Chapter 140

In a moment, I found myself not in the small ravine but in the midst of a barren, rocky ridge with small patches of green grass in rare spots, which turned into deep fissures in the ground a few hundred meters away. This was exactly where we had run through on our way deeper into the Land of Stones.

However, the time didn't match — it was the dead of night now, and only the light of the full moon allowed me to clearly see the surroundings. Turning to my clone, I nodded, and in a moment received all the memories from the dispelled technique.

Aha, now I understand why he didn't get us to the vicinity of the camp and had to unseal us on conditionally enemy territory — unlike the extended time shadows can stay in the world, the moment of changing day to night doesn't allow for such free movement through the shadow world as sunlight or moonlight does.

The clone had expended so much chakra moving during this period that he only managed to get us to around three in the morning before he had to unseal me to avoid exhausting his chakra reserves. Given the distance covered, it was a pretty good result for about half a day. Our team clearly took longer for this segment of the journey.

Sighing tiredly — unfortunately, fatigue doesn't go away during sealing — I crouched in front of the scroll and, unfolding it further, sequentially placed my finger on each of the last three seals and sent a chakra impulse. Three consecutive pops with a slight puff of smoke increased the number of people around by three.

— Is that… it? — Tsume asked, blinking in surprise.

— That's all, — I grumbled, pulling the scroll from under the hands of my teammates and putting it back in the nearby case.

After rearranging the remaining items from the clone into their places, I responded to the commander's nod with one of my own and waited while Hyuga inspected the area for enemies, though I knew that within a seven-kilometer radius, there was no other being capable of using chakra except us, of course.

Once Hizashi had determined the landmarks in the area, he silently gestured for us to follow him. Forming a diamond-shaped formation, we set off after the jonin who had already picked up a good pace. However, the three of us managed well and even had time to chat on the way. More accurately, my teammates gave me a little interrogation.

— So, when did you manage to get a summoning contract? — the kunoichi, who had been throwing curious glances at me for the last few minutes, finally asked. — And why haven't you used it before?

— Never, — I shrugged, — and I didn't have much need for it.

— What do you mean "never"? How did you use a summon then? — Rottaro, who was also listening behind, asked in surprise.

— Quite simply — I have a scroll that allows me to summon a specific cat that can serve as a courier for delivering messages, — I turned my head to Inuzuka, — and it's good for nothing else. Besides, considering its bad temper, I try not to overuse this ability.

— Alright, that's clear, — Tsume nodded and continued the interrogation, — what breed is it, and who gave you the scroll?

Glimpsing at the girl who was literally radiating curiosity, I sighed but decided to enlighten my teammates.

— I received the scroll from Mito-sama, who, along with some other shinobi from the Uzumaki clan, holds this summoning contract. As for the breed — they are panthers, and they really don't like being couriers, so I prefer to use ordinary methods for delivering messages.

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