Purple Cat returned from setting the coded markers near the reef and quietly came up beside Yako.
She found him staring silently at the sea.
"Something wrong, Captain?" she asked.
"…Nothing. Just remembering old times," Yako said softly.
"When you first joined ANBU, I was still a regular under Captain Antelope.
Back then, our squad used to patrol the coasts of Uzushio and the Land of Waves."
"Every mission felt like it could get us killed—and some of them did."
He paused, then added:
"Black Ox died.
The last ANBU to wear your mask died.
Captain Antelope… died.
My first squad leader, Brown Bear, died.
My second captain, Black Ape, lost both arms and retired."
A brief silence followed.
"Now that I'm a jōnin… the feeling's different.
Back then, just hearing the sound of the waves would put me on edge.
A single bird call could make me leap from cover."
Purple Cat nodded.
"Every ANBU walks that path.
When I first joined, even missions inside the village felt dangerous.
Surveillance assignments in the Senju compound felt like walking into enemy territory."
"Yeah. Everything's different now."
—
A few hours later, Blossom Deer's team was the first to return.
He stepped up to Yako and reported:
"Captain, we interrogated a prisoner.
Mist's strategy in this war is a series of randomized harassment raids.
Squads, platoons, and full units act independently, striking unpredictably—ambushing Konoha squads who separate from the main force."
"And the Seven Ninja Swordsmen?"
"They act separately. Sometimes in pairs, sometimes as a group.
The lower ranks don't even know where they are."
Yako frowned. 'Unpredictable patterns… that complicates things.'
"Understood. Resume your scouting," he ordered.
After Blossom Deer's team departed, Yako and Purple Cat began patrolling the coastline themselves.
—
Elsewhere, on the eastern coast of Uzushio.
Special Jōnin Shirakumo Hayama and his team were taking a short break behind the windward side of a reef.
His subordinate, Tejuno, edged closer and whispered, "Captain… something doesn't feel right."
Hayama set down his canteen and scanned the water.
"…You mean Mist-nin movement?"
"No. I mean… us. The reinforcements."
Tejuno's voice dropped lower.
"Our squad was part of the 1,000 reinforcements summoned to the frontlines.
But Captain… I noticed something on the way here.
Everyone who was promoted to Special Jōnin through White Fang's recommendation during the River Country campaign—they're all here. All eleven of them."
"Like that guy you know—Chota. He got his orders and was immediately deployed to a coastal zone like us."
"But White Fang himself isn't here. Doesn't that seem strange?"
Hayama frowned.
"Focus on the mission. Don't get distracted."
That's what he said—but he took a long gulp of water to calm his nerves.
After the River Country war, the senior officers had rejected every jōnin promotion White Fang and Tsunade proposed.
Claimed they 'weren't ready yet.'
But those same candidates? They were promoted to Special Jōnin.
And now they were all conveniently sent to the most dangerous front.
'If we all die out here… White Fang's influence dies with us too.'
—
Suddenly, a piercing shriek cut through the air.
Hayama threw down his canteen and drew his blade.
"Enemy attack!"
A glint of silver tore through the foam of crashing waves—
a single blade, hissing through the air—
One of his men screamed as the sword punched through his gut.
"That's the Longsword: Sewing Needle! One of the Seven Ninja Swords!"
Hayama caught the sword's handle in his palm.
Forming a seal, he swung—
"Wind Style: Vacuum Blade!"
A cutting arc of wind surged out, aiming for the wires behind the Sewing Needle—
if he could sever them, the sword would stay stranded on land.
But—
"Hiramekarei – Unleashed!"
A blade of condensed chakra, shaped like a flounder, exploded into view.
It shattered the reef and smashed directly into his wind attack.
Another sword?!
The Twin Swords: Hiramekarei?!
Chakra materialization—one of the highest-level abilities in the shinobi world.
A telltale trait of the Hiramekarei.
—
Hōzuki Lingetsu lowered his blade, eyes filled with scorn as he looked at the dripping figure emerging from the sea:
Kurisame Tsurumaru.
"I won't repeat myself a third time.
When you use the Sewing Needle, aim for the head, throat, or heart.
Not for your sadistic games."
Tsurumaru yanked the wire.
The blade tore through the Konoha ninja's belly a second time—but never struck a vital organ.
He chuckled.
"Gensui-sama gave me this sword. I'm its first true wielder.
It's mine. I'll do with it as I please."
"Don't act like your clan made it. Don't lecture me, Lingetsu."
Lingetsu's fury simmered.
"You think you're the first wielder of the Sewing Needle?
Three of my clan used it before you."
Tsurumaru sneered.
"Then they all tainted it with their filth."
Hayama's mind raced.
'They're arguing. Right in front of us.
That's how little they think of our squad.'
The next moment, Lingetsu turned his fury toward them.
