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A cool, refreshing sensation spread through Fugaku Uchiha's eyes. His Sharingan activated, and he felt the pupil power of his Three-Tomoe Sharingan grow stronger.

Small gains added up. Fugaku even had a feeling that once he accumulated enough pupil power, he could awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan without any great shock.

A Genin had provided a faint amount of pupil power, while a Chunin had provided a little. It seemed the amount depended on the strength of the enemy he killed.

When night fell again, Fugaku left the cave where he had been hiding and pressed on. Sunagakure's elite squads would not be easy to find, so he had little choice but to travel along the border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Rain.

The best way to learn the general state of Sunagakure's forces in the Land of Rain was to capture a Sunagakure Jonin. Genin and Chunin knew too little, and what they did know might even be false intelligence meant to mislead the enemy.

Fugaku Uchiha hid by day and traveled by night, advancing cautiously toward the Land of Wind.

The closer he came to the Land of Wind, the more Sunagakure squads he encountered. Fugaku had no intention of going farther. He could be exposed at any moment, and the Sand Shinobi's Puppet Technique was difficult to guard against.

If the keen perception of his Three-Tomoe Sharingan had not helped him avoid several traps in time, Fugaku would already have been exposed.

There were likely several Sunagakure supply points inside the Land of Rain near the Land of Wind, serving as secret bases as well. Sunagakure's command headquarters in the Land of Wind should be in one of those secret bases.

There was no time limit on this mission, so Fugaku Uchiha was in no hurry. He occasionally changed position as he watched the Sand Shinobi's movements.

For two days, Fugaku held back to avoid alerting them, watching several weak Sand Shinobi squads pass right in front of him.

His crimson Sharingan turned toward the Land of Wind again. Another Sand Shinobi squad was passing near his position.

From their presence and Chakra, he could tell they were Sunagakure elites. The Sharingan was not as good as the Byakugan at observing Chakra inside the human body, especially when it came to spotting Chakra points.

One Jonin accompanied by two Chunin could handle either assassination or infiltration with ease.

Fugaku did not rush to attack. Any disturbance here could easily alert Sunagakure's forces in the Land of Rain.

He silently followed the three of them, planning to strike farther from the border.

The three Sand Shinobi stopped in an open area ahead, apparently intending to rest there. They were already far from the Land of Wind. As long as he did not cause too much commotion, he would not alert the main Sand Shinobi force.

The three Sand Shinobi ate their rations while talking among themselves. They were extremely cautious and kept their voices so low that Fugaku Uchiha could not hear a word.

As night deepened, the surroundings fell quiet except for the occasional insect call. The three Sand Shinobi settled down to rest. One Chunin kept watch while the other two slept.

Fugaku coated all his Kunai with anesthetic. If he wounded one of them, the drug would take effect and make them easy to capture alive.

The night grew quieter. The Chunin on watch closed his eyes to rest. Fugaku did not know whether the three would take turns, but after two hours, the other two should have been sound asleep.

"Body Flicker Technique."

Fugaku Uchiha moved without a sound and threw two Kunai bearing Explosive Tags straight at the two sleeping Ninja.

The Chunin on watch heard the movement and snapped his eyes open. "Enemy attack!"

The two Kunai collided near the Ninja who had just awakened. Two bursts of flame engulfed all three of them.

Fugaku Uchiha formed hand seals and spat out a Great Fireball, sending it hurtling into the flames.

Two disheveled figures burst from the fire. Fugaku Uchiha focused on them: the squad's Jonin and the Chunin who had been keeping watch.

A line of text appeared in Fugaku Uchiha's mind.

Killed an elite Chunin. Gained a small amount of pupil power.

From the message in his mind, Fugaku knew one Chunin had died in the flames. Though both had yielded a "small amount" of pupil power, this elite Chunin had provided more than the ordinary Chunin from the Land of Rain.

Fugaku Uchiha fixed his sights on the Jonin who had emerged and flung several Shuriken at him, then charged straight at the battered Chunin. Take out the weaker one first, then face the Sand Shinobi Jonin alone.

His crimson Three-Tomoe Sharingan spun rapidly as he thrust his Kunai toward the Chunin's heart.

The Chunin raised his Kunai to block, but his eyes met Fugaku Uchiha's spinning Sharingan. His mind went blank, and his hand froze in midair.

In a clash between Ninja, life and death were decided in an instant. Any lapse could be fatal. Fugaku Uchiha's Kunai plunged into the Chunin's chest, and another line of text appeared in his mind.

Killed an elite Chunin. Gained a small amount of pupil power.

The Sand Shinobi Jonin had blocked the Shuriken. He looked at Fugaku Uchiha and said, "An Uchiha with a Three-Tomoe Sharingan. Looks like Konoha doesn't want to sit this one out. You're sending troops into the Land of Rain."

"No point wasting words on a dead man."

Fugaku sent several Shuriken flying at him from different angles. His fingers blurred through hand seals.

"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"

Sparks shot from his mouth, following close behind the Shuriken.

The Sunagakure Jonin used the Body Flicker Technique to leap out of the encirclement. He hurled several Kunai at Fugaku Uchiha, followed by a massive Wind Blade.

Fugaku knocked aside the Kunai and leaped over the incoming Wind Blade. Behind him, it cut a large tree in half.

The Sharingan in Fugaku's eyes spun furiously. The Sand Shinobi ahead of him faltered, his mind briefly dazed, and Fugaku thrust his Kunai at him.

The Sunagakure Jonin lived up to his status as an elite. He recovered almost at once and blocked with his Kunai.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Their weapons collided again and again, sending sparks into the night. As they fought in the darkness, the Sunagakure Jonin gradually began to falter.

Night was the Uchiha's best weapon. The Jonin might have been stronger than Fugaku, but against the combined advantages of darkness and the Sharingan, wounds began to appear on his body.

The anesthetic started to take effect, and the Sunagakure Jonin's mind grew hazy.

"You coated your Kunai with anesthetic. You want to capture me alive for intelligence, but you've underestimated the Sand Shinobi."

The Sunagakure Jonin blocked Fugaku's next attack with his right hand, then drove the Kunai in his left toward his own heart.

Fugaku instantly cast a Genjutsu with his Sharingan and slashed the Jonin's wrist with the Kunai in his right hand.

The anesthetic took full effect. The Sunagakure Jonin lost all ability to resist, and the light faded from his eyes.

Fugaku kept his Three-Tomoe Sharingan fixed on the Jonin and repeatedly cast Genjutsu until he had him completely under control.

"Who is your commander, and how many people have you sent to infiltrate the Land of Rain?"

Perhaps Fugaku's question was too sensitive. The entranced Sand Shinobi's expression twisted with resistance.

Fugaku immediately strengthened the Genjutsu. His Sharingan spun rapidly, and the Jonin's expression went blank again.

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End of chapter.