The New Year of Konoha Year 42 arrived in a stifling atmosphere.
The number of missions from the Land of Grass had decreased, and the mission volume from the Land of Rivers also seemed precarious.
The chill reached every Konoha shinobi.
The shinobi of Konoha all believed that Year 42 would be difficult.
They wondered if Advisor Sakumo, having gone to the Land of Grass, could reverse the decline.
During the New Year, there wasn't much to do. After some thought, Yōkō used Reverse Summoning to arrive at the Uzumaki clan's hiding place in the Land of Rain.
Yuka walked out of the barrier, holding an umbrella.
"This is the first time I've seen you use an umbrella. In the Land of Rain, a waterproof hood is more convenient; using an umbrella is so troublesome."
Yuka took Yōkō's hand and led him to their secret tree hollow.
Yōkō's "Four Rooms, Two Halls, One Kitchen, Three Bathrooms Technique" made the tree hollow feel like a cozy little home.
Yuka took off Yōkō's mask, leaned close to his ear, and said, "Fox, I'm pregnant!"
Yōkō was stunned. Yuka was finally pregnant.
Among his women, he had known Yuka the longest, but she was the last to get pregnant.
Koishi Yakata was born at the end of Year 40. Yozora and Yamanaka Yae were born in Year 41. Yuka's child wouldn't be born until the second half of Year 42.
"Good, good, good! Yuka, you need to take good care of yourself from now on. If the Uzumaki clan encounters any trouble, use Reverse Summoning on me anytime. I will definitely come to protect your safety."
Yōkō's control over the Anbu was growing stronger. Within Konoha, if not entirely do as he pleases, he could at least come and go freely.
Yuka nodded and said, "For the next six months or even a year, I won't be able to support your actions with Reverse Summoning like before."
"It's fine," Yōkō said. "Hatake Sakumo has become the External Affairs Advisor. It's not a good time for me to act recklessly for now. There won't be any major moves temporarily."
He had already forced Sarutobi Hiruzen to give up one high-level advisor position.
His main goal now was to stabilize Hatake Sakumo's position and prevent Danzo and others from using other means to force Hatake Sakumo to his death.
Hatake Sakumo was excellent in every way, but he was too rigid and prone to breaking. Despite being strong, he gave off a feeling that he could die at any moment.
Holding Yuka in his arms, Yōkō used Wood Release to create a recliner. The two nestled together, listening to the sound of the steady rain outside the window.
Before long, Yōkō felt Yuka's body temperature beside him rise significantly. Her face was flushed.
"This isn't good, is it?" Yōkō, now quite experienced, said: "The first few months aren't suitable."
"I know it's not good, but..."
Stars scattered in her eyes, her face shy and delicate. Such a wonderful woman made Yōkō's heart ache a little.
After returning to Konoha Village, Yōkō didn't leave the izakaya's underground base.
He opened the Right Scroll and tried to communicate with Yakushi Nonō.
Soon, text appeared on the scroll.
Yakushi Nonō was currently in the Land of Grass capital. Gibbon did not allow her to return to the village, ordering her to investigate Hatake Sakumo's movements and the Rogue Ninja Sarutobi Kanenosuke.
Yōkō thought to himself, How could Yakushi Nonō find Sarutobi Kanenosuke in the Land of Grass? Sarutobi Kanenosuke is right here in the village.
Hatake Sakumo had the title of advisor, but the village higher-ups didn't trust him, even sending their most elite spy to investigate him.
After the New Year, Yōkō thought he could stay in the village peacefully for a while. However, on the fifth day after the New Year, Yōkō was summoned to the Hokage's office.
In the office were Yellow Dog and Utatane Koharu.
Before anyone else could speak, Utatane Koharu said first: "Fox, there's an urgent mission. I need you to go to the Land of Wind immediately."
Yōkō was very confused. Utatane Koharu rarely gave orders to the Anbu; this was his first time dealing directly with Advisor Utatane Koharu.
