Chujiu's voice was steady and forceful, filled with confidence and certainty.
Hearing his order, his comrades answered in unison, "Yes!"
Their crisp response conveyed even stronger confidence, nearly reaching the point of fervor, leaving the fifteen sheltered Konoha ninja stunned.
The First Mixed Recon Squad had arrived ahead of time, surveyed the terrain, and set up a simple ambush position.
Yamanaka Chujiu took Nara Shikano with him and inspected the area from the pursuers' perspective, ensuring that the position would not be discovered too early.
Nara Shikano said, "There's no need to be so meticulous. The pursuing Kumogakure Ninja are burning with rage, and after running dozens of kilometers, they'll neither be willing nor able to scout carefully."
Yamanaka Chujiu said, "If you want success, you must never tire of examining every detail."
"No one can guarantee that the Kumogakure Ninja won't suddenly lose their minds. If some exposed detail forces our ambush to begin early, our comrades will have to pay for it with their lives."
Nara Shikano fell silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled. "It's truly fortunate to be able to fight under your command."
Yamanaka Chujiu snorted. "Nonsense. If you comrades end up paying with your lives, I'll be in danger myself."
Yamanaka Chujiu's calculations had been off. The Kumogakure pursuit force lost their target midway and spent a full forty extra minutes circling around before finding the right trail and catching up.
By the time they appeared on the circular map of the Heart Severing Realm, the Konoha ninja had rested for over an hour. They were fully refreshed, and some were even getting impatient from waiting.
When the two sides closed to within five or six hundred meters, the Kumogakure Ninja discovered the deliberately planted clues, sending the pursuing force into a frenzy.
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