Cold sweat continuously dripped from the lower edge of the mask onto Yellow Dog's chest.
On the iron-plated vest on his chest, the sweat droplets reflected the sunlight, emitting a dazzling glare.
This was the first time Yōkō had seen Yellow Dog so discomposed, sweating profusely.
The veins on the hand Battalion Commander Yellow Dog used to grip the scroll were bulging.
Yōkō thought to himself, had the coordination between Senju Kashiwa and Uzumaki Yuka finally taken effect?
Yōkō couldn't allow the Konoha higher-ups to monopolize power; otherwise, his own room for maneuver would shrink more and more in the future.
The Uzumaki clan's extermination was one thing – he was just a small fry back then – but the Senju clan absolutely could not be destroyed silently. They must retain some influence to check the higher-ups.
If Senju Nawaki learned the truth, the Senju clan would surely make trouble.
After pondering for a few seconds, Battalion Commander Yellow Dog said: "Ninja proficient in Earth Release, stay! The others return to the village!"
Yōkō immediately understood what Battalion Commander Yellow Dog intended to do.
A small number of elites would disguise themselves as Iwa-nin and ruthlessly eliminate Konoha's own people!
The Anbu were a special assassination force.
Part of the higher-ups' deterrence came from the fact that the Hokage and advisors would truly kill their own people.
Which higher-up didn't have the blood of their own comrades on their hands?
As luck would have it, Yōkō was proficient in Earth Release, something this Battalion Commander knew, so he stayed behind as well.
Purple Cat and the other two team members left. Purple Cat turned her head reluctantly, feeling somewhat unaccustomed to returning to the village alone.
Five people in total followed Battalion Commander Yellow Dog back to the Land of Grass.
The atmosphere within the team was extremely tense.
On the way, Rat requested instructions from the Battalion Commander about the deployment of sensor ninja and was berated by the Battalion Commander Yellow Dog for two minutes.
The veins on Battalion Commander Yellow Dog's neck bulged, his words were extremely harsh, and the other team members hurriedly lowered their heads.
Battalion Commander Yellow Dog finally said:
"The Hokage-sama and Danzō-sama are personally heading to the front-line camp! Just to clean up our mess!
Can anyone fucking tell me! Why did Senju Kashiwa know our intelligence? Why could he lead us on such a long chase!
Why, even though Senju Kashiwa is clearly dead, the Senju clan ninja still seem to know something, constantly meeting in secret.
It's failed! All failed!"
Yōkō heard some bad intelligence: both the Third Hokage and Danzō were coming.
Either nip the trouble in the bud or directly confront the Senju clan at the front lines.
Blocking intelligence transmission between the front lines and Konoha could temporarily prevent the Senju clan from learning the truth.
Battalion Commander Yellow Dog said, "Advisor Mitokado Homura, as overall commander, detected unfavorable signs and immediately dispatched Senju Nawaki on an external mission. We must intercept Senju Nawaki!"
Upon arriving at the front lines, all six changed into Iwa-nin clothing and headbands.
Dark red undershirts, yellowish-brown vests.
This was a traditional Anbu skill: when dealing with ninja from their own village, disguise themselves as enemy village ninja and carry out the execution.
Arriving at a location over twenty kilometers northwest of the Konoha camp, Yellow Dog ordered his subordinates to stop.
He said:
"According to intelligence from Advisor Mitokado Homura, Senju Nawaki's team will pass through here on their way back to the camp.
I will personally set a trap here, ensuring Senju Nawaki cannot detect it.
Three of you will successively act as bait to lure Senju Nawaki, step by step drawing him into the trap, then kill him with explosive tags.
The bait's performance must be convincing; they must truly die at Senju Nawaki's hands, without the slightest falseness.
Only then can we eliminate Senju Nawaki and Orochimaru's suspicions, making Senju Nawaki charge recklessly forward.
From now on, the bait must constantly give themselves psychological hints, convincing themselves they are Iwa-nin."
