Behind their group—in the direction they had originally been heading—a blinding flash of fire suddenly erupted.
Quite a few puppet users instinctively turned to look.
But Shamon shouted, "Keep running! Don't look back!"
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
A series of explosions rang out behind them.
The fleeing puppet users could clearly feel the waves of heat scorching their skin and threatening to melt their bodies.
Fortunately, Shamon turned back and unleashed an exceptionally powerful A-rank Wind Release Ninjutsu, holding back the residual heat from the explosions for a moment.
The hundred or so puppet users who had escaped now watched Shamon in trepidation.
Ebizo stammered, "Huff, huff... H-how could this happen?"
Beside him, Chiyo looked badly shaken and furious with embarrassment. She punched her younger brother on the head and scolded him loudly, "Idiot! I told you they were Explosive Tags, and you argued with me!"
Shamon withdrew his gaze from the explosion site and turned to look back in the direction they had originally come from.
A figure was now speeding toward them from that direction.
Quite a few of the puppet users saw the figure too. Some even cried out, "The Seven-Tails... Jinchuriki?"
Ever since Sunagakure had acquired the One-Tail and the Seven-Tails, the village's ninja had been put through the wringer more than once.
Now that the Jinchuriki had come to help, many of them, who had been feeling lost and confused, were suddenly heartened.
They knew that the Jinchuriki's strength could even rival Lord Kazekage's.
With a Jinchuriki here, what could possibly stop them up ahead?
The Seven-Tails Jinchuriki was a ninja with sallow skin.
He had originally been one of the village's elite jonin. Eight years ago, while stationed at the border, he had been ordered to go to Konoha and bring back a