Uzumaki Kuming and Hatake Sakumo escaped right under Rasa and Karura's noses, but the two didn't continue their pursuit. Pakura was gravely injured, and Ichikawa Zo had already been killed by Kuming. Rasa and Karura alone couldn't guarantee they could capture both Kuming and Sakumo.
For all they knew, Pakura might also be killed by Konoha during a clash. Sunagakure had already lost a senior elite, and if they lost Pakura, a Kekkei Genkai user, as well, Rasa would likely face severe punishment when he returned to the village. With that in mind, neither Rasa nor Karura gave chase.
Instead, they worked to stabilize Pakura's condition and waited for reinforcements to arrive. Time passed slowly as they waited.
The sky began to darken. Around dusk, Kuming and Sakumo, who had fled, finally caught up with Nara Shikaku and the others, rejoining them successfully.
By then, they had traveled a considerable distance from the border between the Land of Rivers and the Land of Wind, but no one could relax. Sunagakure had tracking methods of its own, and the poison in Aburame Shibi's body hadn't been fully cleared. Until Shibi was cured, the Konoha shinobi still had to be wary of pursuit.
In a dense forest within the Land of Rivers, Kuming and the others established a temporary campsite beside a large tree.
"Captain, how did things go with the Sunagakure shinobi?"
"Did you take care of all your opponents?"
Only after they reached a relatively safe place and got Shibi settled did Shikaku have time to ask Sakumo and Kuming about their battle with Sunagakure. Until then, Shikaku hadn't dared let his guard down for a moment, staying alert for pursuers who could appear at any time.
"Kuming killed the puppet master and grievously wounded Pakura of Scorch Release."
"As