Fugaku created a shadow clone and left it near one of their traps. This clone would act as a decoy, hopefully giving the Sand ninja just enough reason to pause and buy them critical time.

Further back, a Sunagakure sensory ninja named Sen picked up on their movement. "The Konoha ninja changed direction. There are eight heading toward the Land of Fire, but I sense one moving ahead on its own," he reported.

Sen couldn’t tell that the lone ninja he sensed was only Fugaku’s shadow clone. To the Sunagakure team, it seemed like a Konoha ninja was lying in wait, possibly as a decoy or even a trap.

The Sunagakure ninja continued their pursuit, some throwing shuriken at the clone’s position. The clone moved swiftly, its Sharingan’s three-tomoe spinning as it tracked each shuriken and skillfully deflected them with a kunai. Sparks flew as steel clashed against steel.

Before long, the Sunagakure ninja entered the trap zone Fugaku had prepared. Explosive tags were hidden just beneath the surface, rigged to go off only if enough pressure was applied. This way, they wouldn’t trigger prematurely and alert the Sunagakure ninja. Only a direct encounter would set off the chain of explosions.

The shadow clone leaped high, forming hand seals in mid-air.

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!"

From above, it unleashed a blazing fireball aimed at the Sunagakure ninja below, drawing their attention. Then, it quickly launched another fireball at the area where the explosive tags were hidden. The first fireball was a distraction, while the second would ignite the explosive tags and trigger a deadly chain reaction.

At the same time, the clone threw kunai in all directions to activate additional physical traps scattered around. These were intended to slow down any Sunagakure ninja who managed to survive the initial blast.

A loud explosion shook the area as the fireball ignited the hidden tags, destroying the clone and sending shockwaves through the ground. Far ahead, Fugaku, still moving with his team, felt the sudden burst of chakra from the clone’s destruction and knew the trap had gone off. The Sunagakure ninja were likely delayed, giving the team precious time to escape.

Once they were beyond the sensor’s range, Fugaku allowed himself a brief moment to breathe.

"Nozawa, Ning," he ordered, "watch our surroundings. Let me know if you sense any movement."

"Yes, Captain."

In the distance, the sound of explosions echoed, hinting at the trap’s success. But whether it had injured or killed any of the Sunagakure ninja was unknown. "Captain, the Sunagakure ninja aren’t following us anymore," Nozawa confirmed, indicating that the pursuers had been delayed.

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Fugaku nodded, pulling out a map. "They’ll think we’re heading straight back to Konoha’s forward camp. We’ll take a different path to avoid any ambushes they might set up."

The team looked to Fugaku, their confidence in him strengthened after the successful mission. His leadership and skill had earned their trust, and they followed his instructions without hesitation.

"We’ll head north," Fugaku decided. "We’ll loop around the border between the Land of Rain and the Land of Grass and return to Konoha’s forward camp that way. If the Sunagakure ninja try to intercept us, they’ll likely cross paths with Iwagakure’s forces too, which would only add tension between them."

With Ning’s Byakugan scanning their surroundings, they moved confidently. Fugaku, worn out from using his Sharingan, closed his eyes to rest while they made their way through the rugged terrain.

As dawn broke and the rain began to ease, the team pushed on, having traveled through the night. The lack of any Sunagakure ninja in pursuit confirmed they were finally in the clear.

"Ning, Nozawa," Fugaku said, "find us a place to rest."

"Yes, Captain."

A few minutes later, Hyuga Ning reported, "There’s a small cave up ahead. It’s free of traps and enemies, so we should be able to use it."

The team entered the cave, finding it dry and spacious enough for their small group.

They set up a fire, and the warmth quickly drove away the chill from their rain-soaked clothes.

Exhausted, Fugaku sat cross-legged against the wall, closing his eyes to rest. The others took the chance to relax, finally letting their guard down. Nozawa’s insects served as an early warning system, making sure they wouldn’t be surprised by any enemy approach.

The team traveled for three days, carefully avoiding Sunagakure patrols and Iwagakure forces. On the fourth day, they finally reached Konoha’s forward camp.

"Finally back," Sato said with a sigh of relief. "I wasn’t sure we’d make it out alive."

"I felt the same," Shinji agreed. "The mission felt impossible at first."

Fugaku understood their feelings well. For many, this was their first real combat experience, and returning safely felt like an achievement.

"All right, let’s report in," Fugaku said. "Don’t relax just yet. Things are still dangerous, and we may be sent on another mission soon."

The team’s relieved expressions turned serious, reminded of the ongoing war. They knew that despite returning, the real battle was far from over, and every mission was a reminder of the harshness of war.

"Fugaku, you made it back!" a familiar voice called. They turned to see Yan Uchiha, a fellow Uchiha known for his Sharingan skills.

"Yan," Fugaku greeted. "What are you here for? Are you escorting supplies or joining as reinforcements?"

Yan approached him and spoke quietly, "Things in Konoha have been calm lately, but the villagers are pressuring for action in the war. The Uchiha clan’s reputation has slightly improved too. But I heard the forward camp has struggled recently, so the village has asked the major clans to send reinforcements. This time, the Uchiha clan will be leading the support."

Fugaku hadn’t expected such a major change from just one mission. It seemed that Konoha’s growing power in the Land of Rain had drawn attention from other nations.

In this region, Konoha was up against the forces of three other nations, and any advantage they gained would only provoke fierce resistance.