Chapter 90

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The Iwa ninja wearing the red bandana was the first to notice something was wrong. As soon as he heard the flute, he felt himself atop a white cloud, surrounded by an endless sea of clouds. The bright white moon bathed everything in cool moonlight, and the melodious flute music made him want to stay in this picturesque scene forever.

However, his mental strength as a Jonin enabled him to quickly dispel the illusion that had taken hold of him.

'We can't continue to be so passive! If we can't interrupt the one casting the illusion, no one in this stronghold can escape!'

Hiding underground and observing the stronghold through his seismic sense, he became increasingly anxious as he watched his companions being easily taken down by the attackers. The number of injured ninjas, who were screaming just moments ago, was rapidly decreasing.

'Someone must counterattack and interrupt the enemy!'

Gritting his teeth, he decided to take action. "Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!"

An earth and stone dragon head formed on the ground, spitting out numerous chakra-infused mud bombs towards Toshiro. The few remaining mobile Iwa ninjas saw this and launched their own long-prepared attacks. Suddenly, the stronghold became a flurry of activity, with various ninjutsu like Earth-Flow River, Earth Dragon Bullet, and Earth-Style Spear aimed at the Uchiha clansmen.

The surviving ninjas knew that while they could break free from the genjutsu, the same couldn't be said for the less powerful chunin. Allowing an illusion master to use his skills unchecked made their defeat almost certain. So, they rallied, determined to defeat the opponent and save their companions.

"Is this… a clone?"

The earth and stone dragon's mud bombs passed through Toshiro's figure without effect. His image wavered momentarily before returning to normal, as if it were a moon's reflection on water, rippling and then smoothing out. The flute's sound continued uninterrupted, as if nothing had happened.

Seeing their attacks cause no effect in the genjutsu caster and their comrades still in the genjutsu, they realized the gravity of their situation.

"What should we do? The opponent's illusions are quite troublesome! It's fine if we stay underground, but once we surface, the power of the genjutsu becomes even more terrifying!"

At this moment, a chakra very familiar to the Jonin approached. He voiced his concerns as well.

"We must deal with the genjutsu caster, or we'll be suppressed even if we manage to get above ground!"

"I know! But I just tested it, and you saw it too. It's just a cover-up trick! The real body is nowhere to be found!"

His eyes twitched uncontrollably as he asked, "What's our current situation? How many are left?"

"We are in good condition now, with eleven of us still able to fight, including you. However, most of the remaining have suffered varying degrees of injuries. Among them, only about ten are still able to fight; the rest are incapacitated."

Hearing the casualty report, Bandana Jonin's mood grew increasingly heavy. As the camp commander, he was well aware of the camp's situation. Before the attack, there were about ninety people, including wounded and resting ninjas. The current rough count was disheartening, but his companion continued with a glimmer of good news:

"Those who survived are the most alert and skilled. Among them are two experienced Jonin who were resting in the camp."

This was somewhat expected. Although Toshiro's surprise attack was sudden, seasoned veterans were quick to respond. When the roar from the high-speed dive spread, some Iwa ninjas woke up immediately, but Toshiro and his team were too fast, not giving them time to prepare.

Though the numerous detonating talismans couldn't kill all the lives, some ninjas managed to escape the initial round of explosions, hiding themselves and observing the stronghold's changes. Yet the next sight terrified them. Those hiding underground were safe, but the Iwa ninjas aboveground were severely affected by Toshiro's sound illusion.

Even so, when the Bandana Jonin launched a tentative attack, many Iwa ninjas seized the opportunity to rescue their companions.

"Do any of the survivors include sensing ninja? Without them, dealing with these illusions will be challenging. The enemy's illusions are too powerful; I almost got caught just by using my sensing technique to assess the situation above."

Attacking the icaster's physical body is the most effective countermeasure. His companion replied, "Yes, Yoshio survived."

"Yoshio? If I remember correctly, he was on duty tonight! I hope he can redeem himself."

The camp's attack indicated a severe lapse in the sensory ninja's duties. Under normal circumstances, this failure would lead to severe punishment. But now wasn't the time for blame. If Yoshio couldn't help in the upcoming battle, there was no place for him in their ranks.

"Our enemy this time is an Uchiha squadron," the subordinate continued before the Jonin could speak. "My companions discovered that the entire camp is shrouded in a barrier."

Hearing this, the Jonin's expression turned grim. Even underground, his intense stare was felt by his subordinate. The next words remained unspoken but were clearly understood.

