Inside the Anbu changing room, Yagami waited for the first batch of newly graduated operatives from Root.
Three new members.
Each of them picked a mask Yagami was already familiar with—Antelope, Purple Cat, and Black Ox.
Yagami adjusted his own Fox mask. Maybe one day, if he died for real, this mask would be placed back in the locker, waiting for the next Anbu to wear it.
"Captain Fox!"
Yagami nodded slightly.
"The most important mission for Squad Fox right now is to follow Captain Black Ape's orders and protect the Uzumaki Princess.
She can die behind us, but never in front of us."
The three members immediately responded, "Yes!"
At dawn, Captain Black Ape's unit left the Forest of Death and arrived outside the Senju compound to switch shifts with another team.
Anbu operatives weren't allowed inside the Senju compound. While Uzumaki Kushina remained within its borders, her safety was handled by the Senju clan.
Once she stepped outside, her protection became Anbu's duty.
As morning light crept over the village, more than a dozen children emerged from the Senju compound.
They chatted, laughed, and chased one another, backpacks slung over their shoulders as they headed toward the Ninja Academy.
Among them was Uzumaki Kushina.
Her red hair glowed brilliantly under the morning sun, but after the destruction of her clan, not a trace of childlike innocence remained on her face—only sorrow and quiet melancholy.
Three little Senju girls surrounded her, being kind and friendly.
Kushina entered the academy.
Yagami hid behind the main building, observing the classroom through a pair of binoculars.
The teacher was lecturing about the parabolic drop of a thrown kunai.
Yagami didn't look at Kushina, who sat in the front row, but instead focused on the blond boy seated near the back.
Namikaze Minato—the brightest genius Konoha would see in the next fifteen years.
Minato occasionally glanced toward the front, paying attention to the red-haired transfer student.
After watching for a while, Yagami left the tree canopy, circling around the academy to inspect every possible hiding spot.
On the way, he ran into a few teachers. None of them were surprised. They all knew Anbu was assigned to protect the Uzumaki Princess.
After the recent graduation of Senju Nawaki, the academy now welcomed another important student—Princess Uzumaki.
That afternoon was the taijutsu sparring class.
And Yagami was stunned.
Minato's reaction speed was unbelievably fast.
After enhancing his own reflexes once before, Yagami could now see it clearly.
The moment Minato's opponent's shoulder twitched, Minato's arm was already raised to block.
It was as if he could predict the enemy's movements.
His defense was airtight, and when his opponent's guard opened for even an instant, Minato's simple straight punch knocked him to the ground.
The entire exchange was smooth and effortless, as if Minato had rehearsed it countless times.
During the break, Kushina was surrounded by a few kids who pointed and whispered.
Picking on the transfer student.
The teacher quickly stepped in and chased them away.
At 4 p.m., Anbu rotated shifts, and Captain Black Ape's unit was dismissed.
Yagami made his way to Tsurugetsu Tavern.
Ordering a bottle of sake and some braised meat, he sat alone, quietly passing the time.
A heavy meat-based diet had rapidly strengthened his body.
But meat in the Leaf Village was expensive.
Just the meat he ate in one night cost nearly 10,000 ryō.
Even a jōnin like Sarutobi Asuma couldn't afford to eat like this every day.
Still, the benefits were obvious.
After just over a month back in the village, his chakra reserves had naturally increased.
Swallowing a large chunk of beef, Yagami frowned. He'd need to find a way to earn more, or he'd run out of money for meat soon.
The tavern's owner, Qiao Yi, occasionally came over to ask if he needed anything else.
She really liked Yagami. He often stayed at her inn, always ordered the best sake, ate plenty of meat, and spent freely.
If she weren't a spy—if she were just a normal tavern owner—she probably would've fallen for him completely.
Every bit of money Yagami earned went into food and drink.
They exchanged playful banter. Yagami teased her not to go on a diet again—her chest already looked a little deflated.
Qiao Yi argued that her bra was just tighter today, not that she'd lost weight.
When she left to serve other customers, Yagami's gaze sharpened.
The tavern was crowded, noisy.
But one man who had just entered made Yagami freeze mid-sip.
The motion of his shoulders, elbows, and wrists—so perfectly coordinated as he pulled out a chair. The legs of the chair didn't scrape the floor but hovered exactly one centimeter above it.
Cloud-Style Swordsmanship…
Yagami couldn't be mistaken. That unique joint control belonged exclusively to the Cloud Village's sword art.
Even without a blade, ten years of sword training would change how one moved their arms.
Yagami, being well-versed in Cloud-Style himself, recognized it instantly.
He lowered his sake cup to conceal half his face, thoughts racing.
In the original timeline, Cloud shinobi spies had kidnapped Uzumaki Kushina once… Could it be that the Cloud had already set their sights on her?
That incident happened before she became a Jinchūriki—back when her guard detail was far weaker than it would be later.
The suspected spy chatted idly for about an hour before leaving the tavern.
Yagami stuffed the remaining meat into his mouth and rose to his feet.
If he could make a contribution in Kushina's protection detail, that'd at least count as an A-rank mission. Enough money for next month's meat.
No meat, no power.
Qiao Yi called after him, "Hey! Not joining me tonight to study Yin Release?"
"Taking a day off. Even the Hokage's back would give out doing Yin Release every night."
She sighed in disappointment, watching him leave.
Once outside, Yagami didn't chase the supposed spy. Instead, he retrieved his Fox mask from his tool pouch and went straight to find Uzumaki Kushina.
He located her in a small park near the Senju compound.
Not only Kushina—another Anbu squad was already there on watch.
Three shifts a day, eight hours each. Captain Black Ape's unit had finished at 4 p.m., and the next team would rotate in at midnight.
Yagami didn't approach them, keeping his distance.
The Anbu weren't forcing Kushina to return to the compound either. This was her adjustment period to life in the Leaf—giving her freedom was better for her state of mind.
The park had some Senju children and a few of Kushina's classmates.
Through his binoculars, Yagami also spotted Namikaze Minato among them.
It grew late.
One by one, the children left the park. Even Minato had gone home, heading west.
Silence settled.
Yagami yawned. These kids sure have energy. Why aren't they home yet…
Then suddenly, his expression hardened.
They were here.
At the edge of the park—five figures appeared.
One of them was the same man Yagami had seen earlier in the tavern.
Anyone capable of sneaking into the Leaf wouldn't be too powerful.
Every known Cloud jōnin was under strict surveillance. So these were likely chūnin—perhaps elite ones at best—more suited for infiltration.
To capture Kushina, the Cloud Village had clearly mobilized their entire spy network.
Yagami quickly moved into the park.
Ten seconds later, he frowned at the sky.
Why haven't they fired the signal flare yet?
For an attack on the Uzumaki Princess, Anbu regulations required immediate signaling.
Could it be… that among these new Anbu recruits, there was also a Cloud spy?