The thought of having to lay low for an entire month gave Yōkō a headache.
A loud, high-pitched dog bark echoed through the rainy night.
The Hell Split Dog was coming.
Yōkō pretended to ask White Goat: "What's happening!"
White Goat quickly said:
"Three Konoha ninja are running towards here, carrying three captives, one of whom is a child.
Chasing the Konoha ninja is a large summoning creature, the Hell Split Dog, formerly the village guardian summon of Uzushiogakure."
Time was running out for Yōkō.
Uchiha Madara was just a few kilometers away, inside the mountain.
If he encountered Uchiha Madara again, Madara had a hundred ways to kill him.
"Let's go! No matter who they are from Konoha, we can't stand by and do nothing."
Yōkō wanted to save Uzumaki Nagato but also avoid facing Uchiha Madara. The best method was to intercept Uzumaki Nagato as early as possible.
Yōkō moved quickly, putting distance between himself and the Uchiha Madara behind them, feeling slightly safer.
As soon as he saw the three Konoha ninja, Yōkō hurriedly said:
"These three Konoha ninja are very likely under a Genjutsu! Their eyes look wrong!
You stop our three village members. I'll stop the Hell Split Dog."
White Goat was just about to report that the chakra flow in the three Konoha ninja was very strange, but didn't expect the Captain to notice so quickly.
The Captain was really sharp, worthy of being a veteran squadron leader who had survived in the ANBU for over half a year.
Yōkō pushed off with his legs, leaping high over the three Konoha ninja, appearing between them and the Hell Split Dog.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
A massive wall of water surged skyward, blocking the Hell Split Dog.
On the Hell Split Dog's head, Uzumaki Yuka looked surprised to see it was her acquaintance, Fox!
She quickly made the Hell Split Dog retreat, pretending to be afraid of Fox, and withdrew first.
Seeing Fox's appearance, Yuka realized he seemed to have become the squadron leader of three squads.
She hadn't expected Fox to be so successful as a spy, already becoming an ANBU squadron leader. She remembered when she first met Fox, he was just a low-level ANBU member.
After more than half a year, Fox had become a core member of the ANBU, able to obtain more intelligence.
Hearing that major events had happened in Konoha, with Lady Mito passing away, Yuka really wanted to ask about the Nine-Tails sealing and how Princess Kushina was doing.
However, now was not the time for catching up or gathering information.
The three squads rushed towards the three Konoha ninja, trying to find a way to release the Genjutsu.
These three Konoha ninja were very strong: one Jōnin and two Tokubetsu Jōnin.
After a few exchanges, Purple Cat immediately discovered the key point: "They're protecting the captives behind them!"
The three valued the captives more than their own lives.
The fight between Yōkō and the Hell Split Dog looked fierce, with Water Release shooting into the air one moment and Earth-Style Rising Spears sprouting like a thorny forest the next, but in reality, most of their attacks missed.
Taking advantage of the Water Release obscuring his figure, Yōkō made a hand signal to Uzumaki Yuka, telling her to leave quickly.
Uzumaki Yuka trusted Fox completely. Without any extra actions, she decisively commanded the Hell Split Dog to leave.
After the Hell Split Dog left, Yōkō moved to the rear battlefield.
He went to White Goat's side and asked: "White Goat, can you tell what Genjutsu it is?"
White Goat said:
"I can't identify the specific Genjutsu. Most Genjutsu have fixed effects, either binding or hypnotizing.
The Genjutsu on these three seems more like a powerful psychological suggestion directly imposed using a dōjutsu, compelling the three Konoha ninja to achieve a certain goal.
Judging by how they protect the captives even at the cost of injury, the Genjutsu's suggestion is to transport the captives."
They couldn't waste time; they were too close to Uchiha Madara.
Yōkō looked at Uzumaki Nagato. If he could snatch Nagato and get far away from Uchiha Madara, there might be a slim chance of survival.
If he could seize Uzumaki Nagato here, Uchiha Madara's Rinnegan would rot in its sockets, and the shinobi world would reach its conclusion early!
Yōkō charged towards Uzumaki Nagato. He shouted to the Leaf Monkey Squad near Nagato: "Cover me! I'll handle them!"
"Understood, Squadron Leader!"
Yōkō observed Uzumaki Nagato, who was unconscious. Ropes were tied around his armpits and waist, binding him tightly to the Konoha Jōnin.
"Captain!"
Purple Cat shouted! His tone full of shock!
As Fox passed by him, Leaf Monkey suddenly took a diagonal step forward and thrust a ninja sword at Yōkō's back!
Hearing the sound of the blade cutting through the air behind him, Yōkō instinctively sidestepped to dodge.
That crucial half-step saved his life.
Yōkō looked down, stunned to see the tip of a ninja sword protruding from his left shoulder!
Adrenaline surged; he felt no pain, only an intense heat in his left shoulder.
He quickly formed hand seals and released the only ninjutsu that could attack behind him: Earth-Style Rising Spears.
Two earthen spears shot up, piercing Leaf Monkey behind him.
Purple Cat simultaneously used the Mind Body Switch Technique (Secret Technique). She discovered two souls inside Leaf Monkey's mind!
A hundred li away, Kato Dan suddenly woke up in a cave.
A guard ninja next to him asked: "How did it go, Dan? Did you find any Rain ninja?"
Kato Dan shook his head, lying: "No, didn't find any Rain ninja, only some rogue ninja from the Land of Rain dissatisfied with Hanzo."
The matter of targeting the ANBU was known only to himself and Clan Head Hanaki; he couldn't tell the two guards beside him.
The guard said:
"Hanzo rules his subordinates harshly. It's said no one is allowed within ten meters of him, otherwise the leaking poison gas can kill people.
Without trusted aides, his control is poor, relying only on personal strength for intimidation. Rogue ninja groups are everywhere."
Kato Dan leaned against the wall, thoughtful, deeply regretting not finding any clues from the ninja codenamed Leaf Monkey.
Leaf Monkey had participated in the night of the Nine-Tails' transfer and sealing, but knew nothing of the truth; all orders came from Squadron Leader Fox.
Within the Fox Squadron, Fox was quite strong, and the two squad leaders, Purple Cat and White Goat, one from the Yamanaka clan and one from the Hyūga clan, both had strong spiritual energies.
While his soul was drifting in the air, he noticed that Squadron Leader Fox's soul was unusually powerful, about twice the strength of an ordinary soul.
Clan Head Hanaki said there was a Uzumaki spy in the ANBU. Only after confirming Squadron Leader Fox was not the Uzumaki spy could he be killed.
On the battlefield, cold sweat dripped down Yōkō's forehead: "Smoke Bomb!"
Everything was in chaos. Leaf Monkey had suddenly attacked him; his left shoulder was wounded.
Using the cover of the smoke bomb, Yōkō quickly jumped away to escape.
There was still a powerful enemy in the shadows. The matter of Nagato would have to wait for now.
The three Konoha ninja's goal was capturing Uzumaki Nagato, so they didn't bother with the retreating ANBU.
After disengaging, Yōkō said: "Head west! Find a place sheltered from the rain! Let me tend my wounds quietly!"
Uchiha Madara's cave was to the east; they had to get as far away from him as possible.
With his current physique, combining the Senju and Uzumaki bloodlines, his physical constitution was very strong. As long as he had a chance to rest quietly, relying on the Senju clan's slow self-healing ability, his shoulder wound could recover.
After finding a cave, Purple Cat treated and bandaged Yōkō's wound.
This was the closest Yōkō had ever come to true death. If not for that final dodge, Leaf Monkey's sneak attack would have pierced straight through his heart.
(Chapter End)