Just then, the Sunagakure ninja behind them caught up. Leading them was a Sunagakure Jonin, who formed hand seals with both hands. "Wind Release: Blade of Wind!" A sharp wind blade slashed toward the last member of the team. The ninja failed to react in time and was about to be struck.
"Watch out!"
Kawaki immediately rushed over and used his body to block the wind blade.
With a wet slash, the wind blade carved a deep wound across his back, blood instantly soaking his clothes red.
"Lord Kawaki!" the team member cried out.
"Forget about me! Go!"
Kawaki shoved him away, gritted his teeth, and kept running forward.
Seeing Kawaki injured, Kanon grew anxious. She stopped and formed hand seals. "Genjutsu: Illusion!"
Pale violet chakra spread outward, and the pursuing Sunagakure ninja instantly fell under the genjutsu. Countless duplicates appeared before their eyes, making it impossible to tell which targets were real.
"Go!"
Kanon shouted and quickly caught up with the team.
With the genjutsu disrupting their pursuers, everyone picked up their pace considerably.
Before long, they spotted Konoha's outpost ahead. Konoha ninja were patrolling outside it.
"They're allies!"
Shinku's heart lifted, and he shouted, "We're Konoha's reconnaissance squad! Open the gate!"
Upon seeing them, the patrolling ninja immediately opened the outpost gates and let them inside.
Once inside the outpost, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Shinku immediately arranged for the wounded team members to receive treatment, then took Kawaki and the intelligence scroll to the outpost's command room.
Inside the command room, a middle-aged ninja was studying a map. He was the outpost commander, Yamashiro Aoba, an experienced Jonin.
"Lord Aoba!"
Shinku pushed open the door and said loudly, "We're the border reconnaissance squad, and we have critical intelligence to report!"
Yamashiro Aoba looked up. Seeing