Chapter 48

Thick smoke from the bitter smoke bombs dissipated before Fugaku's eyes, leaving behind a few bodies and the echoes of screams.

The brief battle provided Fugaku with a clearer understanding of his comrades' strengths. Mitarashi Akami excelled not only in Fire and Earth Release jutsu, but also displayed impressive melee combat skills, making her the strongest among the three. Yamaki Aoga's lethality in direct confrontations was lacking, as his Crow Summoning jutsu proved more effective for investigation and harassment rather than engaging in frontal combat as a Jonin. As for Hayate Clan's Konoha stream Kenjutsu, inherited from the Nidaime Hokage, Fugaku observed that Hayate Shūichi focused excessively on the uniqueness of his sword techniques, neglecting his own speed and power. This prevented him from killing the Iwa Shinobi in their previous battle. Even Hayate Gekkō and the others seemed fixated on the style of their techniques, disregarding their overall strength and speed, which resulted in their inability to defeat Baki in combat.

"Ensure all the Iwa Shinobi corpses are properly disposed of to prevent any of them from being revived," Fugaku commanded. "Hyūga Tazumo, take charge of this task. We must be prepared for the possibility of the enemy appearing at any moment."

In this brief encounter, Fugaku showcased his strength and the power of his Sharingan, proving to his teammates why he was chosen as the captain of the Elite team, rather than any of the other four candidates. In the world of Shinobi, raw power often holds more value than cunning plots and schemes.

The five silhouettes swiftly dispersed across the battlefield, taking care of the bodies of the fallen Iwa Shinobi. Mitarashi Akami utilized Earth Release to bury the corpses, and soon they all retreated, aware that the few Iwa Shinobi who managed to escape could potentially summon a large reinforcement. Whether they proceeded forward, retreated, or entered the Land of Rain, they would likely be pursued by the Iwa Shinobi.

This encounter forced Fugaku to reevaluate the investigation methods employed by various nations, as the danger they faced had escalated significantly. "Let's retreat towards the Land of Grass," Fugaku contemplated. "We should find the nearest town to restock our supplies."

The five silhouettes vanished from the scene, only to reappear shortly after where the battle had taken place. They were met by the reinforcements from Iwagakure, the same Iwa Shinobi who had previously engaged Fugaku in combat.

"Disperse and search for any clues regarding the enemy's escape," commanded the leading Rock ninja among the reinforcements. "Given the deployment of both Hyūga and Uchiha, along with multiple Jonin, it's likely that Konoha has formed an Elite squad."

"Captain, someone used Earth Release to bury the battlefield," an Iwa Shinobi scrutinized the scene carefully. "It seems impossible to determine the opponent's strength and tactics solely based on the battle remnants and wounds on their bodies."

"What's your opinion, Ozawa?" inquired the Iwa Shinobi Captain. "You're the only one who hasn't sustained injuries from the others."

Ozawa, a Shinobi, responded with a wry smile, "I don't believe it was an actual fight; it felt more like blocking the opponent's attacks. The other five Shinobi possessed the strength of Jonin level and wielded five formidable Kekkei Genkai, including Sharingan and Byakugan from Konoha. I engaged in a brief skirmish with one of their Uchiha Shinobi, and despite piercing his heart, he displayed incredible Genjutsu prowess."

The Iwa Shinobi Captain nodded thoughtfully and stated, "Konoha's Elite Shinobi squad is here for more than just a simple battle; they must be entrusted with an extremely important mission."

Unfolding a map on the ground, the Iwa Shinobi Captain examined it closely, joined by several Shinobi who were searching for clues.

A Rock ninja suggested, "Captain, it's highly probable that the enemy is retreating towards the Land of Grass. Should we pursue them?"

"No," the Iwa Shinobi Captain replied firmly. "Expanding our presence outside our territory at this juncture would only cause panic in the Land of Grass and lead to wild speculations from Kusagakure, disrupting our village's plans."

