Naruto: The Teaching System - 268

Chapter 268: None of You Are Leaving Today!

"Itachi, did you request to join the clan on this mission yourself?" Countless figures leaped through the dense forest. Fugaku walked at the front, glancing back at his eldest son. "Did you request to join the clan on this mission yourself?"

Hearing this, Itachi first glanced at the clansmen following behind him. Then he nodded slightly and said, "Yes."

Fugaku didn't mention Itachi's cold attitude. However, ever since Itachi became an ANBU captain, he'd maintained a distant stance toward the clan.

To say he'd actively requested to come along this time... honestly, even Fugaku himself didn't believe it. But seeing the proud expressions on the clansmen behind him, Fugaku didn't refute it.

Ever since the Uchiha Clan and Konoha reconciled years ago, Shisui and Itachi, these two geniuses who'd awakened the Mangekyō, had become role models for the clan's disciples. Additionally, both held important positions. Shisui was even the captain of the Hokage's guard unit.

Thinking of this, Fugaku stopped speaking. Their clan being able to participate in this war meant the Uchiha's path to advancement had reopened once more. Everything was developing in a good direction.

When his father stopped questioning him, Itachi secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He had left ANBU to follow the main force because Hiruzen Sarutobi had given him a mission: to gather information about the Akatsuki organization. Currently, the only known source was Orochimaru.

However, to prevent Orochimaru from evading Konoha's manhunt again, Itachi was first dispatched to the Grass Country front lines alongside the Uchiha Clan.

Hmm? Just as Itachi was still thinking, Fugaku beside him suddenly stopped. He looked ahead warily, the crimson Three Tomoe Sharingan in his eyes spinning wildly.

The Uchiha Clan, who'd been moving forward steadily, all stopped, looking at Fugaku ahead, uncertain what had happened.

"Come out!" Fugaku shouted in a low voice, his gaze fixed on the area ahead.

Is someone there? Itachi looked expressionlessly in the direction of Fugaku's gaze. The next moment, a flash of surprise crossed his eyes. There really is someone? My father...

"Oh, I've been discovered." As the words fell, the earth began to tremble.

The expressions of the Uchiha Clan members behind Fugaku shifted from vigilance to surprise. Before them, a man wearing an Iwagakure jōnin vest stood atop a massive clay puppet, overlooking the Uchiha forces below.

"I originally thought I could use this terrain to ambush all of you." Hearing this, the man who looked plain and honest scratched his head and sighed. "Truly worthy of being the Uchiha Clan's captain."

After all, they'd prepared this trap for several days, even too lazy to raid the previous supply convoys.

"Iwagakure's Akatsuchi!" Fugaku couldn't help but frown. The person before him was the Third Tsuchikage's bodyguard, a ninja who, like Kitsuchi, had already made a name for himself in the Third Ninja War.

"Ah, well, I didn't expect to be recognized, but..." "None of you are leaving today."

As Akatsuchi's words fell, countless figures appeared from the surrounding dense forest.

"Are these Iwagakure shinobi?" "How can there be so many people here!" The Uchiha Clan members all looked around gravely. They were surrounded.

Itachi calmly surveyed his surroundings. With Jiraiya-sama at the front lines, there shouldn't be any accidents. That leaves only one possibility: Takigakure didn't obey Konoha's orders. They let Iwagakure's forces through.

Additionally, the news of the Uchiha Clan being deployed to the front lines shouldn't have been known by many. This means there's an Iwagakure spy inside Konoha.

"Father, we should break through." Thinking this, Itachi said to Fugaku beside him.

"Yes, protect the clan's safety at all costs." Fugaku nodded, formed a hand seal, and a massive Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique shot directly toward the clay puppet before them.

Itachi didn't respond, simply kicked off the ground and charged straight toward the Iwagakure forces surrounding them.

"Everyone, attack!" Akatsuchi directly waved his hand, and the surrounding hidden Iwagakure shinobi all formed hand seals, moving toward the Uchiha Clan they'd surrounded.

"We'll fight them!" "For the Uchiha's honor!"

Seeing that Iwagakure, far from panicking, was attacking them instead, the Uchiha Clan members refused to stand idle and charged toward the oncoming Iwagakure shinobi.

In the dense forest, the four members of Sawada's squad were advancing rapidly. They'd spent nearly a full day searching for Iwagakure forces but found nothing. It was as if all the Iwagakure shinobi lurking in the Land of Fire had vanished without a trace.

At this moment, Sawada could only lead his teammates toward the Grass Country front lines. After all, the three days were almost up. Regardless of the outcome, they had to return and report to Jiraiya.

Hmm? The next moment, a flash of surprise crossed Sawada's face. Immediately after, Neji beside him also said, "Sensei, approximately three kilometers ahead, massive chakra fluctuations have appeared!"

"I sense it. Someone's fighting, and the scale isn't small." Sawada frowned and immediately issued new orders. "Everyone, full speed ahead! Kill any enemies on sight!"

Whoever was fighting ahead, this was within the Land of Fire's borders. They had to confront them!

"Yes!" Yusuke, Koto, and Neji all responded, their expressions serious, heading toward the destination.

"Truly worthy of being the Uchiha Clan. What a hassle!" Akatsuchi looked at Fugaku and Itachi with a grim expression, speaking viciously.

Their carefully prepared trap not only failed to eliminate this Uchiha force, but these two people before him had killed many Iwagakure shinobi.

"Iwagakure is nothing but a group of weaklings!" Fugaku said calmly. The Uchiha Clan hadn't appeared on battlefields for many years. But that didn't mean they were weak enough for anyone to crush.

Although his clan had suffered losses in this battle, compared to Iwagakure's forces, they were in much better shape. However, Akatsuchi, before him, wasn't the type of ninja who sought unearned gains. His Earth Release and tremendous strength made it impossible for him and Itachi to defeat him quickly.

No, it should be said that Itachi hadn't even used his full strength yet. Thinking this, Fugaku glanced at his son beside him, who looked somewhat drained. Is he hiding his strength? Or has his eyesight already begun to decline?

"Don't underestimate me!" Hearing Fugaku's taunt, Akatsuchi angrily clapped his hands and shouted, "Earth Release: Super Added Weight Rock Technique!"

Akatsuchi spat out massive amounts of clay, gradually forming an even larger clay puppet than before. Suddenly, beneath this giant's feet, the entire forest seemed incomparably small.