Inside the Anbu changing room, Night Light waited for the first batch of Anbu Ninja who graduated from Root.
Three new team members.
They each chose three masks Night Light was familiar with: Antelope, Purple Cat, and Black Bull.
Night Light pushed his fox mask. Perhaps after he died, the fox mask would also be put back into the changing room locker, to be worn by the next Anbu.
"Hello, Squad Leader Fox!"
Night Light nodded and said:
"The Fox Squad's most important mission is to follow the command of Captain Black Ape and protect the Whirlpool Princess.
The Whirlpool Princess can die behind us, but she cannot die in front of us."
The three team members quickly replied, "Yes!"
At dawn, the Black Gorilla Squad left the Death Forest and arrived outside the Senju Clan Grounds, exchanging shifts with another squad.
Anbu cannot enter the Senju Clan Grounds. When Uzumaki Kushina is within the clan grounds, her safety is the responsibility of the Senju Clan.
After leaving the clan grounds, Anbu is responsible.
In the early morning, more than ten children walked out of the Senju Clan Grounds.
These children were talking and laughing, chasing and playing, running towards the Ninja School with their school bags.
Among the children was Uzumaki Kushina.
Uzumaki Kushina's red hair was extremely striking in the morning light. She had just experienced the destruction of her clan, and her face showed no trace of the innocence that belonged to her age, instead carrying sadness and melancholy.
Three little Senju girls surrounded Uzumaki Kushina, treating her very well.
Uzumaki Kushina entered the school.
Night Light hid behind the teaching building, watching the situation inside the classroom with binoculars.
The teacher was explaining the parabolic descent curve of a Kunai.
Night Light did not look at Uzumaki Kushina in the first row, but instead at a blonde child at the back of the classroom.
Minato Namikaze, the most dazzling genius of Konoha in the next fifteen years.
Minato Namikaze occasionally looked towards the first row, paying attention to the red-haired transfer student.
After watching the classroom for a while, Night Light left the tree canopy and patrolled the Ninja School, checking every corner where someone might hide.
He encountered school teachers on the way. The teachers were not surprised, knowing that Anbu was protecting the Whirlpool Princess.
Following Nawaki, the recently graduated young Clan Head of Senju, the Ninja School welcomed its second important student, the Whirlpool Princess.
The afternoon was the Ninja School's sparring class.
During the sparring class, Night Light was dumbfounded.
Minato Namikaze's reaction speed was astonishingly fast.
After his reaction speed had improved once, Night Light saw even more clearly.
When his opponent's shoulder barely twitched, Minato Namikaze had already raised his arm to block.
Minato Namikaze was so fast it was as if he could predict others' movements.
His taijutsu defense was impenetrable, and when his opponent's guard opened, a simple jab knocked the opponent down.
The entire process seemed effortless and fluid.
During the sparring break, Uzumaki Kushina was surrounded by some children, who pointed and whispered about her.
The teacher quickly came over to stop the bullying of the transfer student and sent those children away.
At 4 PM, Anbu changed shifts, and the Black Gorilla Squad went off duty.
Night Light arrived at the Crane Moon Izakaya.
Ordering a pot of sake and some braised meat, Night Light passed the time alone.
A large amount of meat allowed Night Light's body to quickly strengthen.
Meat in Konoha was too expensive.
Just eating meat for one night would cost 10,000 ryo.
Even a Jonin like Asuma Sarutobi couldn't afford to eat meat like this.
The benefits were also obvious.
After more than a month back in the village, his Chakra volume had naturally increased significantly.
Swallowing a large piece of beef, Night Light pondered that he needed to find a way to generate income, otherwise he couldn't afford meat.
The female owner, Qiao Yi, occasionally came to Night Light's side, asking what else he needed.
She liked Night Light very much; he often stayed there, always ordered the best sake, ate a lot of meat, and spent a lot of money every day.
If she wasn't a Spy and was simply an Izagaya owner, she would definitely like Night Light even more.
All the money Night Light earned was invested in food and drink.
He joked with Qiao Yi, telling her not to lose weight recently, as her chest had already flattened a bit from hunger.
Qiao Yi argued that her bra was too tight today, and she definitely hadn't lost weight.
When Qiao Yi went to get busy, Night Light's pupils suddenly narrowed a bit.
The Izagaya was a mixed crowd.
The movement of a person who had just entered, pulling out a chair, made Night Light's heart skip a beat.
The movements of his shoulders, elbows, and wrists were exceptionally coordinated. When he dragged the chair, its legs left the ground, always suspended one centimeter above the ground.
Cloud Style Swordsmanship…
Night Light could not be mistaken; this special way of swinging the joints was definitely Cloud Style Swordsmanship from the Hidden Cloud Village.
After ten years of rigorous sword training, even without holding a sword, one's arms would be different from others.
Night Light was skilled in Cloud Style Swordsmanship, which is why he recognized it.
Blocking half his face with his sake cup, Night Light pondered: In the original story, Kumogakure's Spy once abducted Uzumaki Kushina. Has Kumogakure already set their sights on Uzumaki Kushina?
This incident should have happened before Uzumaki Kushina became a Jinchuriki. The guard strength for a Jinchuriki is much stronger than for the Whirlpool Princess.
The suspected Kumogakure Spy chatted for an hour and then left the Izagaya.
Night Light hastily crammed all the meat into his mouth and also got up to leave.
If he could contribute to guarding the Whirlpool Princess, he would at least get an A-rank mission, and then he'd have money for meat next month.
No meat, no strength.
Qiao Yi quickly chased after him: "Hey! Aren't we going to study Yin Release together tonight?"
"Let's rest for a day. If we study Yin Release every day, even the Hokage's back can't take it."
Qiao Yi watched Night Light leave with regret.
After leaving the Izagaya, Night Light did not pursue the suspected Spy, but instead took out his fox mask from his Ninja tool pouch and went directly to find Uzumaki Kushina.
In a small park near the Senju Clan Grounds, Night Light found Uzumaki Kushina.
He not only found Uzumaki Kushina but also found another Anbu guard squad.
8-hour shifts, three shifts a day. The Black Gorilla Squad handed over at 4 PM, and the next shift change was at midnight.
Night Light did not approach the guard squad, staying far away.
The Anbu also did not try to persuade Uzumaki Kushina to return to the Senju Clan Grounds. This was Uzumaki Kushina's adaptation period to Konoha, and it was better to let her move freely.
Inside the park, there were children from the Senju Clan, and also Uzumaki Kushina's classmates.
Night Light saw Minato Namikaze in the park from a distance through his binoculars.
It was late, and many children had left the park. Even Minato Namikaze had gone home, walking west.
The park was peaceful.
Night Light yawned. Why were these children so energetic? Why didn't they go home?
Suddenly, Night Light's expression became solemn.
They're here!
At the edge of the park, five people appeared!
One of them was the person Night Light had seen in the Izagaya.
Spies who can enter Konoha Village will not be too strong.
Every named Jonin in Hidden Cloud Village is a key target for intelligence gathering. Chunin, at most Elite Chunin, are easier to infiltrate.
For Uzumaki Kushina, Hidden Cloud Village risked its entire Spy network.
Night Light quickly entered the park.
Ten seconds later, Night Light looked at the night sky in confusion.
Why didn't they fire the signal flare?
For something as major as the Whirlpool Princess being attacked, according to Anbu regulations, a signal flare must be fired.
Among this batch of Anbu newcomers, were there also Hidden Cloud Village Spies?