Yoru took Purple Cat and the two strongest new recruits to form a new Fox Squad, assigning them the Antelope and Black Bull masks.
After receiving the mission scroll, Yoru glanced at it, then led his team to the northwest corner of the Senju compound.
Their mission was to monitor a member of the Senju Clan.
This Senju man loved fishing—whenever he wasn't on a mission, he would fish from dawn till dusk.
He was a tanned fisherman, his clothes bearing the Senju clan emblem.
After a brief moment of thought, Yoru understood why the Anbu had summoned a half-rebuilt squad like Black Ape's unit.
Today's mission was severe—it required a lot of manpower.
The Anbu had already discovered that Senju Hai had contacted survivors of the Uzumaki Clan. Anyone who had interacted with Senju Hai might know the truth behind the Uzumaki Clan's extermination.
Strengthening defenses around the Senju compound was the first level of surveillance.
Every Senju scattered throughout the village had to be monitored.
The surveillance lasted from morning until late afternoon, when a sudden explosion shattered the calm.
The fishing Senju man heard the sound coming from the direction of the clan compound. He lifted his fish basket—empty—then threw it aside and vanished with a Body Flicker Technique.
Yoru and his team hurried after him.
From afar, they saw a crowd in an alley near the Senju compound—Senju clansmen and Anbu alike.
Seeing other Anbu teams, Yoru didn't bother to hide, staying close behind their target.
At the edge of the alley, the fisherman Senju craned his neck to look inside and cursed:
"Those rats from enemy villages are so damn annoying—always targeting Lady Mito. Must be another spy trying to investigate her."
A corpse lay on the ground, covered with a sheet—its identity unclear.
Every Senju knew that Uzumaki Mito was nearing the end of her life; this was the clan's most pressing concern recently.
An Anbu operative at the alley's entrance said to the Senju clansmen, "Anbu will handle the spy. Please disperse and don't crowd around."
Peering through the gaps between people, Yoru glimpsed the body.
A few strands of graying hair—could it be Yachi?
Behind him came a distinct tapping of a cane—Senju Bai, the man with the broken leg, had arrived.
But he would see nothing. The Anbu had already removed the corpse.
Senju Bai anxiously questioned the Anbu, desperate to know what had happened.
In this timeline, he still knew nothing of the truth. Yachi had met with Senju Hai just last night, and now Hai had gone missing before even returning home.
The area around the Senju compound was under strict guard; no suspicious person could enter.
Yoru followed the fisherman Senju back to the small lake, continuing surveillance in secret.
Around midnight, an Anbu messenger found him.
"Captain Yellow Dog has issued an order! All squads are to cease current missions and assemble at Konoha's front gate!"
Yoru's heart tightened.
No way—just a small hint to Yachi had caused this much change?
Assemble at the gate… that means they're leaving the village?
The plot hadn't just shifted—it had completely derailed. He was going to have to leave the village himself.
And with no resurrection chance available this month—if he died outside, that would be the end.
When they arrived at Konoha's gate, Yoru, as acting squad leader, listened directly to Captain Yellow Dog's orders.
Captain Yellow Dog said:
"Senju Hai, a traitor of the Senju Clan, took advantage of the afternoon's chaos to flee the village heading north, toward the Land of Grass.
Based on current intelligence, he's likely attempting to find the young Senju clan heir, Senju Nawaki.
We must intercept and eliminate him before he reaches Nawaki!"
Yoru's eyes widened—so Nawaki had entered the attention of the higher-ups already?
The afternoon chaos Yachi caused must have been intentional—to buy Senju Hai a chance to escape.
Captain Yellow Dog continued:
"Senju Hai possesses the strength of a Special Jōnin and excels in Earth Release. More importantly, he has mastered the Senju Clan's sensory technique.
By touching the ground with his fingers, he can detect tremors within several kilometers and sense enemy numbers.
He's entered the forest now, which makes pursuit difficult.
The other two squads will use their sensory ninja to locate him.
