The four of them crouched behind a dense thicket. Boruto lowered his voice and asked anxiously, "Shikadai, what do we do now? Force our way through? Or look for another route?"
Shikadai frowned, his gaze sweeping over the blockade.
The terrain at the forest's edge was relatively simple. Finding a hidden path completely out of sight would be nearly impossible, and the longer they delayed, the closer the tightening encirclement behind them might get.
After a moment of silence, Shikadai took the metal box from his robes again.
"There's only one way now." Resolve hardened Shikadai's voice as he took out the Scientific Ninja Tool, the Mirage. "We gamble on this optical camouflage and try to walk straight through!"
Shinki shook his head at once, his expression grave. "That's too risky.
"This Scientific Ninja Tool can bend light and suppress Chakra, but it doesn't make us completely invisible.
"If they get close enough, or if their senses are sharp enough, they could still spot something wrong.
"Especially in open ground with a clearly defined perimeter like this. They probably have sensory ninja on watch."
"I know the risks," Shikadai said through clenched teeth. "But this is our only chance.
"A detour could take us straight into the encirclement, and forcing our way through would make even more noise.
"We have to bet that they're focused on the forest and less vigilant along the outer perimeter. And we have to bet that the tool works well enough."
He looked at Boruto and Shinki, then at a nervous Nameless. "If they spot us, we'll have to break through by force and reach Hyuga territory as fast as we can!
"Once we cross that boundary, the Senju Clan should think twice before coming after us."
The others could only nod and accept the