Chapter 15

The cave Hyūga Tazumo sought was exceptional, well-hidden and relatively unknown. Uchiha Fugaku entered the cave, his Sharingan activated, taking in the entirety of the surroundings.

Deep within the cave, Fugaku discovered signs of recent fire, indicating that it had been occupied by Shinobi in the past.

Approaching cautiously, Fugaku examined the ash residue left behind.

"For now, let's temporarily retreat from the cave," Uchiha Fugaku advised. "This is likely a temporary hideout for Shinobi from other countries. It seems they have used it multiple times, and all these visits have been recent."

"Captain, what's happening?" Satōmaru inquired. "Did we find any clues left by the enemy?"

Having completed missions with Uchiha Fugaku before, Satōmaru knew that Fugaku never cracked jokes while on a mission.

Hyūga Tazumo glanced at Uchiha Fugaku, his eyes filled with uncertainty. He couldn't determine if Fugaku was deliberately opposing him or if he had indeed discovered some clues.

"It can be deduced from the burnt ashes," Uchiha Fugaku explained. "The irregular light-colored marks surrounding the edges of the ash indicate that someone has repeatedly fired from the same spot, but with slight variations in position. The darker spots suggest more recent ignitions. I even felt residual heat when I touched it just now. Even if the temperature has cooled completely, it's possible the other party ignited it here last night."

Hyūga Tazumo approached the deep part of the cave where the fire had been, activating his Byakugan to investigate. He even reached out to examine it.

"There is indeed a trace of residual heat," Hyūga Tazumo confirmed. "Judging from the fire and the marks left by the other party, it appears similar to our group. We don't need to confront them directly here; instead, we can launch a surprise attack when they least expect it."

Fugaku shook his head and responded, "It's not that simple. Anyone capable of forming a team for missions in the Land of Rain is not weak. I don't want to diminish our numbers before completing the mission. By setting up a series of traps here, we can inflict damage on the enemy based on their luck and strength."

The team nodded in agreement, understanding the gravity of the situation. Their focus remained on the mission, unaware of how the enemy would reveal themselves. If they encountered a renowned powerhouse from the ninja world, the Shinobi from Konohagakure could be annihilated.

Every mission during the war was fraught with complexity, and a flaw at any point could cascade into further complications.

The team dispersed and strategically placed detonation devices throughout the area. Fugaku also planted an Explosive Tag beneath the ashes.

If the enemy were to ignite the area directly, the Explosive Tag hidden beneath the ashes would detonate, obliterating the entire cave.

Nozawa was tasked with assigning a few individuals to monitor the surroundings outside the cave. If any Shinobi from Konoha approached, they would alert the team.

The group pressed forward, searching for their next location to settle.

After walking for several minutes, a series of explosions erupted behind them. The trap had worked, but the exact number of enemies who perished remained unknown.

They turned back to witness thick smoke engulfing the sky. A few scouts returned with captured insects in their hands.

"It's Sunagakure. Nine went in, but only six came out," Nozawa reported.

Fugaku nodded solemnly. "The enemy is formidable. Despite burying only three individuals in such an intricate web of Explosive Tags, we can't determine if they're dead or alive."

With such a powerful Shinobi team, even a surprise attack wouldn't guarantee victory for Uchiha Fugaku's eight-person group.

Fighting in the Land of Rain tended to diminish during the night, with Shinobi from all countries seeking hiding spots to rest briefly.

Uchiha Fugaku and his team embraced the darkness, avoiding encounters with Shinobi from other nations. They found a cave to rest for the night and planned to resume their journey early the next morning.

Once again, Fugaku retrieved the mission map and addressed the group. "There's a valley ahead of us where the Sunagakure stronghold is located. Nozawa and Hyūga Tazumo, you two will be responsible for investigating the stronghold."

"There are three passages in the valley, and the rest of us will split into three groups. After three days, when Sunagakure's forces arrive from all directions to resupply, we'll finalize our action plan."

"Satōmaru, Genyaki, Okasawa, and Ōno will form one group. Yamada Shinji and Koudamaru will form another. I'll go alone. Let's move out now."

Fugaku harbored some doubts about Genyaki and Okasawa's abilities. Though Satōmaru could augment their strength, having a teammate suspected of being from Konoha's Anbu left Fugaku somewhat displeased.

Yamada Shinji possessed formidable strength and, with Koudamaru's assistance, could handle smaller obstacles.

The rugged terrain of the Land of Rain provided ample cover, especially in the rain. Fugaku concealed himself between a mountain and a rock, taking advantage of the natural shelter. Unless someone possessed exceptional perception, they wouldn't notice him.

He positioned himself in the northwest, the direction from which Suna Shinobi approached for resupply—predominantly Shinobi who had clashed with Iwa Shinobi.

By observing the movements of the Suna Shinobi, Fugaku could make an educated estimation of Iwa Shinobi's strength within a certain range.

His three-tomoe Sharingan spun rapidly, the crimson gaze scanning the surroundings. However, there were no suspicious targets in sight. The three-tomoe disappeared, and Fugaku's Sharingan returned to its normal state.

The sound of rain hitting the ground masked the footsteps of anyone approaching. Shinobi tread lightly, making it challenging to detect their presence through sight alone.

During the day, twenty teams of Konoha Shinobi had entered the valley for resupply. There were three teams of two and six solo teams.

Two teams were currently departing from this location—one comprised eight members, the other nine. The nine-member team had not entered the valley today for resupply. Two teams of two had entered, and one remained in the valley to rest.

After a day of observation, Fugaku furrowed his brow. The mission wasn't as straightforward as anticipated. It seemed that many teams had chosen the other two directions to rest.

The identities of the Shinobi residing in the valley remained unclear for now. The supply teams likely had at least one team stationed in each direction, each team consisting of a minimum of six members.

Uchiha Fugaku reassessed the mission, realizing they would have to wait three days before thoroughly investigating the enemy's situation and formulating a new plan.

As the sky grew darker and the rain subsided, the Sunagakure supply point fell into silence. Uchiha Fugaku closed his eyes, preparing to rest.

The sound of approaching footsteps jolted Fugaku awake. He focused on the entrance of the valley in the distance, where two teams of two emerged.

Recognizing them, Fugaku confirmed that it was the same pair of Suna Shinobi who had rested in the valley the previous day. Today, they had regrouped, forming two teams of two.

Fugaku couldn't help but suspect that the original teams had consisted of nine members each, but during their battle with Iwa Shinobi, three members from each team had been killed.

Sunagakure and Iwagakure had been engaged in conflict, and both nations had clashed with Konoha. In this three-way melee, it would come down to which country could endure the longest, considering their overall national strength.