This time, after being revived, Yako once again received the same mission from Squad Leader Brown Bear: capture a Cloud-nin squad captain alive.
In his last life, he'd used explosive tags to ambush the Cloud-nin. This time, he remembered the exact spot where the squad captain landed after his jump, and buried a second tag there.
Having narrative foresight was just too convenient.
This time, the Cloud-nin captain triggered the second explosive trap. Coughing blood, he propped himself up with his blade, barely standing.
Yako engaged him one-on-one.
This time, he drew his short sword instead of a kunai.
In the past, he barely used a sword. But now, holding it felt like an extension of his arm, completely under his control.
Clang!
Blades clashed, ringing with clear metallic echoes.
The Cloud-nin captain flinched—not because this ANBU was overwhelming, but because his every move, speed included, was mirrored exactly by the opponent.
Three consecutive exchanges ended in perfect deadlock.
The Cloud-nin felt like every move of his was being read.
Yako smirked inwardly. With their kenjutsu gap gone, they were now on even ground.
A ninja blade had far more power than a kunai—especially effective against Cloud-nin, who combined speed and strength in battle.
As the fight wore on and techniques kept shifting, the Cloud-nin grew weaker. The explosive tag's injuries took their toll.
He felt like he was fighting a Uchiha.
Every strike he made was predicted and countered.
Yako's kenjutsu, in truth, was a perfect replication of the Cloud-nin captain's own. The system had rewarded him based on his previous death.
Two minutes in, the Cloud-nin captain could no longer keep up. Yako slashed his wrist.
His ninja blade clattered to the ground.
Yako severed both his hand and leg tendons, snapped both arms, then hoisted him up and headed for the coast.
It wasn't a smooth journey.
At first, the Cloud-nin squirmed wildly on Yako's shoulder like a shrimp. Yako had to jab a kunai into his lower back.
Later, when the Cloud-nin started spitting blood and tried to bite his tongue, Yako had to gag him.
On the way, Yako glanced up at the moon.
The full moon shone like a silver disk, its light like pale frost.
He had another resurrection available.
It took real effort to haul the Cloud-nin captain to the shore.
Brown Bear saw Fox return carrying a live prisoner and was once again convinced of his judgment.
A ninja who consistently completed missions—that was the best kind of ANBU.
Fox had exceeded expectations once more. To successfully complete a live capture—he was now one of Brown Bear's most reliable subordinates.
"Wildcat, interrogate this Cloud-nin captain with Fox. I want to know why they've come to the Land of Waves."
"Understood, Squad Leader."
Wildcat was the captain of another squad.
Yako followed to observe how Wildcat handled interrogation.
After only a few minutes, Yako half-turned away.
Compared to his own crude method of severing tendons, Wildcat was a seasoned professional.
The Cloud-nin captain twitched and grunted under the torture, mouth gagged, unable to scream properly.
His eyes turned bloodshot, as if stricken with a severe infection.
Yako tried to make conversation. "Captain Wildcat, you've got three squadmates. How about sharing one with me?"
"Captain Fox, I value my comrades—only second to my mission."
"Everyone values, Captain. Give me one, and I'll help you value them."
They haggled, but Wildcat wouldn't budge. He refused to give up even one member.
Yako was still a captain with no team—no one to scout ahead or draw fire.
The interrogation continued through the afternoon, into the night, and deep into the early hours.
By the second half of the night, Wildcat came back to Brown Bear, panting, with a report.
"What?" Brown Bear's tone was one of shock. After thinking for a moment, he ordered, "Go find the Battalion Leader—report everything immediately."
The Cloud-nin teams nearby were just decoys.
Their true goal was a high-level summit between Kumogakure and Kirigakure on the far side of the Land of Waves.
Kumogakure and Kirigakure had formed an alliance.
In a Shinobi World War, any two major villages allying would spell disaster for Konoha.
Brown Bear didn't wait for the rest of the squads—he rushed off into the night to report to the Battalion Leader.
The Battalion Leader, wearing a Yellow Dog mask, listened to the report and immediately had the communication-nin contact ANBU HQ.
Yako stood far from Yellow Dog and couldn't tell how they were communicating.
Then, red signal flares shot into the sky—ANBU's highest level emergency summons.
All ANBU who saw the signal were to immediately regroup.
Two understrength ANBU battalions began racing toward the northeastern corner of the Land of Waves.
The atmosphere was tense. For ANBU to abandon prior missions, the situation had to be dire, with higher priority.
"Move! We have to make it in time!"
Brown Bear addressed his three squad captains:
"Uzushio failed to seal the Three-Tails. Kirigakure disrupted the operation and is using it as a pretext to declare war.
Now, Kumogakure may join them in declaring war as well.
Princess Uzumaki Kushina is currently being hunted by Mist-nin.
We must protect her at all costs. She must not fall into Kirigakure's hands."
Konoha was about to replace the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki. A new host was needed.
Shimura Danzō had gone to Uzushio himself for the sealing jutsu, but returned empty-handed.
Meanwhile, ANBU were covertly stealing sealing scrolls from the Uzumaki in the Land of Waves.
Now came the absolute order: protect the Uzumaki Princess at all costs.
She possessed the strongest sealing talent in generations. A natural jinchūriki. Konoha's chosen second host for the Nine-Tails.
On the eastern shore of the Land of Waves, Konoha's ANBU finally sighted the Uzumaki.
Over thirty Uzumaki shinobi stood guard, encircling a little girl at their center.
The Uzumaki Princess had bright red hair, vivid like a tomato. She was around seven or eight years old.
She stood trembling, staring at a cousin who'd just died before her eyes.
Across from the Uzumaki, two forces.
One: hundreds of freshly landed Mist-nin.
Two: a flanking force of Cloud-nin, maneuvering around for an encirclement.
Battalion Leader Yellow Dog gave the command: "At all costs—protect the Uzumaki Princess!"
Yellow Dog's battalion charged the Mist-nin. The other battalion turned to intercept the Cloud-nin.
One by one, ANBU agents surged forward.
Yako realized—with a glance behind him—he was the only squad captain with no subordinates.
He was both captain and team.
Alone.
Being slowed by jagged rocks was perfectly reasonable, wasn't it?
At the front lines, the two battalion leaders—both at least Jōnin-level—unleashed massive Fire Release jutsu.
Flames blanketed half the beach in an instant.
"Fire Style! It's Konoha ANBU!"
The Uzumaki shouted with relief.
Their allies had arrived!
Mist-nin stood along the shore, surrounded by water—the perfect terrain for their Water Release.
Water Dragons clashed with fireballs, erupting into clouds of steam.
Yellow Dog shouted:
"Uzumaki shinobi! Take Princess Kushina and run—now!"