A sudden turn

"I told you that Old Man wouldn't be easy to deal with. His guards alone would be more than we could handle if they formed up and fought us head-on."

Seeing that their surprise attack had failed, the Iwagakure ANBU operative wearing a Demon Mask immediately fled deeper into the woods with the other three. Kazuhiko Sarutobi and his companions pursued them relentlessly, determined not to let these dangerous enemies escape.

"We've drawn out half the Sarutobi, the Hyuga, and those elite dual-sword samurai. All they've got left is a Uchiha brat who hasn't awakened his eyes. The others should be able to finish the mission now, right?"

As they fled, the Iwagakure ninja used Earth Release techniques and shuriken to hinder Kazuhiko's pursuit. So far, everything was going according to plan.

"They're splitting our forces. They probably have something else up their sleeves. Let's head back and reinforce the others. Lord Shinhiko's safety comes first."

After pursuing them for a short while, Kazuhiko Sarutobi noticed that their opponents weren't making every effort to escape and immediately realized something was wrong. At his warning, Hayato Hyuga and the dual-sword samurai stopped. Sōsuke Aburame, however, seemed a beat too slow and took another step forward. That single step made the pursuing group pause to wait for him instead of turning back at once.

"Isn't it a little late to figure that out now?"

The fleeing Iwagakure ninja seized on Sōsuke Aburame's mistake. In the brief moment the pursuers waited for him to turn back, their technique was ready.

"Earth Release: Earth Prison Cage!"

The techniques the Iwagakure ninja had used during their retreat had all laid the groundwork for this one. As the four ninja finished their hand seals, the ground beneath Hayato Hyuga and the others rose rapidly, while the