Heading Toward Tiger Mountain

On the northwest side of this chaotic battlefield, a much smaller yet more elite force was racing through the rugged mountains at astonishing speed, heading straight for Gale-Splitting Gorge!

Uchiha Lan's squad led the way, their Sharingan flickering with cold, eerie red light in the darkness as they precisely avoided every obstacle while moving at high speed.

Tekka, Inasui, and Daotian followed close behind, their three pairs of scarlet two-tomoe Sharingan operating at full capacity as they remained alert for any possible ambush.

Behind them were twenty seasoned Chunin. Though slightly slower, each wore a grim expression and maintained a tight formation.

Surprisingly, the journey went smoothly.

They encountered only a few scattered Hidden Sand patrol squads, and the battles were almost entirely one-sided massacres.

Uchiha Lan hardly needed to act. Tekka and Inasui's combined Fire Release and Wind Release ninjutsu were precise and ferocious.

Together with Uchiha Inada's kunai combat skills, they cleanly dispatched those Sand shinobi.

The Chunin were responsible for clearing the field and finishing off survivors.

These Sand shinobi seemed to lack much will to resist. Under Uchiha Lan's powerful genjutsu and Sharingan illusions, they often collapsed and were captured after only a few exchanges.

"Captain, something's wrong!"

After taking down a Sand shinobi, an older Chunin approached Lan and spoke in a low voice.

"Isn't this going too smoothly? It's almost like... they're deliberately letting us through?"

The others had still been immersed in the exhilaration of cutting through every obstacle, but they now came to their senses as well.

"Captain, could Hidden Sand's main force be at Broken-Spine Valley, which is why we haven't encountered much resistance?"

Uchiha Lan stopped and thought for a moment... Forget it, he would rather not think about it. It was too much trouble.

His scarlet Sharingan directly fixed upon a Hidden Sand Chunin whom Tekka had just bound with Tortoise Shell Binding.

The Three-Tomoe slowly spun, and powerful ocular force pierced straight into the man's mind.

"Is there an ambush in Gale-Splitting Gorge... Where is Chahachiro?"

Uchiha Lan's voice was icy, carrying an irresistible will.

The Sand shinobi under the genjutsu had unfocused eyes, his lips trembling as he said:

"There is no ambush. Lord Chahachiro is... in Gale-Splitting Gorge... at the very deepest point... There are... more than ten puppet masters... setting up defenses..."

"Excellent, Captain! Heaven has handed us this opportunity!"

A flash of delight appeared in Tekka's eyes.

How could a mere dozen puppet masters possibly stop their elite squad?

Inasui clenched his fist as well. "Captain! He's really there! We'll settle both old and new scores today!"

Uchiha Lan withdrew his gaze, the chill in his eyes growing even stronger.

Could it really be that simple?

Logically, with Hidden Sand under immense pressure on the frontal battlefield, they could not possibly be deliberately holding back, nor was there any need to lure their elite squad deep into Gale-Splitting Gorge.

"They can't possibly gather troops to encircle and kill Uchiha Lan's squad at a time like this. Wouldn't that be putting the cart before the horse?"

Under normal circumstances, Uchiha Lan's reasoning was correct. The Sand shinobi could not risk losing their last stronghold in the southern Land of Rivers just to eliminate one Uchiha squad.

But Baki did not know that. He had indeed released information to lure the Uchiha squad into Gale-Splitting Gorge, and had arranged an ambush of a hundred Sand shinobi in a pocket formation.

However, Baiyun Zaojian had received the Third Hokage's urging and launched the general offensive ahead of schedule.

As a result, Baki was still bewilderedly fighting Baiyun Zaojian right now!

And those Sand shinobi patrol squads were sacrificial pawns deliberately sent out by Chahachiro. He knew very well how formidable the Sharingan's genjutsu interrogation abilities were, so he had intentionally fed them false information.

But he had not expected that just after setting up the ambush, his own base would come under a general offensive. The news left him at a complete loss as well.

Should he lead his men back for reinforcements? That was a major problem!

If he went, he might indeed help Baki stabilize the line, but the plan to encircle and kill the Uchiha squad would definitely fall through.

If he did not go, then even if he successfully wiped out the Uchiha squad—

Once Baki's side collapsed, they would all be finished. At best, they would face punishment; at worst, they might be turned into task-running machines.

Just as Chahachiro was agonizing over the decision, he suddenly felt that there was no need to agonize anymore.

Because... Uchiha Lan's squad had arrived.

"Forget reinforcing Lord Baki for now. Once we've surrounded and killed this Uchiha squad, everyone will go reinforce him!"

"Yes!"

A cold killing intent rose from the depths of Chahachiro's heart.

More than twenty Konoha shinobi soon arrived at the entrance of Gale-Splitting Gorge.

"Captain! Just give the order and charge in! Let's kill that poison-using bastard!"

Rage burned in Uchiha Tetsuka's eyes. Inasui and Inada were eager for battle as well, while the Chunin behind them sensed the boiling killing intent of the Uchiha squad and tightened their grips on their weapons, waiting only for their captain's command.

Uchiha Lan's gaze swept over his impassioned subordinates before finally settling on the deep, narrow canyon entrance ahead, formed over centuries of wind and sun—Gale-Splitting Gorge.

The biting mountain wind was compressed here into piercing shrieks. The light was dim, strange rocks jutted everywhere, and the terrain was exceptionally complex.

It was clearly a natural ambush site.

"Enough. Why are you all so impulsive? Impulsiveness is the devil!"

Lan's voice was not loud, yet it carried an air of authority that instantly suppressed the group's restlessness.

Uchiha Lan stood alone at the very front of the formation, his long black hair whipping wildly in the fierce winds of Gale-Splitting Gorge. His Three-Tomoe slowly turned as he surveyed the frighteningly silent canyon.

"There isn't even a crow here. It looks very much like a trap."

"Captain, then what do we do? Are we just going to let them go?"

Tekka growled unwillingly, his fists tightly clenched.

"Let them go?" The corner of Uchiha Lan's mouth curved into a cold smile, his scarlet Three-Tomoe slowly spinning beneath the dim light.

"Of course not. If the Sand shinobi have truly laid a trap, how can we stupidly charge into it? Using the smallest cost to achieve the greatest result—that is the way shinobi fight."

He turned around, his gaze passing over the more than twenty Konoha shinobi behind him before settling on the three brothers, Uchiha Tetsuka, Inasui, and Inada.

"Tekka, Inasui, Inada. The three of you will lead all the Chunin and remain here on standby. Form a defensive formation and maintain the highest level of vigilance."

"Set sentries on the high ground on both sides of the canyon and along the route behind us. Without my signal, no one is to enter the canyon without authorization!"

"Captain? You're going in alone?"

Tekka panicked. "That's too dangerous! What if it's full of ambushes inside?"

"Precisely because it's dangerous, someone needs to scout ahead and remove the eyes of their hidden sentries."

Uchiha Lan's tone allowed no argument, carrying the confidence of the strong.

"My Sharingan is best suited for this. If there really is an ambush inside, my mobility alone is also the greatest, making it easier for me to maneuver."

"If you follow me in rashly, you'll only become targets and make me hold back."