At the Tsurugetsu Tavern, Yako sat listening to the chatter of drunken shinobi.
"Did you hear? The first Jōnin Council after the war still hasn't been held."
"A Chūnin like you, worrying about a Jōnin meeting?"
"Why not worry? I may not be screaming about becoming Hokage like the clan heirs, but can't I at least dream of becoming a Jōnin someday?"
"The day you become a Jōnin, I'll be a battlefield commander."
"Drinking's rotted your brain, hasn't it? I was talking about the delay of the Jōnin Council—you're rambling."
"I heard the Third Hokage hasn't finished reviewing all the Jōnin promotion recommendations. Those Tokubetsu Jōnin are so anxious they're practically camping at the tower."
"Come on. No real Tokubetsu Jōnin would be that desperate. They're specialists—experts in at least one field."
Yako sipped in silence, listening to their drunken gossip.
'So even regular shinobi were starting to murmur about how tense the postwar Jōnin promotions were becoming.'
—
Leaving the tavern, Yako glanced up at the night sky.
The full moon hung like a silver disk—another full moon night.
Tonight, he was investigating a particular Tokubetsu Jōnin from the Uchiha clan.
Uchiha Gogo, recently recommended by Uchiha Kagen for promotion to full Jōnin.
Fox Squad had also been tasked with probing one Tokubetsu Jōnin from the Senju clan, and one civilian Tokubetsu Jōnin endorsed by Hatake Sakumo.
Yellow Dog had issued the order personally:
Even if it meant digging for bones in an egg—they were to find faults and block the promotions.
In a shadowed corner of an alley, Yako donned his Fox mask and waited for Hippo Squad's nightly report.
Moonlight glinted off the mask's edges, silver bathing bronze.
Yako's mind wasn't just on the mission—he was also thinking about how to increase his power.
During the war, he'd had to be cautious—couldn't afford to waste any of the system's death-based upgrade opportunities.
Now that peace had returned, missions were less frequent, and his strength had grown. It wasn't as easy to die anymore.
This was the time to systematically grow stronger.
Training?
Hard work? That was never going to happen.
He'd come to this world to enjoy life. Training might be fun once in a while for novelty—but no way would he grind endlessly.
Free time? He was already swamped dealing with Kyoi, Yuka, and Purple Cat.
Who had time to grind?
Using the system to upgrade—that was his style.
In the last mission, he had upgraded Earth Release: Earth Longspear, raising it from [Proficient] to [Mastery].
With that, casting speed saw a fundamental leap—it now took only a single seal to activate.
To prepare for all kinds of emergencies, Yako planned to use this peacetime lull to complete his elemental set—aiming for one mastered jutsu from each chakra nature.
For example, his Absolute Defense: Bronze Light was weak to Lightning Release.
If he had a Wind Release jutsu that needed only one seal—or no seals at all—he could counter lightning users far more reliably.
Lightning Release was essentially a plasma jet. Wind Release could disrupt that flow.
He already had Earth Longspear covered.
For Water Release: Water Gun Jutsu was no-seal, Water Flicker was single-seal, but Water Severing Wave, his strongest water technique, required five seals.
Across the entire shinobi world, only Sarutobi Hiruzen was confirmed to know Water Severing Wave.
Orochimaru, with his obsession for jutsu, might know it too.
'Maybe… I should try Sarutobi Hiruzen?'
He tucked the thought away.
If he could get Hiruzen to kill him with Water Severing Wave, maybe the system would reward him with a Mastery-level version.
Wind Release was his third affinity. He wasn't good with it—not like Earth or Water.
He didn't need wind techniques for offense—just to counter lightning users.
His current Wind jutsu: Great Breakthrough.
He could try heading to the Land of Wind to find a Sand shinobi who specialized in that.
Fire and Lightning natures? He didn't have either yet.
Those would be easier to acquire. Once he got them, he could slowly work toward Mastery-tier jutsu.
As for what was beyond [Mastery], Yako wasn't sure—maybe no-seal casting was the next threshold?
He turned.
A shadow appeared beside him.
Hippo reported, "Captain, we've gathered sufficient intel on the target.
Uchiha Gogo. Tokubetsu Jōnin of the Uchiha clan.
He performed brilliantly during the Uzushio campaign—once held off an entire Mist-nin squad alone.
He's killed over 30 Mist shinobi in total. A very powerful Fire Release user.
The deputy commander of that campaign, Uchiha Kagen, personally recommended him for Jōnin promotion.
His strength and mission record both meet the standard.
There's no opening to strike at from that angle.
However, I discovered he's currently in charge of the Konoha Military Police's Interrogation Division.
I believe we can dig into his casework—find a mistake, a stain—something to launch a smear campaign and disqualify him."
Yako considered this.
"Going through interrogation records one by one? That's way too slow.
The Jōnin Council can be delayed a month, maybe two—but not three.
We need to learn how to take weight off the elders' shoulders. Hippo… got any better ideas?"
"I do," Hippo said. "But it's a bit underhanded."
"Underhanded?" Yako snorted. "We're doing this for Lord Hokage. How can that be underhanded?
This is sacrifice.
We're sacrificing our morals, suffering the condemnation of our conscience. That, too, is sacrifice.
Go on. Let's see just how underhanded it is."
Hippo grinned.
"Captain, ANBU has a few spies from other villages under surveillance. We don't execute them all—some are used to pass false intel.
I say we pick one of them, fabricate a case, and have the police capture him.
During interrogation, the spy dies suddenly.
We'll know he's a spy, but the civilians won't.
We leak the news—make it look like the Military Police tortured a Konoha civilian to death. That'll bury Gogo."
Yako looked at Hippo for a long moment.
'No wonder Yellow Dog once trusted him with a command. He really is… vile.'
Noticing his captain's stare, Hippo worried his plan was too crude.
He quickly added:
"Captain, my Akimichi clan has secret medicines. I guarantee the spy will die within two days of entering the Police HQ.
And there's no way the police will detect the Akimichi formula.
He'll die showing bruises and purple blotches—exactly like someone beaten to death."
Yako nodded approvingly.
He hadn't expected it. The chubby, harmless-looking Akimichi clan… had this kind of dark alchemy?
With his captain's approval, Hippo continued.
"Captain, that Senju Tokubetsu Jōnin we're investigating? He's a medic-nin at Konoha Hospital.
We'll do the same—send in two spies as patients.
They die during treatment. We spark a medical scandal. Boom—he's buried. Case closed."
Yako raised a brow.
"The Military Police can't detect your drugs, sure. But Senju medical-nin? Can they catch it?"
"I won't use drugs," Hippo said. "Just a little fat-based compound. I'll trigger a heart attack or brain embolism. Who could trace that?"
The Akimichi were experts at bodily control—masters of secret medicines.
Who would've thought… they were also experts at untraceable death?
They really were a clan who pushed physical mastery to the limit.
Fat wasn't even considered a poison. There'd be no trace.
Yako nodded again, eyes gleaming.
"Do it. Boldly, Hippo. I believe in you.
Once this mission is done, I'll file a personal request to give you a solo S-rank mission.
How did I never notice before?
You're quite the talent."