Examining the map once more, the Iwa Shinobi Captain couldn't shake the feeling that the enemy had arrived with a secret mission in mind. Looking at the nearby border, he surmised that their objective likely involved investigating Iwa Shinobi activities in the Land of Rain or conducting intelligence reconnaissance.

"Koike, inform the communication headquarters that a team of powerful Konoha Elite Shinobi has been spotted nearby. If encountered, focus on defense and await reinforcements," he instructed.

"Yes, Captain."

Little did the opposing forces realize that a team of five Konohagakure Shinobi had infiltrated Iwagakure for an assassination mission. Due to its remote location and limited external communication, infiltrating Iwagakure was no easy task.

Moreover, news of Iwagakure's impending recruitment in the Land of Rain was known only within the village itself due to the lack of reliable information. After all, the recruitment had not yielded concrete results and could not be widely disclosed.

In the Land of Grass, Fugaku and his team took refuge in a forest near a small town.

"We'll use Henge no Jutsu to blend in with the townspeople and resupply," Fugaku suggested. "Tonight, we rest here and prepare ourselves before venturing into the Land of Stone, where it will likely be more challenging."

A cloud of smoke materialized, revealing five ordinary-looking civilians walking towards the bustling town of Land of Grass ahead.

Although the town was not large, it teemed with life, accommodating many refugees fleeing from the Land of Rain. Among the crowd were numerous spies from different countries. An inconspicuous old man on the street might very well be a spy sent by a major nation to gather valuable intelligence.

"Be cautious not to reveal any signs of being Shinobi. Consider yourselves ordinary individuals," warned Fugaku.

The team finished their meal at a restaurant and proceeded directly to a hotel to rest. They entered the Land of Stone the following day, confident in their ability to face any enemy or successfully retreat. As long as their true identities remained concealed, even if someone spotted their Henge no Jutsu, it would be unlikely for their cover to be blown. After all, no one knew which nation had dispatched them on this covert mission, and it was equally plausible that they would encounter Shinobi from their own village.

For the Shinobi of the Land of Grass, trouble could not be avoided. In the midst of the ongoing conflict between the four major nations, any of them held more power than the Land of Grass.

The night passed in silence, and early the next morning, the group left their rooms and exited the town. Hyūga Tazumo walked beside Fugaku and reported, "Someone is following us, but they don't appear to be strong. They seem to be rogue Shinobi."

"It seems we've been noticed by some rogues," Fugaku noted. "Let's increase our pace and move into the forest to deal with them."

The five figures hastened forward, their speed neither too fast nor too slow, mimicking that of ordinary individuals. To prevent any secret surveillance, Fugaku decided against instructing the team to maintain their Henge no Jutsu disguises.

A voice resounded among the group of rogue Shinobi. "They're trying to escape. Speed up and intercept them!"

"Boss, they're gone."

"Search the forest! We finally found some juicy prey, and we won't let them slip away."

In the sunlit forest, the rogue Shinobi tirelessly combed the area in search of the five individuals. Fugaku, hidden in a tree, observed the chaotic movements of the rogue Shinobi below.

"Any suspicious targets?" Fugaku's voice echoed.

Hyūga Tazumo responded, "No, the small animals around us are just ordinary creatures, and there's nothing out of the ordinary in their behavior."

"Attack."

Several shuriken materialized in Fugaku's hand, swiftly thrown. Their trajectory was unpredictable, catching several rogue Shinobi off guard and sealing their fate in Yellow Springs.

A series of screams reverberated through the forest, only to abruptly come to an end.

Multiple messages flashed through Uchiha Fugaku's mind.

"Killed a Genin and obtained a small amount of Pupil Strength."

According to Fugaku, these rogue Shinobi were no match for an experienced Genin. They could only be considered average individuals who had harnessed a small amount of Chakra, barely qualifying as rogue Shinobi.

"Let's bury their bodies and proceed to the Land of Stone."