Yōkō said: "I am somewhat displeased that I wasn't the one promoted to Deputy Commander this time. However, please rest assured, Lord Yellow Dog, I will continue to work hard and will not neglect Anbu missions."
Seeing that Fox had no particular reaction and supported him as always, Yellow Dog went off to arrange the Anbu assembly.
Beneath his lowered mask, Yōkō's eyes were icy cold.
I gathered intelligence from Umeka by selling my charms, I analyzed the situation and proposed the key suggestion, you, Yellow Dog, became Commander, and in the end, I have to call Lynx 'Lord'?
What's the use of doing a good job? It's not as good as having the right family name.
I hope your esteemed surnames let you live a few seconds longer before you die.
Anbu Training Hall.
All Anbu shinobi gathered, awaiting the important appointment from the higher-ups.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, Shimura Danzo, Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, Nara Rokaku.
Several Konoha elders appeared on the podium.
On either side of the elders stood Yellow Dog and Lynx.
Sarutobi Hiruzen announced the new appointments.
Yellow Dog appointed as Anbu Commander, Lynx... appointed as Anbu Deputy Commander.
All Anbu shinobi were shocked.
Those with strong composure remained motionless; those with weaker composure glanced sideways at Fox in the front row.
Fox had always been the second-in-command under Yellow Dog.
No one expected that the valuable Deputy Commander position was given to Lynx instead of Fox.
Yōkō showed no reaction, slightly lowering his gaze, staring at the floor of the podium.
Purple Cat looked at Fox with heartache.
She knew Fox had long wanted to be promoted to Deputy Commander, but Lynx had beaten him to it.
Beneath Yōkō's mask, his eyes were crimson. The two tomoe shifted, and a moment later, three tomoe appeared.
I actually evolved the Three Tomoe Sharingan due to intense stimulation.
What should I do? Failing the promotion to Deputy Commander seems to have hit me quite hard.
Lynx, Yellow Dog, how should I deal with you?
After the appointments concluded, the elders left, and the Anbu shinobi dispersed.
All Anbu shinobi avoided Fox, knowing he was in a bad mood.
Butterfly stopped Fox.
"Captain Fox, Lord Yellow Dog requests your presence."
Seeing Fox enter, Yellow Dog unusually stood up.
"Sit, have a seat first, Fox."
To be honest, Yellow Dog felt somewhat guilty.
"Fox, in the Hokage's office, in front of the elders, I strongly recommended you for the Deputy Commander position.
However, as you know, Advisor Danzo suffered huge losses this time.
He gave up theAnbu Commander position and the spy networks of two major countries.
As a compromise, the elders decided that Lynx would be promoted to Anbu Deputy Commander."
Yōkō nodded and said: "I understand. Lord Lynx is more suitable for the Deputy Commander position than I am. He is more familiar with Root and also more familiar with the spy handlers in the two major countries.
Don't worry, Lord Yellow Dog, I won't hold a grudge. For your sake, for Konoha's sake, I have that much magnanimity."
Yellow Dog quickly said: "Good, good, good! Fox, I promise you, the next Anbu Deputy Commander will definitely be you!"
After a long, heart-to-heart talk with Fox, both parties achieved a satisfactory outcome.
Yellow Dog believed that Fox was still the same as before, a subordinate with awareness.
Yōkō believed... there was nothing left to argue about.
Your Sarutobi Kanenosuke is eager and impatient.
Just after leaving Yellow Dog's office, he found Lynx's assistant waiting not far down the corridor.
"Squad Leader Fox, Deputy Commander Lynx requests your presence."
Entering Lynx's office, Lynx stared at Fox.
Yōkō remained unmoved, also staring back at Lynx.
Beneath his mask, Lynx frowned. Was Fox forgetting his place?
He said: "Fox, the first principle for Anbu shinobi is obedience, is mission execution.
I've heard some rumors before, saying you might be the next Deputy Commander.
However, those were just rumors. Don't let rumors affect you.
In the future, the tasks I assign, you must complete them with all your effort, just as you would for Commander Yellow Dog."
Yōkō suppressed the anger in his heart and said: "Of course, Lord Lynx. Any task assigned to me, I will put one hundred percent effort into completing it."
Lynx felt satisfied, hearing Fox call him 'Lord Lynx' repeatedly.
Yōkō left Lynx's office and walked into the darkness.
Lynx, how tough is your life, to bear the title 'Lord'? Give my regards to Sarutobi Kanenosuke for me.
Arriving outside the Anbu base, Yōkō looked up at the bright moon.
Tonight happens to be a full moon.
I might encounter Uchiha Madara this time. Sending the Uchiha clan to investigate Uchiha Madara is definitely a deliberate bad move.
This might anger Uchiha Madara.
Uchiha Madara will not forgive the traitors of the Uchiha clan.
Yōkō's strength seemed somewhat insufficient. He had to find a way to increase his power in the short term.
—
The full moon was like a silver platter.
In the Root laboratory, Orochimaru suddenly turned his head, looking towards a side wall of the lab.
Fox emerged from the wall using Earth Release.
"Oh? Fox, it's not yet time to report the experimental progress, is it?"
Yōkō scanned the 10 test subjects in the laboratory and said: "Lord Orochimaru, after Tsunade's outburst, your Wood Release experiments must be going very poorly, right?"
Orochimaru's eyes lowered.
He originally planned to accumulate 50 test subjects for a large-scale controlled experiment.
Now that plan had completely failed.
Unable to capture children with Senju bloodline, he had to be even more cautious with experiments on these 10 test subjects.
The experimental progress was extremely slow.
Orochimaru looked up and said: "Fox, you didn't come here to gloat, did you? You seeking me out must mean you have some business."
Yōkō took out a scroll and said: "This is intelligence on Konoha's Scroll of Seals."
"Oh?" Orochimaru's eyes were full of interest. "What do you want to exchange for this intelligence?"
Yōkō threw the scroll to Orochimaru and said: "I won't trade the Scroll of Seals intelligence for anything. Rather, I want to prove to you that it's impossible for you to steal the Scroll of Seals."
Puzzled, Orochimaru opened the scroll and saw the defensive forces around the Scroll of Seals.
The Scroll of Seals was located in a side room of the Hokage's office – Orochimaru knew this.
A barrier personally set by the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama; no one but the Hokage knew how to deal with it.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's bedroom directly faced the door of the room housing the Scroll of Seals.
If anything happened to the Scroll of Seals, Sarutobi Hiruzen could use the Adamantine Staff to kill the thief instantly.
Yōkō asked: "Well? Isn't it impossible for you to steal the Scroll of Seals?"
Orochimaru nodded and said: "Fox, what exactly are you trying to say?"
"I want to make a deal with you, a deal that interests you the most." Yōkō said:
"Lord Orochimaru, stealing the Scroll of Seals is absolutely impossible. The barrier set by the Second Hokage himself offers no hope of being broken.
Your only chance to see the Scroll of Seals is to complete the Wood Release research and earn the opportunity to view it from Advisor Danzo.
And with your current experiments, you won't complete the Wood Release research even in five years.
Lord Orochimaru, stop using this bunch of garbage.
What can you possibly experiment out from some children with thin Senju bloodline?
I am proficient in Earth and Water attributes, with Elite Jōnin-level strength.
Use me as your test subject. This bunch of garbage around you won't give you any results.
I offer myself to help you complete Wood Release.
And you, help me transplant Hashirama Cells to enhance my power."
***
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(End of Chapter)