"That's it."

I don't know how much time passed, but Tianzang who was at the entrance of the secret passage in the bedroom suddenly said something and took the lead in stepping on the stairs diagonally downward, heading towards the darkness.

Naruto and Sai looked at each other and followed Tenzo into the dark passage and down the stairs.

The stairway is not very long, but since there are no lights in the secret passage, visibility is almost non-existent.

Even if a ninja were to walk in this passage, it would be difficult for him to move freely.

However, as if he had anticipated this situation, Tenzo took out a palm-sized flashlight from his ninja bag. Although the model was not large, the light it emitted was very bright. The secret passage that was originally dark and invisible, instantly became

It was illuminated by the light, revealing the surrounding environment.

The floors, walls and ceilings of the secret tunnel are all carefully polished by hand. In terms of the amount of work, it is by no means small.

Although he was shocked that there would be such a carefully designed secret passage under the Haruno couple's bed, it was not the time to worry about it now. Tenzo just wanted to find the missing Haruno family of three as soon as possible.

Judging from the current development, this may be the only clue and must not be lost.

"There are footprints on the ground. Not only are they new, but they are also messy. They are definitely not two or three people, but at least fifteen people."

At this time, Sai knelt down, took out a small flashlight, illuminated the footprints on the ground, touched them with his fingers, and expressed his opinion.

Naruto held his knees and bent down slightly. He looked at the messy footprints with a troubled expression and tilted his head in confusion. He didn't know how Sai could judge this information.

"Sure enough, as Hokage-sama said, the reason why Asami Masumi attacked Naruto was to create the illusion of attacking Kyuubi and lure us into the trap, so that her accomplices would have time to evacuate safely."

The concentration of ANBU's power is something that only happens under special circumstances.

For example, nineteen years ago, when Chiba Shiraishi and others defected, they used the Kyuubi as bait to attract all Konoha's high-end combat power, including the Hokage, and most of the Anbu's manpower was also lured over, in order to ensure the safety of the Kyuubi.

, this is a necessary measure.

And as a result, the patrol intensity in other locations in Konoha will definitely decrease.

Asami Masumi used this method, and although Tsunade saw it through halfway, it did buy her accomplices time to escape.

After all, it is very difficult to send so many people out of Konoha silently, and not too many at a time.

It can be judged that Asami Masumi's accomplices passed through this secret passage and left Konoha more than an hour ago.

After confirming this, Tenzang and others continued to move forward.

In the dim passage, the concept of time becomes very blurred, and it gives people an extremely uncomfortable feeling of depression.

In the secret passage, it was so quiet that only the footsteps of people running could be heard.

Perhaps after advancing a few kilometers, Tianzang and others suddenly stopped and looked ahead in surprise.

What lay ahead was not one passage, but two secret passages branching off.

There are footprints in the secret passage on the left, but there are no footprints in the secret passage on the right.

Normally, one should pursue the secret passage on the left, while the secret passage on the right is probably a trap left for the enemy.

But this kind of trap can also be done in the opposite direction. For example, the secret passage without footprints on the right is safe, while the footprints in the secret passage on the left are disguised traces. It is a trap designed to make people take it lightly.

"Two secret paths, which one is the correct one?"

Naruto stood in front of the two secret passages, frowning and thinking.

"Maybe the two secret passages are traps."

Sai said with a smile.

"Eh?"

Naruto turned his head in shock and looked at the mysterious smile on Sai's face.

"In the past, when I was training at the root, I would occasionally encounter traps like this that seemed to be dead ends. In fact, the real exit was hidden."

After saying that, Sayi didn't waste any time, unfolded the scroll, and began to draw black snakes only half a meter long on it, and then gave them life with chakra.

"Go for it!"

The black snakes obeyed Sai's orders, spread out, and rushed into the two secret passages.

About a minute passed, but the black snakes that rushed into the two secret passages did not cause any movement.

Just as Naruto was getting impatient, there was a sudden loud bang - no, it should be said that it was two loud bangs, but since they sounded at the same time, it sounded like only one loud bang.

Hot firelight shone in the two secret passages, followed by the sound of stones hitting the ground, causing the ground to shake.

Soon, both secret passages were buried by broken stones and became dead ends.

