Naruto: I am Uchiha Fugaku [89]

Silently and without a trace, Uchiha Fugaku infiltrated the underground beneath the battlefield where the Kaguya Clan and Kirigakure's shinobi had clashed.

With the use of the Mayfly Technique, he moved through the earth as if swimming through water, while also completely suppressing his presence.

Combined with his Kage-level stealth skills, the Mayfly Technique rendered him nearly undetectable even to sensory-type shinobi.

The only reason he had previously been discovered by Orochimaru was due to Orochimaru's snake possessing the rare ability to sense temperature, an unusual sensory method.

"This man's strength is already close to Kage-level. As for the strength of his Shikotsumyaku, among the Kaguya Clan, it's probably second only to their sole survivor—Kimimaro."

Fugaku appeared beneath the corpse of a middle-aged man.

This man's Shikotsumyaku was particularly strong; even a single body like his could rival the value of several ordinary clansmen. He was the perfect choice for corpse refinement.

Although not quite on par with Kimimaro in terms of bone strength, this corpse was far safer—Fugaku wouldn't dare use Kimimaro's corpse for refining.

After all, Kimimaro carried a hereditary blood disease. If that were to transfer to him during refinement, it would be a disaster.

Even the slightest possibility had to be absolutely avoided.

Splurt—

He grabbed the middle-aged man's corpse and slowly dragged it down into the earth.

There were still Kaguya clan members alive, so no one paid attention to a single corpse. Fugaku successfully dragged the body underground.

After securing that one, he emerged beneath another Kaguya corpse.

This time it was a young man, likely in his early twenties. He had died after being struck by multiple powerful Water Release techniques; his body was already in poor shape, partially torn apart.

Fugaku had chosen this young man because, from earlier observation, he had been close to elite jōnin level in strength.

For someone in his early twenties to have near-elite jōnin strength—given more time, he would have certainly reached it.

Such potential suggested that his Shikotsumyaku bloodline was also strong.

Splurt—

Again, Fugaku grabbed the body from below and slowly pulled it into the ground.

His movements were extremely subtle—so slow that, without close attention, one wouldn't even notice the corpse sinking into the earth.

Luck was on his side again. No one noticed. The second body was successfully taken.

After several attempts, Fugaku managed to stealthily steal five corpses of Kaguya clan members who had displayed notable strength before dying.

At this point, further theft became difficult. The remaining Kaguya had all been killed, and the battle was over.

With the conflict ended, Kirigakure ninja began cleaning up the battlefield and collecting the bodies. Their attention was now focused on the corpses, making further theft nearly impossible.

Rather than take a risk, Fugaku left Kirigakure's vicinity, dragging the five bodies underground.

Once outside the village, he used sealing scrolls to store the five corpses. Then, he burrowed underground again, searching for another opportunity to collect bodies.

"Hmm... They're planning to gather the bodies and burn them?"

Reentering the battlefield during the cleanup, Fugaku saw that all of the Kaguya corpses were being piled together.

The Kaguya Clan had rebelled, and with their failed insurrection, Kirigakure had no intention of giving them proper burials.

But leaving the bodies scattered posed risks of plague and the danger of others uncovering secrets from the corpses.

The most practical solution: gather them all, set them aflame, and either bury the ashes outside the village or dump them entirely.

Soon, all of the Kaguya corpses were heaped together into a grotesque, corpse-made mound.

Barrels of oil were dragged over. Just as Fugaku had predicted, Kirigakure intended to incinerate the remains of the Kaguya Clan.

"Looks like I'll have to take them by force."

With the corpses about to be burned, stealth was no longer an option. There was only one path left—robbery.

Fugaku didn't hesitate.

Splurt—

He shot up from the ground, emerging beside the mountain of corpses.

"Who—?!"

The Kirigakure ninja nearby, who had been preparing to pour oil, were startled by Fugaku's sudden appearance.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

In a flash, Fugaku lunged at them, striking each one down.

Then, he pulled out a sealing scroll and quickly began performing a sealing technique on the mountain of corpses.

Boom—

The entire heap of Kaguya corpses vanished, sealed into Fugaku's scroll.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

The disturbance immediately drew attention—many Kirigakure ninja still lingered nearby, including Terumi Mei, who had yet to leave.

Ninja from all around rushed toward the commotion.

The fastest to arrive was Terumi Mei, now already possessing Kage-level strength.

She stopped just over ten meters from Fugaku, her pretty brows slightly furrowed—then relaxed. She looked at him and spoke.

"I didn't expect that Kirigakure would have another 'guest' tonight besides the Kaguya Clan."

At her current age just over twenty she hadn't yet gained the seductive aura seen during the Fourth Great Ninja War. But in its place was a youthful charm.

Whether she looked more beautiful now or during the war was a matter of personal taste—some preferred mature women, others favored youthful purity.

"I don't mean any harm. I just thought burning those corpses would be a waste... so I helped you collect them," Fugaku said with a slight smile as he tucked the sealing scroll away.

"Mind telling me what you intend to do with those bodies?"

Mei asked, gently brushing aside her auburn hair with a smile that didn't reach her emerald-green eyes.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that," Fugaku replied, shaking his head.

"Then how about staying in Kirigakure as our guest? Surely that's not too much to ask?"

Mei's lips were smiling, but her tone had turned cold.

"That's even less possible," Fugaku answered bluntly.

"I'm afraid it's not your decision to make."

Though her expression remained warm, her voice dropped in temperature.

The man before her was a complete unknown—suddenly appearing in the village, stealing Kaguya corpses. There was no chance they would just let him leave.

"Lava Release: Acid Monster Technique!"

She spewed a corrosive liquid from her mouth—a river of acid rushing toward Fugaku.

"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"

Fugaku slammed his palm to the ground, raising a thick earthen wall to block the acid.

But against the Lava Release technique, the wall was instantly dissolved.

He wasn't surprised. After all, the Acid Monster Technique was a Kekkei Genkai capable of melting even Susanoo—no ordinary earth technique could withstand it.

Fugaku never intended for the wall to hold—it was merely a diversion to buy time.

Splurt—

Activating the Mayfly Technique once more, he began sinking into the earth.

By the time the acid washed over the area where he had stood, he had already vanished underground, fleeing swiftly away from Kirigakure.

"He actually thought an Earth Wall could stop Lady Mei's bloodline limit? What a joke."

"Lady Mei is incredible. That enemy's body must be completely dissolved by now!"

Seeing the acid engulf Fugaku's position and finding no trace of him, the surrounding Kirigakure ninja began to flatter Mei.

"No. He got away."

Mei shook her head, her brows knitting slightly.

The man had not been melted—he had escaped underground by concealing his presence with some Earth-style technique.

His mastery of underground escape ninjutsu was clearly exceptional.

No wonder he had dared to infiltrate Kirigakure and steal the Kaguya corpses.

"Draw his likeness and issue a wanted notice!"