Clear at a Glance!

"The original route?"

Hearing Chiba's utterly certain words, Hirohiko frowned slightly, glanced at the footprints on the ground, and spoke.

"Yeah. Can you still make a Shadow Clone Jutsu?"

Chiba nodded firmly and asked.

"Uh... I can."

Hirohiko paused slightly before answering truthfully.

"Then each of us will make one and follow these concealed footprints. Go as far as we can."

After receiving an affirmative answer, Chiba spoke bluntly.

"But if I make a Shadow Clone Jutsu while the Sharingan is active, it can only last three minutes."

Hirohiko frowned. He clearly understood Chiba's intentions. Since their opponent had used a physical clone, they would likewise send physical clones to track him, just in case their original bodies had gone in the wrong direction. The physical clones could then relay the enemy's exact location back to them. With some deduction afterward, it would at least be a viable remedy.

The two Shadow Clones Chiba had created while his Sharingan was active during the earlier psychological gambit had already dispersed. Although one of his Shadow Clones had tracked the Kumogakure ninja, it had ultimately failed to catch up. The memories it relayed only gave him some traces, nothing especially valuable.

"Eh? Right, speaking of Shadow Clones, where are yours? They should still be tracking him, shouldn't they?"

As he thought, Hirohiko seemed to remember something and hurriedly asked.

"Uh..."

Chiba's mouth twitched slightly. "My Shadow Clones have already dispersed too."

There was no helping it. Of the four Shadow Clones he had created during the psychological gambit—two in his own appearance and two disguised as Yukina—they had had to disperse when he treated Hirohiko. Fortunately, the remaining Chakra that returned to him had been enough to treat Hirohiko's burns to the point where Medical Chakra bandages could handle them before Gate