Yagami took Purple Cat and the two strongest recruits under his command, forming a new Fox Squad, assigning them the masks of Antelope and Black Bull.
After receiving the mission scroll, Yagami glanced over it and led his squad to the northwest corner of the Senju Clan compound.
Their task was to monitor a Senju clansman.
This particular Senju was fond of fishing — whenever he had no mission, he would spend the entire day by the water.
He was a dark-skinned man with the Senju clan crest sewn onto his clothes.
After a brief moment of thought, Yagami understood why the Anbu had recalled the half-reformed Black Ape Squad for duty.
Today's mission was critical and required extra manpower.
The Anbu had already learned that Senju Haku had been in contact with Uzumaki survivors. Anyone who had interacted with him could potentially know the truth behind the Uzumaki Clan's destruction.
Strengthening the defenses around the Senju compound was the first layer of containment.
Every scattered Senju in the village needed to be monitored as well.
The surveillance continued from morning until afternoon — until a sudden explosion shattered the calm.
The fishing Senju man immediately noticed the sound came from the direction of the compound. He lifted his fish basket only to find it empty, tossed it aside, and vanished in a flash.
Yagami and his squad quickly followed.
From a distance, they saw a narrow alley outside the Senju compound packed with people — both Senju clansmen and Anbu operatives.
Spotting other Anbu squads nearby, Yagami didn't bother hiding and stayed close behind their target.
At the edge of the alley, the fisherman craned his neck to peer inside, cursing under his breath:
"Damn spies from enemy villages… always targeting Lady Mito. It's probably another one of those trying to snoop on her."
A body lay on the ground under a sheet, its identity obscured.
Every Senju knew that Uzumaki Mito was nearing the end of her life — her condition had become the clan's most pressing concern.
An Anbu appeared at the mouth of the alley and called out, "Anbu are handling a spy. Senju clansmen, please disperse. Do not crowd the area."
Through a gap in the crowd, Yagami glimpsed the corpse beneath the cloth.
The strands of graying hair peeking out suggested it might be Dachi.
Moments later, familiar footsteps approached — Senju Kaba, limping on his cane, arrived at the scene.
But he was too late. The Anbu had already removed the body.
Anxiously, Kaba demanded to know what had happened, unaware of the truth.
Last night, Dachi had met Senju Haku, but before Haku could even return home, something had already gone wrong.
The area surrounding the Senju compound was heavily guarded, no suspicious person could get close.
Yagami followed the fisherman back to the small lake and resumed his silent watch.
Around midnight, an Anbu operative appeared before Yagami.
"Captain Yellow Dog has issued an order! All squads are to halt their current assignments and assemble at the Hidden Leaf Village gates immediately!"
Yagami's chest tightened.
No way… Could his tiny nudge to Dachi really have caused this much of a ripple?
Assembling at the village gates could only mean one thing — a mission outside the village.
The plot hadn't just changed — it had completely derailed. He was going to have to leave the Leaf.
And right now, he had no revival chances left.
If he died outside the village, there'd be no coming back.
At the village gates, Yagami, being an acting squad captain, stood among those receiving orders directly from Captain Yellow Dog.
Yellow Dog's tone was grave:
"Senju Haku, the traitor, took advantage of today's confusion and fled the village, heading north toward the Land of Grass.
Based on our intel, he's likely attempting to contact the young Senju clan heir — Senju Nawaki.
We must intercept and eliminate him before he reaches Nawaki!"
Yagami's heart skipped a beat.
So Nawaki had finally entered the village leadership's radar?
The chaos caused by Dachi earlier that day was probably deliberate — to buy Haku enough time to escape.
Yellow Dog continued,
"Senju Haku possesses special jōnin-level strength and excels in Earth Release. More importantly, he has mastered the Senju sensory secret technique — by touching the ground with his fingers, he can detect vibrations several kilometers away and determine enemy numbers.
He's already entered the forest, which will make pursuit difficult.
The other two squads will rely on their sensory ninja to track him.
