Chapter 83: The Old Monk Has Been Captured! (Part 3)
Kōjin Chiike was truly suffering this time. As someone with the Red Eye Kekkei Genkai, he had been trained as a sensory ninja since his academy days and had taken on desk jobs after being promoted to chunin. He had never experienced anything as grueling as this forced march!
Endless sprints, relentless dashes, ceaseless leaps, and constant airborne jumps... Before long, his chakra reserves were nearly depleted.
The Wind Shadow, Jinghang, was as formidable as ever, blazing ahead like a lightning storm. Kōjin couldn't even catch a glimpse of his "tail lights." Yecang and Heiji Shimizuryū were equally impressive, their stamina seemingly boundless. Though they couldn't quite keep up with the Wind Shadow, they managed to stay within sight. Kōjin, on the other hand, struggled just to keep their backs in view, doing his best not to be completely left behind.
To be fair, the pills provided by the Wind Shadow were miraculous. Every time his chakra reserves hit rock bottom, popping one would restore more than half his energy. The cooldown period was short too—just about ten minutes. Truly an indispensable remedy for long-distance marches and extended pursuits!
However, Kōjin's strength was limited, and the small bottle of pills he had been given contained only four. By the second day, he had used them all.
When he finally staggered into the day's rest point, panting heavily, the Wind Shadow and his two companions had already been waiting by the campfire for half a day. Three empty cans were scattered around the fire, and another was being heated over the flames, bubbling and emitting an enticing aroma.
Seeing Kōjin arrive so late, Jinghang smiled faintly.
"Young man, you're great at gambling, but your stamina is really lacking!"
Kōjin was so embarrassed he wished he could find a hole to crawl into. Yecang and Heiji chuckled softly as well.
"I... I... slowed... everyone down."
Whether it was from being out of breath or sheer embarrassment, Kōjin stammered as he spoke.