Throne Of The Uchiha

Investigation

The sky over the Land of Earth was cloudless and clear, with a dry breeze rolling through the jagged cliffs and rock formations that defined the country's landscape. Here, towering boulders and steep stone ridges dotted the horizon. Occasionally, a lone crow flew overhead, its beady eyes scanning the terrain for signs of movement.

The five-man team traveled dressed in the coarse, dust-stained clothes of commoners, leaving no indication of their shinobi status. Their approach had been carefully planned—utilizing the reconnaissance techniques developed by Hyūga Ning with his Byakugan and Yamashiro Kiyokawa, whose tracking expertise mirrored his manga counterpart Yamashiro Aoba. They kept to unpatrolled roads, navigating narrow gorges and rock formations that offered natural concealment.

Despite the heightened security due to recent instability among the Great Nations, infiltrating the Land of Earth was not impossible. Thanks to the team's combination of long-range doujutsu scouting and ground-level sensory avoidance, they skillfully bypassed Iwagakure's detection squads, which were focused more on border defense than deep internal surveillance.

Unfolding the mission scroll, Uchiha Fugaku studied the map. After three days of steady movement from the western border, they had reached a vantage point overlooking the capital of the Land of Earth—Kusagakure, a fortified city situated in one of the few flatter regions of the otherwise mountainous country.

From the distance, the capital's massive stone walls loomed. The gate bustled with activity: civilians, merchants, and refugees—likely fleeing the Rain Country conflict—moved in and out under the watchful eyes of stationed guards. Though the country's terrain was harsh, the capital retained signs of centralized power and relative prosperity. Only in a Great Nation could a daimyo still guarantee some semblance of civilian stability during war.

Iwagakure shinobi in standard flak jackets stood near the gates—watching the crowd, likely for disguised operatives from enemy villages. Their presence was a strong deterrent. While the majority were standard troops, any real defense relied on whether sensory-types or jōnin-level ninja were stationed nearby.

Fugaku, still cautious, said, "Hinata Ning, we'll use shadow clones to probe the entrance. If sensory-types are on station, they'll react to even minor chakra emissions."

He made the hand sign.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."

Two shadow clones materialized with a faint puff of smoke. Hinata Ning followed suit. Both clones merged with the flow of civilians moving toward the gate, maintaining a subtle pace. Ning's Byakugan activated silently under his hood, its pale veins forming around his temples.

Fugaku's Sharingan spun lazily beneath his disguised appearance, scanning for subtle chakra fluctuations—movement, reaction, alertness among the guards. The clones drew closer.

But there was no shift in the Iwa shinobi's stance. No sudden flickers of awareness. No latent chakra spikes. If sensory-types were present, they were either inactive or hidden well.

The clones withdrew with the crowd, dissolved in faint plumes of mist once at a safe distance.

"Nothing," Fugaku said calmly. "No active sensor-type response. If they're here, they're not stationed at the gate."

The five operatives approached the city gate disguised as impoverished travelers—eyes lowered, postures submissive, blending seamlessly with the refugees. Even if someone with field experience were to observe closely, their chakra was tightly suppressed, cloaked using techniques refined over years of war.

After brief questioning from the guards—mostly to check for weapons or strange papers—they passed through without issue.

Inside, the capital had more life than expected. Though the architecture bore Iwagakure's distinct stone-and-metal aesthetic, the streets were busy. Market stalls spilled into the main roads, filled with miners, peddlers, and laborers. Compared to Konoha's wooden structures and lush vegetation, this place felt alien—an austere fortress built on trade, mineral wealth, and militarism.

Fugaku selected a modest inn nestled between a tea shop and a silversmith. Once settled, the team assembled in a back room, spreading out a second map: a tactical blueprint of the capital. Five sectors divided the city:

1. The Daimyo's Palace – surrounded by elite Iwagakure forces. Not their concern—for now.

2. Administrative Sector – housing the nation's ministries, including the Logistics Department.

3. Residential Enclave – homes of powerful noble clans and high-ranking ministers.

4. Civilian Quarters – dense neighborhoods of workers, merchants, and lower officials.

5. Commercial District – containing markets, inns, blacksmiths, and an active nightlife.

Fugaku tapped the second zone. "This is our target. The Logistics Ministry manages the movement of supplies to and from Iwagakure. If we want to stall their campaign, we need to understand their infrastructure first."

He turned to each member:

"Yamashiro Kiyokawa, monitor the Nagai estate, the clan home of the current Logistics Minister. Track their guards, any pattern of visitors.

Moonlight Hideichi, you'll tail the Minister himself—use your Meisaigakure no Jutsu (Hiding with Camouflage Technique). Study his schedule.

Hinata Ning, the Byakugan's chakra signature is strong—save it for safe locations. You'll use a rooftop vantage to scan the logistics offices.

Mitarai Akimitsu and I will survey the city layout, identify Iwa chokepoints and emergency response teams. This will shape our escape plan."

Everyone nodded.

"Tonight," Fugaku continued, "we send clones to test Iwa's patrol sensitivity. Real movement starts tomorrow."

When night fell, the team scattered from the inn one by one. The waning moon cast long shadows between stone buildings. With fewer patrols and the Iwa shinobi relying more on brute force than finesse, infiltration was possible.

Yamashiro Kiyokawa and Akimitsu blended into alleyways, noting guard stations and shift changes.

Moonlight Hideichi invoked his camouflage, blending into the stonework and slipping unnoticed into the noble district. His skills in stealth, long underappreciated, now proved invaluable.

Fugaku and Hinata Ning reached the rear of the Administrative Quarter.

From a rooftop, Hinata activated his Byakugan, scanning through the walls and structures of the compound ahead.

"Minimal chakra activity," he reported. "Four workers in the building. No chakra signatures consistent with ninja." He paused, frowning. "A patrol team just passed. Civilian guards only."

Fugaku narrowed his eyes. "Iwagakure's resources must be stretched. They're guarding more by presence than readiness."

They moved silently toward the logistics office. It was set apart from the main ministry, likely to facilitate supply convoys. The building was dark, save for flickering lamps in a hallway.

"Let's extract what intel we can," Fugaku said.

In a blink, they were inside. Two administrative clerks at the front slumped unconscious—struck silently with precise chakra control to disrupt their nervous systems.

Fugaku carried one into a back room for interrogation. Hinata kept watch, his Byakugan sweeping the perimeter.

In the dead of night, the investigation had truly begun.