Inside the ANBU changing room, Yoru awaited the first batch of ANBU who had graduated from Root.
Three new recruits.
They each chose a mask Yoru was familiar with: Antelope, Purple Cat, and Black Bull.
Yoru adjusted his own Fox mask. Perhaps, after he died, this Fox mask would also be returned to the locker room and worn by the next ANBU.
"Hello, Captain Fox!"
Yoru nodded and said:
"The most important mission of Squad Fox right now is to follow Captain Black Chimp's command and protect the Uzumaki Princess.
The Uzumaki Princess can die behind us, but never in front of us."
The three members quickly answered, "Yes!"
At dawn, the Black Chimp squad left the Forest of Death and arrived outside the Senju compound, switching shifts with another squad.
ANBU could not enter the Senju compound. When Uzumaki Kushina was inside, her safety was the Senju clan's responsibility.
Once she left, ANBU would take over.
That morning, more than a dozen children walked out of the Senju compound.
They laughed, chased each other, backpacks on their shoulders, and ran toward the Ninja Academy.
Among them was Uzumaki Kushina.
Her red hair was striking in the morning light. She had just gone through the extermination of her clan, so there was none of the innocence typical of her age on her face—only sadness and gloom.
Three little Senju girls stayed close to her and treated her very kindly.
Uzumaki Kushina entered the school.
Yoru hid behind the teaching building, using binoculars to watch the classroom.
The teacher was explaining the parabolic curve of a kunai's fall.
But Yoru wasn't looking at Uzumaki Kushina in the front row—he was watching a blond boy in the back.
Minato Namikaze, the brightest genius Konoha would see in the next fifteen years.
From time to time, Minato looked toward the first row, paying attention to the red-haired transfer student.
After a while, Yoru left the treetop and began patrolling the academy grounds, checking every possible hiding spot.
He ran into several teachers along the way. They weren't surprised—everyone knew ANBU was protecting the Uzumaki Princess.
After the young Senju clan head Nawaki had just graduated, the Academy now had a second important student: the Uzumaki Princess.
In the afternoon, it was sparring class.
During sparring, Yoru was stunned.
Minato Namikaze's reaction speed was unbelievable.
After boosting his focus once more, Yoru saw it clearly—
The instant his opponent's shoulder twitched, Minato had already raised his arm to block.
He was so fast it was as if he could predict others' movements.
His taijutsu defense was airtight, and when an opponent left an opening, a simple jab sent them to the ground.
The whole process looked effortless, calm, and fluid.
During break, Uzumaki Kushina was surrounded by some children pointing and whispering at her.
Bullying the transfer student. The teacher quickly came over and drove them away.
At 4 p.m., the ANBU squad rotated shifts, and the Black Chimp squad was dismissed.
Yoru headed to the Tsukiyoi Izakaya.
He ordered a flask of sake and some braised meat, spending his time drinking alone.
The heavy meat diet rapidly strengthened his body.
But meat in Konoha was expensive.
Just eating meat for one night cost 10,000 ryō.
Even a jōnin like Sarutobi Asuma couldn't sustain eating like this.
Still, the benefits were obvious.
After just over a month back in the village, his chakra reserves had grown significantly.
Swallowing down a large piece of beef, Yoru thought: he needed to find a way to earn more, or else he wouldn't be able to afford meat.
The hostess, Chuubo Shokyo, came by from time to time, asking if he needed anything.
She was very fond of Yoru. He often stayed there, always ordering the best sake, eating piles of meat, and spending a lot of money.
If she weren't a spy, just an ordinary hostess, she'd probably like Yoru even more.
Yoru spent all his earnings on food and drink.
He teased Chuubo Shokyo, telling her not to go on a diet lately, since her chest looked like it had shrunk.
Chuubo Shokyo argued that her bra was just too tight today—it wasn't because she had lost weight.
Once she left to tend the bar, Yoru's eyes darkened slightly.
The izakaya was crowded.
But when one of the newcomers pulled out a chair, Yoru froze for a second.
The man's shoulder, elbow, and wrist moved in perfect coordination. As he dragged the chair, its legs never scraped the ground—it hovered exactly one centimeter above the floor.
Cloud-Style Kenjutsu…
Yoru couldn't be mistaken. That unique joint movement style was definitely from the Cloud Village's sword techniques.
Ten years of sword training left traces even when the wielder wasn't holding a blade.
Yoru himself had mastered Cloud-Style Kenjutsu, so he recognized it instantly.
Hiding part of his face with a sake cup, he thought: In the original timeline, Cloud spies had kidnapped Uzumaki Kushina. Could it be that the Cloud had already set their eyes on her?
This incident should have happened before Kushina became a jinchūriki—after all, a jinchūriki's guard force was far stronger than that of a "princess."
The suspected Cloud spy chatted for an hour, then left the izakaya.
Yoru hastily shoved the remaining meat into his mouth and got up to leave.
If he could contribute to protecting the Uzumaki Princess, he might earn at least an A-rank mission. That would cover next month's meat expenses.
Without meat, there was no strength.
Chuubo Shokyo quickly chased after him. "Hey! Aren't we studying Yin Release together tonight?"
"Taking a break. If you study Yin Release every day, even the Hokage's back wouldn't hold up."
Chuubo Shokyo looked regretfully at his departing figure.
After leaving the izakaya, Yoru didn't pursue the suspected spy. Instead, he pulled the Fox mask from his pouch and went straight to find Uzumaki Kushina.
He located her in a small park near the Senju compound.
There he also spotted another ANBU squad guarding her.
Eight-hour shifts, three shifts a day. Black Chimp squad had taken over at 4 p.m., the next rotation wouldn't be until midnight.
Yoru didn't approach the guards, keeping his distance.
The ANBU didn't force Kushina back to the Senju compound either—this was her adjustment period in Konoha, and it was better to let her move freely.
In the park, Senju children and Kushina's classmates played.
From afar, Yoru even spotted Minato Namikaze there.
It grew late, and most of the kids went home—even Minato left, heading west.
The park grew quiet.
Yoru yawned. Why did these kids have so much energy? Why weren't they going home?
Suddenly, his expression hardened.
They were here!
At the park's edge, five figures appeared!
One of them was the same man Yoru had seen earlier in the izakaya.
Anyone who could infiltrate Konoha wouldn't be too powerful.
All notable Cloud jōnin were already under constant surveillance. At most, these were chūnin or elite chūnin—easier to slip in.
For Kushina, the Cloud had mobilized their entire spy network.
Yoru quickly moved into the park.
Ten seconds later, he looked up at the night sky in confusion.
Why hadn't they fired a signal flare?
If the Uzumaki Princess was attacked, ANBU protocol required a flare.
Could it be… among these new ANBU recruits, there were Cloud spies too?