Purpose

Zebon's sudden death dealt a crushing blow to the remaining Stone shinobi. Furukawa had already recognized the gap between the two sides.

Fugaku Uchiha was powerful and unpredictable, and his Sharingan was almost impossible to guard against. If they kept fighting, they might all be wiped out.

Furukawa forced Hatake Sakumo back with everything he had and shouted, "Break away from Fugaku Uchiha! Retreat at full speed!"

Several Smoke Bombs exploded in succession, blanketing a wide area. Fugaku ignored the smoke rising around him and rushed forward. Several Kunai stabbed at him from within the haze.

A dark veil rose over his body. The Kunai struck it without effect. Against ordinary Ninja, Susanoo's defense was almost unfair.

His Kunai flashed past several stunned Stone shinobi, drawing streaks of blood. Screams rang out through the smoke.

Fugaku burst out of the haze. Visibility was poor in the nighttime rain of the Land of Rain, and Furukawa and the others were already nowhere to be seen.

"Killing Zebon made this ambush worthwhile," Hatake Sakumo said. "His death is like cutting off one of Ōnoki's arms."

Fugaku nodded. "Furukawa is more patient than Zebon, and more cunning, too.

"Sakumo, I plan to visit Iwagakure Camp again."

"Iwagakure's defenses will be tight now," Hatake Sakumo said. "Getting in again will be even more dangerous."

Fugaku smiled easily. "Maybe. I'm going back to the ambush site for supplies first. If I break in again tonight, I might finally drive Ōnoki into a rage and make him send a large force after me. We didn't set those traps for nothing."

Hatake Sakumo considered this. "Be careful."

The two moved away from Iwagakure Camp through the darkness and returned to where the Konoha shinobi lay in ambush.

After briefly explaining what had happened, Fugaku collected a large