Sunagakure's Hero? Already Dead!

Above the canyon, the Four-Sided Sealing Formation still flashed violently.

After being teleported to higher ground, Yugito Nii braced one knee against the rock wall, blue Tailed Beast Chakra surging unsteadily around her body.

She did not continue gathering a Tailed Beast Ball.

If that thing came again, the first to collapse would probably not be the Hidden Leaf group, but this barrier, which was already cracked.

Dodai did not dismiss his Lava Release defense either.

The five remaining Hidden Cloud elites retreated near the rubber sphere, making it clear that they had no intention of risking their lives for Sunagakure any longer.

Chiyo stood on the shattered platform, watching the retreating Hidden Cloud shinobi and the freed Minato, her heart sinking.

The situation was out of control.

They had not lost to Minato Namikaze.

Nor had they lost to that twelve-year-old Hidden Leaf brat.

The unexpected factor was Pakura recovering her Chakra.

Scorch Release had held back Dodai and freed Minato from the burden behind him.

If this dragged on, once Orochimaru broke through the barrier, none of them would escape.

Chiyo lowered her fingers.

The two puppets that had been about to pounce into the bottom of the pit stopped.

"Pakura."

For the first time, she did not call Pakura Sunagakure's hero.

That call carried the same tone she had used many years ago while teaching a little girl to throw kunai at the training grounds.

The Scorch Release fireballs around Pakura paused slightly.

Chiyo saw it.

She slowly loosened her grip on half of her cane, and her straight back bent as well.

"Let this end here."

"This old woman knows that you hate me, and you hate Rasa too."

"You have every right to."

Chiyo looked up at Pakura, tears already filling her clouded eyes.

"But