Naruto: The Anbu Path to Kage Chapter 222 222: The Hidden Room

Copper Fox specialized in Earth Release, Water Release, and Sealing Techniques. He had occasionally used Wind Release—but that was sothing the Konoha higher-ups already knew.

If he were to assassinate one of the Five Clans' Tokubetsu jōnin using Earth or Water Release, it would imdiately raise suspicion.

His strength now lay in the increasingly versatile powers he'd acquired through the system.

So he decided—it was ti to create a second identity.

This new persona would avoid Earth and Water Release altogether. No sealing techniques either. It would rely on a completely different skill set.

Once he mastered Lightning Release, the new persona would be centered around Fire, Wind, Lightning Release, and taijutsu. With that combination, no one would ever link the kills back to him.

He could even occasionally mix in dojutsu or genjutsu—to confuse the enemy and throw off their intel.

'You've had your fill of benefits,' he thought grimly, 'now let soone else eat dirt for once.'

Day by day, Yako gathered intelligence on the Five Clans.

One day, in the dense forest atop the Hokage Rock, Yako activated his Byakugan, deployed a Soil Pulse Barrier, confird the area was clear—and summoned White Porcelain and White Glaze.

Then he went to see Yuka of the Uzumaki Clan.

"I got so intel, Yuka," he said. "A Tokubetsu jōnin from the Shimura clan is currently on a mission in the Land of Grass. He'll be returning to Konoha next month to take the jōnin exam."

"Pick your best shinobi from the Uzumaki clan and head for the Land of Grass. But don't engage. When you find him, use reverse summoning to call in the middle of the night. I'll do the rest. That way, you stay hidden."

Yuka bristled. "We can't just sit back and watch while you take revenge on Shimura Danzō! Fox, you give us the intel—we'll take care of the rest!"

But Yako shook his head. "No. Listen to —you're too vulnerable.

"If you're exposed, the few remaining Uzumaki will face annihilation.

"I'm different. I have ways to hide my identity. You know how well I understand Konoha's shinobi—when one of us targets one of our own, I have a massive intel advantage.

"Just find him. Reverse summon at night. I'll handle everything."

Once back in the village, Yako began training in earnest.

Until now, he'd relied on the system's rewards, reluctant to put in hard physical effort.

But this ti, the stakes were too high.

During the day, while perched in the treetops on surveillance duty, he secretly worked on his grip and arm strength.

At night, once his mission ended, he trained taijutsu in the more remote corners of Konoha's training grounds.

With the aid of Byakugan, he could precisely monitor his internal chakra flow, making his training more efficient.

He also secretly expanded the wine cellar of the Tsurugetsu Tavern, turning it into a hidden underground training chamber.

He waited until the tavern was unwatched, quietly moved the soil far away, then reinforced the chamber walls with Earth Release.

Once the chamber was complete, he planned to ask Yuka for a few barrier techniques to mask it from detection.

His second identity—his "alt"—would be focused on Fire Release and taijutsu.

Fire was his fourth chakra nature. Training it up to practical use was like a right-handed person learning to write with their left.

But he had to do it—for Hatake Sakumo, for the Uzumaki.

He poured his soul into it.

The tavern's wine cellar grew larger by the day.

And for a tavern, having a large underground cellar wasn't all that suspicious, right?

At the rear wall of the cellar was a secret door.

Behind it—Yako's private training chamber.

About sixty square ters.

Not huge, but plenty for taijutsu and jutsu practice.

One night, well past midnight, Yako's eyes snapped open.

He sensed the Stone Panda clan's chakra signature through their summoning contract.

Rolling out of bed without waking Kyoi, he slipped into the hidden basent using Earth Release.

After summoning White Porcelain and White Glaze, White Porcelain said, "Lady Yuka says she's found the target!"

Yako nodded. He dismissed White Glaze to return to Yuka, then used reverse summoning.

He appeared just outside the capital of the Land of Grass.

Yuka and two other Uzumaki shinobi lay low in the tall grass nearby. Yako dropped beside them.

In the distance: hundreds of tents, forming a massive camp.

Yuka whispered, eyes gleaming, "Fox, the intel checks out. The Shimura clan's Tokubetsu jōnin will return to Konoha at dawn.

"The jōnin bodyguard of the daimyo here in the Land of Grass is from the Shimura clan. Our target, a rising young star of the clan, was sent here to assist him in securing control of the capital.

"And just like you said, he's leaving tomorrow morning for the jōnin exam."