"Look, it looks like the exit is hidden."

Sai put away the scroll, stood up and smiled at Naruto.

"I didn't expect you to be quite capable, Saoi. You can guess this."

Naruto praised this.

If it were him, he might have stepped directly into the enemy's trap and been buried alive in the secret passage.

"This is just the basic ability of a root ninja. In the past, during training, I encountered more dangerous and despicable traps than this..."

Zuo Jing lowered his head, not knowing what he thought of, his voice became smaller and smaller, and his eyes were silent.

Ignoring the exchange between Naruto and Sai, Tenzo ordered the ANBU who followed him:

"Look around carefully. The hidden safety exit should be nearby, not too far away."

◎

The bright moonlight shrouded the silvery forest, and Asami Masumi, who was still wearing a Konoha Jounin uniform and a white coat, was moving quickly through the snowy forest, leaving a white afterimage on the road, and in the forest.

snow cover of the same color.

The cold north wind blew across the country, and the temperature in the forest began to drop sharply, becoming colder and colder.

What came out of Asami Masumi's mouth was white gas. While flying, the white gas spit out was like a meteor dragging backwards.

The round black pupils turned to both sides. Although the movement was very small, there was an unfamiliar chakra approaching him, and there was no doubt that someone was planning to attack him.

Sure enough, when she happened to run to an open space, a figure quickly appeared from behind the big tree and flew towards her as fast as lightning.

Without hesitation, Asami Masumi quickly rotated her body, her black hair swaying to the other side, and waved a half-moon-shaped blue blade in her hand.

Blood splattered.

The Konoha ninja whose chest was cut open by her chakra scalpel just whimpered in pain and fell down.

The blood spurting out from his chest splashed onto her white coat and the lenses of the glasses on her face.

There was a faint smile on her blood-stained face, and she stood motionless, giving the impression that she was admiring her own masterpiece.

Then, her body suddenly turned sideways, and the blade that struck from behind pierced her flying white coat without any warning. However, because of this, the flying white coat instantly obscured the attacker's vision, giving him a premonition.

His pupils widened in dismay.

Poof!

The pain in the back of his neck caused the attacking Konoha ninja to lose consciousness instantly.

The chakra scalpel, which was as tough and sharp as a famous sword, cut open the back of the Konoha ninja's neck as lightly as cutting tofu, about half a foot deep.

Killed with one blow.

"Since you are chasing me, it means you are here with the awareness that you will die. I actually hate killing people, because every time I use a scalpel, I will make myself covered in blood, which is very troublesome to take care of."

Asami Masumi looked down at the blood on her white coat, took off her blood-stained glasses, and wiped them clean with the handkerchief she took out of her white coat.

Wait until the blood stains on it are wiped off before putting it back on your eyes.

"She's nearby, Hokage-sama has an order, don't let her escape!"

Not far away, there was such a shouting, the footsteps were very messy, and there were many people.

Not only the ANBU, but also the patrol troops patrolling the Fire Country outside Konoha Village were also activated by Tsunade, with the intention of capturing her and bringing her back to Konoha for trial.

After taking a look at the commotion, Asami Masumi turned around and ran out quickly, disappearing into the open space.

If she gets entangled with these guys, even she will find it very difficult.

After all, she is just an ordinary medical ninja. If she is not careful, she will not be able to successfully escape from such a dense encirclement.

"Everything we can do has been done. I hope there won't be any accidents over there."

She was referring to the Haruno Omen route.

In order to allow the last group of people to evacuate safely, she did not hesitate to use herself as the final bait, attracting most of the firepower of the Hokage and ANBU. If an accident happened like this, she could only express regret.

As for guilt, of course there is no such feeling.

Strictly speaking, although she has a superior-subordinate relationship with Shiraishi, this is only a formal relationship.

In the final analysis, she had no so-called sense of belonging, whether it was Konoha or the man Chiba Shiraishi.

Konoha has ruined her life, and she wants to witness the decline and even destruction of this village with her own eyes.

Only in this way can the dark hole that keeps stirring in her heart be filled.

As for Chiba Shiraishi, she also couldn't trust him. She and he were in a relationship of mutual use.
To be continued...