Reconnaissance

The sky was cloudless, a faint breeze stirring the air. Rock faces and boulders dotted the Land of Earth, and now and then a crow flew overhead, its eyes scanning the ground below.

All five were dressed as ordinary civilians, with nothing about their appearance betraying that they were ninja. Using Hyuga Ning's and Yamashiro Kiyokawa's scouting abilities, they kept to remote, deserted roads.

The rocky slopes and cliffs gave the five ample cover. Though the Land of Earth had stepped up its patrols amid the four-nation war, evading the Stone shinobi's scouts was not difficult for a team that could search both near and far.

Fugaku spread out the mission map. After three days of hard travel, the team was close to the capital of the Land of Earth.

Beyond a rocky hill lay one of the Land of Earth's few plains. A fairly large city stood on it: the nation's capital.

The gates in its high walls stood open, and people streamed in and out. The Land of Earth was barren, but it was still one of the few major powers in the Shinobi World, and its harsh landscape was largely the work of nature.

Plenty of civilians lived here. After all, only the major powers could offer people any assurance of safety.

Perhaps because of the war in the Land of Rain, there were many refugees here too. If they could settle in the Land of Earth, at least their lives would be safer.

Most refugees with any sense chose the capital as a place to earn a living. There were more opportunities here than elsewhere.

Security at the gate was tight. Capital soldiers inspected arrivals, and ninja from Iwagakure were stationed there as well. With four nations at war, ninja from other countries could appear in the crowd at any moment.

Soldiers could handle ordinary people, but in a fight between ninja they would only be cannon fodder. The ninja could also make a preliminary assessment of the people passing through.

The five stood at a distance, quietly watching the capital. Fugaku said, "Hyuga Ning and I will test the gate with Shadow Clones first. If there are sensory ninja there, we could be exposed too easily."

Sensory ninja were keenly attuned to Chakra. Ordinary fluctuations rarely escaped their notice.

"Shadow Clone Technique!"

Two figures appeared nearby, then joined the crowd from another direction and approached the gate.

Hyuga Ning activated his Byakugan and discreetly looked around. Fugaku activated his Sharingan as well. At this distance, any sensory ninja stationed at the gate should be able to detect their Chakra.

The gate remained calm. The ninja stationed there showed no reaction. Fugaku understood: those ninja were there mainly as a deterrent. Either there were no sensory ninja, or they were away.

The two Shadow Clones slowly withdrew with the crowd, then dispersed into white smoke one after the other.

The five joined the flow of people and approached the gate without drawing attention. They kept their Chakra tightly contained.

The test had revealed no sensory ninja, but experienced ninja might still notice Chakra fluctuations up close. As seasoned Jonin, they would not let a small detail bring them down.

The five kept their heads lowered like the other refugees, eyes fixed on the ground ahead. They did not glance around or do anything unusual.

After a few simple questions, they passed through the gate. The capital looked worn from outside, but within the walls there were signs of prosperity.

The streets were busy, almost as crowded as those of Konoha. The buildings around them, however, were entirely different, lending the place an unfamiliar feel.

Fugaku chose an unremarkable inn, and the five took rooms there. They had no idea when their mission in the Land of Earth would be complete. They needed a base from which to scout and plan.

Stone shinobi patrolled the capital too, but nowhere near as heavily as a Ninja Village. Most of the elite guards were concentrated at the estates of the Daimyo and his high-ranking officials.

Fugaku spread out the map. The capital of the Land of Earth was divided into five districts. The first was the Daimyo's palace, which was heavily guarded but had nothing to do with their mission.

The second held the nation's government offices, including the Logistics Department.

The third was home to the major families. Nobles and senior officials lived there.

The fourth was a residential district for ordinary people, mixed with large numbers of merchants and lower-ranking officials.

The fifth was the capital's bustling quarter, including its shopping streets, food streets, and some residential areas.

"Yamashiro Kiyokawa," Fugaku said, "you'll investigate security at the Nagai Family estate, where the Logistics Minister lives. Moonlight Shuichi, find out the minister's routine and exact itinerary, along with the routines of several other logistics officials.

"The major family estates may have sensory ninja hidden inside. The Chakra fluctuations from the Byakugan are too conspicuous, so Hyuga Ning will take this chance to examine the Logistics Department. Mitarashi Akira and I will survey the capital for anything useful during the operation.

"We'll make our first move tonight. Start by using Shadow Clones to test how alert the ninja are in each area. That should help us avoid surprises if we're exposed and have to fight."

With their duties assigned, each knew what to do. Night soon fell, and the five left the inn one after another. A crow's vision was much worse at night, so Yamashiro Kiyokawa teamed up with Mitarashi Akira to scout the capital.

Moonlight Shuichi used Transparent Release and slipped unseen into the district where the major families lived to gather information.

Fugaku Uchiha went with Hyuga Ning to investigate the government offices.

Together, the Sharingan and Byakugan could often achieve more than either could alone.

They found a secluded spot, and Hyuga Ning activated his Byakugan. Their surroundings came into view, and the two headed straight for the government offices. By then, the office district was dark, with lights burning only in a few duty rooms.

After a careful look, Hyuga Ning said, "I don't see any ninja stationed here right now, but a patrol just passed through."

Fugaku nodded. At night, only minor staff remained on duty, so naturally no ninja had been assigned to protect them. Iwagakure's ninja were hardly expendable.

The two darted into the cluster of buildings and searched for the department they needed. The Logistics Department was not in the central district. Perhaps because supplies were so often transported in and out, its offices stood farther from the center.

Hyuga Ning said, "Four people are on duty. No ninja are guarding them."

Fugaku nodded. "Let's go. We'll see how much information we can get from the four of them."

Moving swiftly but without haste, they entered the Logistics Department. Two staff members were in the main office, and two more were in a room off to the side.

Two shadows slipped into the main office. One after the other, the staff members slumped over their desks and fell fast asleep.

Fugaku carried one of them into a room, while Hyuga Ning stayed in the main office to keep watch.