"Lord Gekkō Raito, is it really all right to let Sasuke go just like that?"
"What could go wrong? Who besides us knows how the fight went? Just say the enemy was too strong, and we couldn't beat him, so he escaped!"
Gekkō Raito had put far too little effort into that excuse. It sounded fake right away.
But it did not really matter. Their Lady Mei Terumi would never actually blame Lord Gekkō Raito over something like this anyway.
Still, on their way back, they might as well help those Konoha kids deal with the Sound Ninja behind them.
"Haku, go help them clear out those small fry. Once you're done, head straight toward Kirigakure."
Gekkō Raito raised a hand and pointed at a nearby hill.
"I'll take Chōjūrō there and wait for you!"
Haku nodded obediently. "Understood, Lord Gekkō Raito!"
As for why Gekkō Raito would not go himself, Haku guessed that he probably did not want to experience the sadness of parting again.
After all, what to say and how to face his former companions would both be quite a headache.
Carrying the unconscious Chōjūrō, Gekkō Raito rode a cloud of mist to the foot of the hill and casually found a comfortable patch of grass to sit on.
Three hours should be just enough for Haku to help Shikamaru and the others finish their fights.
Actually, the more important reason was that Gekkō Raito had sensed Kakashi's distinctive chakra rapidly approaching.
To avoid trouble, he had deliberately sent Haku away and hidden himself far off.
If they met, Kakashi would definitely start nagging him about returning to Konoha again.
Gekkō Raito had no desire to argue with Kakashi at this juncture.
Three hours passed in the blink of an eye.
Gekkō Raito was idly counting the