A hollow somewhere along the straight line between Konoha and the foothills where the delivery room was located.
"Tap!"
With a soft landing, the Masked Man slowly straightened up and surveyed the vast clearing at the foot of the mountain, surrounded by dense vegetation.
This will do.
That Taki Chiba was skilled in Water Release and Earth Release. He now seemed to have mastered the Chakra Nature Transformation of Wind Release as well. Given his strength and the advantage of high ground, his Wind Release was likely formidable too.
According to the intelligence, Taki Chiba had also mastered a Secret Technique similar to the Eight Gates, one that could instantly increase his Chakra reserves and certain physical functions. It was similar to the Eight Gates, but apparently lacked its side effects. Relatively speaking, though, its boost was not as great as the Eight Gates'.
And judging from what had just happened, he should have activated that Secret Technique. It also seemed capable of increasing Chakra reserves after one's normal Chakra had nearly run out. Though it could not exactly be called replenishing Chakra... No, that did not matter.
This will do.
After that glance, the Masked Man settled there completely. A series of thoughts flashed through his mind before he finally made his decision.
"The original body, he stopped again!"
At that moment, elsewhere, the Earth Clone Chiba, who had stopped to perform a routine sensory sweep, suddenly spoke up, calling out to the original Chiba ahead of him. The original wore a grave expression, frowning as he thought, though his pondering often ended in helplessness and bitterness.
"He stopped again?"
Hearing this, the original Chiba abruptly halted on a branch ahead, then turned back and asked in confusion.
"Yes, he stopped."
The Earth Clone Chiba seemed somewhat unable