Chapter 54: Chapter 54
The rigid body reluctantly shifted to the side, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow to the heart.
Ku Wu, with a swift movement, grazed his opponent's heart and pierced the left side of his chest. At that moment, an Iwa Shinobi emerged behind Ku Wu and thrust a weapon directly at Fugaku.
Kuwan was swiftly withdrawn by Fugaku, evading several incoming attacks. Suddenly, Fugaku flicked Kuwa, catching an Iwa Shinobi Jōnin off guard. The Shinobi's throat was severed, contributing to Fugaku's Pupil Strength.
Using the Body Flicker Jutsu to retreat once again, Fugaku glanced at Ōgan, who lay severely wounded and unconscious. Fugaku quickly made his way towards the rear.
Several Iwa Shinobi surrounded Ōgan, their eyes flashing with disbelief as they observed his blood-stained chest.
This was an Elite Jōnin, one of Iwagakure's few powerhouses, and he had been gravely injured by the enemy. The vigilance of Iwa Shinobi towards the Uchiha Clan escalated once again.
Fugaku had initially intended to eliminate the Elite Jōnin directly, but he hadn't expected the opponent's remarkable willpower. The opponent had shifted his body at the crucial moment, evading the killing blow. Whether he would survive now depended on luck.
At this time, medical techniques in the ninja world were lacking, and Tsunade, who was known for her expertise in medical Ninjutsu, was still in the learning stage. The technological advancements in other Hidden Villages were unimaginable.
Nevertheless, Fugaku had achieved his goal of deterring the Iwa Shinobi. The pursuing Shinobi, who had originally planned to give chase, stopped in their tracks and watched as Fugaku vanished from their sight.
The crow continued to hover in the sky, bringing a sense of relief to Fugaku. Even the most severely injured Yamaki Aoga managed to remain conscious, and the other team members didn't have major issues.
Fugaku's Chakra had been depleted after consecutive battles, but he couldn't afford to rest until he found his four teammates.
Although they had managed to escape the Land of Stone Country, they were still within its borders, and they could encounter Iwagakure patrols at any moment. Moreover, some of the Shinobi's investigation methods were unpredictable.
Following the crow's guidance, Fugaku mentally traced the retreat route of his four comrades. He nodded to himself, confident that unless Iwa Shinobi conducted an extensive search, it would be difficult to find any traces of their presence.
The crow in the sky let out a few tweets before descending towards the back of a nearby boulder. Four figures came into Fugaku's view.
"Fugaku, you're finally back," Hyūga Tazumo said. "Our hearts have been heavy since we started retreating. Now we can finally relax knowing that you've returned safely."
"It's a shame that we couldn't assist you during that critical moment," Yamaki Aoga added.
"Don't worry about it," Fugaku replied. "This isn't the right place for discussion. Let's move away from the country and find a hidden location to rest."
That night, the five of them took shelter in a pit surrounded by four rocks.
Fugaku retrieved a small medical bag from his ninja kit. It contained only basic disinfectant potions and gauze, lacking even anti-inflammatory medication.
Despite the pain, they disinfected and treated their wounds as best they could. For more thorough treatment, they would have to return to Konoha and seek assistance from the Konohagakure Hospital.
The continuous battles and hasty retreat had taken a toll on the team's vitality, energy, and spirit. After tending to their wounds, they endured the waves of fatigue washing over them. Setting up simple warning traps around their location, they quickly closed their eyes to rest.
By nightfall, news of the conflict in the Land of Stone Country had reached Tsuchikage's desk.
Ōnoki, filled with anger and frustration, examined the intelligence reports. He called for a senior meeting with the executives of Iwagakure.
Facing the gathering of Iwagakure's high-ranking officials, he suppressed his anger and distributed the information in his hands to everyone present. "Take a look. Ōgan is critically injured and currently receiving treatment in the country's hospital. Whether he survives depends on luck."
"Konoha acted swiftly this time. This assassination mission has dealt a severe blow to Iwagakure's reputation among the country's civilians. Our stationed Shinobi accidentally killed many innocent civilians and caused extensive damage to countless homes. The understanding and trust between Hidden Villages and the country have been shattered, regressing to a worse state than before."
"Tsuchikage-sama, it's unlikely that we can deploy a large number of troops to the Land of Rain in a short period of time. We need a senior representative to personally meet with the Daimyō and explain the situation regarding the country," a senior Iwa Shinobi suggested.
"I propose that we conduct another purge of spies within the village. The information about troop reinforcements is still circulating within Hidden Village on a smaller scale. Konoha already had prior knowledge of this and sent someone to assassinate the Ōmaetsugimi of the Logistics Bureau. We cannot simply let the individual responsible for leaking this information off the hook," another Iwagakure representative added.
Tsuchikage waved his hand and said, "Tomorrow, I will go to the country and personally apologize to the Daimyō. However, we must take Uchiha Fugaku, who was able to seriously injure Ōgan, seriously. Provide all Iwagakure Shinobi with detailed information on Uchiha Fugaku, especially those stationed in the Land of Rain. They must exercise extreme caution when dealing with Uchiha Clan members. It would be best to eliminate the threat before it grows. I don't want another Uchiha Madara incident in the ninja world. Send out search teams, especially investigative Shinobi, to intercept Fugaku before he withdraws from the Land of Stone."
As the name Uchiha Madara was mentioned, a flicker of panic passed through the eyes of many Iwagakure executives. However, they steeled their resolve and agreed with Tsuchikage's perspective.
Ōnoki sighed inwardly. The terror left behind by Uchiha Madara over two decades ago still haunted his memories. Now, more than twenty years later, he had become Tsuchikage. As his own strength grew, he gained a deeper understanding of Uchiha Madara's power and the lingering threat he posed. It was a nightmare that must not be allowed to repeat itself.
As the sky transitioned from darkness to daylight, Fugaku unfolded a map within the tunnel. "The Land of Stone is not a safe place to stay," he stated.
His finger traced a line on the map, eventually pointing to the Land of Birds Road. "This is our new planned route. We can't be sure if the Iwa Shinobi have discovered traces of our original path. We cannot take any risks."
The other four individuals nodded in agreement, offering no further comments.
Yesterday, during the intense battle, they were filled with nerves. But during their retreat, the sheer determination to survive masked any pain from their wounds. Now, after a night of rest, the pain surged through their bodies.
A few sharp intakes of breath could be heard as they assisted one another in continuing their journey.
Having experienced life and death together, the team's cohesion was strong. Fugaku instructed Yamaki Aoga to put away the crow. Yamaki Aoga's reconnaissance methods had been exposed, and using crows for surveillance would only reveal their position.
"Fugaku, the Iwa Shinobi may increase their search efforts," Hyūga Tazumo voiced his concerns. "They might be trying to eliminate us from the Land of Stone."
Fugaku understood Hyūga Tazumo's worries. After all, he was a key target in broad daylight. If they were allowed to escape, Iwagakure's reputation within the Land of Stone would suffer.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone