Chapter 31
Fugaku gazed up at the sky as the rain intensified, and the dark clouds grew thicker, casting a gloomy atmosphere.
"We need to find a place to settle as soon as possible," Fugaku instructed. "Everyone's wounds require urgent treatment."
Medical Ninjutsu was a rare commodity in the current ninja world. Tsunade's medical reforms were merely a vague concept and would take several years before Medical Shinobi would appear on the battlefield.
Aburame Nozawa's countless insects continued to gather and disperse, relaying information from all directions, while Hyūga Tazumo's Byakugan scanned the area, searching for a suitable landing spot.
Ten figures swiftly moved forward, and Aburame Nozawa eventually found a relatively concealed hiding place.
Among a pile of rocks, there was a hidden spot known as Pingding Mountain. Half of the mountain had collapsed, but the other half remained, making it an excellent hiding place.
The ten individuals entered the cave one by one and proceeded deeper inside. The cave provided partial shelter from the rain, with one half allowing a view of the rain outside while the other half remained hidden.
Fugaku sat on a stone and quickly tended to his wounds. Thanks to his Akagan's Genjutsu, the scene before him appeared distorted, and his injuries were not severe.
Satōmaru and Yamada Shinji, however, had sustained more serious injuries. The Iwa Shinobi they faced had proven to be formidable opponents, preventing them from engaging in further combat for a while.
It seemed clear that they needed a Medical Shinobi in their team.
Fugaku retrieved the mission scroll for their current assignment. The scroll indicated that their mission was active in the northwest region of the Land of Rain, requiring them to eliminate all non-local village Shinobi.
This was a mission solely focused on eliminating enemies, aimed at depleting the forces of the Wind, Earth, and Three Countries.
Fugaku's ammunition supply had already been depleted by half during their battles that day. If another confrontation arose, they would need to return to the Vanguard Camp for resupply. Satōmaru and Yamada Shinji also required time for recovery and training.
For two consecutive days, the group of twelve trained within the cave. Fugaku's arm had mostly healed without any major issues.
"Nozawa, release your insects and monitor the surroundings," Fugaku commanded. "This time, we won't engage the enemy head-on. Instead, we'll set traps, wait for them to fall into the trap, and then launch a surprise attack. Yamada Shinji and Satōmaru, your role will be to harass them."
Fugaku unfolded the map and gathered everyone around. He pointed to a specific location on the map, a stone pile, and explained, "We are currently here at Half Moon Mountain. The local civilians of the Land of Rain describe this peaceful mountain as only 'half' because it takes half a month to fully explore it."
"There's a major road approximately 3000 meters south from Banyue Mountain. Both the Land of Rain civilians and Shinobi frequently use this road. The stone pile is around five hundred meters away from the road."
"We'll set our traps there. Nozawa and I will lure the enemy towards that stone pile, utilizing the traps to weaken them in the initial encounter and then launch a sneak attack for a second blow."
Okasawa Ōno, the team's expert in Fūinjutsu, spoke up, "Don't worry, Captain. Konoha's Fūinjutsu is the strongest among the five major countries. They are far behind us and will never detect our weak points."
Fugaku nodded, still believing in the existence of the Land of Whirlpools. The Land of Whirlpools possessed advanced Fūinjutsu techniques that had yet to spread to other nations. However, time was running out.
In a few years, the larger nations would grow dissatisfied with their current Fūinjutsu capabilities and would likely seek to infiltrate the Land of Whirlpools to obtain their knowledge.
Having remained inside the cave for two consecutive days, Fugaku stepped out into the rain. Although the weather remained dreary, his mind felt clearer.
He retrieved the map to determine their direction, and the entire group set off.
The stone pile proved to be an excellent location for setting traps. Physical traps alone were ineffective against skilled Shinobi, but they served as distractions and could hinder inexperienced opponents.
The main lethal element of their traps lay in the Explosive Tags buried in the ground, creating a chain reaction of detonations that inflicted significant damage.
"Let's find a hiding place," Fugaku instructed. "Nozawa and I will work together to scout the specific locations of nearby enemies using her insects."
The two individuals, Fugaku and Aburame Nozawa, set out in the Land of Rain. The road ahead was marked on their map, and it served as a route not only for the Land of Rain's civilians but also for Shinobi from other countries trying to navigate their way.
As they moved along the road, Fugaku and Nozawa discovered a mountain that offered concealment but was easily exposed. The hiding spot provided excellent cover as one could remain completely hidden within it, but its proximity to a pile of rocks meant that anyone passing by would exercise caution to avoid potential ambushes.
Using the insects, they observed the enemy while concealing themselves within the mountain, occasionally peering out from the stone pile to surveil their surroundings, appearing like inexperienced Shinobi.
Camouflage was an essential skill for Shinobi. By mastering camouflage techniques, they could reduce their enemies' defenses.
"A team of Iwa Shinobi has appeared to the north," Nozawa reported. "There are ten of them in total."
Fugaku nodded. As long as they kept their distance, their current position remained well-concealed and unlikely to be exposed.
Indeed, there were twelve individuals, but it seemed they had just engaged in a recent battle.
Faint voices could be heard in the distance, but they were too far away for Fugaku to discern their content.
Their stone pile location was quite conspicuous, making it difficult to avoid detection.
"Seigan, carefully examine the stone pile in front," the Iwa Shinobi's captain ordered. "Check if there's an ambush waiting inside."
The captain of the Iwa Shinobi team, Jōnin Aoi Masawa, directed one of his clan juniors, Seigan, who had made significant progress due to years of rigorous training.
Seigan nodded and approached the stone pile cautiously. Suddenly, two figures leaped out of the stone pile. Fugaku swiftly unleashed a barrage of Shuriken from an unconventional angle, aiming directly at Seigan.
Luring the enemy required strategic thinking; otherwise, they would be suspicious and cautious, making it difficult to ambush them successfully.
Though the trajectory of Fugaku's Shuriken was unorthodox, Seigan remained composed. He swiftly unsheathed his short blade and deflected the incoming projectiles. Several Shuriken were deftly parried.
Meanwhile, the Iwa Shinobi behind Seigan, taken aback by the unexpected development, quickly assessed the situation and unleashed their hidden weapons, targeting the two Konohagakure Shinobi who had emerged from the stone pile.
Fugaku noticed the movement behind him and swiftly turned in mid-air, his Sharingan spinning. With his exceptional perception, he accurately tracked the trajectory of the hidden weapons.
Waving both hands rapidly, he skillfully deflected the projectiles, creating a symphony of metallic collisions.
Taking advantage of a brief lull, Fugaku retrieved a small scroll from his ninja pouch and tossed it to Aburame Nozawa. "You should retreat now. This contains top-secret information from Iwagakure. Ensure its safe delivery."
This earlier arrangement had been made during their journey, providing a plausible reason for the appearance of the two Konohagakure Shinobi. The Iwa Shinobi would likely investigate the information and its authenticity.
Without it, their comrades might suspect collusion. In the world of Shinobi, killing spies was preferable to allowing them to escape, as the intelligence they possessed could potentially tip the scales of an entire war.