Chapter 49: The Glory of the Uchiha Clan!
At the border of the Land of Grass.
"Quick! We'll reach the border of the Land of Fire in three hours."
*Boom!*
Explosions echoed through the forest, accompanied by cries of pain. Konoha's ninjas were furiously fighting against an assortment of rogue ninjas.
"These mercenary rogue ninjas are insane!"
"Damn it, the Iwa ninjas want to stall us. Don't get caught up in fighting—retreat!"
Konoha ninjas moved swiftly through the forest, their faces dark. Though they had superior numbers, they were continually delayed by rogue ninjas hired by the Iwa with high bounties.
"Lady Tsunade!"
Tsunade, among the group, moved with a solemn expression. Many Konoha ninjas had noticed something unusual along the way.
Tsunade-hime, the famous elite jonin with a strong personality, was behaving oddly.
"Silence! Everyone, break through quickly! Once we get out of this forest, Iwa's plan to surround us will fail."
The leading Konoha jonin turned coldly toward the ninjas behind them and shouted commands.
At this time, Uchiha Yosuke, disguised as Tsunade, couldn't reveal his identity—at least, not until they broke through. Otherwise, morale would plummet, and chaos could ensue.
"Squad Three, cover the left flank! The rest, continue the breakout!"
As the Konoha ninjas pushed forward decisively, many sacrificed themselves to buy time. When enemies approached, smaller squads would intercept them so that the rest could escape.
Over a hundred ninjas had already stayed behind to slow down the enemy.
On Iwa's side, a squadron of Iwa ninjas in red armbands advanced quickly, led by a furious jonin.
"Damn it! Konoha found out our plan! Hurry, everyone! We must catch them before they escape the forest!"
Ninja battles often revolved around intelligence, and any information leak could lead to defeat.
"Yosuke, thanks to the timely intel, we have a high chance of breaking through this time."
As they pressed on, Uchiha Fugaku spoke rarely but earnestly. Uchiha Yosuke, in his Tsunade disguise, lowered his head and said somberly, "Captain Fugaku, Lady Tsunade and the others are still behind. From the beginning, this has been a trap."
Thinking of Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya, Fugaku fell silent, then shook his head, replying solemnly, "This is the fate of a ninja!"
Yet Uchiha Yosuke was silently analyzing the intelligence and weighing risks.
In the Second Shinobi World War, the Sannin were once nearly trapped by Iwa. Based on the situation, it seemed like this was that very battle.
According to the records, the three were encircled on barren rocky terrain. If that's the case, he knew the terrain and could make a calculated risk.
Fortune favors the bold! It's worth taking a gamble. Winning could elevate his image and give him a promotion.
And if he loses? Being a ninja is always risky, but he was seventy percent confident. The advantage was his!
"Yosuke, I know you've been under a lot of pressure recently."
Noticing Yosuke's unusual expression, Fugaku lowered his voice in consolation.
For the clan, Yosuke had endured countless rumors, bending his principles repeatedly. Fugaku, as the clan's young leader, felt the Uchiha owed him deeply.
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*Three hours later...*
"Look! The plains! We're close to the Land of Fire's border!"
Konoha's forces, though halved, finally broke through the Iwa's encirclement. Relief washed over the surviving Konoha ninjas.
*Poof!*
At the moment of their escape, white smoke rose from Tsunade, revealing the form of Uchiha Yosuke.
"No way!"
"Knew it!"
Among the group, some were shocked, while others nodded subtly, having noticed irregularities earlier. Ninjas wouldn't be foolish enough to question where their commander had gone.
"Yosuke!"
Realizing something was wrong, Fugaku shouted urgently.
But Uchiha Yosuke only smiled.
"Big Brother Fugaku, my mission is complete."
His mission? Yes, posing as Tsunade to maintain morale had indeed fulfilled his task once they safely reached the Land of Fire.
However, Fugaku and others like Minato's expressions changed upon seeing this.
"Yosuke, what are you planning!?"
On the plains, the Konoha ninjas continued running. Meanwhile, Yosuke calmly looked at them, as if sharing a casual thought.
"We managed to break through the siege, so Iwa's plan is half a failure. But Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade went deeper into the Land of Grass. This is clearly a trap."
Fugaku's eyes widened in realization. "That's why we need to regroup at the border with reinforcements to rescue Lady Tsunade and the others."
However, Fugaku sensed a look of determination in Yosuke's calm expression, and he panicked. Don't tell me...he's going to extremes here!
"My apologies, Fugaku. Regrouping at the border is your task. My duty was to stabilize morale by posing as Tsunade."
Fugaku tried to reason with him. "Yosuke, don't do anything drastic. You've done all this for the clan—take some time to rest afterward."
But Yosuke only smiled freely.
"Since when did I give you that impression, Fugaku?"
Under his sunny smile, there was no hint of being burdened by the rumors. Fugaku was taken aback.
"Lady Tsunade is still within enemy lines."
**Boom!**
This was serious! Hearing Yosuke's statement, Fugaku's mind went blank. The Uchiha's extreme sense of duty was often dangerously intense, especially under emotional strain.
"Yosuke, it's all a misunderstanding. I know you've been through a lot, but you need to stay calm!"
Fugaku tried to reason with him, worry evident in his voice.
Yosuke's situation seemed typical of an Uchiha under stress, especially one influenced by intense feelings for his mission target, Tsunade. This was common among the Uchiha, particularly after their Sharingan awakened.
Seeing Fugaku's misunderstanding, Yosuke smiled contently.
"Fugaku, you should understand. Lady Tsunade needs me. As an Uchiha, I cannot let others mock me as a weakling, clinging to safety!"
"For the glory of the Uchiha, this is my final pride!"
Fugaku wanted to say something, but the words got stuck in his throat.
Indeed!
The disgraced "freeloader" Yosuke was already a joke. If he were a coward, he would lose even his last shred of dignity. Would he still be an Uchiha?
"Yosuke!"
At this point, a nearby Inuzuka ninja wanted to persuade him, but a Hyuga jonin stopped him.
In the Hyuga's solemn gaze, there was a hint of respect. "This is the Uchiha's pride, reclaimed only on the battlefield."
This deep-seated sense of family honor could only be understood by ancient clans like the Uchiha, Senju, and Hyuga. Not even the Sarutobi clan could truly grasp it.
For the Uchiha, this was a battle for honor, to prove they weren't cowards—even at the cost of their lives!
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