The next morning, everyone rose early, ate in a hurry, and set off.
"I really want to get out of this cursed country!"
Inoue, frustrated by business losses and having to hire a ninja kid, vented his anger by slapping the old horse's hindquarters.
The group of four—Yuhi Kurenai's father, Yuhi Makoto (Zhenhong), Fenghuo, and the two merchant brothers Inoue and Inoueyue—traveled by day and camped at night, making their way toward the Land of Taki.
About a month and a half later, the weather turned harsh. Bitter cold swept across the land; the wind bit like icy kunai, sharp enough to shear off ears.
"Fenghuo, be more alert!" Yuhi Makoto warned gravely. "We've reached the border. This is where shinobi vanish without a trace."
Fenghuo nodded. This must be the area Danzo would pick for an assassination.
He dismissed his shadow clone and focused entirely.
The border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Taki was a jagged rocky stretch, layered in frost. The footing was treacherous.
"This damn weather!" Inoue cursed, shivering as he drove the carriage. He shot a resentful glance at Yuhi and Fenghuo. Not a single bandit the whole trip. Eighty thousand ryō wasted on ninja!
Would've been nice if a few bandits showed up, he thought bitterly. Total rip-off!
"Get down!"
Yuhi Makoto leapt high and released a flurry of shuriken to the left.
"Hahaha! Konoha ninja! Kill them!"
Four figures leapt from the frosted stones. Their hitai-ate bore the twin boulder crest of Iwagakure—the Hidden Stone.
"Doton – Ganchūrō no Jutsu!"
(Earth Release: Rock Pillar Prison!)
The Iwa-nin leader summoned towering stone pillars that erupted beside the carriage, boxing them in.
Without hesitation, Fenghuo jumped clear and flashed through hand seals: Tora → U → Tatsu → Saru → Tora.
"Katon – Karyū Endan!"
(Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!)
BOOM!
Three blazing fireballs slammed between the pillars, shattering them in a blast of molten earth and flame.
"Not bad, brat," the Iwa-nin leader smirked. "But you've met your match!"
"Heh. You'll be fighting me." Yuhi Makoto smiled coolly. Only the leader had significant chakra—the others were clearly genin, likely sent to earn battlefield merit.
"Kill them!" the leader barked.
"We—we're just merchants! Don't kill us!" Inoue and Inoueyue shrieked, diving out of the cart and crawling to the nearest rock, weeping.
"Genjutsu: Jubaku Satsu!"
(Tree Binding Death!)
Makoto weaved Ne → Mi → Tori → Hitsuji and caught one Iwa-nin in an illusion. Bark erupted from nowhere, binding him in place.
"That's it?" the Iwa-nin leader scoffed and wove Tora → Saru → Tora → Inu.
"Doton – Iwagakure no Jutsu!"
(Earth Release: Hiding in Rock Technique!)
He sank into the ground, vanishing.
Makoto narrowed his eyes and shifted position warily.
Meanwhile, the other three Iwa-nin charged Fenghuo.
"Doton – Doryūsō!"
(Earth Release: Earth Flow Spears!)
Stone spikes burst from the ground beneath Fenghuo. Had he stood still, he'd be skewered.
But the earth was brittle.
"Konoha Reppū!"
(Leaf Whirlwind!)
Fenghuo smashed the spikes with a spinning kick.
"A taijutsu brat?"
"Kill him!"
The Iwa-nin shifted to attrition tactics, forming more spikes in constant waves to wear Fenghuo down.
He leapt and dodged backward, sweat beading on his brow. After several exchanges:
"You three only know one jutsu?" he sneered. "Pathetic."
Shunshin no Jutsu!
(Body Flicker Technique!)
He vanished in a blur and reappeared behind them, thrusting both palms forward.
"Rasengan!"
(Spiraling Sphere!)
Sky-blue chakra spun violently in both hands.
"Shimata—!"
"Doton – Doro Kawarimi no Jutsu!"
(Earth Release – Mud Substitution!)
One ninja barely escaped.
The second tried sealing: Tora → Tatsu → Ushi,
"Doton – Sekka Jutsu!"
(Earth Petrification!)
BOOM!!
The Rasengan struck his back mid-transition. Flesh twisted in a spiral, blood and bone erupting outward.
He crumpled, lifeless.
The survivors froze in horror.
"What kind of jutsu is that!?"
"I didn't see him use hand seals… Muji ninjutsu?!"
Fenghuo's eyes glowed ominously. Crimson tomoe spun slowly.
"This… this is..."
"Sharingan?! An Uchiha?!"
They braced, ready to resist genjutsu.
But they guessed wrong.
U → Tora → Mi → Hitsuji → Inu → Saru → Tori → Ne → Tatsu
"Raiton – Chidori!"
(Lightning Release: One Thousand Birds!)
Chirp-chirp-chirp-chirp!!
Lightning crackled from his right palm like a thousand birds screaming.
Fenghuo darted forward in a blur of speed.
"Doton – Doryūheki!"
(Earth Style – Earth Wall!)
The Iwa-nin erected a thick stone wall.
CRACK!
Chidori pierced it like paper, skewering the first ninja straight through the chest.
He was dead before he hit the ground.
The last ninja scrambled aside, trembling.
I… I can't die here!
But his hands trembled too badly to form seals. Fenghuo was already above him, Rasengan in hand.
WHAM!
The swirling sphere connected. Flesh and blood splattered across the stone.
Inoue, hiding behind a boulder, was shaking so hard he nearly passed out. That brat is a demon!
Fenghuo stood breathing heavily. Three kills in quick succession—it took a toll. His legs throbbed from kicking stone all day.
Damn showboating...
He activated Shōsen Jutsu (Mystical Palm Technique) and began healing his legs.
But then—
The enemy leader burst from the earth, bloodlust burning in his eyes.
"An Uchiha brat… with a double tomoe at that age… You're too dangerous to live!"
He lunged for Fenghuo, ignoring Yuhi Makoto.
"That's not very adult of you," Makoto muttered.
Shunshin!
He intercepted and snapped into a genjutsu:
"Genjutsu: Jubaku Satsu!"
Roots snared the enemy's limbs as Makoto appeared behind him.
"As a Tokubetsu Jōnin, letting rage control you is unworthy."
Makoto dragged the kunai across his neck in one clean stroke.
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