The speaker was a Sensory Ninja.
He could sense
Three people were waiting nearby, clearly the reinforcements who were supposed to meet them.
"Elder, should we pursue them?"
"How can we pursue them? Save the injured first!"
Chiyo was about to explode with anger.
The enemy was already slightly faster to begin with.
Now, after being held back by Shadow Clones for several seconds, and then blocked by the explosion and Earth Flow Rampart, continuing the chase would be futile.
It was better to focus on rescuing the ninja critically wounded by the blast.
First, Minato had swiftly infiltrated and assassinated two of the village's elite ninja.
Then came Water Release, Earth Release, and explosions.
This didn't resemble Konoha's usual tactics; it felt more like Iwagakure's methods.
She wasn't foolish enough to believe the attackers were actually Iwagakure ninja, but she couldn't dismiss the suspicion entirely.
Iwagakure and Sunagakure had been bitter enemies since ancient times, and their current alliance was merely a temporary truce.
"What documents were lost?"
"Documents related to Lord Third. The enemy also seemed to be after our village's research data on Magnet Release and another Forbidden Technique, but those files were separately sealed and should be secure."
While using Medical Ninjutsu to heal the wounded, Chiyo listened to the reports from her subordinates and pondered the situation.
It seemed their primary objective was to confirm the Third Kazekage's status, followed by obtaining information on Magnet Release and the Self-Rebirth Technique.
Konoha and Iwa Ninja were the most likely culprits, but even Kumogakure and Kirigakure couldn't be ruled out.
Regardless, Konoha remained the prime suspect, with a 90% probability of being responsible.
The timing was too convenient.
Orochimaru's arrival in the Land of Wind shortly before the incident was highly suspicious.
He was known for never acting without a clear motive-why would he travel all the way to the Land of Wind just for some paltry compensation?
But there was no concrete evidence.
"What's that smell?" Chiyo frowned slightly.
"Huh?"
The Jonin beside her looked puzzled, then sniffed carefully, detecting only a burnt odor.
Chiyo persisted, inhaling deeply.
As a Medical Ninja and poison expert, she was exceptionally sensitive to such scents.
Her expression gradually shifted, until she finally turned pale and retreated from the area.
'They even added something to the explosion? Konoha is truly despicable!'
"When did you learn this Ninjutsu?!" Kakashi asked, a bead of cold sweat forming on his forehead.
If such a powerful explosion had targeted him, his small frame would have stood no chance.
But that wasn't the biggest problem.
The real issue was...
'What the hell did you just use?!'
'Don't think I wouldn't notice just because I couldn't see it! This genius can figure it out!'
"Mind your own business, meow. Just run for your life."
Raj felt deeply ashamed.
If not for the mission points, he would never have resorted to such an embarrassing Ninjutsu.
It was utterly humiliating.
Still, the power was undeniable.
Practice makes perfect.
Last time, he hadn't enhanced the technique with Chakra.
This time, he deliberately channeled Chakra into its creation, resulting in far greater destructive force.
Combined with the Toad Cannon, it was practically a "budget Tailed Beast Ball."
"But what about them...?"
"They have Sensory Ninjas... We just need to keep moving."
Minato returned to their side, breathing heavily.
Not from exhaustion, but from the excruciating pain.
To cover their tracks, he had left behind Shadow Clones while using the Flying Thunder God Technique, ensuring the enemy wouldn't find any solid evidence.
The simultaneous destruction of his two Shadow Clones had inflicted such intense pain that he nearly lost consciousness.
Only his extraordinary willpower allowed him to endure.
"Alright," Kakashi said, immediately rising to his feet.
Raj followed Obito and Rin's retreat route, the trio moving with remarkable speed.
They quickly left the small battlefield behind.
Five Anbu ninja followed closely behind, still shaken by the near-disaster.
The massive explosion had left them terrified.
Had they been knocked off their feet, they would have faced certain death by a thousand cuts... or worse, perhaps even death would have been denied them.
Sunagakure would show no mercy.
Fortunately, they had escaped unscathed.
Of course, they harbored no resentment toward Minato and his Team.
Minato's Team had first used the Earth Flow Rampart to create a protective barrier, then unleashed the explosion, doing everything possible to minimize collateral damage.
If not for the suddenness of the blast, which caught even their own allies off guard, the Sunagakure ninja would never have fallen for the trap.
Rough estimates suggested at least seven or eight enemy ninja had perished in the explosion, with the number of wounded-both critically and lightly-remaining unknown.
The Land of Wind, with its scarce resources, had invested heavily in training these elite warriors.
Such heavy casualties would undoubtedly sting Chiyo deeply.
Ahead, Raj led Minato and Kakashi in pursuit of Obito and Rin.
After covering some distance, it sensed a massive, familiar Chakra signature.
Part of it was Matatabi's Chakra, while the other part originated from Obito.
"Meow! They're in danger!"
Rin hadn't used the Summoning Technique to call for him, likely fearing it would interfere with Minato's plan.
She had only summoned Matatabi.
But the fact that Obito's Chakra could erupt so far indicated he was definitely using abnormal methods.
They were still some distance away-at least a two- or three-minute run.
"I'll go ahead," Minato said without hesitation.
When there were no complications, his support usually arrived swiftly.
"Meow!"
'Damn it, take me with you!'
Raj was furious, but there was no time for complaining.
He sprinted forward, glancing at the System panel as he ran to check his points.
Over 19,000!
A sudden surge of over 7,000 points-the largest single increase Raj had ever experienced.
Yet he was still four or five hundred points short of the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Infuriating!
Raj scanned his surroundings before fixing his gaze on Kakashi, pondering whether to squeeze a few more points out of him to close the final gap.
But after a moment's thought, it seemed inappropriate.
'Never mind... wait, how are there still points coming in?!'
Unbeknownst to Raj, Chiyo was currently enduring excruciating pain as she treated her severely injured teammates from the explosion.
The Ninjutsu, having been subjected to both water and fire, was nearly odorless.
But to a Sensory Ninja like Chiyo, who had cultivated a keen sense of smell through years of studying poisons, the faint traces remained unmistakable.
She could even smell what he'd eaten today...
'This is so annoying!'