The Twin Swords lit up with searing chakra.
The reef exploded as chakra beams carved through it like hot knives through ice.
"Retreat!" Hayama ordered.
Tejuno hoisted the wounded, and Hayama covered the rear.
Tsurumaru grinned.
"See? I didn't kill him. But I slowed them down, didn't I?"
Lingetsu snapped.
"Shut up. Kill the squad leader. That Wind Style of his is dangerous."
But Tsurumaru ignored him, circling instead toward the injured one.
Lingetsu's lips curled in disgust.
Tsurumaru liked to thread his victims alive, feel the tremble of wire, listen to their screams.
He always left his prey dismembered or worse—
and often endangered missions for the sake of his torture.
Enough.
Lingetsu swung Hiramekarei.
A massive blade of chakra streaked toward Hayama.
Hayama hesitated for a moment.
He couldn't dodge—not if he wanted to protect his squad.
He formed a seal and poured all his chakra into his blade.
"Vacuum Blade!"
Dozens of wind arcs flew out—but they couldn't stop the chakra beam.
Hiramekarei's power overwhelmed them.
Just as the glowing blade was about to strike—
A figure appeared in front of Hayama.
Bright chakra lit the night.
Two hands stretched forward—
palms open, catching the full brunt of the chakra slash.
The man's hands smoked, but didn't burn through.
He turned slightly—revealing a fox mask.
"Shirakumo Hayama," the ANBU said calmly,
"I'm Jōnin Fox of Konoha ANBU. I assign you a mission:
Take the Sewing Needle."
Hayama's eyes widened.
"Y-Yes!"
He charged toward Tsurumaru.
'It's him—it's really him.
The Copper Fox.'
He'd heard the name whispered all across the River Country battlefield.
A rising star in the ANBU.
The one who killed Chiyo's daughter-in-law.
A shinobi who had survived every mission, no matter how suicidal.
And now he was here.
—
Yako pulled his hands back and blew gently on the scorched skin.
His Copperlight armor had held.
Barely.
It was most effective against physical strikes—
but these chakra attacks were pushing its limits.
He'd intervened because Hayama was one of White Fang's trusted.
In canon, Shirakumo Hayama would go on to become a true jōnin.
As Lingetsu stared at him in disbelief, Yako stepped forward.
'If I can get the Sewing Needle, great.
But if I take both swords? That'll throw Mist into total chaos.'
—
Lingetsu backed away, stepping onto the sea.
He'd learned enough about this opponent.
Never let a close-combat fighter with absolute defense get near you.
He launched another chakra blade—
faster, sharper, stronger than before.
Yako ducked aside.
The beam grazed his clothes but barely touched his skin.
He closed the distance and threw a punch—
right into a splash of water.
Water Clone?
No.
Water Body Transformation.
Lingetsu had phased through the blow entirely.
But Yako had anticipated that.
"Curse Seal of Retribution!"
A sealing mark lit up over Lingetsu's body.
His joints locked in place.
Then his form collapsed, sinking into the ocean.
Finally… a clean hit.
Yako sighed.
If only I knew a single Lightning Jutsu…
That would've made dealing with Hōzuki far easier.
Suddenly—
A finger broke the surface of the water.
"Water Gun Jutsu!"
A silent, instant, high-pressure bullet blasted toward Yako's throat.
It hit dead-on—
but his Copperlight defense was still active.
He staggered, but didn't bleed.
Interesting technique…
It was almost like a silent, chakra-powered sniper rifle.
No seals. Instant cast. Stealthy. Lethal.
Yako made a mental note.
'Forget Rasengan.
This is the kind of move I want.'
He looked up at the full moon.
'Haven't died this cycle yet.
Almost wasted it.'
These Mist techniques—Hōzuki's water transformation, this water bullet—
they were all things he could use.
He stepped back.
"I acknowledge your skill, Hōzuki shinobi.
You're worthy of becoming one of my… collections.
Now—show me your strongest move.
Kill me if you can."
Lingetsu's brow twitched.
"You're disgusting. This—this swagger—this is what I hate most about Konoha.
You breed these smug, arrogant prodigies who make me sick."
They clashed again.
Under Lingetsu's chakra, the Hiramekarei grew enormous—
almost like Samehada in its prime.
The chakra blade lit the ocean.
Even the fish below were exposed in full clarity.
They struck, again and again.
One with unbreakable defense.
One with untouchable fluidity.
Neither could land a killing blow.
But Yako was gathering data—analyzing Lingetsu's movement patterns, habits, and weaknesses.
Then—
in a moment of silence—
Yako deactivated his Copperlight.
A single Water Gun pierced his temple.
Lingetsu froze.
He hadn't expected it to work.
"…He's dead?"
"…That worked?!"
[Death confirmed. Activating Moonlit Arc System…]