Yako carefully searched along the coastline.
The last time Captain Antelope had met with other commander, it had been by the sea.
His persistence paid off. Yako found a seashell half-buried in the sand, with three coded symbols carved onto it.
According to the cipher scroll, the first symbol meant the date—next month's 11th. The second indicated the northeast direction. The third represented a distance of 3 kilometers.
The shinobi world used a lunar calendar based on the waxing and waning of the moon. The 11th meant there were only four days left until the full moon.
Yako didn't dare act recklessly and hid beneath the shrubs of the coconut grove.
Once the 11th arrived, he crawled out and ran toward the marked location.
Upon reaching the destination, Yako still didn't reveal himself. Instead, he formed the Ram seal and used the Clone Technique.
The clone walked away from its hiding spot behind the reef and began walking along the beach.
As it walked, two black shadows suddenly jumped out. The clone immediately froze.
"Who are you?"
One wore a Blue Wolf mask, the other a White Ermine mask. Neither noticed that the person in the Fox mask was just a clone.
The clone replied, "Fox, last survivor of Team Antelope, requesting reassignment from the captain."
After verifying his identity, the two looked toward a coconut tree.
A man stepped out from behind it, wearing a Brown Bear mask.
That was Yako's squad captain—Brown Bear.
Brown Bear took a few steps forward and looked toward the reef where Yako was hiding.
Yako thought to himself, 'As expected of a squad captain. He's strong—spotted the clone that quickly.'
He stepped out from behind the reef and dispelled the clone.
The clone dissipated in a puff of white smoke, startling Blue Wolf and White Ermine.
Not because of the smoke—but the realization. If Fox had been an enemy, the two of them would've been at a huge disadvantage.
Yako stood before Brown Bear.
"Captain, Antelope and Oxhorn are both dead. I'm the only one left from my team. I followed the cipher scroll Antelope left behind and found this place."
Brown Bear glanced Yako up and down. "Your clone captured a bit of Antelope's essence. Solid fundamentals. It's a shame—even someone as cautious as Antelope ended up dead."
Yako didn't reply. The more you say, the more chances you have to slip. Less is better.
Captain Antelope had been cautious, but not cautious enough.
Brown Bear said, "Team Antelope is disbanded. From now on, you'll join Team Blue Wolf and follow his command."
Yako felt deeply disappointed.
He had gone through all that trouble to kill Captain Antelope, just to become captain himself and gain access to more information.
Now, great—he was still just a team member. Under someone new he didn't know.
Back to square one, adjusting to a new team again.
The Anbu's criteria for selecting team leaders were strict—they wouldn't appoint someone lightly.
Loyalty, strength, judgment—not one could be lacking.
Yako glanced at Blue Wolf and White Ermine.
'Maybe… I should kill these two too?'
If they both died, surely he'd be made team leader, right?
If there are only a few chopsticks left, even the shortest one can hold the flag.
Despite that thought, Yako said aloud, "Captain Blue Wolf, pleasure to meet you. I'm Fox. I learned the Clone Technique under Captain Antelope."
To legitimize his use of the Clone Technique, he had to mention learning it from Antelope.
Blue Wolf nodded. "Good. I've lost two teammates. You'll fill the gap."
He said goodbye to the squad captain and led his new team away.
On the way, they stopped at a supply point, took off their Konoha Anbu uniforms, and changed into Kumogakure flak jackets and shinobi blades.
The gear still had bloodstains—clearly spoils from Blue Wolf's previous skirmishes.
Walking behind him, Yako felt a little frustrated and a little melancholy.
Poor Captain Antelope.
Alive or dead, Yako was still just a team member. Didn't that mean Antelope died for nothing?
Like Antelope, Blue Wolf gave no mission details—just pushed the team to keep moving.
After reaching a small town, Blue Wolf ordered two of the team members to halt.
"Fox, use your Clone Technique to infiltrate the town and gather intel. Find out how many Uzushio-nin are hiding inside."
Behind his mask, Yako frowned.
They were using him like a grunt. Now that they knew he could make clones, they were putting him to work.
Their mission must be the same as Team Antelope's—steal the Adamantine Sealing Chains scroll from the Uzumaki clan.
He formed the Ram seal, summoned a clone, then used the Transformation Technique on it, turning it into an ordinary villager carrying a sack as it walked toward the town.
After some time, Yako suddenly stiffened.
The clone had been destroyed. Its memories returned to him.
"What happened?"
The captain asked.
"The clone wandered for a bit, sat to rest by a wall, and then—suddenly—a kunai struck it from behind."
"A kunai, not a sword?"
If it had been a sword, it was likely a Cloud shinobi.
"It was definitely a kunai."
Captain Blue Wolf said, "Keep using clones. We need more intel."
Yako repeatedly created and dispatched clones. They were destroyed every time.
Panting heavily and aching all over, Yako sat on the ground, completely drained.
Chakra was made from a blend of physical and spiritual energy. Overdrawing it caused lactic acid to build up in the body. It felt like running a 5K—all-over soreness.
Blue Wolf looked at him with disgust. "Keep going, Fox. Don't slack. We're still short on intel. After more than ten tries, you haven't even seen the enemy's face."
Yako had no choice. He raised his hand again, gathered chakra, and made another clone.
The jutsu consumed half his chakra each time. Combined with Transformation, his reserves were nearly gone.
Worst of all, Blue Wolf wouldn't even let him rest. Who could work nonstop like this, except a nuclear-powered donkey?
The new clone headed into town.
Then—rustling from the trees behind them!
Six figures emerged from the dense forest—Uzushio shinobi!
They had spotted suspicious activity multiple times and finally triangulated the Anbu's location.
The battle exploded into full chaos.
Unfortunately, the three Konoha Anbu weren't as strong as the Uzushio shinobi.
Yako really wanted to shout, 'I'm with Konoha, not the Cloud!' But wearing Cloud gear, it wouldn't help.
Blue Wolf swung his longsword, pressing the Uzushio shinobi, trying to force out intel—like whether they had a sealing scroll.
But then—an unseen summoned spider bit Blue Wolf from the shadows.
Poison kicked in fast. He staggered.
Even as an ally of Uzushio, Blue Wolf kept his mouth shut. He died without ever revealing who he really was.
Seconds later, the three Konoha shinobi were all dead.
A kunai stabbed into Yako's lower back.
That familiar sensation… It was just like how all his clones had died before—struck from behind by an Uzushio shinobi.
And this one even twisted the kunai, turning Yako's guts into a whirlpool.
Everything went black. The scene changed.
Yako gasped for breath—he was alive again.
He was crouched behind the reef.
Far off on the beach, Captain Brown Bear and Captain Antelope were doing… something. Preparing a mission, maybe.
He was back—on the night of the full moon. Back before Captain Antelope had died.
Yako crouched behind the reef, deep in thought.
[Arc of the Waning Moon activated!]
The host has one resurrection per month. Upon death, the host returns to the night of the previous full moon.
You've earned one spin reward:
1 – Sealing Technique: Storage Seal (Beginner)
2 – Chunin-level Chakra Capacity (Stackable)
3 – Kunai Thrust (Mastery)