Chapter 9

On a quiet night, the dwindling fire inside the cave barely illuminated the surroundings, and three individuals rested by its warmth.

The fire's embers flickered before finally fading away. The Uchiha clansmen who had joined the Vanguard force this time were selected by the Hokage based on information provided by the Anbu. Their fundamental qualities as shinobi remained intact.

Uchiha Fugaku's primary concern was that some weak and arrogant members of the clan would tarnish the Uchiha's reputation. The Uchiha had become increasingly marginalized in Konoha, and their responsibilities had played a significant role in the clan's eventual tragedy.

Not only did they need to restore the Uchiha's reputation, but they also needed to eliminate certain malignant elements. Fugaku's mind raced as he pondered various strategies.

Aburame Nozawa, from the Aburame Clan, seemed to have an innate sense of timing. He was the first to awaken within the darkness of the cave, followed closely by Uchiha Fugaku.

"Nozawa, have the malevolent insects been bred?" Fugaku inquired. "We have only three days to complete our mission of eliminating the Jōnin Squad."

Nozawa nodded and replied, "The breeding process is complete, and all the insects possess a natural resistance to water-based techniques."

Standing up, Nozawa extended his hands, releasing an endless stream of black worms that filled the cave, creating a dense swarm.

As Fugaku beheld the overwhelming insects, a shiver ran down his spine. It was only natural for anyone to feel unease upon seeing such a mass of insects up close.

Nozawa skillfully controlled the flying worms, leading them out of the cave. The three of them followed, with the flying swarm spreading out in a fan shape as they headed towards the heartland of the Land of Rain.

The sky remained cloudy, and heavy rain poured down. The trio, dressed in raincoats, advanced slowly. They had only to await news from the malevolent insects while maintaining vigilance for any signs of movement in their surroundings.

The world of shinobi was filled with peculiar phenomena. Some clans, like the Aburame Clan, controlled malevolent insects, while the Kamizuru Clan of Iwagakure was rumored to utilize bees in combat.

Though the Kamizuru Clan did not control malevolent insects like the Aburame, the ninja world boasted countless extraordinary abilities. Some individuals even summoned common animals or insects as their summoned beasts.

Fugaku activated his Sharingan, his eyes darting rapidly as he analyzed the environment, capturing every movement. His 3-Tomoe Sharingan provided insights into moving targets superior even to the Byakugan.

Nozawa continued to release malevolent insects from his body. These insects were hatched from chakra-infused insect eggs within his body.

In the sky, the malevolent insects continuously returned, providing Nozawa with updates on their findings.

"Captain, enemy shinobi have been detected," Aburame Nozawa reported. "To the southwest, there is a team of 300 Land of Rain shinobi stationed approximately four kilometers away. They seem to be on a mission."

Fugaku nodded and replied, "Stay alert."

The trio slowed their pace, while Nozawa conveyed the information about the Rain Hidden Village squad to Fugaku through the malevolent insects.

The three individuals identified traces of movement from four Ame shinobi. They stealthily trailed them, with the four Ame shinobi reducing their speed. Nozawa's malevolent insects relayed the intel.

The four Ame shinobi stopped and rested in the same location. The trio exchanged glances, silently planning their approach. Fugaku observed them closely, noting that one of the four appeared more mature and composed, likely the captain.

The remaining three seemed relatively inexperienced in Fugaku's eyes, barely reaching the rank of chūnin. Perhaps they had received temporary promotions during the war without undergoing proper evaluation.

"Prepare yourselves," Fugaku commanded. "On my count of three, Nozawa, use your malevolent insects to ensnare the captain and the Ame shinobi on the left. Sato, entangle the Ame shinobi on the right. I will take care of the Ame shinobi in the middle. Once I eliminate one of their shinobi, Nozawa, retract your insects around their captain and assist me. If we successfully eliminate all four of them, our Vanguard Troop mission will be accomplished before the deadline. We have two days remaining, and we can use the defeated enemies to disrupt any cooperation between their teams."

"Yes."

"One."

"Two."

"Three."

As Fugaku's command concluded, they swiftly initiated Body Flicker Jutsu. Simultaneously, they hurled two kunai towards the Ame shinobi captain, while Fugaku transformed into a shadow and lunged at one of the Ame shinobi.

Sato attacked simultaneously, swiftly dispatching the designated Ame shinobi. The malevolent insects in the sky converged, descending upon the Ame shinobi captain and the remaining Ame shinobi.

The Ame shinobi captain reacted first, bellowing, "Enemy attack! Prepare for combat!"

The Ame shinobi captain faced the sudden assault, realizing that they were facing formidable opponents this time. He swung his weapon relentlessly, parrying the attacks.

Fugaku paid no attention to anything else, launching Body Flicker Jutsu once more and appearing next to one of the Ame shinobi, striking towards his heart.

Sharingan locked onto his target, Fugaku unleashed a carefully planned genjutsu. The opposing Ame shinobi found themselves trapped, their minds consumed by the swirling three-tomoe patterns, rendering them incapable of any further action.

In shinobi battles, life and death were often decided in an instant. As the Ame shinobi struggled against Fugaku's genjutsu, Fugaku's attack pierced through the opponent's heart.

"Eliminating an ordinary chūnin and gaining a small boost in Pupil Strength," the familiar text resurfaced in his mind. Fugaku swiftly turned, heading towards the Ame shinobi captain.

Uchiha Fugaku's movements were too swift, catching everyone off guard. The chūnin had no opportunity to retaliate and fell to his demise in Fugaku's hands.

The Ame shinobi captain stared at the lifeless comrade and shouted, "It's the Uchiha Clan from Konoha! Retreat!"

The Ame shinobi captain took the lead, racing forward, completely disregarding the fate of the remaining two shinobi. However, Fugaku was equally swift.

His fingers moved like phantoms, skillfully forming seals.

"Fire Release, Hōsenka no Jutsu!"

One after another, fireballs erupted from Fugaku's mouth, blocking the Ame shinobi captain's escape route.

Forced to halt his advance, the Ame shinobi captain realized that his chances of relaying information were slim.

Halting his movements, the Ame shinobi captain turned to face Uchiha Fugaku calmly, each holding a kunai, emanating an aura of intimidation.

Fugaku furrowed his brow, attentively observing every move, his Sharingan spinning rapidly. He instantly launched the completed genjutsu into his opponent's line of sight.

The Ame shinobi captain suddenly felt a wave of dizziness, encountering illusions before him. Hastily forming hand seals, he shouted, "Release!"

Seizing the moment of the genjutsu's activation, Fugaku lunged forward. Their kunai clashed in mid-air, creating a dazzling spark, while Fugaku's other hand discreetly grazed the opponent's ribs.

Cracking the genjutsu required time, but Fugaku had gained the upper hand in the first exchange, albeit marginally.

Adapting to battle with Sharingan required extensive training, as exemplified by the future Maito Gai, who fought solely by reading his opponent's movements.