While Kakashi Hatake, Naruto Uzumaki, and Sakura were chatting, two figures were moving at tremendous speed toward the Land of Fire border, deep in a dense forest dozens of kilometers away.
Fujiwara and Mizuki had reunited.
A rough bandage was wrapped around Mizuki's left shoulder. The bleeding had stopped, but her face was somewhat pale.
Although she was no weakling, she had still been wounded under the combined assault of three Konoha Anbu.
It was not serious, though.
Fujiwara was in good shape.
His battle with Kakashi had been dangerous, but it had ended very quickly.
So he had expended very little energy.
"What happened to those three?" Fujiwara asked.
"I knocked two unconscious with an explosion and wounded the other. His ribs should be broken."
Mizuki's voice was flat. "He won't die."
"Good."
The two ran in silence for a while. Branches snapped beneath their feet, and the wind filled their ears.
"Konoha's Anbu aren't all that strong," Mizuki said, turning her head.
"Their leader was Kakashi Hatake," Fujiwara said quietly.
Mizuki paused.
"Kakashi the Copy Ninja?"
"Yes. He was a little stronger than I expected. But that was all."
Mizuki said nothing.
Kakashi Hatake had some renown in the shinobi world, but compared to Fujiwara, he really did fall short.
After all, Fujiwara was a powerful fighter trained by Lord Isshiki.
Ordinary ninja would find it very difficult to defeat him.
"Who do you think they'll send after us?" Mizuki asked the real question.
Fujiwara was silent for a few seconds.
"Naruto Uzumaki. Or Sasuke Uchiha."
He said, "After all, few people in the shinobi world can match those two in speed."
Mizuki bit her lip. "In our current condition, if we run into either of them..."
Fujiwara said decisively, "That's why we're withdrawing directly. We can't turn