"Looks like they've completely underestimated us," Neji said with a cold laugh.
The others nodded, then immediately raced after them.
Sure enough, although the enemy's advance party had left first, carrying Sasuke meant they couldn't travel as fast as Naruto's group of four.
"Found them. They're just ahead. After what happened last time, we can't all show ourselves at once."
"I'll try a feint this time and see if I can fool them."
As Shikamaru spoke, he formed hand seals. "Transformation Technique!"
Poof!
As the smoke cleared, Jirobo appeared. Shikamaru glanced back at his teammates, then quickly rushed ahead.
Naruto, Neji, and Kiba scattered, ready to help Shikamaru whenever the situation demanded it.
Sure enough, Sakon and the others initially failed to notice that the Jirobo in their group was a fake.
But when Tayuya called Jirobo a useless fat pig, he didn't tell her to watch her mouth. That ultimately blew Shikamaru's cover.
"You go ahead. Leave this to me!"
Kidomaru tossed the barrel coffin to Tayuya and barked the order.
"Die!"
Seeing that his Transformation Technique had been exposed, Shikamaru threw a punch at Kidomaru.
But with his multiple arms, Kidomaru easily blocked Shikamaru's attack.
Seeing this, Sakon and Tayuya didn't hesitate. They continued fleeing with the barrel coffin in which Sasuke was sealed.
"Damn it, put Sasuke down!" Shikamaru growled.
"Ninja Art: Spider Bind!"
Kidomaru spat out a spiderweb, pinning Shikamaru directly to a tree.
Just then, two gusts of wind rushed toward Kidomaru from the blind spots on either side.
"Fang Over Fang!"
But trees surrounded them, and the spiderlike Kidomaru easily used Spider Silk to alter his trajectory in midair, avoiding Kiba's fierce attack.
Naruto felt a little admiration for Kidomaru's combat intelligence, but he still had to keep up the act.
"An opening!"
"**Gentle