The sky gradually lightened.
Kira stood by the window of his room on the second floor of Crane Moon Izakaya, watching the full moon slowly fade as sunlight crept into the sky.
If he died this month, he would revive here.
After leaving Konoha Hospital, he didn't return to Anbu, but stayed at the izakaya.
Earn as much as you spend, or else Captain Ling would benefit.
Kira turned to look at the bed.
Qiao Yi was sound asleep, her legs exposed from under the quilt, smooth and firm.
(TN: Quao yi is the name of female spy)-
After spending half the night investigating, he still couldn't find any evidence that Qiao Yi was a spy.
Maybe his investigation wasn't thorough enough.
Maybe he was overthinking, and Qiao Yi wasn't a spy at all.
Even if Qiao Yi was a spy, she would be the kind who relied on her mind rather than strength, posing little threat.
Without saying goodbye, he pulled up his pants and left. Kira jumped out the window and, taking advantage of the sparse early-morning crowd, walked toward Death Forest.
The ANBU squad Kira was in was dispatched to the Wave Country. Another squad was sent to Vortex Country.
Antelope Squad, in a fishing village in the Wave Country, received a Vortex ninja squad and escorted them back to Vortex Country, Uzushiogakure.
Kira followed at the back, observing the three Vortex ninja.
Uzushiogakure wasn't described much in the original story; the village was wiped out long before the plot began.
One female and two males, all with red hair.
The female ninja at the front had the brightest red hair.
He wondered if hair color could represent the bloodline strength of the Uzumaki Clan.
All three Vortex ninja were injured.
Judging by the wounds, they were cut by ninja blades.
The ninja school in Kumogakure teaches blade combat, so Kumogakure ninja love to use blades.
Leaving the Wave Country and entering the forests of the Land of Fire, the three Vortex ninja finally relaxed their tense state.
Vortex Country is on a peninsula southeast of the Land of Fire, and detouring through the Land of Fire is the safest route.
To stall for time, Kira pointed at the bloodstains on the Vortex female ninja's leg and said, "I have wound medicine here. How about we heal the injuries before we set off?"
Captain Ling was about to say Kira was being redundant, but then Vortex Yuka, the female ninja, said, "Okay, if I don't treat the injury now, it might leave a chronic problem."
Uzushiogakure was an ally of the Senju Clan, so Captain Ling couldn't object.
Kira handed his medical kit to Vortex Yuka.
Vortex Yuka didn't shy away from the group; she lifted her skirt, revealing her injured thigh.
Untying the makeshift bandage, she used a kunai to scrape off the old wound medicine.
The kunai touched her flesh, making Vortex Yuka clench her teeth in pain.
Her right hand was also injured, making it hard to work with her left.
Kira knelt down. "Let me help you."
"Thank you."
As Kira bandaged her, Vortex Yuka said, "You're different from other Anbu. Thank you for your suggestion."
Kira didn't reply.
He was just stalling for time and might get criticized by the captain.
It took seven days to reach the Wave Country, and one day from there to the Land of Fire. The Land of Fire was relatively safe; they wouldn't encounter Kumogakure ninja.
The longer they stayed in the Land of Fire, the better.
If he could die one day before the next full moon, that would be perfect. He would know everything that happened before his death, giving him an advantage like a prophet.
Vortex Yuka chatted:
"My cousin Tsunade once wrote to the Uzumaki Clan, suggesting each squad be equipped with a medical ninja.
Unfortunately, Uzushiogakure can't do that. Our medical ninjutsu was taught by the Senju Clan, and what the Senju can't do, we can't either."
Kira's head didn't move, but his gaze beneath the mask lifted, assessing the strength of the Vortex female ninja.
He glanced at Vortex Yuka's chest.
Under her tight clothing, her chest was round and full; he wondered what a magnificent sight it would be unbound.
As expected of Tsunade's cousin, the slender frame hid surprising strength.