Seeing his subordinates' hesitation, Yellow Dog continued:
"Orochimaru can only teach geniuses. His teaching method is hands-off, guiding.
For Orochimaru's team missions, Orochimaru always provides the final safety net and does not interfere with Senju Nawaki's judgments.
Senju Nawaki always talks about becoming Hokage, is particularly attentive to protecting his teammates, and therefore often charges at the front.
Not only must Senju Nawaki die, but the Senju ninja at the front lines must all die!
The Nine-Tails transfer seal is imminent. No one can be allowed to affect the Nine-Tails' sealing, not even the Young Master of the Senju clan!"
Yellow Dog concluded: "First, decide who will be the bait. Is anyone among you willing to voluntarily become bait for the sake of the village's Nine-Tails seal?"
Yōkō thought for a moment and was the first to raise his hand.
Dying at Senju Nawaki's hands was part of his plan.
With the Third Hokage and Danzō personally arriving at the front lines, Overall Commander Mitokado Homura secretly maneuvering, and Battalion Commander Yellow Dog, one of the six elite Anbu Battalion Commanders, personally setting the trap, Senju Nawaki's chances were, if not certainly doomed, at least extremely slim.
If he didn't extract his ability now, it would be too late.
"Good, Fox. You haven't failed the regard Black Gorilla and I have for you."
Yōkō lowered his head to avoid his eyes revealing his dissatisfaction.
Squadron Leader Black Gorilla was alright; before his surgery, he recommended Yōkō for Acting Squadron Leader, which gave Yōkō many conveniences.
But you, Battalion Commander Yellow Dog, saying you value me means assigning me even more suicidal missions?
Yōkō could still distinguish between genuine cultivation and being used as a workhorse.
The three weakest Anbu members became the bait.
On the border of the Land of Grass, Orochimaru said, "Let's go, Nawaki. This reconnaissance mission is over."
As before, Orochimaru didn't spare more than a glance at Nawaki's two teammates.
During this mission, one from the Sarutobi clan and one from the Shimura clan had performed terribly, doing nothing but holding the team back.
If not for Nawaki's excellent performance, these two would have died long ago.
Orochimaru had a severe aversion to stupidity and was most annoyed by fools.
Nawaki nodded and turned silently.
Orochimaru asked Nawaki: "What's wrong, Nawaki? Something on your mind?"
"N-No..."
Nawaki felt a pang of panic inwardly, but immediately afterward, he acted as if everything was normal.
Before leaving the camp, a Senju clan ninja had found him, wanting to tell him something.
But that clansman only uttered the four words 'Uzumaki clan' before collapsing, poisoned and unconscious.
Medical ninja rushed in immediately and took the clansman away.
With his sister Tsunade sent out on a mission, Nawaki was worried, unsure if that clansman would recover.
At the same time, why did that clansman mention the 'Uzumaki clan'?
After leaving the camp, Nawaki had been pondering this.
The unique Senju distress Water Release, clansmen being dispatched on missions one after another, and the last words he heard before leaving – 'Uzumaki clan' – made Nawaki feel that something bad must have happened.
He felt a large net slowly tightening around him, closing in.
He trusted his teacher Orochimaru, but he didn't trust the other ninja in the village.
Especially the two companions beside him, one from the Sarutobi clan and one from the Shimura clan.
Originally, he wanted to be on a team with someone from the Anma clan and a civilian ninja, but he wasn't successful. The village directly assigned him two unfamiliar teammates.
He understood the village's intention: these two teammates were also talented youths within their respective clans, and the village wanted him to build good relations with them.
He was also willing to cooperate with his teammates and help each other.
However, the village's rigid arrangement still made him unhappy inside.
Nawaki suddenly asked his teacher: "Orochimaru-sensei, do you think there is darkness in the village?"
The teammates from the Sarutobi and Shimura clans felt their hearts tighten, wondering why Nawaki asked that.
Had Nawaki discovered something?
(End of Chapter)