Chapter 32
Fugaku and Aburame Nozawa accelerated their speed, aware that if they were caught by the opposing Iwa Shinōbi, they would likely face capture, torture for information, and ultimately death. In the ninja world, being captured meant a grim fate with no chance of escape. The loss of a talented Uchiha like Fugaku would bring sorrow to his loved ones, but it wouldn't cause much disturbance or impact beyond that.
Sensing movement behind him, Fugaku swiftly jumped and turned, utilizing his 3-Tomoe Sharingan to track the trajectory of a hidden weapon. However, his expression turned grim as he realized that the weapon was connected to an Explosive Tag floating in the wind. Blocking it would only lead to his own destruction. With quick hand seals and a deep breath, he unleashed a stream of flames from his mouth.
"Fire Release, Phoenix Flower Jutsu."
The flames engulfed the hidden weapon and ignited the Explosive Tag attached to it, causing a series of explosions that provided a brief window for Fugaku and Nozawa to retreat. As the wind blew away the dust, the Iwa Shinōbi team pursued them once again.
"Captain," Aburame Nozawa suddenly spoke up, "There are Shinōbi ahead, most likely Iwa Shinōbi."
Fugaku nodded, realizing that the Shinōbi in front were intercepting them based on information passed on from the Shinōbi in the rear.
"Change our course," Fugaku commanded, "Let's lead them into a trap."
Aoi Masawa, who was at the rear, also realized the significance of Fugaku and Nozawa's change in direction. The Shinōbi blocking their path could be exposed, and the Konohagakure Shinōbi flying with insects, resembling the Insect Controlling Clan of Konoha, were likely gathering information through their insects. Aoi Masawa's expression grew somber, knowing that it would be difficult to inform other teams in time to set up an ambush.
The fact that the Iwa Shinōbi possessed confidential information was causing a headache for Aoi Masawa. Having such undeniable information disrupted the operations of the two teams, but he hesitated to inform more teams for interception as the authenticity of the information was still uncertain. Mobilizing the entire war zone and disrupting the upper-level battle plan without solid confirmation would be a grave responsibility for Aoi Masawa to bear.
Fugaku remained vigilant, constantly observing the movements of the pursuing team from behind. He noticed that they had accelerated once again, and he discarded a few items from his hand.
Suddenly, the rain curtains collided with each other, constantly changing direction. Despite that, the speed of the Iwa Shinōbi team in pursuit didn't diminish. Aoi Masawa swiftly performed hand seals.
A powerful gust of wind blew from his mouth, altering the direction of the rain and carrying rubble towards the pursuing Iwa Shinōbi.
The strong wind dispersed a few of the pursuers, causing them to drift away in four different directions. Fugaku remained expressionless, as this was part of his plan. The pursuers were merely a test, and he had never intended to rely on a few hidden weapons to slow them down.
Seizing the moment when the opposing Shinōbi were caught off guard by the scattered hidden weapons, Fugaku completed a new set of hand seals.
"Fire Release, Great Dragon Fire Technique."
Three small Fire Dragons erupted one after another, swirling through the air and charging towards the Iwa Shinōbi squad from different angles.
A sturdy earth wall rose up in front of the pursuing Iwa Shinōbi squad. Fugaku didn't pay it much attention. The Great Dragon Fire Technique would provide enough delay to ensure that they wouldn't be caught before reaching their trap.
The trap, marked by a pile of stones, came into view not far ahead.
"Slow down," Fugaku instructed, "Pretend to be exhausted and give them some hope. Otherwise, the Iwa Shinōbi in pursuit may report our hopelessness directly to their superiors."
Nozawa nodded, and as they reached the stone pile, Fugaku glanced around, satisfied that it was well concealed and none of their team members had noticed it.
Once again, the Aoi Masawa squad caught up, and Fugaku continued to monitor their position until they entered the trap area concealed by the stones.
Fuinjutsu could be incredibly mysterious at times. A seemingly simple trap, enhanced by hidden seals, went completely unnoticed by the elite Iwa Shinōbi team. Fugaku often contemplated how Konoha should utilize Fuinjutsu to their advantage in future wars, preserving their advantage by not allowing the knowledge of Fuinjutsu to escape. With Fuinjutsu alone, Konoha could gain a significant edge in battle.
Fugaku hurled a Shuriken from his hand, initiating a series of physical traps.
Several stone spikes, previously set in ambush, shot up towards the Iwa Shinōbi squad.
"There are traps here," Aoi Masawa remarked. "The enemy might have more tricks up their sleeve. Maintain formation and don't spread out to avoid being defeated individually."
Several earth walls were rapidly erected to shield the team, and the stone spikes collided with the walls, creating a continuous rumbling sound.
The ground shook, and the Iwa Shinōbi squad swayed, unable to maintain their formation. Fugaku had meticulously emptied the stone pile, ensuring that most of the spikes would collapse upon impact.
The Iwa Shinōbi's formation was in disarray. Some were lucky enough to find solid ground and used Body Flicker Jutsu to escape the trap, while others were unfortunate and fell into the depths.
Fugaku performed hand seals once again.
"Fire Release, Phoenix Flower Jutsu."
Fireballs scattered throughout the stone pile, engulfing not only the Iwa Shinōbi squad but also the explosive tags buried within. The chain reaction ignited the entire stone pile, causing it to explode.
The Iwa Shinōbi who had escaped the trap could no longer maintain their composure, surrounded by four earth walls.
Those who fell into the trap fared even worse. The walls were rigged with multiple explosive tags, and several Iwa Shinōbi caught sight of them just before falling. The ensuing explosion engulfed them, leaving no chance of survival.
The explosion caused the entire stone pile to turn into a chaotic mess. The massive pit formed by the blast was now buried beneath the rubble, and the once-solid earth walls lay torn apart.
Numerous Konohagakure Shinōbi emerged from all directions, with traces of dirt visible on their bodies. It appeared that they had concealed themselves within the soil beforehand.
Harada Kirisawa took two steps forward, performing hand seals. A powerful gust of wind erupted from his mouth, blowing away the dust raised by the explosions and revealing the three Iwa Shinōbi hiding behind the earth walls.
One Iwa Shinōbi emerged from the buried pit, joining the other three. Fugaku couldn't ascertain if there were any survivors within the giant pit, but eliminating the immediate threat in front of him took precedence.
Three Earth Release Shinōbi—Yamada Shinji, Okasawa Ōno, and Aida Maki—stepped forward, continuously forming hand seals. They combined their Ninjutsu, uniting their formidable powers and conserving chakra.
"Earth Release, Earth Dragon Bullet Technique."
The ground trembled as a colossal earth dragon burst forth, soaring through the air. Its jaws opened, and it unleashed a barrage of projectiles.
Satōmaru, Genyaki, and Uchiha Fugaku stood together, simultaneously performing hand seals.
"Fire Release, Fire Dragon Bullet Technique."
Streams of fireballs formed by their Ninjutsu rained down on the Iwa Shinōbi from different angles.
These two Ninjutsu aimed to disrupt the enemy rather than achieve an outright victory. Fugaku knew that eliminating the Iwa Shinōbi with just one Earth Release and one Fire Release was unlikely.
The Land of Stone's Shinōbi excelled in Earth Release, boasting strong defensive capabilities. Moreover, the explosion from earlier had likely attracted the attention of nearby Iwa Shinōbi, necessitating a swift resolution to the current encounter.
As the smoke dispersed, the figures of the four Iwa Shinōbi became visible—two Jōnin and two Chūnin.