Yagami returned to the previous full moon.
He had just emerged from Commander Yellow Dog's tent, having received the mission as an Anbu observer. He was about to join the Shapo Port raid under the identity of Fujikita.
[Arc of Moon initiating!
Host has only one resurrection chance per month, reviving on the night of the previous full moon.
One gacha draw awarded:
1- Secret Technique: Shadow Trap Art;
2- Jonin-level Chakra Capacity (Stackable);
3- Secret Technique: Shadow Possession Jutsu (Beginner).]
The first option, Shadow Trap Art, was likely the trap Nara Umeka had hidden under her skirt. The smarter the woman, the more dangerous she truly was. This technique was useless; Yagami had no intention of wearing a skirt.
The second option was Jonin-level Chakra Capacity. Last month, his capacity was 2.6 times that of a standard Jonin. After a month of natural growth, it was now at 2.9. With his physical constitution, his chakra was steadily increasing.
He chose the third option: Secret Technique: Shadow Possession Jutsu (Beginner).
Great. Now he had another tool for doing dirty work and framing another ninja clan. What was he to do? He, who was as pure, innocent, and kind as a little white flower, was becoming more of a villain by the day.
Yagami instantly mastered the Shadow Possession Jutsu. It turned out to be a Yin Style secret technique, channeling Yin chakra into the shadow beneath one's feet to grant it special properties. Since it overlapped somewhat with the Self-Exerting Binding Seal, he decided not to use it unless he was specifically framing the Nara clan. However, the method of applying Yin chakra was a useful reference.
Just like in his previous life, Yagami was assigned to Nara Mi's squad. His teammate was the petite but energetic Kurumi.
"Hello! I'm Kurumi. I just passed the Chunin Exams and became a Chunin."
"Hello. I'm Fujikita. I dream of passing the Chunin Exams and becoming a Chunin."
"Haha, then you better work hard!"
Nara Mi still had the audacity to claim the paragliders were another major contribution from the Nara clan to the village. While Kurumi practiced with her glider, Yagami continued to secretly refine his Bone-Crushing Bronze Light taijutsu.
Soon, the raid began. Nara Mi's squad was assigned to dive and blow up the pier.
Yagami maintained a moderate distance from Nara Mi, making it difficult for the latter to use Shadow Possession on him. The moment Nara Mi attempted to control Kurumi for the first time, Yagami struck first, using his newly mastered Shadow Possession to instantly freeze Nara Mi.
Nara Mi was terrified. Why was there another Nara ninja nearby? Why was he being controlled? Had the Clan Head discovered the Shadow Puppet technique he developed and sent someone to...
Yagami covertly executed Nara Mi underwater. By doing so, he saved his other teammate as well. As a Chunin, Kurumi automatically became the temporary squad leader.
Yagami didn't change the overall course of the battle. He sent a Shadow Clone to follow Kurumi to ensure her safety while his main body hid beneath the collapsing pier, using a scroll to record the battlefield conditions. He meticulously documented Rasa's abilities and the performance of the Ino-Shika-Cho heads.
Finally, after the clan heads were pushed back, Nara Shikaku designated Yagami's battalion to cover the rear. While the Battalion Commander took two units to stall Rasa, Yagami took one unit to protect the departing paraglider force.
Yagami leaped from the seawater, tossed the observation scroll to Unit Leader Hippo, and donned his Fox mask.
Facing the approaching Sand ninja, Kurumi grew increasingly afraid but held her kunai firmly before her eyes.
"Fujikita, don't be afraid. As your temporary leader, I won't let you die in front of me."
Just like the last life, awe-inspiring courage bloomed within Kurumi's small frame.
"Chunin Kurumi, get behind me. I am the Leaf Anbu Special Jonin, Fox. I am your temporary leader now. What was it you just said? Don't be afraid. As your temporary leader, I won't let you die in front of me."
This time, Yagami didn't open with Earth Flow Spear. Instead, he used the opportunity to train his Bone-Crushing Bronze Light.
