Orochimaru actually asked Yako for his opinion on the investigation. That level of regard caught Yako off guard.
He immediately straightened his posture and replied:
"Orochimaru-sama, you're the personal student of the Third Hokage.
Lord Yellow Dog once told me that the ANBU currently serve under the Third, but someday, they'll be yours.
For this mission, I will follow your orders without question!"
Whatever Yellow Dog might be aiming for—whether he wanted to become the Fourth or not—there was no denying he was still far behind Orochimaru.
Among the upper ranks of the village, Yellow Dog was a known figure. But within the village itself, he remained in the shadows.
If he truly aimed to become the Fourth Hokage, then he was likely following Danzo's path: climb from ANBU commander or vice-commander to Hokage advisor.
Use that post to build prestige—then vie for the seat.
By throwing that little hat in the air, Orochimaru might have no choice but to say a few kind words about him now and then.
Orochimaru chuckled, the sound low and amused. He hadn't expected the fox to be so clever. He said:
"Fox, for this mission, you'll be the one to stall the Third Raikage."
Yako froze.
Who? Me? Huh?
Was this how their master-disciple hierarchy worked? When trouble came knocking, it was the subordinate's turn to step up? And if they didn't, they'd be forced to?
He nodded stiffly. "Understood, Orochimaru-sama."
Just agree for now. If it came to it, he could always throw Orochimaru in front of him as a human shield.
And if Orochimaru didn't play along? Then he'd toss C in front instead. He couldn't handle Orochimaru, sure—but C? That was doable.
It'd be rude not to use him as a meat shield at that point.
C didn't understand why Fox was looking at him like that. There was something... off about that gaze.
Was he expecting him to speak on his behalf?
No way!
Orochimaru was Root's top operative—Unit A. How could a lowly Root shinobi possibly go against his orders?
Still, C was confused. Did Orochimaru really believe the Fox could hold off the Third Raikage?
Last time when they traveled with Hatake Sakumo, Sakumo had been considerate of Tokubetsu jōnin like Hayama Shirakumo and held back on his pace.
Orochimaru, on the other hand, had none of those bad habits. He moved entirely at his own tempo, flying ahead.
Yako watched Orochimaru's serpentine running form—arms swaying fluidly at his sides—much more efficient than the typical ninja's "arms straight behind" sprint.
He could just about keep up, though it took effort.
C, on the other hand, was a wreck. Gasping, shaking, legs about to give out. Yako was genuinely worried the man might go into rhabdomyolysis at any moment.
Thirteen days.
That's how long it took them to reach the depths of the Land of Lightning.
Just thirty kilometers ahead, atop the jagged mountain peaks, lay Kumogakure.
Any deeper in, and they'd risk detection by the Cloud ninja.
Orochimaru said, "C, find your Root contact. Send out the intel."
C obeyed immediately, staggering toward the summit on trembling legs.
Orochimaru and Yako remained hidden in a nearby valley.
Being alone with Orochimaru came with its own pressure.
Yako couldn't help but worry. He hadn't received any chakra signals from the Contract Seal.
How was Yuka's team faring in the Land of Iron?
Even if she did signal him, could he break away with Orochimaru right beside him?
The full moon hung like a silver platter in the sky.
It had been nearly a month since they set out—yet another month wasted in ANBU's service.
Two nights after the full moon, C finally returned.
Orochimaru asked, "What did Yakushi Nonō report?"
Yako blinked. So Orochimaru knew who the contact was?
Yakushi Nonō—Root's top operative, the one they trusted with only the most crucial assignments.
C saluted. "Orochimaru-sama! It's not about the Eight-Tails' Jinchūriki. The ones who assassinated D and G... they've resurfaced!"
Yako stiffened. Wait, weren't they here to investigate the Eight-Tails host? When did this become about D and G's assassins?
And seriously—the assassin had been with them for the entire journey.
Chilly on the back yet, C?
C rushed on, "F, along with the others, set a trap. They caught three masked ninja—demonic masks!
Orochimaru-sama, as planned, now's the time for you to personally execute them!"
Yako's pupils contracted.
Three demon masked shinobi?
That had to be Yuka and the others.
"Oh?" Orochimaru murmured. "Now this is interesting. Someone's gone after Root not once, but multiple times. I'd like to meet them. Where are they?"
"A message via ninja hawk—three assassins with formidable strength were chased from the Land of Iron into the bay between the Land of Iron and the Land of Lightning by four Root ninja!"
Yako quickly calculated. Even with ninja hawks being faster than shinobi, it would've taken at least two days from Iron Country to the bay.
That meant Yuka's team had been in danger for two days.
Orochimaru said, "Lead the way. Let's go meet these would-be Root assassins."
Yako immediately spoke up, "Orochimaru-sama! Our mission is to investigate Eight-Tails' Jinchuriki. Changing objectives without authorization might jeopardize our original mission—"
Orochimaru cut in, voice smooth: "Fox, don't let ANBU missions shackle your thinking. There are things in this world far more important than a mission.
Like these three assassins bold enough to strike at Root—I wonder if they even know who Danzo is?
Such courage... I haven't seen it in a long time. I must meet them."
Yako swallowed his unease. Orochimaru was the commanding officer—just the fact that he bothered to explain himself was a rare courtesy.
There was no room to argue.
The three of them moved swiftly toward the bay.
Between the Land of Lightning and the Land of Iron was a narrow coastal strait. For ninja, walking across its waters was easy.
This time, Yako surged ahead, sometimes even outpacing Orochimaru.
Orochimaru took note of the Fox's speed and simply assumed he was anxious about the Eight-Tails mission, so he sped up too.
But the rocky terrain of the Land of Lightning was rough.
C was suffering again—face flushed, drenched in sweat—nowhere near the pace of the other two.
The air grew damp. Rain traces still lingered in the soil. They were nearing the coastline.
Yako thought to himself: Uzumaki Yuka has access to many summoning beasts from her clan's legacy—but she can't use them here.
Once a flying summoning creature like the Eight-Winged Crow, Longspear Egret, or a giant owl appeared, their identities would be exposed.
The moment someone recognized them as remnants of Uzushio Village, everything would spiral.
They crested a high ridge—
And there, in masks—one like a river kappa, the other like a vengeful spirit—stood Yuka and Uzumaki Kaichō.
No sign of Uzumaki Genchō.
Behind Yuka, four Root ninja gave chase.
Three on foot: J, F, and X.
One in the sky: R, flying on Super Beast Imitating Drawing: Bird Between Clouds.
Yako glanced at Orochimaru beside him, weighing his options—how could he save Yuka?
He scanned the entire battlefield, searching for data.
R, soaring above, was clearly a user of the Super Beast Imitating Drawing technique. The same technique used by Sai in the original canon—this man was likely his senior.
That bird was fast.
Around J, a dense cloud of insects swirled.
Yamanaka and Aburame clans—willingly or not—had contributed many shinobi to Danzo's Root.
As for J and X, they were simply pursuing, their abilities not yet revealed.
Yako noticed Yuka was indeed refraining from using any summoning beasts—trying desperately not to expose her clan's identity and draw Danzo's eye.
Just taijutsu and ninjutsu—against four elite Root operatives—that put her group at a major disadvantage.
If Danzo learned that the Uzumaki remnants possessed this level of power, he'd stop at nothing to eliminate them completely.
He was a master of erasing threats—root and all.
C, upon seeing two masked figures, charged in without hesitation.
Orochimaru and Yako remained where they stood.
The former was curious—he found the scene amusing.
The latter needed more intel.