Generally speaking, as a ninja, one should have strong resistance to all kinds of enemy provocations and baiting words. It was like being a player—you had to learn to ignore your opponent's trash talk.
For example, words like, "Look at what this is," or, "If I call your name, do you dare answer?" Someone at White Fang's level would immediately realize there was a trap involved.
But reality was often more fantastical than imagination. Something that left everyone dumbfounded happened: when Araki smashed Aburame Shihui with his sword, forcing him to let out a pained groan, Hatake Sakumo—who had nearly become a speck of light in the distance—actually stopped fleeing.
Seeing Hatake Sakumo stop running, Araki revealed a subtle smile.
He had won the bet!
Sure enough, as though it had been arranged by fate, Hatake Sakumo would hesitate when faced with a choice between the mission and his comrades.
So he continued shouting, "If you want to save your comrade, then return Lord Blood Fang's head to us!"
This time, Hatake Sakumo fell silent.
Blood Fang's head was a crucial item for completing the [Investigate Kirigakure Secrets] mission. If he lost it, the mission would fail without question. But Aburame Shihui was also tied to the completion of the [Silence Them] mission. If he ignored him, then that mission could not truly be considered successful either.
After all, although he had already dealt with those three Root ninjas, it would all be meaningless if Aburame Shihui were captured alive.
And as a captain with a strong sense of responsibility, he naturally wanted to bring back everyone he had led out in one piece.
While Hatake Sakumo was torn with indecision, two squads of Mist Village Anbu quietly moved to encircle him under Raiga Kurosuki's command.
Clearly, he did not