Fox Squad — you'll accompany me and handle intelligence relay."
The Anbu units advanced in grim silence.
Dachi had bought Senju Haku several hours. By the time Yellow Dog's unit left the Leaf, Haku had a three-hour head start.
For a shinobi, that was enough to cover nearly two hundred kilometers.
An entire Anbu division chasing one Senju — that showed just how seriously they were taking this mission.
Or rather… how seriously Danzō was taking it.
If the Anbu's involvement in the Uzumaki Clan's destruction ever came to light, Danzō would be finished.
They moved northwest for over two hundred kilometers, but there was still no trace of Senju Haku.
Even the Byakugan couldn't find him, and the Inuzuka Clan's ninken had lost his scent.
Haku knew all the Leaf's tracking methods — his Earth Release erased footprints, and his Water Release could wash away scents.
Yellow Dog thought for a moment, then said:
"We can't keep chasing blindly. Fox, go to Rat Squad and tell them to head straight to the front lines. Have them stay near Nawaki and monitor anyone suspicious in his vicinity.
If Haku has made contact with others, and someone spreads his version of events, it'll be a disaster."
Yagami nodded and quickly moved ahead to relay the order to Rat Squad.
They acknowledged the command and accelerated toward the front lines.
...
Five days later — at the front.
Orochimaru left the command camp with Nawaki and three other team members.
As they departed, he suddenly turned his head, glancing toward the treeline.
In the darkness of the forest, an Anbu squad was quietly leaving camp as well.
The Rat Squad captain froze.
Orochimaru's power was overwhelming — he was already at elite jōnin level. Cold and ruthless, he was merciless to enemies and allies alike.
Just one glance from him made the Rat Squad captain's heartbeat slow.
Nawaki, ever perceptive, asked, "Sensei, what's wrong?"
"Nothing," Orochimaru replied.
He simply thought the Anbu were overdoing it. With him around, did they really need a squad to "protect" Nawaki?
Nawaki's Senju bloodline was incredibly pure. At just twelve years old, his strength was growing rapidly.
Given time, he would surely become as remarkable as the clan's ancestors.
Orochimaru had been assigned a simple reconnaissance mission — to observe Stone ninja movements.
The task was low risk. After the Battle the Hidden Stone Village's forces had been badly weakened and were now on the defensive in the Land of Grass, with no sign of launching a large-scale counterattack.
For three days, they scouted without encountering a single Stone ninja.
Then Orochimaru asked, "Nawaki, given the current situation, do you think our main camp can push forward — to pressure the Hidden Stone's movement range?"
Whenever Orochimaru looked at Nawaki, his eyes softened, full of expectation.
The other two squad members — boys from the Sarutobi and Shimura clans — watched Nawaki with undisguised envy.
After thinking it over, Nawaki said,
"I think whether our camp should advance doesn't depend on us or on Stone Village — it depends on the Cloud Village or Sand Village.
No matter how much ground we gain, if we push too far, we risk a counterattack from Stone.
But if the Sand or Cloud decide to act — if they strike while Stone is weak and force them into another front — that'll be our best chance to press the advantage."
Orochimaru nodded approvingly. "Good thinking, Nawaki. Elder Homura is already en route to the Hidden Cloud. If they grow impatient and strike at Stone Village, we'll soon have our opportunity."
He was pleased. Nawaki wasn't just growing strong — his strategic sense was sharp.
Talking with a genius really was effortless.
Unlike that idiot Jiraiya — Orochimaru could hardly stand a conversation with him.
When he became Hokage someday, Nawaki would be groomed as the next one in line.
...
Meanwhile, along the Land of Grass border, Yagami was still following Yellow Dog in pursuit of Senju Haku.
He looked up at the shape of the moon and thought wryly,
If Nawaki really has to die, please… let it be next month.
Before Nawaki's death, he had to make contact — to touch him, even once.
Everyone spoke highly of the boy. His Senju bloodline must carry immense power.