Even Running Away Can Make You a Hero!

Boom!

A dense barrage of explosions rang out, unleashing a tremendous shockwave and kicking up clouds of dust.

Taking advantage of the opportunity.

Team 9 took off running for their lives.

Even Minako gritted her teeth and jogged along, gradually falling behind.

"They really left me behind."

Watching the boys' figures grow farther and farther away, Minako felt despair well up inside her.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, a figure came sprinting back from the distance.

It was Hankuang.

"You little weakling! Get on."

Hankuang bent down and urged her on.

He really hadn't planned on coming back.

But who could blame him, after all? He had held her in his arms while sleeping for an entire night.

Chapter Fourteen: Even Running Away Can Make You a Hero!

Hankuang carried Minako on his back and took off running for his life.

"After them!"

Amid the billowing dust, a group of ninja rushed out and immediately locked onto Hankuang.

But the next moment.

They all came to a sudden stop.

They saw the fleeing boy fling out another bundle of Explosive Tags, which scattered through the air with a rustling sound.

"The Konoha brats are this extravagant?"

"They throw out Explosive Tags by the bundle?"

Faced with so many Explosive Tags, the group had no choice but to hide again.

Several minutes later.

Hankuang reunited with Team 9.

To his relief, those guys still knew to come back and support him.

"I really didn't notice just now."

Kakashi looked awkward as he tried to explain how they had lost their client.

Although he was a genius, even a genius would panic when so many Chunin suddenly appeared.

"Hankuang, thank goodness you're all right."

Obito breathed a sigh of relief, feeling fortunate for his good friend.

They had originally been running away together, but at some point, Obito realized that Hankuang and the client were missing.

That was why Team 9 had come back to support them.

"What do we do now?" Rin asked anxiously, full of unease.

"Keep running. Set up some Explosive Tag traps along the way to slow down the pursuers."

Kakashi stated their plan, then continued.

"As long as we reach the Daimyo Palace, we should be safe."

"No!"

Hankuang immediately rejected Kakashi's suggestion.

In this situation, they absolutely couldn't run along the main road, because they wouldn't be able to conceal their movements.

As for the Daimyo Palace being safe?

These unidentified ninja had already come to block them at the border. How could the Daimyo Palace be safe?

What kind of joke is this?

"If we don't head toward the Daimyo Palace, where are we supposed to go?" Kakashi asked with a frown.

"Into the woods." Hankuang's tone was decisive.

"The woods? Once we enter them, our speed will be severely reduced."

"Have you considered that if our speed is reduced, the pursuers' speed will be reduced as well?"

According to Hankuang's plan, entering the woods would not only slow the pursuers down but also scatter them.

Once the pursuers were scattered, their chances of survival would increase.

By all rights, Kakashi really should have understood such a simple analysis, shouldn't he?

It seems the mission is still the most important thing in his eyes.

After glancing at Kakashi, Hankuang reached his verdict.

I hope Kakashi knows when to yield. Otherwise, I'll have to run on my own.

Team 9 entered the woods.

As soon as they entered, Hankuang led them straight across.

This direction led neither toward the Daimyo Palace nor back toward the Land of Fire.

"You're going the wrong way," Kakashi reminded him.

"I'm not."

Hankuang didn't even turn his head. He continued leading the way.

Obito and Rin were a little dumbfounded.

So was it wrong or not?

In the forest.

Hankuang raised his head and identified their direction by the sun before continuing to lead the group through the woods.

Kakashi was responsible for clearing their traces.

After all, he was a genius ninja. He had to do some things worthy of a genius.

An unexpected mishap suddenly occurred.

Minako twisted her ankle.

With no other choice, they used branches to make a simple stretcher and had Obito and Rin carry Minako forward.

"Hankuang, can we really escape?"

Rin was carrying the stretcher, her face filled with worry.

Rin was deeply concerned about their current situation.

Although entering the woods had temporarily shaken off the pursuers, they would definitely be found if the enemy launched a large-scale search.

Especially since the team was now carrying Minako, their speed had been severely reduced.

Hankuang understood Rin's concerns perfectly well.

The difference in numbers between the enemy and their side was simply too great.

Half an hour later.

On a secluded mountainside.

Hankuang and Kakashi stood in the trees and saw birds scattering at the foot of the mountain.

"They're searching, and there are a lot of them," Kakashi said grimly.

Although he had cleared their traces along the way, they had been in too much of a hurry, and quite a few traces had still been left behind.

"If you fought them, how many could you handle?" Hankuang asked, turning his head.

"Four or five shouldn't be a problem. Seven might be my limit."

Kakashi answered seriously.

He said this after taking all the factors into consideration.

"Seven, huh..."