Spirit Transformation Technique

Just moments ago, while using Lightning Release, many of the Sand ninja had defended themselves with Wind Release ninjutsu to varying degrees. This natural elemental advantage had significantly weakened the power of the lightning attacks.

Having dodged the lightning assault, the ninjas of the Sabaku Clan immediately engaged the four members of Team 6, who were armed with shuriken and kunai.

"Ninja Art: Spirit Transformation Technique!"

Kato Dan's soul flew out from his body, heading straight toward the enemy Sabaku ninjas. Wherever his spirit passed, many Sand ninja were caught off guard and struck down; within moments, over a dozen of them collapsed to the ground.

On a cliff dozens of meters away, Sabaku Chiharu watched the shifting battlefield. Seeing over a dozen of his clansmen perish at the hands of the Konoha team, he flew into a rage and shouted at the ninja beside him, "A bunch of useless trash! Rōsha, how many men do we have left?"

"Father, aside from the dozen currently engaging those four Konoha ninjas, there are twenty-some clansmen remaining on the surrounding cliffs," Rōsha replied calmly.

"Hmph, send them all down! I refuse to believe that over thirty of us can't take down those four," Sabaku Chiharu roared temperately.

"Yes." Upon receiving the order, Rōsha waved his hand, and the twenty-some clansmen hidden in the darkness immediately leaped from the cliffs, joining the battle against Team 6.

Seeing more and more ninjas joining the fray, Uchiha Matsuri felt deeply frustrated. With the enemy hidden and them exposed, and with no knowledge of the enemy's total numbers, pointless fighting would only drain his chakra. Once his reserves were spent, they would be lambs to the slaughter.

At the start, the four members of Team 6 had managed to hold their own against the Sabaku Clan ninjas by relying on their ninjutsu.

However, after ten minutes of intense, white-hot combat, as their chakra levels gradually dwindled, the four members of Team 6 began to lose ground, and the numerical advantage of the Sand ninja became increasingly apparent.

By this point, even Uchiha Matsuri, who possessed the largest chakra reserve of the three, had very little left.

"Yin Seal: Release!"

With his chakra nearly exhausted, Uchiha Matsuri had no choice but to release the Yin Seal. In an instant, an endless surge of chakra flooded into his body, and he felt the fatigue vanish from his limbs.

Compared to Uchiha Matsuri, who possessed the bug-like effects of the Yin Seal, Kushina Uzumaki and Nohara Shin were not so fortunate. As the fighting continued, the scratches and wounds on their bodies grew more numerous.

After more than half an hour of fierce battle, only Kato Dan, being a Jonin, was faring slightly better. Uchiha Matsuri and his two companions had shifted from losing ground to being on the verge of being overwhelmed. The situation was rapidly turning against Team 6.

"What do we do? There are too many of them, we can't hold out!" Kushina Uzumaki wiped the blood from her face and shouted to Nohara Shin and Uchiha Matsuri nearby.

"She's right! If we keep fighting like this, we'll be worn down to death sooner or later," Nohara Shin added.

Damn it.

After waving his hand to kill a ninja before him, Uchiha Matsuri shouted, "What else can we do? Everyone, try to move toward the Land of Fire!"

Although the hope of breaking through was slim, the three of them fought desperately to move in the direction of the Land of Fire. As for whether they could escape the encirclement, it would be up to fate.

Elsewhere.

Kato Dan was locked in a fierce battle with the surrounding Sand ninja.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

After unleashing the Great Fireball Technique, the eight enemies surrounding Kato Dan were immediately reduced to six.

"This won't work. I have to escape quickly." Kato Dan glanced at the enemy reinforcements pouring in and gritted his teeth, his resolve hardening. After repelling a ninja, he suddenly shouted to Uchiha Matsuri and the others, "Matsuri, you three find a way to break through! I'll cover your retreat."

"How can we do that? We're a team! We live together, we die together!" Nohara Shin shouted back emotionally.

"Don't be naive. It'll be a miracle if even one of us makes it out," Kato Dan yelled. "Matsuri, take them and find an opening to escape, now!"

Uchiha Matsuri glanced at the struggling Kushina Uzumaki and Nohara Shin, then dodged an attack and moved to their side.

Seeing the three of them finally gathered together, Kato Dan smiled, then pressed his hands to the ground.

"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!"

Within a dozen meters, the ground instantly turned into a muddy swamp. The ninjas who had been standing there found their feet sinking into the mire, rendering them temporarily immobile.

"Go!" Seeing the technique Kato Dan had used, Uchiha Matsuri realized he was buying them time to escape!

Hearing his command, Kushina Uzumaki and Nohara Shin hesitated for only a moment before following Uchiha Matsuri as he sprinted toward the Land of Fire.

"Trying to run?" Sabaku Chiharu looked at the three with disdain. "It seems the Konoha team isn't as united as they claim! To think they'd just abandon their comrade and run."

Seeing Uchiha Matsuri break through the encirclement and head toward the Land of Fire, Sabaku Chiharu hurriedly ordered, "Rōsha, take the dozen ninjas who can still move and pursue them! Kill them at all costs!"

"Yes, Father." Rōsha acknowledged the order and led the dozen Sabaku ninjas in pursuit of the trio.

After breaking out of the encirclement, the three of them ran with all their might toward the Scarlet Valley in the Land of Fire. Although they were still a day and a half away from the border—with the Land of Rivers and the Land of Rain separating them from the Land of Fire—it was questionable whether they had the stamina to make it. Still, once they reached the Scarlet Valley, it would be like entering a labyrinth; it was far easier to escape in a maze than on an endless, open plain.

Glancing at the pursuers behind them, Kushina Uzumaki said anxiously, "Matsuri, they're catching up."

"It's fine. At our speed, as long as we reach the bottom of the Scarlet Valley, we'll have a chance to shake them off," Uchiha Matsuri reassured her.

Minutes later, seeing the pursuers closing in and his own stamina reaching its limit, Nohara Shin completely collapsed. He took one last look at Uchiha Matsuri and Kushina Uzumaki, who were running at full speed, and gasped, "I... I can't run anymore. You two go on, I'll stay behind to cover you."

"That's not happening!" Uchiha Matsuri shouted as he ran. "Dan-senpai already stayed behind to fight for us; I won't allow anyone else to fall!"