"I can hold them off a little longer. Get out of here while you can."
Worry surfaced in Maruboshi Kosuke's eyes.
After Liu Yun had used so many ninjutsu in succession, he doubted the boy had much chakra left.
"Teacher Kosuke, I'm not leaving," Liu Yun said softly.
Maruboshi Kosuke was badly wounded. If Liu Yun left now, he would have no chance of surviving.
Taking him along would slow them down, and their pursuers would inevitably catch up.
Their only option now was to fight.
"It's not worth it. I'm enough to hold them here. Only if you survive will there be hope!" Maruboshi Kosuke insisted.
Liu Yun shook his head.
With Maruboshi Kosuke covering their retreat, the safest choice would be to harden his heart and flee with Nonō and the others.
He could easily console himself with the thought that he would return for revenge once he grew stronger.
But... no!
After only a moment's consideration, he abandoned that seemingly risk-free choice.
I can retreat this time, but what about next time?
The Shinobi World was vast. He would always encounter stronger enemies, and sooner or later, there would be nowhere left to retreat.
Besides, he had racked his brains collecting equipment, studied ninjutsu whenever he had time, and done everything possible to improve his strength. None of that was so he could turn deserter when it mattered most.
And this mission had come about because of him.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had deliberately arranged it to make his mission record look better.
If he traded Maruboshi Kosuke's life for his own escape, wouldn't that amount to, "I'll take the credit, and you can bear the consequences"?
He despised that sort of behavior from the bottom of his heart.
"Teacher Kosuke, you have to survive. You haven't taught me