220 Chapter 220: The Iron Fortress

Days later.

A team entered the former territory of the Land of Rivers.

Under Danzo's orders, the entire caravan of hundreds was held hostage in Konoha.

Only Hayato and a few members of the caravan, escorted by the ANBU's third squad, ventured deep into the mountains of the Land of Rivers, searching for the legendary Stone of Gelel.

"How much longer until we get there?" The ANBU squad leader asked Hayato impatiently.

"The ancient empire's ruins are located to the northwest of the Land of Rivers. We should arrive by tomorrow at the latest," Hayato cautiously replied.

The ANBU leader grunted, "I warn you, don't try any tricks."

"Yes, sir," Hayato quickly nodded, but he couldn't help but scheme.

He had heard tales of the Fifth Hokage, Danzo Shimura, known for his ruthlessness and mercilessness, especially when it came to human lives.

Not even Konoha's shinobi were safe from his wrath, with thousands having met their end by his hand.

Given Danzo's reputation, once the Stone of Gelel was secured, Hayato was certain the ANBU would be ordered to eliminate him and his companions.

Moreover, Hayato wasn't willing to hand over the Stone of Gelel so easily, as it was a treasure guarded by the Wandering People for generations.

That evening, as the group set up camp in the forest, Hayato took advantage of a momentary lapse in the ANBU's attention to release his pet ferret, Nirug. This creature, a royal pet from the ancient empire, was not only intelligent but also possessed unique abilities.

"Nirug, our lives depend on you. You must find the Uchiha clan and seek their assistance. Understand?" Hayato instructed the ferret seriously.

Nirug darted into the nearby bushes, sniffed the air, and then dashed in a particular direction, soon disappearing into the night.

The next day, the group continued their journey.

They were close.

Just beyond the upcoming mountain lay the ruins of the ancient empire. With their destination in sight, Hayato grew increasingly anxious.

Had Nirug failed to find the Uchiha?

Just as despair began to set in, the ANBU leader suddenly commanded, "Halt!"

He stared intently at the forest ahead.

Could it be... reinforcements?

Hope surged in Hayato's eyes as he looked towards the forest. To his surprise, figures emerged, but they weren't the Uchiha.

Thud, clang.

Heavy footsteps accompanied by the clinking of metal echoed from the forest.

Before the astonished eyes of the ANBU and Hayato, figures clad in full metal armor, wielding swords and hammers, blocked their path. They resembled knights from Western legends.

"Attack!" Without any preamble, the armored figures charged, swinging their weapons at the ANBU.

Their combat style was vastly different from that of the shinobi. Relying on their imposing stature and heavy metal armor and weapons, they engaged in brutal physical combat.

Their approach was simple yet devastatingly effective.

Several ANBU were injured in the initial clash, with some even crushed under the weight of the hammers.

"Damn it," the ANBU leader cursed, leaping back to create distance before quickly forming hand seals.

Zap, zap.

As he slammed his palm to the ground, electricity spread across the terrain, ensnaring the metal-clad knights.

Lightning Release: Earth Flow.

The knights' armor, while seemingly impenetrable, had a clear weakness—it conducted electricity.

As expected, the ANBU leader's jutsu was effective. The knights were paralyzed, twitching under the electric shock.

The other ANBU members seized the opportunity, launching various jutsu and explosive tags at the immobilized foes.

Boom, boom.

One by one, the attackers fell, soon overwhelmed by the might of Konoha's ANBU.

After dispatching the assailants, the ANBU leader turned his piercing gaze to Hayato.

In a swift motion, he was in front of Hayato, grabbing him by the collar, "Where did these men come from? Is this your doing?"

"I... I don't know," Hayato stammered, genuine fear evident in his eyes.

"Hmph," the ANBU leader grunted, tossing Hayato aside before approaching one of the captured knights.

After removing the knight's helmet and subjecting him to a brutal interrogation, the results were unexpected.

These men weren't reinforcements brought by Hayato. However, they were intricately connected to the Wandering People.

As it turned out,

After the ancient empire's destruction, two groups of survivors emerged.

One group consisted of Hayato and his caravan, wandering the shinobi world and becoming known as the Wandering People.

The other group chose to travel overseas, eventually settling on another continent where they established a new nation and civilization.

However,

They never forgot about the Stone of Gelel and coveted the rich lands of the shinobi world. They had been amassing power, planning to return someday.

Finally,

Learning of the Fourth Great Ninja War, these knights believed their time had come.

Thus, they sailed across the seas in their formidable ships.

Upon their return to the shinobi continent, their first mission was to head straight for the ruins of the ancient empire in search of the Stone of Gelel.

Yet,

Days passed with no success. The ruins were sealed, and only the caravan members knew the entrance.

That's when the ANBU, escorting Hayato, arrived.

A skirmish was inevitable.

"How many more of you are there?" The ANBU leader interrogated a captive, his brow furrowed.

Before he could get an answer,

Rumble.

A massive quake-like sound echoed from ahead, shaking the ground beneath them as if a massive earthquake had struck.

What's happening?

The ANBU leader looked on in shock.

Before them,

A colossal steel fortress, over fifty meters tall, emerged from the ground like a ferocious prehistoric beast.

This mobile underground fortress was the enemy's stronghold.

