"So that's what happened!" Naruto said after the situation was explained to him. The group of seven was leaping through the trees in their pursuit of Sasuke and the Sand siblings. "I get it. I guess Sasuke got all impatient."

"Oh man! Why'd you have to pull me into this anyway?!" Shikamaru whined.

"It can't be helped, okay?!" Sakura replied. "It's Kakashi-sensei's order!" She glanced at Yuri, Flynn, and Judith. "What I still don't understand is why you three weren't affected by the genjutsu."

"Probably because they don't have chakra," Shikamaru replied.

"What's chakra got to do with genjutsu?" Naruto asked.

"Genjutsu's work by disrupting the chakra flow," Shikamaru replied. "The user of the jutsu gains full control over a person's chakra, allowing them to create illusions for the target. Since these guys don't have any chakra whatsoever, they're immune to genjutsu."

"But even so, I still don't get why they're able to use jutsu at all," Sakura said. "If they don't have chakra, they shouldn't be able to use any."

"Didn't we already tell you we can use artes thanks to our blastia?" Yuri asked. "The blastia use aer to cast artes."

"Aer?" Sakura asked.

"It's hard to explain, but aer is all over our world, and apparently yours, too," Yuri replied.

"Hmm, I'd say you guys are using natural energy here," Pakkun said.

"What's natural energy?" Flynn asked.

"It's like chakra, except is comes from outside the body. Natural energy is in everything; the air, the water, and the earth. However, in order to stock up on natural energy, you have to remain perfectly still for a certain amount of time."

"But they're able to use artes, or whatever you call them, while moving," Naruto pointed out.

"If they say they're using something else to use natural energy, then only that needs to stay still while they can move as much as they want," Pakkun said.

"Talk about lucky," Shikamaru grumbled.

"First piece of luck Yuri's seen in a while, that's for sure," Judith giggled.

"Can it, Judy," Yuri replied.

"Enough, we need to keep following Sasuke!" Sakura pointed out.

Pakkun took a few sniffs. "This way!" he ordered, leaping to the left, the others following.

"How long 'til we catch up?" Naruto asked.

"I don't know," Pakkun replied. "A long time if they keep moving at this pace."

"Urgh! Come on!" Naruto grumbled. Pakkun sniffed the air again.

"Come on you guys! Hurry it up!" the dog snapped.

"What is it?" Sakura asked.

"Did you see Sasuke?" Naruto added.

"No. There are two squads behind us; that's eight ninja," Pakkun replied. "Wait...! No, there's one more; that's nine ninja following us!"

"What?!" Naruto exclaimed.

"You're joking, right?!" Yuri growled.

"Oh man, come on already!" Shikamaru whined. "Gimme a break here!"

"It looks like they haven't discovered our location...yet," Pakkun said. "We need to lose them."

The group leapt down from the trees to the ground. After a few steps, Pakkun stopped, looking down, seeing the footprints they were leaving behind.

"What's the deal?!" Naruto demanded. "Why are we stopping?!"

"Zip it and follow me!" Pakkun snapped back. The ninja hound started walking backwards, carefully placing his paws into his pawprints. "We're going back over our footprints. If we pull this off, our footprints will seem to disappear." He leapt back onto a tree branch. Everyone copied what Pakkun did.

"This really gonna do anything?" Naruto asked. "I mean they'd have to be pretty lame ninja if this throws them off the trail."

"For once, the idiot's got a point," Yuri said, Naruto shooting the man a glare.

"It'll help buy us some time," Pakkun replied. "That's all we need now. But if our pursuers get impatient, succumb to the thrill of the chase, and lose sight of our tracks, I certainly won't complain. Know what I mean?" Naruto continued walking over his tracks, still looking uncertain.

"Hurry it up!" Sakura shouted. Naruto turned to see that the others had finished and were waiting for him on the tree branch.

"We don't have all day, you know," Shikamaru added.

"You don't want to get left behind now, do you?" Judith teased.

"I know! Quit bugging me!" Naruto snapped back, leaping back to join them before the entire group continued leaping through the trees.

After a little bit, Pakkun sniffed again. "This is not good. Be prepared for an ambush. They're definitely back on our trail."

"Great..." Shikamaru grumbled.

"Looks like we couldn't buy any time at all. And Sasuke and those Sand ninja got further from us while we tried to shake those guys off," Yuri added.