"I know this Uchiha team has gained notoriety recently. Except for their leaders, the rest are just young brats. If we can eliminate their leader, the rest should be manageable."

The Jonin wasn't underestimating Toshiro and his team. In fact, the Uchiha team's renown made them a coveted target for all Iwa ninjas. Detailed information about them was studied intensely, and the prospect of defeating them promised generous rewards.

"Right," the subordinate acknowledged, relieved that his bluntness hadn't caused offense.

"Prepare for the next move. Especially warn Yoshio; if he fails again, he won't need to live anymore."

The Jonin dismissed his deputy's previous gaffe. Fear of death was natural, but now every move needed caution. Despite the Uchiha team's youth, their 'Sharingan' made them formidable.

Above ground, the injured Iwa ninjas had been eliminated by Asuka and the others. Now, in groups of three, they watched the surroundings warily, especially below ground. Each of them was desperate to locate the hidden rock ninjas. Unfortunately, the thick earth shielded both Toshiro's sound illusions and Asuka's Sharingan.

In this regard, the Iwa ninjas' earth-style techniques truly were the best in the ninja world.

Having cleared the remaining enemies on the ground, the Uchiha clansmen did not wait for the Iwa ninjas to launch an attack. Instead, Kirishima initiated the next phase of their offensive using the Earth Release: Mud wave jutsu.

These moves were all part of their prearranged plan. After the initial exploding tag bombardment, Toshiro would use a wide-range illusion to suppress the Iwa ninjas, facilitating the cleanup of the remaining enemies in the stronghold. Next, it was Kirishima's turn, leveraging his earth element abilities to force the hidden Iwa ninjas to reveal themselves.

Toshiro's strategy was simple: once they gained the initiative, he maintained relentless pressure, allowing the enemy no chance to recover. As Kirishima's ninjutsu took effect, the ground began to rise, compelling the underground Iwa ninjas to surface, placing them under attack from all sides.

"We can't wait any longer! Launch a direct attack!" commanded the Jonin, who had initially hoped to gather more intelligence and prepare. However, faced with the harsh reality of their situation, he had no choice but to act. Realizing the enemy's barrier meant no one would be allowed to escape, he executed the Earth Release: Earth Quake jutsu. This move raised sections of the ground to create barriers and change the terrain.

Following the earthquake, he used the Swamp of the Underworld jutsu to make it difficult for enemies to navigate the newly formed obstacles. Leading the Iwa ninjas, he targeted a specific group of enemies, initiating the Iwa ninja's standard tactic of creating a maze-like environment to divide and conquer.

"Attack!" he ordered. The surviving Iwa ninjas sprang from their hiding places, divided into two groups. One group was tasked with finding the genjutsu user, whose real body remained hidden, guided by their sensory ninja. They understood that eliminating this threat was crucial to their success.

"Earth Release: Earth Mausoleum," a short and stocky Iwa Jonin shouted, creating a massive, oval-shaped rock nearly thirty meters in diameter, which he hurled at Kirishima.

Recognizing the immediate threat, Kirishima did not dodge. Two Genin were with him, and evading would leave them vulnerable. Instead, he quickly performed two high-level Earth release jutsus in rapid succession. The Earth Style Wall blocked the initial attack and obscured the Iwa ninjas' vision. Simultaneously, the Earth Rock Grab ensnared the giant boulder, buying Kirishima time to regroup.

"Watch your step!" Kirishima warned his companions as he leaped onto the earth wall he had created. Just in time, as rows of stone spikes erupted from the ground where they had stood moments before—a move typical of the Earth Release: Earth Spears technique.

The colossal boulder, now partially submerged in the swamp, acted as a barrier against further attacks. Without hesitation, Kirishima formed another seal.

"Fire Release: Phoenix Fire Jutsu," he intoned, releasing a series of small fireballs toward the Iwa ninjas exposed by his Sharingan. Though not his most powerful technique, it was sufficient to keep the enemy occupied.

Joined by his comrades, who also launched their fireballs, Kirishima continued his assault, pulling kunai from his belt and throwing them at the exposed Iwa ninjas. Some of these kunai were rigged with exploding tags, reserved for this critical moment.

The continuous barrage, combined with the strategic use of elemental ssjutsus, ensured the Iwa ninjas remained on the defensive, unable to mount an effective counterattack. Kirishima's relentless offensive showcased the Uchiha clan's tactical prowess and their ability to adapt to battlefield conditions swiftly and decisively.

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