Chiba's Goal?

"Wind Release: Rotation Wind Void Blade?"

Watching the dense barrage of sharp wind blades flying toward them, the three Root Jonin felt their scalps go numb.

This ninjutsu was clearly a combination of "Wind Style: Wind Blade," "Eight Trigrams: Rotation," and "Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm."

It could unleash a massive, long-range cutting attack of wind blades in all directions, with no blind spots.

But it had to be said, it was indeed highly effective.

The Earth Spikes and Water Lightning Dragon created by the three Root Jonin were swallowed by countless wind blades in an instant.

The remaining wind blades continued rushing toward them.

"Not good!"

"Defend immediately... no, they're too fast!"

"Ah!"

The three Root Ninja tried to use defensive ninjutsu, but before they could finish their hand seals, countless wind blades had already cut into their bodies.

Before long, there were three fewer living Root Ninja here, and three more mangled corpses.

"This Shadow Clone was created when my main body was already running low on Chakra. After repeatedly practicing ninjutsu and fighting just now, even though I briefly meditated to recover Chakra earlier, have I finally reached my limit?"

After muttering that, Chiba's Shadow Clone stopped attacking. With a bang, it dissolved into a cloud of smoke and vanished.

At the same time!

Inside a hidden temporary cave!

"The first group of pursuers has reached the location of the first Shadow Clone?"

Chiba's main body was sitting cross-legged in meditation, recovering Chakra just like his earlier Shadow Clone had done.

After receiving the memories and experiences sent back when the first Shadow Clone dispersed, he lowered his head in slight contemplation. "My other Shadow Clones are practicing ninjutsu in different locations and directions, while waiting for other pursuers."

"For the time being, I shouldn't have to worry about anyone finding me."

"Besides, my recovery speed seems even faster than I expected..."

Chiba carefully sensed his condition. In just this short time, at least one-third of the Chakra he had consumed had already recovered.

He could use the Tenseigan again.

If necessary, he could even briefly activate Tenseigan Chakra Mode once more.

"Theoretically, unless they're Kage Level, or special Jonin like Kakashi, who can use Kamui, or Gai, who opens the Gate of Death as soon as he sees an enemy, the other pursuers can no longer threaten me."

"Once I recover more Chakra, even fewer people will be capable of threatening me."

After estimating his current strength, Chiba felt considerably more at ease.

He admitted that directly attacking the Hokage Building this time had been somewhat risky, but the power granted by his Tenseigan had reduced that danger to a controllable level.

It had also confirmed something for him: as long as he kept fighting, he could further awaken the Tenseigan.

Compared to the Scroll of Sealing and those Ninjutsu Scrolls, this was his greatest gain from this operation, and the one most crucial to his future.

"I'll rest for a while, then continue on my way."

After casting aside the cluttered thoughts in his mind, Chiba devoted himself fully to meditation and Chakra recovery.

About three hours later!

"Found it. This is the place!"

Under the night sky, with a half-moon hanging high and stars scattered overhead, a group of people appeared outside the cave where Chiba had been meditating.

"So he's already gone?"

Hatake Kakashi looked at the empty cave, which held almost no useful traces. There was little surprise in his exposed eye, which resembled a dead fish's eye, as he continued, "Hyuga Chiba left Shadow Clones at every key location. That means we can't approach him without him noticing."

"Unless we're faster, we have no chance of catching up to him."

"After these three hours, he may already have recovered to his peak condition. With just the few of us, even if we do catch up to him, we likely won't have the ability to keep him there. We may not even be able to retreat unharmed."

A Jonin from the Hyuga Branch Family, sent by the Hyuga Clan to assist Kakashi and the others, carefully searched the surroundings with his Byakugan before offering his own assessment. "Judging from this direction, the remaining traces of Chakra, and the various marks left behind, Hyuga Chiba should have headed toward the Land of Rivers."

"The Land of Rivers? What a headache." Nara Shikaku, who had long since been released from Chiba's control and had arrived here with Kakashi, let out a helpless sigh before analyzing, "The Land of Rivers lies between the Land of Fire, the Land of Rain, and the Land of Wind."

"It has a great many mountains and rivers, making it ideal for hiding."

"We also can't pursue Hyuga Chiba there in a grand manner, or we might cause disputes between nations."

"In other words, if Hyuga Chiba hides in the complicated terrain of the Land of Rivers, combined with his powerful Tenseigan, we'll basically have no way to capture him."

Before Kakashi and the others could react, Nara Shikaku gave another guess after thinking rapidly. "Although I only met Hyuga Chiba once, I don't think he's the kind of person who would be content to hide once he possessed sufficient strength."

"Even his defection from the village this time may have been part of his original plan."

"After leaving the village, he headed straight for the Land of Rivers without much hesitation."

"But no matter how I think about it, I can't figure out what in the Land of Rivers would attract him."

"So, if my prediction is correct, his true target should be the Land of Wind on the other side of the Land of Rivers!"

"Sunagakure, the One-Tailed Jinchuriki!" Hearing this, Kakashi instantly understood what Nara Shikaku meant, and his expression became even more solemn. "Hyuga Chiba's greatest weakness right now is that, although the Chakra in his body seems far greater than that of an ordinary Jonin, it still isn't enough to sustain Tenseigan Chakra Mode for long."

"Once he obtains a Tailed Beast, that weakness may be overcome."

"He will then truly become an 'invincible' existence!"

Akimichi Choza, who had remained silent until then, asked in confusion, "But how would Hyuga Chiba use One-Tail Shukaku to give himself an endless supply of Chakra?"

"Does he intend to become the One-Tailed Jinchuriki himself?"

"It's not impossible." Nara Shikaku nodded. "Don't forget that his Tenseigan can control other people, and the Scroll of Sealing he stole contains the Eight Trigrams Seal."

"If he wishes, he may indeed be able to release Shukaku from the original Jinchuriki's body, then seal him inside himself and become the new One-Tailed Jinchuriki."

"Or perhaps his Tenseigan possesses some special ability that we don't know about."

"But all of that depends on whether he truly intends to do this, and whether he can break through Sunagakure's various defensive measures..."