After bandaging, Kira stood up and retreated to the side.
Vortex Yuka was a bit disappointed that the Konoha Anbu remained silent.
The team continued, taking three days to enter Vortex Country, the long, narrow peninsula nation.
Kira looked at the swaying wheat by the roadside, as if seeing the shape of the wind.
If the mission continued to be this simple—walking, stopping, enjoying the scenery—it would be…
Boom!
In the field by the roadside, an exploding tag trap detonated!
The target was the three red-haired Vortex ninja walking in the middle.
From the surrounding wheat fields, two squads of Kumogakure ninja leaped out.
The cold glint of their blades made Kira's scalp tingle.
Vortex Yuka was blasted into the wheat field, creating a crater.
While still in the air, she spat out a mouthful of blood.
Two Kumogakure ninja rushed toward her, but suddenly stiffened in front of her.
Starting from their ankles, a sealing jutsu curse mark snaked upward, and the two Kumogakure ninja froze like statues, unable to move.
Kira was surprised; that was the Self-Inflicted Curse Sealing from the original story! One of the sealing jutsu used by Danzo.
Captain Ling shouted, "Complete the mission!"
After shouting, Captain Ling blocked the Kumogakure captain.
Purple Cat rushed to the nearest Vortex male ninja, glanced at him, and decided there was no need for treatment.
His blade unsheathed, he stabbed and killed the wounded Vortex ninja.
Ensuring Kumogakure couldn't obtain Vortex sealing jutsu was the main goal; escorting the Vortex ninja back was just a bonus.
During the Second Ninja World War, all villages suffered heavy casualties and urgently needed sealing jutsu to control Jinchuriki on the battlefield.
Information on sealing jutsu must not fall into Kumogakure's hands.
Kira jumped to Vortex Yuka's side.
She lay in the wheat, her chest and lungs severely injured, already sunken.
Without a medical ninja, such an injury was fatal.
Her vision was blocked by the wheat, so she didn't see Purple Cat kill the other Vortex ninja. Seeing Kira, her eyes sparkled with gratitude.
The two Kumogakure ninja were already under her control; as long as she killed them, she'd be safe.
Kira raised his kunai but didn't strike the two paralyzed Kumogakure ninja.
Instead, he plunged the kunai down, striking Vortex Yuka's head when she was completely unprepared.
This way, Kumogakure wouldn't get information on the sealing jutsu.
The light in Vortex Yuka's pupils instantly faded.
"Konoha… Konoha indeed coveted…"
Vortex Yuka's words faded away.
A ninja is a tool for executing missions.
Anbu are tools among tools.
Vortex Yuka's injuries were too severe; using two sealing jutsu was just her last burst of energy, there was no need for treatment.
Captain Ling was right there, and Kira needed to perfectly complete the mission, ensuring Vortex sealing jutsu didn't fall into enemy hands.
As soon as Vortex Yuka died, Kira quickly used the remaining power of the sealing jutsu to stab and kill the Kumogakure ninja on the left.
The Kumogakure ninja on the right broke free from the sealing jutsu and thrust his blade at Kira's side.
Kira lunged forward, rolling to dodge.
While rolling, he considered using Earth Release: Underground Projection Fish Technique, but then a tingling sensation came from his foot.
Damn it, the Kumogakure ninja had set up a lightning release trap.
Lightning release counters earth release; his only earth release ninjutsu was useless.
After a struggle, Kira was killed by a ninja blade.
Before he died, he saw Captain Ling escape alone, and Purple Cat and Horned Ox both died in the wheat field.
Damn it…
To ensure the secret of the sealing jutsu, was it necessary to kill the Vortex ninja?
Unexpectedly, he also died here.
Kira thought the Vortex ninja were consumables, but in the end, he was also a consumable.
[Moon Viewing Arc activated!
The host has one revival opportunity per month, and will revive on the previous full moon night after death.
Reward: one lottery chance!]