Its surface, covered in dirt and foliage, bristled with countless gun barrels and cannon ports, gleaming menacingly in the sunlight.

Then,

All the cannons aimed at the ANBU in the clearing.

This is bad.

The ANBU leader's pupils shrank, "Defend!"

Swish, swish.

All ANBU simultaneously formed hand seals, slamming their palms to the ground, raising a massive earthen wall to shield them.

Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall.

Simultaneously,

Ratatat.

The fortress unleashed a barrage of gunfire. Bullets and shells rained down, bombarding the earthen wall.

Ninjutsu vs. Firearms, which would prevail?

The answer became clear.

The fortress's firepower was overwhelming. In moments, the wall was riddled with holes.

Screams echoed as several ANBU were gunned down.

"Counterattack!"

The ANBU leader, in desperation, unleashed a Lightning Release jutsu, summoning a lifelike dragon made of electricity, which lunged at the fortress.

The remaining ANBU followed suit, bombarding the fortress with their jutsu.

However,

The fortress's resilience exceeded their expectations. Their attacks barely left a mark.

"Ninja techniques are nothing compared to this fortress, a pinnacle of our empire's technology. Your attacks are futile," a voice boomed.

A towering knight, over two meters tall, accompanied by dozens of followers, leaped from the fortress.

Like a tidal wave of steel, they charged the ANBU.

Battle ensued.

Suddenly,

The leading knight let out a howl, transforming before their eyes into a massive werewolf, standing over five meters tall.

In a flash, the werewolf was in front of the ANBU leader. Before he could react, the beast grabbed and tore him apart with its claws.

The gruesome sight, even to the battle-hardened ANBU, was paralyzing.

They fled in terror.

Of the original seventeen members of the third ANBU squad, only two managed to escape. The rest met their end in the forest, their bodies torn to shreds.

"Bring him to me!"

The werewolf knight pointed a claw at Hayato, growling deeply.

Two knights immediately approached Hayato.

Hayato stumbled back, his face pale with fear, watching as they approached.

Just then,

Whoosh.

A figure suddenly appeared behind Hayato, darting towards the two knights like an arrow. With two swift punches, a muffled "thud, thud" echoed.

The knights' armor caved in, and they collapsed, incapacitated.

The one who intervened was Uchiha Tetsuhi.

"More enemies?"

The werewolf knight grumbled, his menacing gaze fixed on Tetsuhi, but he hesitated.

Because not just Tetsuhi, but hundreds of figures in blue robes emerged from the forest, exuding an intimidating aura.

The Uchiha clan had arrived.

"Chirp chirp."

Nirugū cheerfully chirped, hopping from Uchiha Izumi's embrace to Hayato's side.

"Nirugū, well done! I knew you wouldn't let me down."

Hayato couldn't contain his joy, quickly getting up and bowing repeatedly in gratitude to Tetsuhi and the Uchiha members.

Thud, thud.

The werewolf knight took a few steps forward, looking down arrogantly at the Uchihas. His eyes flashed, declaring,

"You must be the Uchiha clan, hunted by the entire shinobi world.

Serve under my banner, and I'll spare your lives.

In return, you'll serve the empire, aiding the knights in conquering the shinobi world. Together, we'll obliterate all nations and villages, establishing a glorious unified empire!

Consider it an honor."

Hearing this audacious claim,

The Uchihas exchanged glances.

"Ha!"

Someone in the crowd snickered, unable to contain their laughter.

Soon,

"Ha, hahaha..."

The entire Uchiha clan burst into laughter. Some held their heads, others clutched their stomachs, and a few even cried from laughing so hard.

Their laughter conveyed one thing:

Mockery.

The werewolf knight's proclamation was met with derision from the Uchihas. They looked at him as if he were a fool.

Feeling insulted,

The werewolf knight's muscles bulged, veins popping out like dragons. He was ready to crush these arrogant foes beneath his feet.

Then,

A tall, imposing man calmly stepped forward from the Uchiha ranks, stopping mere meters from the werewolf knight.

As he approached, the Uchihas' laughter ceased. They watched him with fervent eyes.

"Who are you? Daring to challenge me alone?"

The werewolf knight sneered, mist billowing from his nostrils.

Without a word, the man threw a punch.

Snap.

The seemingly ordinary punch landed on the werewolf knight's abdomen.

"You must be starving, kid. I'll give you two more shots..."

The werewolf knight's taunt was cut short.

The next moment,

Boom!

The massive werewolf knight exploded, like a balloon bursting from too much pressure.

Blood, flesh, and bones rained down.

The once-arrogant werewolf knight was obliterated in an instant, not even a piece of flesh remained.

His name was—

Uchiha Dan.

The sudden demise of their leader left the remaining knights stunned.

When they snapped back to reality, fear was evident in their eyes.

"Retreat to the fortress!"

Someone shouted, and the knights hastily withdrew. The fortress's guns fired again, providing cover with a barrage of bullets.

Clang, clang.

Dan stood still, bullets and shells bouncing off him, unscathed.

Behind him, four Susano'o emerged, charging at the fortress despite the intense firepower.

"Eliminate all enemies, but leave the fortress intact!"Dan reminded the clan.

The Uchiha clan had set their sights on the Iron Fortress.