"Listen guys!" Naruto said. "We don't have much choice. We're going to have to ambush them!"

"An ambush?!" Sakura exclaimed. "That could work...It would give us an advantage. Even if there are more of them, if we could just catch them off-guard..."

"There are seven of us and nine of them. I think we can handle it," Yuri said.

"No, it's no good," Pakkun said. "I'm afraid that those ninja chasing us are Orochimaru's henchmen. My guess is they're all Jonin level."

"I really though that would work," Shikamaru growled. "But I guess it won't"

"Wait, hold on," Sakura said. "Why not? The level of an opponent doesn't have much to do with an ambush, does it?"

"What are you talking about?" Naruto asked Shikamaru.

"You guys just don't get it," Shikamaru said.

"Let's just assume we don't," Yuri said.

"Let me explain," Shikamaru replied. "Yes, an ambush is a key battle tactic and can be very beneficial. But for it to work, you have to meet two conditions."

"Well? What are they?" Naruto asked. "Tell us and we'll meet them."

"Number one: The ninja on the run must be completely quiet and must find the enemy first," Shikamaru replied, holding up one finger. He held up a second. "Number two: They have to be able to catch the pursuers off-guard at a location where they can do a lot of damage quickly and then conceal themselves again just as quickly. And it's only under those two conditions that an ambush can be truly effective."

"Yeah, that sounds about right," Flynn said.

"Now, the first condition won't be so hard since the ninja hound's nose can find our enemy," Shikamaru continued. "And the second one also seems to be in our favor since all of us, with the exception of the three from the other world, know the geography of our village like we know the backs of our hands. However, Orochimaru is a former Leaf ninja. So on the second condition we're out of luck."

"We are?" Naruto asked. "Wait, tell me why that is again."

"Yeah, it's not like this Orochimaru guy is leading our pursuers himself, right?" Yuri asked. "Isn't he attacking the Hokage?"

"Our pursuers have studied the layout of this village," Shikamaru replied. "And I have to assume that they've been put through simulated practices for this mission. And on top of that, they're probably masters of the pursuit jutsu."

"That's just great..." Flynn growled.

"No kidding," Yuri agreed.

"So they know all the cards we're holding?" Sakura asked.

"Well, I don't really know," Shikamaru admitted. "I suppose that an ambush could give us an advantage. But so many things are uncertain. Besides, our enemy is a special unit specifically put together just for this operation."

Shikamaru turned his head to face the others. "And what are the seven of us? A fool."

Naruto glared at Shikamaru.

"A kunoichi with no particular talent."

Sakura narrowed her eyes.

"A Krityan who acts before she thinks."

Judith glared daggers at him.

"A jailbird."

Yuri growled.

"A knight whose armor will let the enemy know right away where we are."

Flynn glared at the boy.

"A mutt."

Pakkun growled, glaring at Shikamaru.

"And me," Shikamaru finished. "The shirker who doesn't even want to be here! Look, tactics are about clearly grasping a tough situation and formulating the best plan. And right now only one plan makes sense. Just one."

"And that is?" Sakura asked.

"A diversion that only looks like an ambush," Shikamaru replied. "So one of us...is gonna stay behind...and slow them down."

"One of us will be...a decoy?" Sakura asked.

"That's right," Shikamaru replied. "If one of us can delay them, they shouldn't be able to find the rest of us. We'll be able to escape."

"There's a catch, though, isn't there?" Flynn asked.

"Yeah..." Shikamaru replied. "The one who acts as a decoy will probably...die."

Everyone halted, each landing on a seperate tree branck, all of them standing in silence.

"Shikamaru was the first to break it. "So? Who's gonna do it?" When nobody replied, he continued. "We need the dog to follow Sasuke. So that means..."

"All right... I guess that I'm... the one- -" Naruto started, but Shikamaru cut him off.

"I'm the only one who can do it."

"Shikamaru!" Sakura exclaimed.

"I sure didn't expect that," Yuri said.

"Why does it have to be you?!" Naruto demanded.

"It's better than all of us being wiped out, right?" Shikamaru pointed out. "Besides, I'm the only one who has a chance of pulling off this decoy act." He leapt to the brach behind the group, his back facing them. "And of surviving this attack. After all, Shadow Possession Jutsu was invented as a delay tactic. Anyway, I'll catch up with you guys later. Go on, get going."

