Chapter 211: Genjutsu

The night in Grass Country was utterly silent.

On this plain, a light mist began to spread across the grassland.

From afar, it looked like the common morning mist in a forest, though the time seemed a bit early, it attracted no one's attention.

After all, it wasn't long before dawn!

Within this thin mist, a square barrier stood, enclosing a ruin of broken walls and bones.

Strands of pure white moonlight shone silently, making the place seem like a demonic realm.

Among the rubble, aside from the faint groans of those unable to control their pain, there was no other sound.

"We can almost begin the next step of the plan!"

Looking at the situation around him, Dong Shilang had nothing more to say; he simply let his clansmen proceed according to the original plan.

"Everyone, be careful!"

But at the last moment, feeling uneasy, he reminded his clansmen.

These people have followed me through countless battles, barely surviving to now; if possible, I don't want any of them to come to harm.

"..."

Without further words, including Zhishui, everyone merely nodded at Dong Shilang, then formed three‑person teams and sneaked into the ruined outpost to begin the final harvest.

They knew this was their most dangerous moment.

Ordinary lower‑rank Chunin might not escape this surprise attack, but experienced veteran Chunin and Jonin were momentarily stunned by the sudden assault.

At this moment, each of them surely hid underground or behind the collapsed buildings, carefully watching for any movement in the outpost.

Once they figured out the situation or gathered a few companions, their troubles would come one after another.

Meanwhile, Dong Shilang was not idle; he drew a jade‑green flute from his waist, brought it to his lips, and began to play it slowly.

Immediately, a melodious flute note, like a girl's confession, slipped into the ears of every Rock Ninja who heard it.

The melody was winding, as if weeping and lamenting.

A piece titled 'Moonlit Cloud Sea' began to echo across this battlefield.

As the flute sounded, Rock Ninjas hidden in the dark involuntarily began to hum along, thereby revealing their positions.

They turned themselves into living targets, and the Uchiha clan members, operating in three‑person teams to harvest the lives of wounded Rock Ninjas, took their lives.

"Oh no… it's a genjutsu!"

Still, the Rock Ninja wearing a red headband was the first to notice something was wrong.

Just after hearing the flute, he felt as if he were on a white cloud, with soft clouds beneath his feet and an endless sea of clouds all around.

A round, pure white moon shed its cold light over the cloud sea, bathing him as well.

Together with the melodious flute, he felt an uncontrollable urge to lose himself in that picturesque scene, as if forever.

However, his Jonin‑level mental strength allowed him to react instantly, dispelling the genjutsu that could have controlled him unnoticed.

"We can't stay passive like this!"

"If we can't stop the one casting the genjutsu, nobody in this outpost will escape!"

Hiding underground and using his secret technique to monitor the outpost's every move, he watched his companions being easily taken by the attackers, and anxiety welled up.

Especially the wounded who had just been involuntarily crying out in pain were dwindling in number!

【At this moment, someone must step forward and interrupt the enemy!】

Gazing at the figure playing the 'Death Sound', he gritted his teeth and decided to test the waters with an attack.

"Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!"

As an earth‑stone dragon head formed on the ground, it spat out a large quantity of mud balls charged with chakra, hurling them head‑on at Dong Shilang's silhouette.

At this point, every Rock Ninja in the outpost who could still move was counted as one.

Seeing someone take action, each unleashed the attacks they had been preparing; the outpost instantly became tumultuous.

Earth Stone Flow, Earth Stone Dragon, Earth Flow Spear and similar ninjutsu were hurled at the Uchiha clan members who were harvesting the wounded.

The ninjas who survived the attack knew that, while they had broken free of the enemy's genjutsu, this ability was limited to those of their great strength; the surviving Chunin and the like probably lacked such skill.

If a genjutsu master were allowed to unleash his illusion unchecked, their fate would all but be sealed; thus, if someone took the lead and sprang forward, even if they couldn't defeat the foe outright, saving a few companions would be worthwhile.

"Is this… a phantom clone?"

As a barrage of earth‑stone mud balls struck, the earth‑stone dragon hit Dong Shilang's image, but the imagined cessation of his genjutsu did not occur.

The opponent's image merely trembled as the penetrating ninjutsu waves passed through, then returned to normal—like the moon reflected in water, which steadies after the ripples fade.

Even the opponent's flute note showed no change from the attack; it was as if nothing had happened at all.

If not for his comrades occasionally succeeding in rescuing those afflicted by the genjutsu, he would have thought none of this had ever happened.

"What do we do! The Earth Hill Jonin says the enemy's genjutsu is quite troublesome; if we stay underground we're fine, but once we go above ground, the genjutsu's power will become even more terrifying!"

At that moment, a chakra familiar to the Earth Hill Jonin slowly approached.

He also said,

"We must find a way to deal with the enemy's genjutsu ninja; otherwise, even if we go up, we'll be suppressed!"

"I know! But after my little test, I believe you saw it too—that's merely the enemy's blind‑fold trick; his true form is nowhere to be found!"

While speaking, his eye twitched uncontrollably, and he still didn't forget to ask: "How is our situation now? How many people are left?"