The capital of the Land of Grass was unlike any other.
It didn't stay in one place.
Instead, it moved with the grazing fields—less a city, more a shifting fortress of tents sprawling across the plains.
After listening to Yuka's intel, learning that the target would depart at dawn, Yako turned to her, his gaze landing on the white demon mask she wore.
"Leave the rest to me. You three stay far away and observe from a distance."
"Yuka—lend me your mask. Let the first blow against the Shimura clan be dealt by someone wearing the face of the Uzumaki."
Without hesitation, Yuka removed her mask and handed it to him.
Uzumaki Kaichō noticed that even beneath Fox's ANBU mask, another layer concealed his features. His true face was a complete mystery.
Once the white demon mask settled onto his face, Yako's entire presence shifted.
Feral. Menacing.
An hour later.
Shimura Tan, a Tokubetsu jōnin of the Shimura clan, walked the road back to Konoha, flanked by two clan chūnin.
"Brother Tan, once you're promoted, that'll be another jōnin for the Shimura!"
"Yeah! Hey, do you think you'll get assigned as a jōnin guardian? Those guys are scary—nobles bow to them."
Their flattering voices buzzed around the proud young shinobi striding ahead.
Tan replied smugly, "That's not for me to decide. The clan leader will arrange my post.
"I'd rather join ANBU or Root—but ever since ANBU downsized, they only replace the dead. Too much hassle."
The three of them advanced briskly, sunlight creeping above the horizon.
Then a shimmer in the corner of Tan's eye caught his attention.
A glint on the roadside—a shallow puddle in the grass reflecting the first rays of dawn.
This region had lush pastures, plenty of water. The capital wouldn't be moving anytime soon.
They walked past it.
Then—shnk!
A flash of steel—air tearing.
Tan whirled, only to see a figure in a black cloak and a white demon mask appear beside him, mid-Body Flicker.
A kunai plunged into his side—deep.
What kind of Body Flicker was that?!
The blade buried itself halfway in. Tan staggered.
Before he could recover, the masked attacker leapt back, hands flying into seals.
Tan's pupils shrank.
That sequence—it was Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet—a Sarutobi signature!
Seven seals.
A roaring dragon of flame exploded from the assailant's mouth.
Tan gritted his teeth, forming seals to counter with Wind Release.
Three wind techniques rose to meet one fire technique—and lost.
'Why… why is this assassin targeting me?'
Even three-on-one, they were being overwhelmed.
Yako pumped more chakra into the flame—its hue shifted from orange-red to blinding white.
The two Shimura chūnin were stunned.
Then… horrified.
They'd assumed Tan's promotion was earned. That he could handle an ambush.
They were wrong.
His wind techniques failed to fend off the fire.
They'd heard whispers in the clan—rumors that Tan wasn't ready for promotion. They hadn't believed it.
After all, even the Hokage had approved the exam.
But now, watching Tan flail after a single stab to the side, unable to fight back...
The flame subsided.
The battlefield cooled.
Three charred corpses lay smoldering in the grass.
Yako shook his head.
'Too greedy, Shimura clan.'
This man wasn't jōnin material—maybe upper-mid Tokubetsu jōnin at best. Not even elite.
A quick Water Flicker, a kunai to the ribs, and a Fire Release combo—they crumbled like paper.
They didn't even resist.
Tan had been nothing but dead weight.
Yako tossed three kunai into the corpses' skulls. Crack!
'Turns out fire-roasted skulls are quite brittle.'
Two hours later, a herder on horseback rode toward the capital.
He reeled in horror as he approached what he thought were three dark cocoons.
But no.
They were burnt bodies.
He galloped toward the capital to report the incident to the local guards.
Soon, Shimura Kabi, captain of the daimyo's Guardian Ninja, arrived on the scene with several men.
"Who did this?! WHO DID THIS?!"
Judging by the timing, size, and position of the corpses, they had to be Shimura Tan and his escorts.
Kabi examined the area.
The terrain bore marks of battle—three Wind Releases versus a devastating Fire Release.
A Fire Release strong enough to crush three Wind users.
And Fire Release experts? Most came from Konoha.
Kabi's face darkened.
Someone from the village had done this.
But who had the audacity to kill a Shimura?
A rising star, no less?
And on the eve of his jōnin promotion?
He ordered the team to gather intelligence.
Hyūga Shin, a Guardian Ninja, examined the kunai embedded in the corpses.
'So cautious…'
'Their brains are already ash. Was it really necessary to destroy the heads too?'
'Either the killer is obsessive—or just used to it.'
And then he chuckled to himself.
'Name like "Tan," and you die by getting carbonized. How poetic.'
"Captain Kabi," Hyūga Shin said, "the killer left no tracks. They're ruthless. Precise. I can't find any usable clues."
Kabi scowled.
'It has to be those damned Uchiha. Evil Uchiha!'
He sent a messenger back to Konoha to report Tan's death to Clan Leader Danzō.
Meanwhile, Fox returned.
Seeing him alive, Yuka, Genchō, and Kaichō were shaken.
He'd really done it.
He killed three Konoha shinobi.
They'd assumed that—even as a spy—Fox wouldn't go that far.
But he had.
And he'd shown no hesitation.
'If all ANBU were like him… we'd never stand a chance,' Kaichō thought.
'Thank god he's ours.'
"The Uzumaki clan's revenge has begun," Yako declared.
"There's no time to rest. I have more intel."
"A Tokubetsu jōnin from the Sarutobi clan is currently in the Land of Hot Water. He's helping another Sarutobi secure a position as Guardian Captain. He'll return to Konoha next month for the jōnin exam."
