"No."
Kawaki Aoba immediately refused, his tone firm. "Teacher Shinku and the others just went through a major battle and are still clearing out the remaining enemies. We can't cause them any more trouble. Besides, our mission is to investigate Sunagakure's movements. Now that we've encountered an Elite Jonin, this is the perfect chance to gather intelligence. How can we retreat so easily?"
"But... he's an Elite Jonin. There are only two of us—one Chunin and one Jonin who was just promoted. Can we really beat him?"
Morino Takuya's voice carried a trace of fear. Though he was a Chunin, his combat experience was far inferior to Kawaki Aoba's. Facing an Elite Jonin from Sunagakure, he could not help but lack confidence. "What if he has an ambush waiting? The two of us won't be able to hold out at all. Then not only will we fail to obtain any intelligence, we'll die for nothing."
Kawaki Aoba turned to look at Morino Takuya. There was no mockery in his eyes, only calm encouragement. "Takuya, have you forgotten what Teacher Shinku told us before we set out? As Konoha shinobi, no matter how powerful an enemy we encounter, we must never retreat lightly. Besides, if I dare to stay, I'm confident I can handle him. You don't need to fight him head-on with me. Just keep watch for any ambushes nearby. The moment you spot anything unusual, signal me immediately. Understood?"
Morino Takuya bit his lip. Seeing the determination in Kawaki Aoba's eyes, some of the fear in his heart gradually faded. He nodded firmly. "Understood! Aoba, don't worry. I'll do my job scouting properly. I definitely won't hold you back. But you need to be careful too. Sunagakure's Elite Jonin are all very cunning, especially with their Sand Release. It's