Yōkō arrived at the north bank of the Yoshimizu River and followed the codes to find Battalion Commander Yellow Dog.
"Battalion Commander, I captured a Suna-nin in Tsutamidani Town and obtained their intelligence."
Battalion Commander Yellow Dog's heart swelled with joy. "Fox, you're as capable as ever."
Purple Cat felt a surge of annoyance nearby.
Extracting intelligence should have been her job, but because the Captain was too capable, and she had slept so soundly, he had handled everything himself.
Purple Cat suddenly remembered that precisely because the Captain was so capable, she had been able to sleep so soundly.
Yōkō said:
"Battalion Commander, the Suna-nin are led by Elite Jōnin Matsu.
Matsu discovered several limestone caves within the Kikō Mountain Range. They've interconnected these caves, creating a passageway through the entire mountain range.
The Suna-nin plan to blow up the riverbank north of Tsutamidani Town tomorrow morning, diverting the water into the caves. It will eventually gush out from the southern side of the Kikō Mountain Range, creating an oasis on the Gobi Desert there."
After receiving a signal from Captain Fox, Purple Cat unfolded a waterproof map for the Battalion Commander.
Yellow Dog looked at the map and said:
"The Yoshimizu River isn't just a major river in the Land of Rain; it's also a crucial waterway in western Land of Rivers, flowing past its capital.
If the Sunagakure diverts the Yoshimizu River here, the Land of Rivers' capital would be severely impacted.
Whether to weaken the Land of Wind or to protect the capital of our Land of Fire's vassal state, the Land of Rivers, we cannot stand idly by.
A prosperous Land of Wind means more income for Sunagakure, which is disadvantageous for us Konoha.
The Land of Rivers is one of Konoha's important sources of missions.
Even without Hanzo's request, we must thwart Sunagakure's plan.
Fox, assemble the Hippo and Yak Squadrons. Tomorrow, we will crush Sunagakure's scheme!"
After gathering the three squadrons, Battalion Yellow Dog crossed the river overnight.
A sensor ninja detected the Suna-nin.
"There's a Suna-nin team near a hut by the riverbank!"
Yōkō looked over; it was the remote hut where the River Patrol Uncle lived.
With the River Patrol Uncle controlled, there would be no early warning.
Yōkō and Squadron Leader Yak took action, silently eliminating the four Suna-nin.
The Suna-nin squad leader's body was brought before Yellow Dog, who ordered Purple Cat to extract intelligence.
Besides the intel Yōkō had already reported, Purple Cat added that Matsu had brought two full battalions of Earth Release ninja.
"Two battalions..." Yellow Dog said, "Not impossible to fight. Fire Release counters Wind Release. I'll hold off Matsu later.
Fox Squadron and Hippo Squadron, you will each engage one Suna-nin battalion.
Yak Squadron has the most Earth Release users. Yak Squadron is responsible for collapsing and filling the caves to prevent the water from passing through.
Once the caves collapse, each squadron will provide covering fire in sequence and withdraw in an orderly manner."
Yōkō thought to himself, Battalion Commander Yellow Dog really doesn't care about his subordinates' lives.
One squadron holding off an entire battalion? Wouldn't his squadron suffer massive casualties again?
And that last part about 'covering fire in sequence, orderly withdrawal' – it made his throat itch just hearing it, feeling like a death sentence.
Providing rear cover was the most dangerous task of all, bar none.
Saying it had a 'one in ten chance of survival' would be an understatement.
Battalion Yellow Dog advanced further, bypassing the quiet Tsutamidani Town.
Yōkō looked at the town, thinking, This time, you won't die so tragically. You shouldn't die so tragically.
The battalion soon discovered Suna-nin using Earth Release to dig a channel.
A Suna-nin battalion was positioned on each side of the channel.
Yōkō charged at the forefront. Drawing on nearly all his chakra, he formed hand seals and slammed his hands on the ground, using Earth Release: Earth-Style Rising Spears.
In front of Yōkō, across an area over fifty meters long and nearly five meters wide, dense clusters of Earth-Style Rising Spears erupted violently, resembling giant thorns.
Nearly ten Suna-nin, unable to dodge in time, died in this technique.
Matsu, from the side, saw the Fox Anbu and angrily launched a Wind Release: Wind Cutter.
However, Yōkō, as if he had anticipated Matsu's attack, leaped into the air, head down, waist up, legs kicking backward, perfectly dodging the three wind blades.
