark left by the girl's water blade.
However, it only left a trace, nothing more.
The Raikage's speed is too fast.
He touched his neck, looked at the beads of blood on his fingers, sneered, and licked the blood into his mouth.
"Your Ninjutsu can't harm me!" Ai said coldly. "I've already made up my mind, you can't escape!"
"Face reality! You only have one choice: to obediently become our prisoner!"
"Unless you insist on disregarding the bigger picture and fighting us to the death here! You know the consequences: the Shinobi World will be overthrown by Akatsuki, and your family, friends, and comrades will all perish in annihilation! Can you accept such an ending?"
Ai stared intently at Sakura Haruno, trying to discern despair and despair on her face.
She must be feeling the pressure almost unbearable...
The Raikage was filled with anticipation, but then, to his astonishment, he saw Sakura Haruno smile.
"Ha ha!"
She genuinely laughed, not a desperate, bitter laugh, but a relaxed and relieved smile after figuring something out.
"Why are you laughing?"
A sudden sense of foreboding arose in Raikage's heart, and he asked in a cold voice.
"I was just thinking, you've focused your main forces to intercept me on the route between me and the Land of Fire."
The girl smiled faintly and spoke slowly.
"So... in the opposite direction, your interception efforts should be quite significant."
Raikage was slightly taken aback.
He then said in a deep voice, "Hmph, that direction is towards the Kumogakure. Going that way will only make you die faster!"
"Yeah?"
Sakura Haruno countered with a question, her smile widening.
"By the way, I have a question... The Fourth Hokage, who was faster than you, Jonin world could kill him..."
"So... how did he die?"
She said meaningfully.
That night, the Fourth Raikage A, who had been strategizing and planning all along, suddenly thought of something and his expression changed drastically.
It turned completely ashen.
"What... what do you want to do, Sakura Haruno! I'm warning you, don't make any rash moves!"
He roared, his voice loud and clear, yet tinged with fear.
"Haha! When you were forcing me to make a choice, did you even consider that I could choose this way?"
Sakura Haruno's smile remained calm, but a murderous aura was quietly rising within her.
I'm not running away anymore.
The killing intent emanated from those four simple words, spreading coldly across the open space in front of the two.
Since there's no way to escape, then there's no point in running away.
The girl made her choice.
The Raikage's heart pounded; he already knew what Sakura Haruno was planning.
She wanted to storm into the Kumogakure!
"Since you all want me to stay... then I'll take the initiative."
Ai's eyes widened, his Chakra surged, and he charged towards the girl, throwing a punch at her.
It only struck the afterimage of Sakura as she vanished into the air.
"As expected, this direction isn't well-prepared for my Ice Body Flicker Technique..."
"See you at the Kumogakure, Lord Raikage."
The girl left behind only these few words before disappearing from Raikage's sight.
Ai stared blankly at Sakura Haruno's disappearing figure, his whole body turning cold, and let out a desperate roar.
"Aaaaaahh..."
[Second update.]