Once the Blossom Deer Squad had recovered, Yako gathered the entire platoon.
Holding a ninjutsu scroll in hand, he addressed them.
"This prisoner exchange mission has been rated as an A-rank assignnt. Most of your individual evaluations ca in at B-rank.
Many of you showed comndable resolve. Especially Blossom Deer Squad—your convincing self-harm deception completely fooled the Suna exchange unit, creating the perfect opening for our ambush.
As a reward, I've applied for so ninjutsu on your behalf."
He unrolled the scroll, revealing a list of six techniques:
Fire Release: Fire Dragon Bullet,Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique,Earth Release: Earth Surge Spear,Wind Release: Great Breakthrough,Lightning Release: Groundwalker,Water Release: Water Formation Wall
"Four of these were contributed by Captain Yellow Dog, the remaining two are my own."
Handing out your own jutsu as rewards? Truly a five-star ANBU captain.
The four mbers of Blossom Deer Squad were visibly excited—breathing heavy, eyes shining.
"Team leaders, co forward and copy the jutsu."
Once the three team leaders had taken their turns, Yako continued:
"Most ANBU missions require absolute secrecy. That ans no flashy techniques. Standard combat should rely on kunai and explosive tags.
Take the most common ANBU task—assassinating uncooperative nobles. You can't go slinging ninjutsu around in those.
But there are tis we're ordered to launch direct assaults.
Like when we encountered Hanzo in the Land of Rain. Lord Danzo led the operation himself, so identity concealnt wasn't a concern.
Team leaders—start preparing your squads for cooperative assault training, based on your unit's jutsu capabilities.
In fifteen days, I'll submit a request for a direct assault mission. It'll serve as a live test of our coordination."
With both Senju and Uzumaki bloodlines, Yako's own ninjutsu strength had grown significantly. His subordinates should follow suit, to better synchronize with him in combat.
He glanced in the direction of the dical tents. If there wasn't a looming death count this month... maybe he could go "see" Tsunade—not like that! He ant to visit her for a comndation.
Who knows? His Hard Hand bloodline might get a boost.
Yako eyed Wind Release: Great Breakthrough. Now that he had wind-nature chakra, this was a good opportunity to pick up a Wind-style jutsu.
Besides, as platoon captain, a little... personal reward wasn't unreasonable. After all, he was "rewarding his team," right?
Just imagine the perks if he ever beca a battalion commander.
Climbing the ladder—this was why so many shinobi did it.
Power made everything easier. Even learning a jutsu.
Wind Release: Great Breakthrough—a C-rank jutsu. After forming the hand seals, one breathes out a strong gust capable of suppressing the enemy. With training, it could be upgraded to launch slicing wind blades.
For Yako, it was a functional supplent—perfect for sweeping away the Sand Release attacks from Suna-nin.
***
It hadn't even been fifteen days.
By the twelfth, a mission landed on his desk.
In the command tent, Captain Yellow Dog looked at the unexpected presence before him and raised a brow.
"Problem, Fox?"
"Not at all. I just returned from Kyoto of the Land of Rivers... Looks like fate's brought back already. This mission's a perfect fit."
The Land of Rivers had started building a hydroelectric dam—sothing the Land of Earth's daimyō despised.
Iwagakure depended heavily on coal. Its highland terrain was rich in coal mines—an economic lifeline.
Now the Earth Daimyō had issued a mission: send a stealth team to infiltrate the Land of Rivers and destroy the dam. Avoiding the front lines, they were ordered to travel deep behind enemy lines and sabotage it.
Fox Squad had been assigned to intercept and eliminate the infiltrators.
Yako sighed. He'd just told Chisa they might not et again... and yet, here he was, returning to Kyoto.
Yellow Dog explained:
"This mission cos from the Minister of Treasury of the Land of Fire. I'll be escorting him to Kyoto. You handle the Iwa-nin.
If this hydroelectric dam proves viable, the Land of Fire may build one along the Yoshimizu River as well."
Yako returned to the platoon tent and summoned the three squads. They set off imdiately.
On the road, Purple Cat eyed the commander ahead of them, puzzled.
'Why is the captain in such a hurry to get to Kyoto?'
Beside her, White Ram kept his mouth shut. 'Captain… it's all up to your ti managent now.'
Outside Kyoto, the dam's foundation had begun to take shape.
Uphill, an upper cofferdam had been constructed using plans left behind by Miqū. It blocked the water, while a nearby temporary channel diverted the flow, providing a dry zone for construction.
Chisa Koizumi stood atop the cofferdam, brandishing her thin sword.
"Don't let them through! Stop the Iwa-nin!!"
As the daimyo's sister, she ca to the site at dawn every day, returning to Kyoto only after midnight—fully committed to completing the dam.
Today, dozens of Iwa-nin had launched a full assault.
Samurai were fighting desperately at the outer periter. Hired rcenaries lined the riverbanks, hurling kunai at enemies approaching across the water.
But whether samurai or rogue ninja—they were simply too weak against trained shinobi.
The best ninja in the world were all part of the Five Great Nations. The Land of Rivers had no village of its own. Their hired warriors were not elite.
Massive chunks of rock flew through the air.
Chisa's swordsmanship was decent. She swung her blade with precision, doing her best to slice the boulders apart.
But there were too many.
The Iwa-nin weren't just attacking the defenders—they were also hurling rocks directly at the cofferdam.
If the structure broke, the water would wash away the entire foundation behind it.
Each impact made the ground shudder beneath her feet.
Chisa's heart ached.
What did it matter that she was the daimyo's sister? A single Earth Release technique could destroy everything she had worked for.
The strongest enemy commander had already slain all the samurai on the shore. Over a hundred warriors lay dead.
He stepped onto the river and began forming hand seals toward the dam.
A torrent of stone followed—giant slabs four to five ters wide, one after another, over twenty in total.
Chisa's sword lowered slowly.
She couldn't stop it.
Neither she nor her guards had the power to withstand such overwhelming Earth Release.
Then—
The water before her surged.
Water Release: Water Formation Wall!
A towering wall of water, over ten ters high, erupted before her.
The spray kissed her face, and for the first ti today, she felt a refreshing coolness.
Reinforcents.
The Daimyō had written to the Land of Fire requesting aid. He'd even proposed they build their own dam along the Yoshimizu River.
Had that help finally arrived?
A figure dropped beside her.
Cloaked and masked, he wore a fox-faced ANBU mask—his features hidden.
It was the Fox ANBU who had unleashed that massive Water Release, blocking the devastating Earth Release barrage.
Chisa turned to the ninja beside her.
And for the first ti today—she felt safe.
But then...
'This figure…'
Yako turned and glanced at her. Her tightly-fitted battle skirt was wrinkled from the intense fighting, and her appearance rather disheveled.
He reached out and gently adjusted her tilted glasses.
"Lady Chisa. Stay calm. From this point forward, the Konoha ANBU will take over."
Chisa stood frozen as the Fox ANBU straightened her glasses.
Her heart kept whispering: 'It's not him. It can't be. That man was a Rain-nin. He left long ago...'
Another masked figure landed beside them—this one with a Purple Cat mask.
"Lady Chisa," she said coldly. "Please leave this area. It's not safe."
Chisa glanced at the female ANBU standing beside the Fox.
And suddenly, without reason, she felt a flicker of jealousy bubble up inside her—an instinctive sixth sense.
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