Utatane Koharu said: "Yellow Dog said that spies lurking in the Land of Wind have sent back a message.
The Third Kazekage's disciple, Sasori, actually equipped his puppet with Mitokado Homura's Five Shinobi Blades!
Those weapons were passed down to Mitokado Homura by the Second Hokage-sensei. Initially, they were all from the First Hokage's weapon treasury.
We cannot let Mitokado Homura's Five Shinobi Blades remain outside. Fox, infiltrate the Land of Wind and retrieve those weapons."
Yōkō took the mission scroll and saw the five weapons described on it.
Senju Broadsword, Chakra Metal Ninjato, Giant Fūma Shuriken, Assassination Black Blade, Nine-Sectioned Staff.
The others were manageable, but the Nine-Sectioned Staff... forget it. That weapon was already destroyed by Mitokado Homura's Flying Thunder God Guiding Thunder Technique.
Yōkō said: "Understood, Advisor Koharu. I will set out immediately for the Land of Wind to recover Lord Mitokado Homura's Five Shinobi Blades."
After leaving the office, Yōkō caught up with Yellow Dog and asked, "Lord Yellow Dog, I lack a suitable weapon. After recovering the weapons, I wonder if I could choose one?"
Yellow Dog said: "Go and complete the mission with peace of mind. This mission is very crucial. Advisor Utatane Koharu values this task highly.
As for the distribution after recovery, I can apply to the Hokage and Advisor Utatane Koharu to assign one of the weapons to you.
But be careful. Don't use these weapons in front of Senju clan shinobi.
It's not that they can take them back, but it would cause a lot of trouble and lead to resentment within the Senju clan."
Yōkō said: "I understand. Many of the First and Second's legacies were left to the village, not to the Senju clan. Of course they have grievances.
The village is the village, and the Senju clan is the Senju clan."
Hearing Yellow Dog's support, Yōkō was very satisfied.
"Lord Yellow Dog, this mission might involve infiltrating Sunagakure. I'd better go alone. Even if I brought White Ram into Sunagakure, I'd fear he might not make it out."
Yellow Dog thought for a moment and said, "Fox, you know that Anbu shinobi must operate in teams.
On one hand, it's for mutual support and to effectively increase the mission success rate.
On the other hand, it's also a long-standing monitoring method within the Anbu.
You are the Vice-Chief and need to uphold Anbu discipline even more. You cannot be the one to break the rules.
You can take a squad into the Land of Wind, have them hide at a distance, and provide support from afar."
Yōkō nodded.
He never expected complete freedom. The Hokage needed to know all Anbu actions and wouldn't let any Anbu operate entirely alone.
He was testing the village's bottom line.
Being allowed to lead a squad that provided distant support was already very free for him.
Once out of the squad's sight, who would know what he did?
He selected the Leaf Monkey Squad from the Anbu, and Yōkō left the village.
He passed through the forests of the Land of Fire, crossed the rivers of the Land of Rivers.
Yōkō arrived at the Land of Rivers capital.
"Leaf Monkey, go find the Captain of the Guardian Ninja. Gather intelligence on the activities of the Suna-nin Sasori in the Land of Rivers capital."
"Yes, sir!"
After sending the Leaf Monkey Squad away, Yōkō infiltrated the Office of the Chief Treasurer.
In the main chamber of Chisa's residence, the one-year-old Koishi Yakata was running around wildly on the floor.
This child had a strong constitution; the Uzumaki clan's talent was high.
Yōkō watched Yakata from the shadows for a while. After Yakata tired himself out, 'shut down,' and was led to bed by a maid, Yōkō used Body Flicker to appear behind Koishi Chisa.
Koishi Chisa was handling some documents.
The Land of Rivers Daimyō's seal was on her desk; she was acting with the Daimyō's authority.
Chisa's shoulders were suddenly gripped by a pair of strong hands, which began to massage her.
Chisa was startled. She looked up, saw a fox mask, and relaxed.