Fortunately, I gained a lot of intel on Matsu in my previous life, otherwise those three wind blades would have been trouble.
Yellow Dog saw the scale of Fox's jutsu and marveled inwardly. With this power, Fox could practically be considered a Jōnin.
He hadn't expected Fox's growth rate to be so rapid.
"Matsu! Your opponent is me!"
A massive Fire Release: Blazing Shot illuminated the rainy night, rushing toward Matsu.
Team White Marten protected Yōkō, allowing him to recover his chakra.
Teams White Ram and Kika intercepted the charging Suna-nin.
After recovering slightly, Yōkō drew on his chakra once more.
Another large-scale Earth Release: Earth-Style Rising Spears killed seven or eight more Suna-nin.
After two large-scale techniques, the 60-strong Suna-nin battalion had been reduced by nearly 20 men.
Yōkō drew his ninjato and charged toward the Suna-nin Battalion Commander.
White Ram was struggling desperately under the Suna-nin Battalion Commander's assault.
"White Ram! Let me handle this!"
White Ram breathed a sigh of relief. He was no match for the Suna-nin Battalion Commander; after just a few seconds of combat, he already had two wounds.
"Earth Release: Flying Rubble!"
The Suna-nin Battalion Commander formed hand seals and slapped the ground. The earth in front of him shattered, and over a dozen large rocks shot out violently.
Yōkō weaved left and right among the stones, occasionally using his ninjato to slice apart those he couldn't dodge.
The Suna-nin Battalion Commander had thought the Fox Anbu was a ninjutsu specialist, never expecting his taijutsu to be so strong as well.
He increased the power of his technique, hurling large chunks of rock everywhere.
Before long, the area around Yōkō and the Suna-nin Battalion Commander was piled high with stones.
Yōkō looked at the complex terrain and the chaotic state of the other battlefields, thinking, I can find an opportunity to end this quickly...
After dodging another volley of Flying Rubble, Yōkō charged at the Suna-nin Battalion Commander.
Near the commander, Yōkō formed seals and used Earth Release: Earth-Style Rising Spears.
The Suna-nin Battalion Commander hastily jumped upward.
However, this time the Earth-Style Rising Spears formed a ring, trapping both Yōkō and the Suna-nin Battalion Commander inside.
When the Suna-nin Battalion Commander landed, he found the surrounding Flying Rubble propped up by the Earth-Style Rising Spears, enclosing them both.
No one could see inside, especially since Battalion Commander Yellow Dog was locked in a perilous, back-and-forth battle with Matsu.
Yōkō used his strongest technique.
After forming a single hand seal.
"Self-Cursing Body Binding Seal!"
This sealing technique was Yōkō's true specialty!
After obtaining the Uzumaki clan's Bloodline, the power of Yōkō's sealing techniques had increased dramatically. It was the only technique of his rated at 'Mastery'.
Sealing formulae appeared on the ground, instantly crawling up the Suna-nin's legs, waist, shoulders, and head.
The Suna-nin's gaping mouth couldn't even close.
His eyes filled with terror; he couldn't form a single hand seal.
The Uzumaki clan was wiped out... it seems Konoha gained the most from it. How else could an Anbu squadron leader master such an exquisite sealing technique?
The rain could not obscure the dazzling gleam of the blade. The Suna-nin Battalion Commander's forehead was brutally split open by the ninjato, his brains forced out.
The origin of the sealing technique must remain unknown. I must ensure no one finds out. I must destroy his brain.
After the Suna-nin Battalion Commander died, Yōkō leaped out of the enclosure formed by the Flying Rubble and Earth-Style Rising Spears, his first glance going to Battalion Commander Yellow Dog.
Yellow Dog was still locked in fierce combat with Matsu.
Even with Fire Release countering Wind Release, Battalion Commander Yellow Dog still couldn't gain the upper hand.
Matsu's proficiency in Wind Release was extremely high.
Seeing that Battalion Commander Yellow Dog hadn't noticed the anomaly here, Yōkō breathed a sigh of relief.
There were no Hyūga in the battalion. As long as visual contact was blocked, he wouldn't be exposed.
He needed to free up his hands quickly to assist his squadron. He didn't want the squadron to suffer heavy casualties.
If protecting the residents of Tsutamidani Town resulted in massive deaths within his squadron, it would be a net loss.
Leaping down from the en
closure, Yōkō plunged into the fray like a tiger among sheep. The ordinary Suna-nin were completely no match for Yōkō.
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