"Yuka. Same plan. Track him quietly. Once you've confirmed his location—reverse summon me."
"Got it, Fox."
Yuka was elated. She hadn't expected such success—let alone a second target.
"Yuka, Kaichō, Genchō—I'll explain Konoha's internal power structure. It'll help you understand who we're up against."
"This recent jōnin conference cemented the rise of the Five Noble Clans: Sarutobi, Shimura, and the Ino-Shika-Chō trio. Together, they dominate."
"After this jōnin exam cycle, Konoha will have 220 jōnin.
"Of those, the Five Clans, ANBU, and Mitokado Homura's children account for 77 jōnin—a full third.
"All other clans combined—including Senju and Uchiha—make up only 39."
"The Senju? A mere 9 jōnin remain. Their influence is at an all-time low."
"The remaining 104 are civilians. Among them are Orochimaru and Jiraiya—but over 80 are subservient to the Third Hokage and the Five Clans."
"Many of those can be swayed. If a new Hokage rose, they'd follow."
Kaichō's face turned grim. He hadn't realized just how dire the Senju's position had become.
Yako added, "Princess Kushina is monitored constantly. At least one ANBU squad is on her at all times. Don't try to contact her yet. Be patient."
"We understand," Yuka replied. "Konoha's too big. We can't shake it yet. We won't act recklessly, nor try to reach Princess Kushina right now."
Kaichō thought to himself—if she was being monitored by a captain-level ANBU like Fox, then they could forget any contact for now.
ANBU captains… terrifying in both strength and resolve.
"I like this white demon mask," Yako said, smiling. "From now on, I'll use it for revenge missions."
"In that case," said Yuka, "let me enchant it with detection wards—so no one can peek through it."
"Sounds good. I'll pick it up next time."
He gave her the mask and hugged her briefly.
Then, using a signal, had White Porcelain reverse summon him back.
After he left, Kaichō said, "To think the Senju have someone so high up embedded in ANBU..."
"Fox is strong," Yuka said firmly. "We three are the strongest remaining Uzumaki. No one else can be told.
"If we die—his secret dies with us. Fox must stay hidden within Konoha's ANBU."
Both men nodded.
They had been imprisoned in Root's labs for nearly a year. No one hated Danzō and Konoha more.
Back in Konoha, Yako acted like nothing happened.
He even bought breakfast for himself and Kyoi.
He'd been a bit too thorough with last night's training session. She wasn't waking up anytime soon.
His taijutsu had improved lately.
Sparring at night, killing at dawn—it didn't disrupt anything.
He glanced toward the Shimura compound.
'I wonder when they'll find out Tan is dead.'
That morning, he reviewed his squad's assignments.
Most missions were focused on monitoring the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki.
No external deployments yet.
Several days passed.
Still, no signs of investigation.
'If only I were ANBU Vice Commander,' he thought. 'I'd know every secret—and could even assign myself to investigate myself.'
A few more days later, he noticed Captain Golden Eagle suddenly return to HQ.
He headed straight into Yellow Dog's office.
Then—Danzō arrived.
He entered the commander's office with both captains.
The commander's office was the largest, usually empty.
Yako smirked.
'Golden Eagle must've come up empty.'
With the Water Flicker Technique, combined with pre-set traps, killing someone unnoticed was trivial.
Sure enough, Danzō left shortly after, face like thunder.
One of his clan's promising heirs—dead in the Land of Grass, without a trace.
And Yako?
Still unbothered.
No one suspected him. No summons. No intel pings from Stone Panda or Yuka.
Danzō had no proof—and no moves to play.
Yako returned to his surveillance of Kushina Uzumaki.
Everything was normal.
She attended school, walked home with Namikaze Minato, then split at the usual intersection—she to the Senju compound, Minato to training.
There, Hatake Sakumo trained both Minato and a very young Kakashi.
Time passed.
Yako wondered how Yuka's investigation in the Land of Hot Water was going.
The full moon rose again, round and silver.
And Yako? He was ready.
He'd heard the jōnin exam was nearly complete—only the last group remained.
Three days after the full moon, deep in the night—
He felt it.
The pulse of summoning chakra.
Activating his Byakugan, he scanned the area.
Then descended into his underground training room, its walls lined with vines etched with the Concealment Barrier.
He summoned White Porcelain and White Glaze, then reverse summoned himself—
To the border of the Land of Hot Water.
Yuka was waiting.
She handed him the white demon mask.
"After Shimura Tan's death, the Sarutobi seem to be on edge. Their Tokubetsu jōnin, Sarutobi Yuu, has been moving erratically—stopping and starting at odd intervals.
"But we've confirmed he's holed up in that bathhouse for the night. He plans to leave at dawn."
Yako pulled on the white demon mask—now enhanced with sealing techniques. Just like Danzō's wrappings, it blocked both Uchiha and Hyūga detection.
"Got it. I'll handle the rest. You three—stay far back."
And like a shadow, he vanished.
Yuka and the others retreated beyond the town's edge.
The Land of Hot Water was filled with rolling hills and rich hot springs.
Yako didn't rush into the bathhouse. He took his time—studying its layout.
Soon, he found the intake tank.
In the rear courtyard, the hot spring water flowed first into a tall water tower. From there, gravity fed it into the indoor baths.
Yako flickered to the top of the tower, then slipped inside.
The bathhouse was filled with water.
Perfect.
His domain.
'Sarutobi Yuu… I'm coming.'