She leaned back, resting the back of her head against Fox's abdomen, enjoying his massage.
"Chisa, what's the current situation in the Land of Rivers?"
Chisa said: "My brother, the Daimyō, was poisoned. Konoha sent medical-nin. They said the toxin caused irreversible damage to my brother's nervous system.
Coupled with the assassination of the eldest prince by a Suna puppeteer, I am now managing the Land of Rivers."
"Irreversible damage?"
Yōkō thought that if Tsunade were invited, there might be hope to cure the Daimyō. But why would he invite Tsunade?
His alliance with Tsunade was extremely secret.
Senju Yōkō could invite Tsunade, but Anbu Vice-Chief Fox could not.
Besides, Chisa gaining more power was good for her and their son.
He wouldn't tell Chisa that he could get Tsunade.
What if Chisa also didn't want her brother to wake up? What if she just couldn't say it out loud?
How could he let Chisa make such a difficult choice?
It was better for him, the villain, to handle it. He was familiar with the role.
Chisa said: "Three days ago, Advisor Sakumo just left the capital for the Land of Grass.
When he was here, I felt very secure. I've heard the name White Fang many times.
Now that he's gone, I feel danger everywhere in the capital."
Yōkō said: "It's fine. I'm just about to go to the Land of Wind. I'll teach the Suna-nin a lesson there, make them behave and stop causing trouble in the Land of Rivers."
Hearing this, Chisa felt much more at ease.
"Look at the moon tonight, so big and round... I wonder if there's anything bigger and rounder than the moon..."
--
The full moon was like a silver plate.
In the latter half of the night, Yōkō waited for the Leaf Monkey Squad outside the capital.
He had thought he might meet Yakushi Nonō here.
Unfortunately, a message came back through the Right Scroll: Yakushi Nonō had gone to the Land of Grass capital to continue gathering intelligence on Hatake Sakumo.
Before long, the Leaf Monkey Squad arrived outside the city.
"Sir, I met the Guardian Ninja Captain, Sarutobi Hinotama. He told me about the clue regarding the Suna-nin Sasori and gave me a scroll."
Yōkō took the scroll and skimmed it.
Sarutobi Hinotama's intelligence was sparse and crude; Yōkō had at least seen Sasori before.
What surprised him more was that after Mitokado Koshi's death, the position of Captain of the Land of Rivers Daimyō's Guardian Ninja had fallen into the hands of the Sarutobi clan.
Thus, the Sarutobi clan now held the positions of Captain of the Guardian Ninja for the Daimyō of the Land of Fire, the Land of Rivers, and the Land of Hot Water.
Their greed was really unseemly.
Yōkō looked towards the direction of the Land of Fire.
Hatake Sakumo had become the External Affairs Advisor, responsible for the security of the four minor nations. It wasn't a good time to continue targeting him.
Then, if the Guardian Ninja of the Land of Fire Daimyō were to die, wouldn't Hatake Sakumo's responsibility be somewhat less?
After dealing with the mission concerning Mitokado Homura's weapons, he could go and 'look after' the Land of Fire Daimyō's Guardian Ninja.
At the same time, somewhere in the Land of Rain.
When Tobi entered the tree hollow, he was surprised to see several wooden tubes growing from the waist of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, connected to Lord Madara's back.
"Lord Madara, what is this?"
Uchiha Madara said: "Konoha Village's development momentum is too good, which is not beneficial for Nagato to collect the Nine-Tails later.
I will adjust for a period, then go to Konoha Village to kill the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki and release the Nine-Tails, making it easier to seal later."
Tobi shouted happily:
"Lord Madara! Is the Demonic Statue's energy flowing into your body like water?
Does this count as eating? Does it mean you don't have to poop?"
***
Dive deeper into the story with 50+ advance chapters, available now on Patreon!patreon.com/CNBLUE
If you're enjoying the novel, please consider leaving a review. Your support is crucial and helps the story grow immensely. Thank you!
(End of Chapter)