But the next second, Hyuga Junin's expression changed drastically. He saw the Sunagakure Jonin before him give a cruel smile as he swung his other hand, its surface covered in blue chakra, down at Hyuga Junin's teammate. If it landed, his teammate would surely die.
Frantic, Hyuga Junin had no choice but to kick his teammate away with all his strength. Thrown off balance, his teammate collided with the enemy's kunai, which opened a hole in his abdomen.
The Sunagakure Jonin's strike landed on Hyuga Junin's leg instead. His palm sliced it in two as though it were made of paper.
Hyuga Junin let out an agonized scream.
The scream also drew his other teammate's attention. He instinctively looked back at Hyuga Junin, but that glance gave the Sunagakure Chunin an opening to plunge a kunai into his chest. A moment later, all three of them fell heavily to the ground.
In that brief span, Hyuga Junin and his two teammates had lost the ability to fight. All three were gravely wounded and dying, yet they had bought less than two minutes.
Still, all three had done their best. In the end, they had failed to buy Ye Feng three minutes. Hyuga Junin was not afraid of death now; he only regretted that he had not helped Ye Feng.
The Sunagakure Jonin came up to Hyuga Junin, ready to end the battle. Looking at the three Konoha ninja before him, he could not help feeling some regret. The way they cherished one another as comrades moved even him. But they each served their own side. For the sake of his village, he could not show mercy.
The Sunagakure Jonin drew a kunai and raised his hand to plunge it into Hyuga Junin's heart.
Looking at his dying teammates on either