"The Eight Gates Technique this is a forbidden jutsu recorded in the stolen Seal Book!"
Several Jonin and elite Jonin deployed various techniques to block the attacks of the flaming fists, though their defense was rather desperate.
One elite Jonin from Root spoke gravely.
"The Wood Release Kekkei Genkai ninja is already extremely powerful on his own, and now having mastered the Eight Gates Technique, his strength must have increased even further."
Whoosh!
Uchiha Fugaku transformed into a green streak of light, rapidly appearing beside a severely injured man lying helpless on the ground.
Puchi—
A sharp branch sprouted from his hand, piercing through the man's body and killing him instantly.
Then, he vanished and reappeared next to another gravely wounded person, killing him with the same sharp branch.
Puchi, puchi, puchi!
After several rapid movements, everyone severely injured and unable to dodge the flaming fists was swiftly slain by him.
During this, several Jonin and elite Jonin tried to block him.
But as a Kage-level ninja, Uchiha Fugaku was incredibly fast.
After opening the Sixth Gate of the Eight Gates Technique, his speed increased severalfold.
Even elite Jonin struggled to keep him within sight, let alone stop him.
Whoosh—
Having killed the injured, Fugaku did not stop there.
He charged toward a middle-aged man of Jonin-level strength from the Shimurа clan.
The sharp branch in his hand stabbed toward the man.
The middle-aged man's body hairs stood on end as he hastily dodged to the side.
Puchi—
Before he could fully avoid it, the sharp branch pierced through him.
Branches penetrated various parts of his body, damaging his internal organs including his heart, killing him instantly.
Then Uchiha Fugaku lunged toward the next target — a Jonin from Root.
Earth Release: Earth Dragon Spear—
Just as the Root Jonin was about to fall to Fugaku's attack, a decisively ruthless elite Jonin from Root acted.
They were instilled from childhood with the belief that the mission outweighs all, willing to sacrifice themselves and comrades if necessary.
Seeing Fugaku pounce on their comrade, the elite Jonin quickly formed hand seals and slammed his hands on the ground.
Sharp stone spears erupted from the earth around the Root Jonin, like multiple rock lances.
Both Fugaku and the Root Jonin were enveloped within them.
Puchi, puchi, puchi…
Multiple stone spears pierced through the Root Jonin's body, killing him on the spot.
He did not die by Fugaku's hand, but by the technique of his own comrade.
At the same time, Fugaku was struck by several stone spears as well.
Crunch, crunch, crunch—
Using his left foot as a pivot, Fugaku's right foot swung 360 degrees like a clock pendulum.
All the stone spears attacking him were broken by the kick.
Then his gaze fixed on the Root Jonin like a wild beast eyeing its prey.
In that instant, the Root Jonin felt as if he had fallen into an ice cavern, his entire body chilled to the bone.
Even with his hardened spirit from cruel trials, a trace of fear rose within him.
That would be his last feeling.
"Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique!"
Uchiha Fugaku unleashed an illusion, as massive metal spikes drove into the Root Jonin's body, immobilizing him.
Fugaku then transformed into a green streak of light and approached, stabbing a sharp branch into the man's body.
Puchi, puchi, puchi!
In a brief moment, the remaining elite Root Jonin and several Jonin were killed; everyone blocking Fugaku to buy time was dead.
Buzz—
The space around Fugaku twisted, then he completely vanished.
"He should have escaped by now," Shimurа Daisuke thought as he ran, wiping away his tracks to avoid being followed by the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai ninja.
Despite erasing his traces while running, his speed remained fast and he had put considerable distance between himself and the enemy.
He believed that unless the pursuer was exceptionally skilled at tracking, it would be difficult to find him again.
Suddenly, his face turned pale, disbelief freezing him as he looked ahead with a trembling voice.
"The tracks… I already erased them. How could you possibly catch up so fast?"
Ahead stood Uchiha Fugaku, clad in a red cloud black robe and wearing a spiral mask, silently waiting as if for a long time.
"Erasing tracks means you can escape my pursuit?" Fugaku chuckled coldly.
Instead of ambushing and picking off the group one by one, Fugaku deliberately stepped out from hiding.
He did this to draw the attention of the dozen or so people toward himself, then simultaneously cast a powerful Genjutsu on all of them.
As a master of this Genjutsu, Fugaku had many advantages, including the ability to always know his enemies' positions.
"Release me! I am a member of the Shimurа clan. Shimurа Danzo, of my clan, is one of the three advisors. Killing me won't benefit you — it will only escalate your conflict with Konoha."
Failing to escape, Shimurа Daisuke's mind raced, seeking any chance to survive.
"Weren't you asking why I targeted you? Now I can answer your question."
Looking at Daisuke begging before him, Fugaku's mood darkened with pleasure as he spoke.
"Why target you?"
Daisuke was indeed curious, so he asked.
"Because we have a grudge."
Fugaku sneered.
"That's impossible. You must be mistaken. My clan has never offended the Uchiha. We couldn't possibly be enemies."
Daisuke shook his head repeatedly, deeply wronged. Fugaku must be wrong.
He only antagonized those he could handle and would never provoke such a terrifying enemy.
"Is that so?" Fugaku sneered, removing the mask from his face.
In this Genjutsu space, only he and Daisuke remained alive.
There was no chance for Daisuke to survive now.
To "repay" the Shimurа clan for their years of dealings with the Uchiha family, Fugaku would make sure Daisuke "dies with understanding."
A quiet death, where Daisuke knew nothing, would be too easy on him.
As long as it wouldn't reveal Fugaku's identity, making Daisuke "die with understanding" would please Fugaku more and bring him satisfaction.