Hell Valley

"Whoosh—"

Across a thousand miles of barren desert, fierce winds howled. The ground was covered in hard sand and stone, devoid of any trace of life. Only the gale swept across the empty land, carrying a desolate silence.

Four black figures moved slowly across the wasteland. From high above, they looked like four black dots inching over an endless expanse of yellow earth.

Yan Hong raised his eyes to study the towering cliff wall ahead, tugging at his collar to dispel the heat lingering in his body after the long journey.

The three men following behind him had guarded him since childhood. Every one of them was an elite ninja of the Uchiha Clan, yet fatigue showed on each of their faces.

Hell Valley lay on the border of Hot Springs Country. Although Hot Springs Country was next to the Land of Fire, the Senju Clan stood between it and the Uchiha Clan's territory. To avoid alerting the Senju Clan, Yan Hong had deliberately taken a long detour through the neighboring Land of Fields before traveling all the way here.

Uchiha Mu walked to Yan Hong's side and pointed at the deep gorge ahead. "Lord Yan Hong, once we pass through that canyon, we'll reach Hell Valley. Some of our clansmen are involved in overseeing the Chinoike Clan. We can contact them first."

"Then let's go. We've been out for three days already. The Senju Clan could launch their final assault at any moment. I don't want to miss this battle."

With that, Yan Hong took the lead into the canyon.

Tap, tap, tap...

The canyon was pitch-black, and pale yellow wisps of gas drifted over the barren ground, making it resemble a desolate hell.

Yan Hong pulled up his collar to cover his nose and mouth, speaking in a low voice. "The gas is poisonous. The toxicity is weak, but inhaling too much will still numb your nerves. Be careful."

"Yes."

The three men behind him covered their noses and mouths, while Yan Hong began considering their next course of action.

The Chinoike Clan's exile and imprisonment in Lightning Country had been rather unjust. It began when a woman from the clan married the daimyo of Lightning Country as a concubine, provoking the jealousy of his principal wife. A few years later, the daimyo died of illness. The principal wife then shifted the blame onto the Chinoike concubine, claiming that she had brought about her husband's death. Not only did she order the concubine executed, but she also implicated her entire clan. They were all expelled from the country and banished to Hell Valley.

Yet in Lightning Country, the Chinoike Clan was still a major clan second only to the Yotsuki Clan. Thus, Lightning Country hired the Uchiha Clan to help guard them.

Originally, Madara had no intention of getting involved in such a rotten affair, but they were paying far too much!

Rescuing the Chinoike Clan itself would not be difficult for Yan Hong. The difficult part was resolving the Chinoike Clan's hostility toward the Uchiha Clan, as well as dealing with the inevitable enmity of Lightning Country afterward.

"I hope you're worth saving." Yan Hong shook his head, casting aside his distracting thoughts. He led his subordinates swiftly through the relatively short canyon, only to find a massive barrier enveloping all of Hell Valley before them.

Several figures stood in front of the barrier. The moment they saw Yan Hong and his group arrive, they hurried forward respectfully. "Lord Yan Hong, you've arrived."

"You've worked hard." Yan Hong nodded. Before setting out, he had already contacted the Uchiha team responsible for managing this place. He now asked, "How are things here?"

The captain at the front gave a bitter smile. "Lord Yan Hong, if we want to take away the entire Chinoike Clan, we'll need to open the barrier. But the Uchiha Clan only holds one-third of the authority over it. All three parties must form the unsealing hand signs at the same time to open it."

Yan Hong considered it, frowning. "Who holds the other two shares of authority?"

"Three forces control the barrier. The other two are the Daimyo's Palace's personal guard unit and the Yotsuki Clan, who were likewise hired for this task."

Mu exclaimed, "Such a huge operation? Just how much does the Daimyo Palace hate the Chinoike Clan?"

"Heh." Yan Hong gave a scornful laugh and stated the truth outright. "If it began as jealousy and rivalry between women, then now it's fear of the Chinoike Clan's revenge. That's why they're determined not to let them out. The only reason they haven't wiped them out is because the Daimyo Palace doesn't want to earn a reputation for being vindictive. But imprisoning the Chinoike Clan in Hell Valley is merely a slow death sentence."

"Then what should we do?"

A thoughtful look flashed through Yan Hong's eyes. "The Daimyo Palace is easy enough to handle. We're already offending them by doing this, so we might as well offend them thoroughly. The Yotsuki Clan is the troublesome one. Barring any surprises, they're the clan most likely to unify Lightning Country's ninja."

"Then, my lord... are we just giving up?"

"Why would we give up? It's merely troublesome." Yan Hong waved a hand. "What matters most is confirming that the Chinoike Clan themselves are willing to leave with us. Can outsiders enter this barrier?"

The squad captain nodded. "They can. It's only a one-way barrier. As guards, we naturally have the right to enter and leave freely."

Yan Hong understood. "In that case, I'll go in first. We can only consider the next step after securing the Chinoike Clan."

The squad captain froze, then hesitated. "Wouldn't that be too dangerous?"

"Dangerous?" Yan Hong looked at Hell Valley's surroundings, a trace of pride appearing in his eyes. "If I fear ninjas who can only scrape out a living in a place like this, what right do I have to lead you in contending for the world?"

His voice was not loud, but it reached everyone present clearly. A hint of pride appeared on every face. The Uchiha Clan had never feared battle; they only feared being buried by the river of history.

The squad captain said quietly, "Lord Yan Hong, I understand. But to be safe, please let us accompany you."

"Let Mu come with me. The rest of you stay outside and wait. Too many people would only cause unnecessary conflict."

"Yes!"

After making the arrangements, the squad captain led them to the barrier and began forming hand signs.

Whoosh—

A translucent opening appeared in the barrier. The squad captain stepped slightly aside to clear the way. "Lord Yan Hong, please be careful."

Yan Hong gave a slight nod and stepped inside first. Uchiha Mu nodded in acknowledgment, then quickly followed behind him.

The moment they entered the barrier, a massive Blood Pool appeared before them. The water bubbled with a gurgle, and a pungent stench of blood washed over them, making them faintly nauseous.

There was no daylight within the barrier. Grayish-white rocks covered the land, without even the faintest sign of life.

Mu walked behind Yan Hong, surveying the surroundings. "This really isn't a place fit for humans. I have no idea how they survived here."

"Ninjas are tools of the state. One may regret their fate, but one will never pity them." Yan Hong spoke indifferently as he strolled forward. "It seems the masters of this place aren't very welcoming."

Gurgle, gurgle—

The bubbles on the Blood Pool grew denser. With a muffled boom, a stream of pool water transformed into an arrow loosed from a bow and shot out of the surface. It traced an arc through the air and flew straight at Yan Hong's forehead!

"Watch out!" Mu shouted in warning!

Hearing the sudden whistle of wind, Yan Hong remained expressionless. Without turning around, he raised his right hand.

Bang—

The blood arrow slammed into his palm and burst into a spray of mist in midair!

"Tsk. The Chinoike Clan's greeting is certainly unique." Yan Hong shook the blood from his hand and slowly turned around. Mu gripped his long blade, guarding Yan Hong's side as though facing a great enemy.

Not far away, a group of figures slowly approached, their eyes suddenly flaring red!

"Uchiha Clan, die!"