Naruto nodded. "We're counting on you, Shikamaru!" Shikamaru simply raised his hand in goodbye. Naruto turned to Sakura, who looked uncertain. "Sakura..." She turned to him and nodded.

"Don't go dying now, you hear?" Yuri said, the group taking off again, leaving Shikamaru behind.

After a ways, Pakkun took a few sniffs. "Listen, the enemy's coming up fast!"

"What?!" Sakura exclaimed.

"No way..." Flynn murmured, stealing a glance behind him.

"I wonder if he's even trying back there," Pakkun continued grimly.

"No... don't tell me... Shikamaru..." Sakura gasped.

Yuri remembered what Shikamaru had said:

"And me, the shirker who doesn't even wanna be here!"

"That asshole..." the dark haired man growled. "It he did that... the next time I see him... I'll..."

"Shikamaru will be just fine!" Naruto assured Sakura. "Got it?"

"Don't tell me he just ran away!" Sakura snapped.

"Look, I said he'd be okay and I meant it!" Naruto replied.

"How do you know?!" Sakura demanded.

"He's lazy and he's always complaining about everything," Naruto replied. "But he would never betray us! I know he hardly ever volunteers to do anything by himself, but if he says he's gonna do it, then he'll do it for sure!"

"And if you're wrong, it could cost us all our lives," Yuri told the blonde.

"That's a risk I'm willig to take," Naruto replied.

"Gotta give him points for conviction," Judith admitted. "I'm starting to believe him myself."

"Well, he'd better be right, or all of us are in trouble," Yuri replied.

"Pick up the pace, slackers!" Pakkun snapped.

"Yeah, yeah," Yuri said. "We get it already."

A while later, Pakkun glanced back.

"Huh, it looks like those ninja aren't chasing us anymore."

"Awesome!" Naruto exclaimed. "Shikamaru succeeded! The delay tactic worked!"

"Will wonders never cease?" Yuri said with a grin. "Never expected to slacker to actually pull his own weight."

Suddenly, Pakkun sniffed hard.

"Oh no! More enemy ninja coming up fast! They must've masked their scent!"

"What?!" Naruto exclaimed.

"They're directly behind us! Dodge!" Pakkun barked. A kunai suddenly flew at them. Flynn spund around, drawing his sword to block the attack. He shot out from the tree branch, suddenly face-to-face with a Sound ninja, swinging his sword. The ninja took out a kunai, blocking just in time and then distancing himself from the Knight.

"Flynn! You okay?" Yuri called out. He and the others stopped.

"I'm fine! You guys need to keep moving!" Flynn shouted back, blocking two more kunai, one hitting a tree. However, a paper bomb attached. Before anyone could react, it exploded, obscuring the other's view of the Knight.

"Flynn!" Yuri shouted, begining to make a move to leap into the smokescren produced by the paper bomb, but Judith grabbed his arm, yanking him away to join the others as they took off again.

"We have to keep moving no matter what!" Pakkun insisted, seeing Yuri struggling in Judith's grip, making it harder for her to leap through the trees. "That explosion should give us some time to distance ourselves from any others. But if we stop now, all of us will be wiped out!"

"You all just expect me to leave him behind?!" Yuri snapped. "He's my best friend! There's no way I'll leave him behind to die!"

"Knowing Flynn, it'll take quite a few of them to take him down," Judith assured the swordsman. "He'll be just fine, you'll see."

"Enough talk! Keep it moving! Some are still on our tail!" Pakkun barked. "Looks like we can't lose them in time!"

"I'll hold them off. All of you keep going," Judith said. She quickly spun around, taking her spear out and leaping in the opposite direction.

"Judy!" Yuri shouted. Naruto and Sakura grabbed his arms, half dragging him along.

"Man, Judith must be super strong to drag this guy!" Naruto grumbled.

"Yuri, the only thing we can do now is keep going. We need to reach Sasuke and get him to come back," Sakura said. "Once we do that, we'll come back for Judith, Flynn, and Shikamaru."

This seemed to calm Yuri down, but only slightly.

"Dammit, they'd just better still be alive!" Yuri growled.

"On the bright side, all our pursuers have stopped for now," Pakkun said. "Now, keep it moving if we want to keep it that way!"