Chapter 51
Moonlight Masano and Sagi approached Saitama's unconscious body. Masano knelt, propped him up gently, and checked his closed eyes in silence.
"Let's move. Time's tight," said Sagi firmly, his expression unreadable as he supported one person on each shoulder and headed toward the nearby dunes.
Just ahead, in the direction the Sand Ninja had retreated, a figure lay prone in the sand. Eyes sharp with suspicion watched the slowly advancing Konoha shinobi. As the figure shifted, a Sand Village forehead protector came into view.
Burdened as they were, Moonlight Masano's pace was inevitably slow.
After about thirty minutes of cautious travel, the team approached the edge of Sand territory. It was strangely quiet—no pursuit, no ambush. That alone unsettled Masano. Given how close they were to enemy encampments, those Sand-nin who escaped earlier should have had enough time to summon reinforcements.
"Can you keep going, Samu?" Masano asked, stopping for a brief rest. He bore most of the weight himself, and conserving chakra was critical if they were to remain combat-ready.
"I'm okay, sensei." Samu released Masano's support, standing on his own.
"I'll walk. You focus on carrying Saitama."
"Alright. Stay close," Masano said without hesitation. Though Samu was injured, he had little choice but to push forward.
Masano's focus returned to Saitama. He felt a faint twitch in the boy's body—he might be regaining consciousness.
"Let's go." He shifted Saitama's weight, cradling him more securely, and resumed moving forward.