Leaving the Village Again

Yako selected Purple Cat and the two strongest rookies to form the new Kitsune Squad, having them wear the masks of Antelope and Black Ox.

After receiving the mission scroll, Yako glanced over it, then led the squad to the northwest corner of the Senju compound.

Their task: surveillance on a certain Senju clan member.

This man was obsessed with fishing, and if he wasn't on a mission, he could spend an entire day by the water with a rod in hand.

Tanned to a crisp, he wore the Senju clan crest on his clothes.

Yako thought for a moment and quickly understood why ANBU was deploying even partially rebuilt units like Black Ape's.

This mission was critical—many hands were needed.

ANBU already knew Senju Haku had made contact with remnants of the Uzumaki. Anyone who had interacted with him might possess knowledge about the true cause of the Uzumaki Clan's annihilation.

Reinforcing security around the Senju compound was only the first layer of control.

Every scattered Senju throughout the village now had to be monitored.

The surveillance continued from morning into late afternoon, until a sudden explosion shattered the peace.

The fishing-obsessed Senju heard the blast coming from the direction of the compound. Seeing his net empty, he cursed, tossed the gear, and vanished with a Body Flicker Technique.

Yako and the others immediately followed.

From a distance, they saw a commotion in a narrow alley near the Senju grounds—some Senju, and several ANBU operatives.

Seeing other squads, Yako didn't bother hiding, sticking close to their surveillance target.

At the alley's edge, the fisherman Senju stood on tiptoe, trying to glimpse what had happened, grumbling:

"Damn rats from enemy villages, always targeting Lady Mito. Bet it's another spy trying to probe her status."

A body lay beneath a cloth—identity obscured.

Every Senju knew Uzumaki Mito's time was nearing an end. This was the clan's gravest concern.

An ANBU agent stepped to the alley's entrance. "This is an ANBU matter—spy elimination. Senju clan members, please disperse."

Peering through the gaps in the crowd, Yako caught sight of the corpse.

A wisp of greying hair was visible. It could very well have been Yakuchi.

Then came that familiar limp step—Senju Ka arrived on his cane.

But he saw nothing—the corpse was already taken away by ANBU.

Ka pressed the agents anxiously, asking what had happened.

In this timeline, he still didn't know the truth. Yakuchi had just met Haku the night before, and now Haku had vanished before returning to the compound.

Security was tight around the Senju grounds—no suspicious individuals could've entered.

Yako followed the fisherman back to the small lake, continuing covert surveillance until midnight.

Then, an ANBU operative approached.

"Commander Yellow Dog orders all squads to halt their current assignments and report to the main gate!"

Yako's heart tightened.

No way... just a tiny hint to Yakuchi, and it'd caused all this?

Reporting to the main gate—that could only mean leaving the village.

The story hadn't just changed—it had drastically changed.

And he was going to be deployed outside the village… with no revival left this month.

What if he died out there?

At Konoha's gate, Yako—being an acting squad leader—received the briefing directly from Commander Yellow Dog.

"Senju Haku, classified as a rogue ninja, fled the village this afternoon during the chaos, heading north toward the Land of Grass.

Intel suggests he may be trying to contact the Senju clan's young heir, Senju Nawaki.

We must intercept and eliminate him before he reaches Nawaki!"

Yako's eyes narrowed. So Nawaki had entered the village leadership's radar already?

The chaos Yakuchi stirred up earlier… maybe it was intentional—to buy Haku time to escape.

Yellow Dog continued:

"Haku possesses Tokubetsu Jōnin-level skills. He's proficient in Earth Release and, more importantly, has mastered the Senju sensory technique.

By touching the ground with his fingers, he can detect movements and numbers of enemies across several kilometers.

He's now entered the forest. Tracking him will be difficult.

The other two squads will rely on their sensory types to pursue.

Kitsune Squad, you'll follow me and serve as relay support."

The ANBU units moved forward silently.

Yakuchi had bought Haku valuable time—he'd left the village three hours before Yellow Dog's unit mobilized.

For a ninja, that's over two hundred kilometers covered.

An entire division mobilized to hunt a single Senju—clearly, this mission was a top priority.

Or rather… Danzō's top priority.

If the truth about ANBU's role in the Uzumaki massacre ever got out, Danzō would be finished.

Two hundred kilometers northwest, still no sign of Haku.

Byakugan saw nothing. Even Inuzuka hounds had lost the scent.

Haku knew Konoha's tracking methods inside and out—he used Earth Release to erase tracks, Water Release to wash away scent.

Yellow Dog frowned. "This is pointless blind-chasing. Kitsune, go find the Rat Squad. Tell them to move to the frontlines and watch over Nawaki. Monitor any suspicious individuals who get near him.

Haku might try to contact others. If someone spreads his version of events, it'll be a disaster."

Yako nodded and darted toward the Rat Squad's position.

Upon receiving the order, they accelerated toward the frontlines.

Five days later, at the warfront—

Orochimaru left the main camp with Nawaki and three others. As they moved, he suddenly glanced to the side.

In the darkness of the woods, another ANBU squad moved silently.

Rat Squad's leader nearly froze.

Orochimaru was already a top-tier elite jōnin, and his vicious nature was infamous—merciless to enemies and allies alike.

One glance from him made Rat's heartbeat stutter.

Nawaki, sharp as ever, asked, "Sensei, what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Orochimaru simply thought ANBU was overreaching. With him around, did they really need a full squad to protect Nawaki?

Still, Nawaki's Senju bloodline was astonishingly pure. At just twelve, he was improving at an explosive pace.

Given time, he was destined to rival the Senju ancestors.

Orochimaru was leading a simple recon mission to observe Iwagakure's movements.

Nothing dangerous. After the battle of Mount Niuhe, Iwa had taken heavy losses and was on the defensive in the Land of Grass.

For three days, they encountered no resistance.

Then, Orochimaru asked, "Nawaki, based on the current situation, should the forward camp advance to pressure Iwa's position?"

Only when speaking to Nawaki did Orochimaru's eyes soften, filled with hope.

The other two members of the squad—young Sarutobi and Shimura clan members—watched Nawaki with jealousy.

Nawaki thought for a moment and said:

"I believe the decision to advance doesn't rest with us, or even Iwagakure. It depends on whether Kumogakure or Sunagakure decide to intervene.

No matter our advantage, pushing too far might provoke an Iwa counterattack.

But if either Suna or Kumo exploits Iwa's weakness and forces them to split their forces, that would be our best chance to press the offensive."

Orochimaru nodded with satisfaction. "Your judgment is excellent. Homura-dono is currently en route to Kumo. They may soon lose patience and move against Iwa."

Orochimaru was truly pleased. Nawaki wasn't just rapidly growing in strength—his strategic vision was also maturing.

This is what it was like to talk to a genius.

Not like that idiot Jiraiya. Orochimaru barely had the patience to say two words to him.

Once he became Hokage, he'd raise Nawaki as the next in line.

Meanwhile, at the edge of the Land of Grass, Yako still followed Yellow Dog in pursuit of Senju Haku.

Glancing up at the moon, Yako thought:

If Nawaki must die… please let it be next month.

Before that happens… he had to get a touch in.

With so many praising Nawaki's potential, his bloodline reward was bound to be something special.