Throne Of The Uchiha

Investigation

The cave Hinata Ning discovered was indeed well-concealed—tucked into a cliffside and shielded by natural overgrowth. Uchiha Fugaku stepped inside cautiously, his three-tomoe Sharingan flickering to life as he scanned the interior for chakra residue and traps.

Deep within, he noticed signs of recent activity. The blackened remains of a campfire told a silent story. Kneeling beside it, Fugaku sifted through the ash with practiced precision.

"This site has been used repeatedly," he murmured, more to himself than anyone else. "The ash layers are inconsistent. Different ignition points… varied depth of burn. The freshest layer is still faintly warm. They were likely here last night."

He stood up and motioned to the others.

"Everyone, vacate the cave for now," he ordered sharply. "This was a temporary base. Judging by the burn pattern and disturbance of soot, the enemy used this place more than once—and recently. It's likely a forward hideout for Suna or Iwa forces operating in the Rain Country."

Satomaru stepped closer, frowning. "Captain, any identifiable clues? Anything left behind?"

He had worked with Fugaku before and understood his commanding officer never exaggerated.

Hinata Ning narrowed his eyes but said nothing. He activated his Byakugan, veins bulging around his temples, and walked toward the embers. He extended his hand and nodded.

"There's residual heat. From the footprint impressions and distribution of heat sources, I estimate a team about the same size as ours. Possibly eight to ten shinobi."

"Should we ambush them when they return?" he asked, suggesting a bold move. "Catch them off guard and wipe them out?"

Fugaku shook his head. "Too risky. The Rain Country is a meat grinder. Any shinobi operating this deep behind enemy lines won't be weak. We complete the mission first—we're not here to win a glory fight."

He reached into his pouch and pulled out several explosive tags, burying one beneath the ashes of the fire.

"If they return and try to relight the fire… this will greet them."

Around the cave, the others set up tripwires, chakra thread traps, and explosive seals.

Nozawa, the Aburame, silently left several parasitic insects just outside the cave's mouth.

"If a Konoha team passes by, the insects will stand down. Otherwise, we'll know who's coming," he said.

Satisfied, Fugaku gave the signal to move. "We head out. Find a secondary shelter before dark."

Ten minutes after leaving, an echoing boom shook the ground behind them. Thick black smoke rose into the air.

A swarm of Nozawa's insects returned and landed on his hand. He examined them calmly.

"It was Sunagakure," he confirmed. "Nine entered the cave. Six made it out."

Fugaku narrowed his eyes. "Only three down… so even with our setup, their squad weathered the trap. A high-level team, no doubt."

He looked to the distance. "We can't risk open combat unless we must. Let's move."

---

The group made their way through the torrential Rain Country downpour, shrouded in mist. Eventually, they found a narrow rock crevice deep enough to shelter in until dawn.

The next morning, after a sparse meal, Fugaku unrolled a weathered map.

"There's a valley in the mountains to the north," he said, pointing. "Intel suggests a Suna supply post is hidden there. Its structure is unknown."

He turned to his team.

"Nozawa. Ning. You're on recon. Identify layout, defenses, guard rotation. Use your bloodline advantages."

He divided the remaining six into two observation teams:

"Sato Maru, Haranoki, and Ohno Qiuze: northeast watch post."

"Yamada Shinji, Koda Maru: southern route."

"I'll handle the northwest alone."

His assignments weren't random. Sato Maru was reliable and could protect the weaker pair. Shinji had sharp judgment and could act independently if needed. Fugaku chose solitude not out of arrogance, but precision—he disliked distractions while operating in hostile terrain.

---

Fugaku concealed himself between jagged rocks. The Rain Country's topography was perfect for stealth, and the perpetual downpour muffled footsteps. With his Sharingan, he scanned the valley below.

From his vantage point, he monitored Suna movements.

Three separate supply squads arrived that day:

Two six-man units.

One eight-man squad.

He watched silently as supplies were unloaded. By tracking numbers, he learned:

Two teams exited later: one eight-man, one nine-man.

The nine-man team hadn't entered that morning—likely the resting teams from the day before, now reorganized.

"Either casualties or rotation," Fugaku muttered. "Possibly skirmishes with Iwa shinobi."

The ongoing Third Shinobi World War blurred allegiances. Though Suna and Konoha once allied, they now stood on opposite sides. Iwa, meanwhile, fought both. And the Rain Country, though officially neutral, became a battleground for them all.

---

That night, the valley grew quiet. The rain lessened to a drizzle. Fugaku kept a hand on his katana, his back pressed to cool stone.

Suddenly, light footsteps.

Through the darkness, two Suna squads exited the valley—both nine strong. His Sharingan recognized most of them from earlier.

"Same ones," he thought grimly. "Reassigned. Their numbers… don't match the morning teams."

That could only mean one thing: they had taken casualties. The reformed squads were patched together from survivors.

Fugaku's expression darkened. "This war is grinding down everyone. Even Suna is bleeding."

Still, the valley remained a mystery. How many were inside? What were they guarding? Supply lines mattered more than glory—cutting them could cripple an army.

He closed his eyes, letting the rain wash over him.

"We wait three days. Then we strike."