Chapter 269 : Chase!

In the dense forest, Tobirama struggled to lead the group forward, with Cloud Ninja relentlessly pursuing them like a pack of hyenas, leaving them utterly exhausted.

"Damn it, why are they catching up so quickly? Did those Anbu sacrifice themselves to buy us time?" Danzo muttered as he sliced through a thorny barricade ahead, the distant clamor adding to their unease.

"I made a mistake. I was deceived by the Golden Horn," Tobirama admitted grimly, his face contorted with frustration. He hadn't anticipated Golden Horn and Silver Horn pursuing them so relentlessly.

What grudges did they hold? Tobirama felt a surge of annoyance. They could have returned to be Raikage, but these two persisted in chasing them.

Despite their attempts to shake off their pursuers, the Cloud Ninjas always managed to track them down. Tobirama and the others had tried various methods to throw them off, but the keen noses of Golden Horn and Silver Horn proved more adept than any hound.

"This is serious. We must confront them head-on!" Torifu Akimichi panted, exhaustion etched on his face as he spoke through gritted teeth.

For three days, they had barely slept, surviving on military ration pills—a harsh blow for Torifu Akimichi, known for his love of food. His weight had visibly dwindled, and his usually cheerful demeanor had turned grim.

"Lord Tobirama, this can't go on. Let me handle them this time!" Torifu Akimichi vowed fiercely, fearing he might lose his sanity if they persisted.

"I'll stay and assist," Sarutobi Hiruzen declared earnestly, his eyes reflecting unwavering determination.

Danzo remained silent, his eyes burning with hatred.

Koharu and Mitokado Homura, comparatively meek, shuddered at the thought of what might befall them next.

"Lord Hokage, let us do one last service for you," the commander of their Guard unit spoke up solemnly. Those who remained with Tobirama were all but dead men walking, their numbers depleted from over twenty to a mere six.

They didn't know how much longer they could hold out.

"Yes, sir!" The Guard unit commander didn't hesitate as the six of them surged forward.

With a silent nod, Tobirama bid farewell to Fumio and Azuma. "Take care," he murmured, before they all sprinted with renewed vigor, finally putting some distance between themselves and the relentless Cloud Ninja.

"If only we had allied with Ai from the start," Tobirama lamented bitterly. Those Anbu were among his most trusted, many hailing from the elite ranks of the Senju clan. Their loss cut him deeply.

Trapped in Cloud Ninja's territory with the enemy hot on their heels, their pace slowed, leaving only Tobirama and his disciples.

"These are Konoha's future, the pillars of the next generation. They mustn't die here," Tobirama resolved grimly, knowing that despite their injuries, this trial would forge them into stronger shinobi.

After the Anbu was decimated, Tobirama and his comrades took a brief respite, only to find themselves once again encircled by Cloud Ninja.

With determination, Tobirama chose to break through in a direction where the Cloud Ninja were fewer in number, while the others did their best to stall for time.

The casualties inflicted by the Cloud Ninja had far surpassed the expectations of Golden Horn and Silver Horn. These ruthless and cunning adversaries hadn't anticipated Tobirama's resilience.

Yet, having suffered such heavy losses, they couldn't afford to relent. If they did, those who returned alive would surely seek revenge with fury.

Considering the might of the Konoha forces, the brothers couldn't help but feel a pang of doubt.

Even the Golden Horn regretted his actions, chiding himself for his overzealousness.

But the die was cast, and there was no turning back. When they decided to instigate the coup and set everyone after Tobirama, they sealed their fate.

"Pick up the pace! Failure is not an option!"

Golden Horn and Silver Horn were frantic, pushing themselves to the limit as they neared Konoha's territory.

After all this time, Konoha might already know of Ai's demise and send reinforcements at any moment. They were eager to return and rectify their missteps.

In the desperate race, there was no room for regrets—both sides were fighting for survival.

"The tension is palpable. It won't be long before we see the outcome."

In the shadows, a pair of serpentine eyes observed the unfolding events. Exhausted from travel and battle, even Takeshi couldn't muster the mental capacity to focus on anything else.

"Water Style: Water Bullet Jutsu!"

In the distance, Tobirama summoned his chakra once more, unleashing a powerful Water Style jutsu that sent waves crashing towards the pursuing Cloud ninjas for miles.

As Tobirama created distance with his ninjutsu, he seized the opportunity to lay traps to impede the Golden Horn and the Silver Horn.

Though Golden Horn and Silver Horn had seen this tactic countless times, they remained helpless against it, cursing their inability to thwart Tobirama's strategies.

"Cough cough!"

Tobirama materialized beside a group of disciples, his steps unsteady, clearly drained of chakra.

"Sensei!"

Several disciples rushed to support him, but Tobirama waved them off.

"I'm alright."

Takeshi shook his head.

Even if it were him, no matter how formidable the Golden Horn and Silver Horn were, he couldn't halt Tobirama. However, Sarutobi and the rest would perish.

Flying Thunder God required a keen spatial perception. Tobirama lacked the heightened spatial awareness of the future Namikaze Minato, limiting the distance he could transport them directly.

Life's choices can be so stark. Tobirama's expression darkened at the thought of the limited options.

"Hehe, dying here? Not in my plans!"

Tobirama chuckled. Despite his selfish and somber demeanor, he harbored a deep love for the village and stood as a great Hokage.

Adversity reveals true character. In this dire moment, Tobirama could've fled alone, yet he chose to risk it all, even sacrifice himself for Konoha's future.

He devised numerous forbidden techniques, enforced the iron-fisted policies, and relentlessly suppressed the Uchiha. Simultaneously, he established a ninja academy to nurture the next generation and toil for Konoha.

Such is Senju Tobirama, the contentious second Hokage.

"In a day's time, we'll break through the blockade of the Cloud Ninja and enter the Land of Soup. Within three days at most, we'll return to Konoha!"

Another intense skirmish ensued. Golden Horn and Silver Horn were keenly aware that Tobirama was on the brink of escape. They fought with all their might.

Ultimately, everyone was depleted, and Tobirama escaped using the Shadow Clone technique.

By now, everyone was battered, Tobirama's armor in tatters.

Perhaps due to the absence of the original Uchiha Kagami, the group faced even greater hardships than depicted in the original narrative.

With hope on the horizon, the realization that they could escape upon reaching the defenders of the Konoha stronghold in the Land of Soup bolstered their spirits. Yet, they seemed to be teetering on the brink of collapse.

"It seems the end is near."

Takeshi observed from afar, fearing multiple times that Tobirama and his group would be annihilated outright, a devastating outcome.

However, despite minor deviations, fate appeared to be unfolding as it should.