The first Sand ninja charging forward suddenly took a punch to the chest. His chest caved in instantly, as if struck by a high-speed iron ball. His broken ribs tore out through his back.
A second Sand ninja, seeing his comrade's grizzly fate, lunged at Yagami with a kunai. Yagami caught the blade with his bare hand. The Sand ninja was horrified to find that his kunai felt blunt; not a drop of blood seeped from the Anbu's fingers. Yagami's other hand shot out like a blade, striking the ninja's throat. The windpipe and esophagus collapsed instantly, snapping the cervical vertebrae.
A puppet suddenly appeared. Yagami's fist easily shattered the puppet's shell and bent its internal steel frame. The puppet's limbs detached, flying toward Yagami with hidden blades, but they only sliced his clothes, bouncing harmlessly off his reddish-bronze skin.
Punch after punch, Yagami stood in the center of the Sand's encirclement. Though he appeared to be taking hits, he was completely unharmed. Sand ninja and puppets alike were like dry leaves before him. Through actual combat, his Bone-Crushing Bronze Light became increasingly proficient.
Once the Sand ninja were bunched together, Yagami ignored the kunai and puppet blades raining down on him and formed a hand sign.
"Earth Style: Earth Flow Spear!"
A dense forest of stone thorns erupted from the ground, impaling over twenty nearby Sand ninja.
A man who appeared to be a captain shouted from afar, "Careful! He's not just a taijutsu specialist, his ninjutsu is powerful too!"
Yagami glanced at the captain and flickered toward him. A punch slammed into the captain's chest.
"I hate captains who hide in the back the most. Why the hell don't you dare fight me face-to-face?"
The Leaf Battalion Commander stalled Rasa briefly while Yagami tore through the rear, stopping any Sand ninja trying to chase the gliders.
In the last life, Rasa arrived after Yagami had crippled half a battalion. This time, because Yagami was faster and more efficient, he had dismantled an entire battalion before Rasa showed up.
Aside from Yagami and Kurumi—whom Yagami specifically looked after—the other Leaf ninja died at the docks. To keep his Water Flicker secret, Yagami knocked Kurumi out and carried her onto the sea. Seeing the piles of Sand corpses on the dock, Yagami felt satisfied.
After blocking Rasa's Gold Dust with a Water Encampment Wall, Yagami dove into the ocean and disappeared using Water Flicker in the deep.
He found the same seaside cave from his previous life. After summoning Pakkun, he gave him five names of Nara ninja. These names came from Nara Umeka. In the last life, Umeka had already resolved to die; she used the real intelligence about the five-man Nara radicals to lure Yagami close to her.
With this list, Hatake Sakumo would naturally investigate the heinous acts of using teammates as human puppets.
Just like before, Yagami taught Kurumi the Underground Projection Fish Jutsu and Earth Flow Spear to boost her strength.
Upon returning to camp, he heard his new title "Copper Fox" and received an unexpected mission. Because he had given the list to Sakumo, the timeline had shifted.
Commander Yellow Dog said:
"Fox, here is a list. Follow it and eliminate the people on it."
Yagami saw four Nara ninja names. He had given Pakkun a list of five; Nara Mi was already dead, leaving four.
Yagami asked, "The Nara clan, huh... Commander, are these people to be executed 'nominally' and then released in secret? The Nara clan isn't simple."
"Fox, don't overcomplicate Anbu missions. This time, it's a real execution," Yellow Dog said. "Vice Commander Hatake Sakumo discovered anomalies in several missions. These Nara ninja were the sole survivors of their squads. After an investigation, it was found they all committed the vile act of murdering their teammates. Commander-in-Chief Nara Shikaku is deeply ashamed and pained. He has ordered the Anbu to treat them as rogue ninja and execute them."
His actions after the "reincarnation" had changed the plot, leading to a new development. He wondered what kind of confrontation had occurred between Nara Shikaku and Hatake Sakumo. After this scandal, what little camaraderie existed between them was likely exhausted.
Having already died once in this full moon cycle, he knew he had to be extra careful with the upcoming missions, even if they were just assassinating Chunin or Special Jonin.
***
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