While the Land of Gold was mobilizing troops within its borders, Yukimichi Uchiha was leading his Uchiha army, rampaging across the border regions of the Land of Gold.
Since ninjas are already scarce, a country's military deployment generally involves stationing troops at the borders, while the rest of the army is concentrated near the capital.
Although the Land of Gold differs somewhat from the Land of Light of the Uchiha in that it establishes a defensive line at the border, then a second line a certain distance away, and finally amasss troops in the capital, the basic structure is essentially the same.
After the Uchiha annihilated the border forces of the Land of Gold, there was no longer any resistance in the border region. The army led by Yukimichi Uchiha entered an uninhabited area, attacking from both sides with incredible speed and power.
Yukimichi Uchiha's plan was to travel directly through the southeastern heartland of the Land of Gold, using his superior forces to march straight to the Land of Gold.
After conquering the border region, Yukimichi Uchiha immediately led his army to the next town without stopping.
After conquering several towns in succession, Yukimichi Uchiha finally arrived at the second line of defense, which was neither far nor near the capital.
From a distance, Yukimichi Uchiha spotted the city wall that stood out starkly from its surroundings, nestled in the valley.
The surrounding area was a towering hillside, and right in the center of this hillside stood an incredibly sturdy and towering city wall, a sight that inspired awe and made it easy to defend and difficult to attack.
To his surprise, only a Sarutobi Clan banner was erected on the city wall, but there was not a single Sarutobi Clan member guarding the city, as if this huge pass had become an empty city.
Countless thoughts flashed through Yukimichi Uchiha's mind in an instant: There's an ambush, there's a trap! The Sarutobi Clan has set up an ambush in the surrounding valleys!
Yukimichi Uchiha immediately halted the marching troops and instructed those behind him, "Everyone, be aware of your surroundings. The Sarutobi Clan may have set up an ambush nearby."
Thus, the marching column, which had been moving at high speed, was abruptly brought to a halt. Everyone carefully and intently moved along the valley path, slowly approaching the city wall.
Yukimichi Uchiha was drenched in sweat, especially cold sweat on his forehead. His Three-Tomoe Sharingan was practically spinning like a top in its socket, yet he remained completely oblivious to anything unusual around him.
The closer Yukimichi Uchiha got to the city wall, the more panicked he became, and the more sweat poured from his forehead. Why? Why hadn't he spotted it after looking so many times?
Where exactly is the Sarutobi Clan's ambush? Why can't my Three-Tomoe Sharingan it so many times? What exactly did they do to hide it so well?
At this point, Yukimichi Uchiha had already assumed that the Sarutobi Clan was lying in ambush nearby, completely unaware of the possibility that the Sarutobi Clan had abandoned the defense of the castle and retreated instead.
That's right. According to the Sarutobi Clan's latest plan, they need sufficient troops to ambush and surround Yukimichi Uchiha's army.
However, the troops stationed near the capital alone were far from sufficient to support this plan.
Both to consolidate their forces for a final all-in attack and to lure Yukimichi Uchiha into continuing his solitary advance, the Sarutobi Clan Sarutobi Clan to redeploy all 200 members of their second line of defense, abandoning this easily defensible valley pass.
Therefore, no matter how carefully Yukimichi Uchiha observed, he could not possibly find any trace of the Sarutobi Clan in a completely deserted situation.
"Um... sir... there seems to be no one around." After standing under the city wall for a long time, observing for a very long time, a member of the Uchiha Clan approached Yukimichi Uchiha and said this.
Yukimichi Uchiha glared back fiercely. "Shut up! If you think like that, you'll fall into their trap! The Sarutobi Clan wants you to think like that, then walk into the city, and be surrounded, divided, and ambushed!"
I've used this tactic countless times since I was learning it in military school; I've mastered it to the point of exhaustion! Trying to fool me? Impossible! I've already guessed their strategic intentions! No matter how well they hide it, it's useless."
The Uchiha clansman standing nearby shrank back, scanned the surroundings again, and, seeing no one, said, "But we really can't find where the ambush is. Why don't we go into the city and take a look? Staying here under the city walls isn't a good idea."
Yukimichi Uchiha stroked his chin. "Hmm, that makes sense. In that case, why don't you take a group of men into the city and take a look?"
The Uchiha clansman nodded, then called out a few times to his back, and together with a few others, climbed up the city wall.
The instant he scaled the city wall, he drew his longsword from his waist. However, there were no enemies lying in ambush as he had imagined; only the empty city wall and a Sarutobi Clan flag fluttering in the wind.
He and the Uchiha clansmen who came up with him were also looking around in complete bewilderment. Where did everyone go?
However, the group didn't dare to be careless. What if, as Yukimichi Uchiha said, the Sarutobi Clan members were hiding somewhere, acting as accomplices? If they were ambushed, wouldn't that cause an uproar?
So the group carefully searched the entire city, but they couldn't find a single hair of the Sarutobi Clan.
When this message was relayed to Yukimichi Uchiha Yukimichi Uchiha, he initially didn't believe it, until he personally led a team to search the area.
After searching the entire border area inside and out, it was finally confirmed that this border town was a complete ghost town. His previous battle of wits and courage was purely a battle against thin air! A complete waste of time.
The Sarutobi Clan had long since fled!
Yukimichi Uchiha braced his hands against the city wall, clenching them tightly. Recalling what he had said earlier, his breath trembled with anger. Damn it, he had actually taken the time to seriously consider whether the Sarutobi Clan was plotting against him somewhere?
This is how the Sarutobi Clan repaid him! They simply ran away! Leaving not a single person behind, not even a rearguard.
The key issue isn't that the Sarutobi Clan ran away, but that he's already said those things.
His confident assertion that the Sarutobi Clan was lurking somewhere, preparing to ambush them, now felt like a slap across his face, stinging painfully.
Most importantly, he said these things to his own men, speaking with such certainty in front of them, only to miscalculate. Wasn't that incredibly embarrassing?
How could Yukimichi Uchiha possibly face his subordinates who had listened to his boastful words?
Yukimichi Uchiha felt that whenever he stepped outside, if someone glanced at him, their gaze was filled with mockery, making him wish he could disappear into the ground.