Figure after figure leaped past Fugaku's shadow clone and vanished into the darkness. Within minutes, they were all gone.
The shadow clone deactivated Black Mist Invisibility and raced through the forest. This time, he intended to check on the Secret Base under Gray Snake's command.
He had also stationed several Uzumaki Clan boys there. Leaving the Land of Demons, he entered an unnamed small nation.
There were many such small nations in the shinobi world. Often, an entire country consisted of just one city and a few villages; some had only one or several larger villages.
The shadow clone stopped in front of a barren mountain. Fugaku had personally placed the sealing jutsu here.
He was wearing a long robe that concealed half his face, while black mist shrouded his features. No one could make out his appearance, only sense an air of mystery.
Gray Snake's loyalty was beyond question, but Fugaku did not trust the others in the base. Even if they never betrayed him, all sorts of bizarre ninjutsu kept emerging in the shinobi world. No one knew whether someone might inadvertently leak information, even with cursed seals and other seals placed inside all their bodies.
Fugaku formed hand seals, undoing the seals placed on the barren mountain. A cave entrance soon appeared before him.
As the entrance opened, two figures appeared there, bristling with wariness. They looked unfamiliar to Fugaku and were probably newcomers Gray Snake had recruited recently.
"Who are you? How do you know how to undo the seals?" one of the ninjas asked.
The other ninja hurried into the base, presumably to notify the others.
Fugaku had no intention of explaining himself and walked straight inside.
A kunai appeared in the ninja's hand, and he thrust it fiercely at Fugaku. A faint black light