The sky was gradually turning white.
Yako stood at the window of the second floor of the Tsurugetsu Izakaya, watching the full moon slowly fade behind the rising sunlight.
'If I die this month, I should respawn here.'
After leaving the Konoha Hospital, he hadn't returned to the Anbu. Instead, he chose to stay at the izakaya.
Spend what you earn. If you don't, the captain will just benefit from it anyway.
Yako turned to glance at the bed.
Kyoi was still sound asleep, one smooth, firm leg exposed outside the blanket.
They'd spent half the night "exchanging information," but he still hadn't found any proof that Kyoi was a spy.
Maybe he just hadn't dug deep enough.
Maybe he hadn't been aggressive enough.
Or maybe… he was just overthinking it. Maybe Kyoi wasn't a spy at all.
Even if she was, she was likely the type who relied on brains over brawn. Not much of a threat.
Without saying goodbye, he pulled up his pants and dipped. Yako jumped out the window and, taking advantage of the empty streets at dawn, made his way toward the Forest of Death.
His Anbu division had been assigned to the Land of Waves. Another team had been sent to the Land of Whirlpools.
The Antelope Squad was stationed in a fishing village in the Land of Waves. Their mission: escort a squad of Whirlpool shinobi back to Uzushio Village.
Yako followed at the rear, silently observing the three Uzushio shinobi.
In the original story, Uzushio Village had barely been depicted. It was already wiped out before the plot even began.
One woman, two men. All red-haired.
The kunoichi up front had the brightest shade of red.
'Does hair color correlate with the strength of the Uzumaki bloodline's kekkei genkai?'
All three bore injuries.
Judging by the wounds, they'd been cut by ninja blades.
Kumogakure's shinobi academy taught kenjutsu, so Cloud shinobi were especially fond of blades.
Once they exited the Land of Waves and entered the forests of the Fire Country, the Uzushio shinobi finally relaxed a little.
The Land of Whirlpools lay southeast of Fire Country, on a long peninsula. Taking the roundabout route through Fire Country was the safest.
Trying to buy more time, Yako pointed to the blood on the kunoichi's leg. "I've got medicine. Want to patch that up before we keep moving?"
Captain Antelope was about to chide Yako for being unnecessary, but the kunoichi—Uzumaki Yuka—spoke up: "Yes. If I don't treat it soon, it might leave lasting damage."
Since Uzushio Village was an ally of the Senju Clan, Captain Antelope held his tongue.
Yako handed over his medical pouch.
Yuka didn't bother with modesty. She lifted the slit of her skirt, revealing her wounded thigh.
Undoing the basic field dressing, she scraped off the blackened salve with a kunai.
When the blade touched raw flesh, she clenched her teeth in pain.
Her right hand was also injured, so her left hand wasn't very dexterous.
Yako crouched down. "Let me help."
"Thanks."
Watching the Anbu ninja bandage her leg, Yuka said, "You're different from the others. Thanks for offering."
Yako didn't respond.
This was just a time-wasting tactic. He'd probably get scolded by the captain later.
It had taken them 7 days to reach the Land of Waves, and only 1 day from there into the Fire Country. The Fire Country was relatively safe—no chance of encountering Cloud shinobi.
The longer they could stay in Fire Country, the better.
If he could manage to die just a day before the next full moon, that'd be perfect. Everything before death was something he already knew—like having a prophet's advantage in the plot.
Yuka made small talk.
"Senju Tsunade once wrote to the Uzumaki clan, saying every squad should have a medical ninja.
But Uzushio Village just couldn't manage it. Our medical ninjutsu comes from the Senju Clan. If they can't do it, neither can we."
Yako didn't move his head, but under his mask, his eyes lifted slightly—gauging Yuka's combat strength.
He briefly glanced at her chest.
Tightly bound in her uniform, it was full and round. He wondered what kind of spectacular chaos might be unleashed if it were unbound.
As expected of Tsunade's cousin—slim branches, heavy fruit.
Once the bandaging was done, Yako stood and moved aside without a word.
Yuka looked slightly disappointed. Typical Anbu—silent to the end.
The group continued on. After three days, they finally entered the Land of Whirlpools, that narrow, peninsula nation.
As they passed golden fields of wheat, Yako felt like he could see the shape of the wind itself.
If the mission stayed this easy—walking, resting, watching the scenery—then maybe...
BOOM!
A trap triggered in a nearby field—an explosion tag went off!
The blast targeted the three red-haired Uzushio shinobi in the center.
Two teams of Cloud ninja leapt out of the wheat fields.
The cold gleam of their blades made Yako's scalp tingle.
Yuka was blown into a wheat field, her body forming a small crater.
Even midair, she coughed up a large mouthful of blood.
Two Cloud ninja rushed toward her—only to suddenly freeze in place right in front of her.
From their ankles upward, sealing marks began to snake along their bodies. In moments, they were paralyzed—like they'd turned to stone.
Yako's eyes widened. That was the Self-Binding Curse Seal—a sealing technique used by Danzo in the original story!
Captain Antelope shouted, "Complete the mission!"
He then charged toward the enemy leader.
Purple Cat sprinted to the nearest male Uzushio ninja. One glance told him he was beyond saving.
He drew her blade and ended him on the spot.
The number one priority was preventing Cloud from obtaining sealing techniques. Escorting the Uzushio shinobi was just a bonus.
During the Second Great Ninja War, the major villages had suffered massive casualties. Everyone was desperate for sealing jutsu—essential for deploying Jinchūriki on the battlefield.
The information on sealing techniques must never fall into Cloud hands.
Yako leapt to Yuka's side.
She lay amidst the chest-high wheat stalks, lungs crushed, chest caved in.
No medical ninja could save her now.
The wheat blocked her vision. She hadn't seen Purple Cat kill the other Uzushio shinobi. Upon seeing Yako, her eyes lit up with gratitude.
She had paralyzed two enemies—if he just finished them off, she'd be saved.
Yako raised his kunai.
He didn't target the two immobilized Cloud ninja.
Instead, he drove the blade into Yuka's skull while she was completely defenseless.
This way, Cloud would never obtain the sealing jutsu.
The light faded instantly from her pupils.
"Konoha… Konoha was after it too…"
Yuka couldn't finish her final sentence.
A ninja is a tool for completing missions.
Anbu are tools among tools.
Yuka's injuries were too severe. Those two sealing jutsu were just her final flare of energy—there was no saving her.
Captain Antelope was nearby. Yako's job was to flawlessly complete the mission and ensure the sealing techniques didn't fall into enemy hands.
Once Yuka was dead, Yako quickly used the remaining power of the seal to kill the Cloud ninja on the left.
The one on the right broke free.
His ninja blade slashed toward Yako's side.
Yako dove forward, rolling to dodge the strike.
While tumbling, he tried to think of a way to use Hidden Fish in Earth Technique just right—but then his legs went numb.
Crap. The enemy had set up a Lightning Release trap.
Lightning counters Earth. His only Earth Release ninjutsu was now useless.
After a brief struggle, Yako was cut down by a ninja blade.
Just before dying, he saw Captain Antelope fleeing alone. Purple Cat and Horned Ox had both fallen in the field.
'Damn it…'
To protect the secrets of sealing jutsu… it's acceptable to kill the Uzumaki?
Never thought… he'd die here too.
He thought the Uzumaki were expendable—turns out, he was too.
[Arc of the Waning Moon activated!
The host may revive once per month. Upon death, you will return to the night of the previous full moon.
Reward: 1x Spin Chance!]