[Arc of the Waning Moon]
The host has one resurrection opportunity per month. Upon death, they will revive on the previous full moon night.
Reward: One lottery draw:
1 - Chakra Nature: Fire
2 - Chūnin-level chakra reserve (stackable)
3 - Body Flicker Technique (Introductory)."
'Fire chakra's kind of filler. Pass.'
But the second and third options made Yako hesitate.
'If I choose the Chūnin-level chakra reserve, I can instantly solve the low chakra issue. With Hidden Fish in Earth Technique, I could stay hidden longer and move faster.'
Still, the last option was tempting.
The Body Flicker Technique—used by the Brown Bear squad captain for high-speed movement.
After weighing the two, Yako chose Body Flicker Technique (Introductory). He could deal with his chakra issue later.
'Fix the "do I have it" problem first. Then fix the "is it good" problem.'
In that instant, Yako learned the Body Flicker Technique.
He focused chakra into his calves and ankles, stimulating his cells so that both muscle strength and chakra power burst out all at once, pushing off the ground for rapid movement.
The key to the technique was keeping chakra flowing through the meridians in the legs and stimulating specific muscles.
Bending down to lift the unconscious Cloud ninja captain, Yako resumed his journey.
This time, he trained the Body Flicker Technique while traveling.
The Cloud ninja slung over his shoulder was shocked. 'Why is this Konoha ninja suddenly so fast?'
The Brown Bear squad captain looked just as surprised when he saw Yako return with the completed task.
"I came across some Uzushio shinobi on my way back," Yako said. "They were carrying a sealing scroll. I'd like permission to intercept and retrieve it."
He had to leave now. Once the Cloud ninja talked under interrogation and spilled the alliance between Cloud and Mist, he wouldn't be able to get away.
"Alright. Go seize that sealing scroll," the Brown Bear captain replied.
Once he left the beach where his squad was stationed, Yako used the Body Flicker Technique to travel quickly.
'Man, this technique feels amazing.'
One step launched him meters into the air, chakra exploding from his legs and propelling his body upward.
Wind rushed past his ears, slicing back behind him with sharp whips.
After scouting several lakes, Yako finally found a juvenile Longspear Egret.
It was fast, with a long, pointed beak.
Following it to a lakeside, Yako spotted a fully grown Longspear Egret—huge in size.
It circled above the lake and locked eyes with Yako.
Its gaze turned fierce. It dove sharply toward him.
Its spear-like beak, over a meter long, gleamed with a bronze metallic shine.
"Stop! Don't do anything reckless!"
The voice of Yuka echoed from afar.
The Longspear Egret pulled up.
Yuka stood in the distance, hands on her hips and a smug smile on her pretty face. "Fox, what do you think of my new summoning beast?"
Yako glanced nervously at the egret's beak. 'This thing's faster than a thrown kunai. And smart—it knows how to dodge and turn mid-flight.'
"You already tamed it?"
'Jealous.'
"Not just that one—I have an entire Longspear Egret flock!"
She waved her hand, and five normal-sized Longspear Egrets flew out from the forest behind her.
They zipped through the air, their beaks sharp like kunai.
A large summoning beast for raw power, and smaller ones for distraction—this flock gave Yuka a massive combat upgrade.
Suppressing his envy, Yako got to the point.
"Yuka, I gathered intel from the ANBU. Princess Kushina attempted to seal the wild Three-Tails but was ambushed by Cloud and Mist ninjas. The sealing failed. Konoha's ANBU are dispatching support, but even two full squads won't be enough."
Yuka's expression changed. "Princess Kushina went to seal the Three-Tails? I didn't even know! Must've been a village secret—tight intel to avoid leaks. Then I—"
"—You just bonded with a flying summoning beast. Use them to call for reinforcements. We can't afford to lose her."
With that, Yako flickered away.
Yuka watched him disappear, feeling that Fox had grown much stronger. 'Did he gain this strength through battle?'
His flickering shadow vanished—sleek, fast, and now cool as hell.
An hour later, a signal flare rose in the distance.
A crimson flare—Konoha ANBU's highest-level gathering order.
Yellow Dog, the squad captain, had already extracted intel from the Cloud ninja captain under interrogation.
Yako rushed back to the unit.
"I saw the flare while chasing the Uzushio shinobi and came straight back," he told the Brown Bear captain.
"It's fine. What you brought back was more important than that sealing scroll."
Yako couldn't hide his worry. 'Will Yuka be able to bring enough backup?'
The Land of Waves was far from both Konoha and Uzushio Village. Reinforcements might not make it in time.
He followed the unit to the coastline—where they encountered Princess Kushina's party.
Against the Mist-nin, Yako's new Body Flicker Technique allowed him to weave and dodge far more easily.
Once the princess and her group made it far enough, Yako finally heard the retreat order.
The Mist and Cloud shinobi were fierce. Mist-nin chased the ANBU directly, while Cloud ninja moved in a flanking pattern.
The pressure mounted. Yellow Dog sent Black Oxhorn squad to hold the rear.
They lasted less than half a minute—wiped out.
Next, he sent Brown Bear squad—Yako's team.
The Brown Bear captain turned around without hesitation, facing death head-on, accepting both his own fate and his team's.
But the team didn't share that calm.
This was a death trap.
Yako scanned his surroundings rapidly, channeling all his chakra into his legs.
He took advantage of the battlefield's width, spotting a thinner spot in the Mist formation.
With a flicker, he leapt toward that gap—buying himself at least 3 more seconds of life.
The nearest Mist-nin would need at least that long to strike him.
'Every extra second counts.'
Thanks to his Body Flicker Technique, Yako lasted the longest.
The Brown Bear captain, swarmed by enemies, looked like a human pincushion—riddled with senbon.
Several struck his throat, heart, and other vital spots.
In his final moments, his conscience stirred—he turned his head, wanting one last look at his subordinates.
He saw Fox still alive.
In that instant, the captain's eyes behind the mask filled with pity.
Yako froze.
'Why is he pitying me?'
On instinct, he dove forward—
Behind him, Juzo Biwa's Executioner's Blade came slicing for his waist!
'A man's waist must never fall!'
Just as death was about to strike, Yako heard a sound that filled him with hope—
The clashing of chains!
The unmistakable sound of Adamantine Sealing Chains—a signature of the Uzumaki Clan!
Two chains slammed into the ground beside him, intercepting the Executioner's Blade.
Yako rolled across the dirt and looked up.
A ninja stood there, bearing the emblem of the Land of Waves' Daimyō Guard.
Behind him, dozens of Uzushio shinobi arrived—those stationed on missions throughout the Land of Waves.
Through the mist, the silhouette of Yuka's graceful figure emerged.
She'd brought reinforcements!