Fox Squad—you'll accompany me and handle intel relay."
The Anbu battalion advanced in silence.
Yachi's sacrifice had bought Senju Hai a lot of time—Hai had left the village three hours before Yellow Dog's unit began pursuit.
For a ninja, three hours meant nearly 200 kilometers of distance.
An entire battalion was chasing one Senju—it showed how seriously the Anbu, or rather Danzō, regarded this mission.
If the Anbu's role in the Uzumaki Clan's extermination were ever exposed, Danzō would be finished.
After traveling more than 200 kilometers northwest, they still found no sign of Senju Hai.
The Byakugan saw nothing; even the Inuzuka hounds had lost the scent.
Senju Hai knew Konoha's tracking methods well—his Earth Release erased footprints, and his Water Release concealed scents.
After a moment's thought, Captain Yellow Dog said:
"We can't just keep chasing blindly. Fox, go find the Rat Squad. Have them move directly to the front lines, stay close to Senju Nawaki, and monitor for any suspicious individuals around him.
Senju Hai might have contacted others. If anyone spreads his rumors, it will cause serious trouble."
Yoru nodded and quickly went to find the Rat Squad up ahead.
After receiving the order, Rat Squad accelerated toward the front lines.
Five days later—on the battlefield.
Orochimaru led Nawaki and his three teammates out of the command camp. Suddenly, he turned his head, glancing sideways.
From the shadows of the forest, an Anbu squad emerged from the camp as well.
Rat Squad's captain was startled.
Orochimaru was powerful—already of Elite Jōnin level. Cold and ruthless, he was harsh to enemies and comrades alike.
Just one glance from him made the Rat captain's heartbeat slow.
Sensing something, Nawaki asked, "Sensei, what's wrong?"
"Nothing," Orochimaru replied softly.
He found the Anbu's presence unnecessary—with him there, did Nawaki still need guarding?
Nawaki's Senju bloodline was extremely pure. At twelve years old, he was in the prime of his growth.
In time, Nawaki would surely become an exceptional ninja, like his Senju forebears.
Orochimaru had accepted a simple reconnaissance mission to observe Hidden Stone Village movements.
The mission wasn't difficult—after the battle with Lady Mito, the Hidden Stone Village had been heavily weakened and was now on the defensive in the Land of Grass, unlikely to launch a major offensive.
Three days of scouting passed without encountering a single Hidden Stone ninja.
Orochimaru asked, "Nawaki, given the current situation, do you think our main camp can advance further, to pressure the enemy's activity range?"
Only when looking at Nawaki did Orochimaru's gaze soften with warmth and expectation.
The two other young teammates—from the Sarutobi and Shimura clans—watched Nawaki with envy.
Nawaki thought for a moment and said:
"I think whether our camp advances doesn't depend on us—or even Hidden Stone Village—but rather on Hidden Cloud Village or Hidden Sand Village.
No matter how much advantage we gain, if we advance too deep, we risk Hidden Stone Village's counterattack.
However, if the Hidden Sand Village or Hidden Cloud Village join the war, forcing Hidden Stone Village to split its forces and open a second front, that would be our best opportunity to strike decisively."
Orochimaru nodded repeatedly. "You think well, Nawaki. Elder Mitokado Homura is already en route to Hidden Cloud Village. Perhaps the Hidden Cloud will soon act on impulse and attack Hidden Stone Village."
Orochimaru was very pleased—Nawaki's strength and his sense for strategy were both developing fast.
Conversations with geniuses were always so easy.
Not like that idiot Jiraiya—Orochimaru could hardly stand talking to him.
When he became Hokage, he would train Nawaki as the next successor.
At the border of the Land of Grass, Yoru was still following Captain Yellow Dog's squad in pursuit of Senju Hai.
Glancing up at the moon, Yoru thought: If Nawaki must die, please let it be next month.
Before Nawaki's death, he had to touch him—claim some kind of reward.
With so many people praising Nawaki's talent, his bloodline power must be extraordinary.