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Oh well, let it be.
It was just a nickname. Itachi didn't care much about such things.
The most important thing now was to kill as many enemies as possible, which would also relieve some pressure on the camp.
Itachi had no teammates. He operated alone on the battlefield.
"Lord Tsuchikage."
Against everyone's expectations, after handling village affairs, Ōnoki couldn't even wait to get to the Land of Waterfalls battlefield before rushing to the border camp.
Though the camp personnel didn't understand, they nevertheless welcomed Ōnoki's arrival with sincerity.
"How are things on the battlefield lately?"
Ōnoki wasted no time with pleasantries. He walked into the command post, sat in the main seat, and got straight to the point.
Though his reputation was ruined and he faced joint protests and opposition from various Daimyōs, having stolen money from the bounty stations and purchased a batch of supplies through special channels, Iwagakure could finally breathe a bit easier.
This would stabilize the Land of Waterfalls battlefield.
The reason Ōnoki came to the border camp instead of the Land of Waterfalls battlefield was because this side was prone to variables.
It wasn't that Ōnoki looked down on Kumogakure. The situation on the Land of Waterfalls battlefield had stabilized.
As long as neither side made strategic mistakes, neither Iwagakure nor Kumogakure could easily defeat the other. A prolonged stalemate was inevitable.
But the southern battlefield could change at any time. That's why Ōnoki came here.
He would hold the line in person to prevent Kazuki from going crazy one day and causing trouble.
"Not optimistic."
Seeing the gloomy faces in the command post, Ōnoki immediately felt a headache coming on. Good thing I came. If I hadn't, who knows what might have happened.
"Give me the battle reports."
Ōnoki couldn't be bothered to listen to their reports. He'd read them himself.
"Blood Crow?"
As he read, Ōnoki sensed something wrong. He frowned, looking at his men as if to say, "Are you kidding me?"
The village's biggest losses were caused by this person?
"Uchiha Itachi?"
How did this guy end up on the battlefield? Wasn't he Uchiha Kazuki's personal bodyguard?
Seeing Ōnoki's confusion, someone quickly explained.
"Lord Tsuchikage, Uchiha Itachi is very strong. He operates alone. The battlefields in the Land of Rain and the Land of Grass are small-scale engagements. Our people can't do anything about him. Wherever his crows go, our people fall on the battlefield."
While his comrades called him the "Dark Crow," Iwagakure preferred to call Itachi the "Blood Crow."
Because wherever Itachi went, Iwagakure ninja squads would mysteriously die.
Only their corpses and blood remained on the battlefield.
Over time, the eerie nickname "Blood Crow" stuck to Itachi.
Ōnoki nodded slightly, indicating he understood.
In the following time, Ōnoki quietly read the battle reports. Only after reading them all did he understand why this fearsome "Blood Crow" had appeared on the battlefield.
So, it's still my fault?
Before leaving, Ōnoki had instructed his subordinates not to hold back if Uchiha Sasuke appeared on the battlefield.
His subordinates had indeed gone all out. Sasuke and Kazuki's former subordinate, Uchiha Fū, were both seriously injured.
Then, two days later, the Blood Crow appeared on the battlefield, operating alone.
On this small-scale battlefield, he was like a fish in water. Almost no Iwagakure squad could withstand him.
Seeing crows meant losing your life, falling on the battlefield.
Aside from the Blood Crow's appearance, nothing else had gone seriously wrong. They were just being suppressed by Konoha.
Orochimaru's combat abilities were still strong. Fortunately, Konoha and Iwagakure had tacitly agreed not to deploy too many troops. Given that, Ōnoki could accept the relatively heavy sacrifices.
A few sacrifices he could accept. Iwagakure's method of cultivating ninja was "casting a wide net."
Unlike Konoha, which focused on individuals. Ōnoki didn't mind sacrificing ordinary ninja.
It seemed a bit cold-blooded, but anyone in his position couldn't afford compassion.
Benevolence does not command an army. To sit in this position, one had to be cold-blooded.
"I understand. I'll handle the Uchiha Itachi matter."
Since it was his fault, he had the responsibility to fix it.
Moreover, only he could solve it now.
Should I act personally or set an ambush?
The Blood Crow?
Even the strongest ninja feared ambushes and encirclement. Ōnoki firmly believed this.
After all, he had once worn down the Third Raikage, hailed as the strongest ninja in the world, with a human wave tactic.
If the Third Raikage could be worn down, so could a mere Uchiha Itachi.
But setting an ambush for Itachi could easily provoke backlash.
After all, Kazuki wasn't A. If Itachi truly fell on the battlefield, Kazuki might retaliate fiercely.
Plus, the camp couldn't deploy enough troops to surround Itachi.
Ōnoki felt he needed to plan carefully.
While the Blood Crow was making a name on the battlefield, in Konoha, people's nickname for Itachi had also changed from "Dark Crow" to "Blood Crow."
Probably because "Blood Crow" sounded more sinister – at least to enemies – since it often represented death.
"The battlefield truly is the best place to make a name."
At the command post, Kazuki raised his teacup and took a sip. Drinking something hot in this terrible weather was nice; it warmed the body.
"Blood Crow..."
Fugaku frowned slightly. He didn't like the nickname. He'd rather everyone call his son "Dark Crow."
Hiashi chose to remain silent. The Uchiha had quite a few who made names on the battlefield. The Hyūga, on the other hand, had none.
On this topic, Hiashi wisely chose not to participate.
It would only embarrass him.
It was all a bitter story. Hyūga ninja at the Tokubetsu Jōnin and Jōnin levels had difficulty competing with the Uchiha.
Plus, the clan lacked any standout geniuses. Hence, they remained mediocre.
Did the Hyūga clan not want to become famous?
No. They just didn't have the opportunity or suitable candidates.
In this generation, the Hyūga had one promising kid – Hyūga Neji. Unfortunately, the boy's mindset wasn't quite there yet. Until he resolved his inner conflicts, his achievements would be limited.
Kazuki glanced at Hiashi. He knew why Hiashi remained silent.
Simply put, the clan lacked a notable genius, so he lost face. Discussing such a topic would put him in an awkward position. Better to stay silent.
As long as I don't participate, the awkwardness won't fall on me.
"Hyūga Neji is a good kid. With proper training, I think he has the potential to be the best in his generation."