"Damn it! How could the Uchiha clan react so fast?"
High up in a large tree on Konoha's back mountain, Arui held the unconscious Sasuke in his arms, his face painted with anxiety.
"What do we do, Arui?" Karui asked, her expression equally frantic as she watched the Uchiha elites patrolling in the distance. "All the exits out of Konoha have been completely sealed by the Uchiha."
The elites were stationed exactly at their designated escape route. Because of their heavy presence, the exit was now an impassable wall.
Arui and Karui had briefly considered breaking through by force. However, one look at the pairs of crimson Sharingan glowing in the dark night was enough for them to instantly abandon the thought. The Uchiha clan was already renowned for its combat prowess; neither Kumogakure shinobi believed they stood a chance against these elites in a direct confrontation, let alone while burdened with a captive child.
If they dared to reveal their tracks, the moment the news spread, countless Uchiha clansmen would swarm them. There would be no escape, no place to hide.
Swish! Swish!
A sudden rustling sound echoed through the branches, sending Arui and Karui's hearts leaping into their throats.
'Have we been discovered?'
"Arui, all the exits have been sealed."
Hearing the familiar voice, the two of them breathed a heavy sigh of relief. A moment later, two familiar figures materialized before them, carrying a sleeping Hinata in their arms. They were the Kumogakure operatives tasked with securing the Hyuga heiress.
"The Uchiha clan has placed all of Konoha under strict martial law, and most of our village's hidden operatives have been rooted out," the ninja holding Hinata reported rapidly. "Even Assam has been completely subdued by them. What do we do now?"
'What do we do?' Arui ground his back teeth, his heart swelling with bitter regret. If he knew what to do, they wouldn't be cowering in a tree right now.
If he had known the Uchiha possessed this much power and could mobilize with such terrifying efficiency, he definitely wouldn't have provoked them. Wouldn't it have been better to peacefully complete the Raikage's orders and just take the Hyuga main branch's daughter back to Kumogakure?
But it was useless to dwell on it now. The Uchiha had locked down the village so tightly that not even a fly could escape. Once the Hyuga clan realized their patriarch's daughter was also missing, they would deploy the Byakugan. With those eyes joining the search, being discovered was only a matter of time.
As the minutes ticked by, the quiet night sky seemed to infinitely magnify their mounting fears. Listening to the continuous commotion echoing from the village below, Karui gritted her teeth, her mind made up.
"Arui, I'll go distract the Uchiha. You take the others and run."
Arui's heart jolted. He stared at her in shock. "Do you know what will happen to you once you expose yourself?"
"One person dying is better than all of us dying together," Karui replied, feigning a relaxed tone. "Besides, this is the best and only way out of this right now, isn't it?"
Arui opened his mouth to argue, but the words died in his throat. He fell into a heavy silence. She was right. It was the only viable plan they had left.
"Alright, don't overthink it," Karui said, forcing a solemn smile. "Once I lure them away, don't hesitate. Run immediately. You have to get these two kids back to Kumogakure. Don't let our sacrifices be in vain."
"Hmm? Who are you people?"
Just then, the long-unconscious Sasuke groggily opened his eyes. Seeing several completely unfamiliar faces looming over him in the dark, he immediately shouted in alarm.
"Crap, we're exposed!" Arui's heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly struck a pressure point on the boy's neck, sending Sasuke slumping back into a deep sleep.
Although his reaction was swift, the damage was already done. In the dead silence of the night, Sasuke's shout was a blaring siren.
"Over there! Everyone with me, we must protect the Third Young Master!"
A loud, commanding shout shattered the silence. In an instant, every Uchiha clansman patrolling the back mountain converged toward their location.
"There's no time, you have to escape!" Karui yelled. She quickly snapped off a thick tree branch and formed a hand seal, using the Transformation Jutsu to disguise it as a perfect replica of Sasuke. Without another word, she dashed off in the opposite direction, attempting to draw the heat.
"There she is! After her!" someone roared. On command, a swarm of Uchiha clansmen gave chase, following Karui's fleeing silhouette.
Arui waited in place, holding his breath until he was reasonably sure the immediate area was clear. "Let's go," he whispered, immediately leading his remaining companions toward their original exit.
"Sure enough, there were more rats hiding in the dark."
A chilling voice suddenly rang out from the side. Several elite Uchiha ninja deactivated their camouflage, stepping out from the shadows to completely block the path forward.
"How... how can this be?" Arui's pupils shrank to pinpricks, his voice trembling as he subconsciously muttered aloud. "You were still guarding this spot?"
"Foolish Kumogakure shinobi," an Uchiha elite sneered, his tone dripping with absolute contempt. "Did you really think such a clumsy Transformation Jutsu could fool the eyes of the Uchiha clan?"
The Sharingan in his eyes spun ominously.
"Hurry up, hand over the Third Young Master, and surrender quietly."
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