The Earth Dragon Spear weakened—there was a chance now, a fight worth taking.
Using the Water Formation Wall to block the enemy's view, Yako ford the seal for the Clone Technique.
The Iwa jōnin already knew the Fox ANBU had the ability to move underground. Using the Hidden Fish in Earth Technique again would be difficult.
So Yako prepared to coordinate with his clone for a direct assault.
As the Water Formation Wall dropped, the two Yakos split to the left and right.
One leapt high into the air, ninja blade swinging down in a heavy chop.
The other moved in an arc, slashing at the Iwa jōnin's side.
The Iwa jōnin glanced up and down, deciding the one in the air was just a feint—a clone—while the one charging on the ground from the side was the real body.
The Fox ANBU possessed the almost shaless Substitution Technique known as Earth Substitution, which required contact with the ground to perform.
No way would the Fox ANBU abandon the high margin of error that Earth Substitution offered.
The Iwa jōnin kept his eyes on the Fox ANBU's feet, watching for any sign of the jutsu being activated.
The Earth Dragon Spear shot out again—much slower this ti.
The Iwa jōnin's abdon was severely injured, his spleen ruptured; holding out this long was already pushing him past his limits.
Yako's reflexes were sharp, his movents nimble, and he dodged several of the earthen spears before closing in on the Iwa jōnin's flank.
Ninja blade—horizontal slash!
Back when this Iwa jōnin had fought Kumo-nin, he'd seen Cloud-Style kenjutsu before.
Expecting the Fox ANBU to change up his attack, the jōnin angled his armored arm slightly higher to guard his throat.
But the Fox ANBU didn't change his strike—it went straight for the waist.
'This Fox ANBU is sly… impossible to read.'
The jōnin dropped his arm to block, the ninja blade clashing against his arm guard with a clang and a burst of sparks.
Wait—sothing was wrong.
The force traveling through his arm was too weak.
A taijutsu-type ANBU… with this little strength? Impossible.
Unless… the Fox ANBU had given up his powerful A-rank Earth Release: Earth Substitution Technique and jumped down from above.
The downward slash ca.
Before the Iwa jōnin's other arm could bring up its guard, the blade struck his brow.
Dead.
Two ANBU squads—five lives—spent to take down one Iwa jōnin.
Or rather, six lives. Yako had already died once.
Did his life not count?
The battle ended. Yako panted heavily, backing off quickly, wary that the Iwa jōnin might have so suicidal jutsu left in him.
Only when the man's body hit the ground with a dull thud did Yako finally exhale.
He imdiately turned and ordered:
"White Ram! Don't rush to find Captain Black Ape! Use your Byakugan to search for the main enemy force! If a large unit has broken through the border, they must be nearby!"
White Ram, bleeding from a wound in his abdon from the Earth Dragon Spear, quickly activated his Byakugan and scanned the surroundings.
A mont later, his expression twisted in shock.
"Fox! The Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki! He's leading at least three hundred Iwa-nin, with at least six elite jōnin! One of them has chakra reserves equal to the Tsuchikage himself.
"They're two kiloters away, ten o'clock direction!"
Yako's heart jolted.
Damn it—the ANBU leaking the news of Uzumaki Mito's funeral had actually drawn the Third Tsuchikage here.
Yako rushed to find Captain Black Ape, only to discover that the Leaf Monkey Squad had been wiped out. Captain Black Ape lay on the ground, one leg crushed by an Earth Release strike, bent at a horrific angle outward.
With no ti to set the fracture, Yako hoisted him up.
Bone fragnts stabbed deep into the flesh, making Black Ape tremble from the pain.
Even so, the captain felt a surge of relief.
He'd assud that Fox and White Ram's squads, having run into another Iwa jōnin, would be dood—but Fox had not only survived, he'd co to save him.
This subordinate he'd trained so carefully had pulled through for him more than once.
"Captain! White Ram spotted the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki!"
Black Ape's heart tightened. Ōnoki himself?
He made his decision instantly, pushing himself off Fox's shoulder to stand on one leg.
"Fox! You and Purple Cat are unhurt. Forget everything else—get back to Lord Danzo imdiately and report this intel!"
Yako looked between the wounded Captain Black Ape and White Ram, then nodded.
Compared to the intel, their lives didn't weigh as much.
Tonight's battle concerned the transfer and sealing of the Nine-Tails—one of the village's foundations.
After placing Black Ape and White Ram together, Yako and Purple Cat sped toward Mount Ushiga.
He hoped the two would survive. Black Ape had treated him well, and Yako was content to remain a low-key ANBU under him.
If Black Ape lived, it'd be easier to explain where he'd learned the A-rank Earth Substitution Technique.
A new captain… would be harder to fool.
After running over twenty kiloters, they finally reached Mount Ushiga.
At the base of the mountain lay a deep valley, its entrance guarded by ANBU.
"Urgent intel!"
Hearing that, the ANBU on watch let them pass without question, watching as Yako and Purple Cat sped into the valley.
From afar, Danzo saw ANBU darting through the treetops toward him at full speed, not using underground movent to stay quiet. He rose slowly from the tree stump he'd been seated on.
That ant the intel was urgent—half a second could not be wasted.
Reaching Danzo's position, Yako first located Captain Yellow Dog with his eyes.
The captain signaled for him to skip the report and go straight to Danzo.
"Lord Danzo! We've spotted over three hundred Iwa-nin. Leading them is the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki! Twenty kiloters away, nine o'clock direction—fifteen minutes ago!"
For once, Danzo's face—usually frozen in expressionless severity—showed surprise.
Ōnoki?!
Flight technique, the ninja world's top-tier Dust Release kekkei tōta, cunning, unyielding… a nightmare to deal with.
Yako watched him carefully, wondering if Danzo regretted telling their spy the exact date of Uzumaki Mito's death.
Playing with fire—and he didn't want to be the one to burn for Danzo's ambition.
Danzo vanished in a Body Flicker toward the rear of the valley.
Before long, the Third Hokage, Senju Rinju, Tsunade, Kato Dan, and others all left the valley for the front lines.
The Hokage caught sight of Yako and beckoned him over. "Fox, tell what your squad encountered."
The Third Hokage rembered Fox's na—he'd appeared in multiple ANBU reports, with a high mission completion rate and steadily growing strength. He'd beco a solid mid-tier asset in the ANBU ranks.
Both Captain Yellow Dog and Captain Black Ape valued him highly.
Yako gave a concise account, focusing on what White Ram had seen with the Byakugan.
"Lord Hokage, the Third Tsuchikage is leading five ninja battalions, three hundred Iwa-nin. White Ram says there are at least six elite jōnin in the vanguard, one with chakra reserves equal to the Tsuchikage himself.
"Their outer scout teams are all led by jōnin.
"They're moving fast—even the rear units of lesser strength are keeping pace. That ans they've just rested and can enter battle at any mont."
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded. "You did well."
Captain Yellow Dog led Fox and Purple Cat away as the high command began planning strategy.
Yako gazed at the moon, a touch of lancholy in his eyes.
It was still a waning moon.
This full-moon cycle, he'd already died once. For the coming battle… what was he going to do?
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