Several days later, a message arrived via the Right Scroll in Yako's hand.
Having received critical intel from Nonō Yakushi, Yako returned to Konoha's main camp and found Hatake Sakumo.
"Lord Sakumo, I just extracted the location of the Hidden Cloud's base during a patrol interrogation. I can't confirm the intel's accuracy, so I'm bringing it to you and the tactical staff for evaluation."
The conflict in the Land of Hot Water had lasted nearly two months. During that time, Hatake Sakumo had cultivated a following.
He, along with Yamashiro, Moonlight Kento, and others, had selectively mentored over fifty tokubetsu jōnin, chūnin, and genin—most of whom were shaping up to be loyal supporters.
It was time to wrap this up. Any longer, and it would start looking like Konoha's White Fang was incompetent.
Sakumo's eyes lit up. "Good. This drawn-out tug-of-war has cost too many lives—it should've ended long ago."
He spent over an hour poring over the map with his advisors. The location Yako brought back closely resembled the suspected Hidden Cloud command post.
"I'll take a squad to scout it out," Yako said.
"Go. And return quickly," Sakumo replied.
That night, Yako led the White Ram squad out under cover of darkness.
Everyone was brimming with excitement. They now carried the Ten Seal as a trump card, and they were eager to test it on Hidden Cloud shinobi.
Crossing into the Land of the Moon, the terrain quickly became rugged and steep.
After bypassing several mountain peaks, Yako located a secluded valley.
Clouds blanketed the skies above it—no way any scouting falcon or aerial jutsu could pierce that mist.
Reaching the opposite ridge, Yako gestured for the squad to halt.
Using binoculars, they watched the valley for over an hour. Not a single soul moved.
But Nonō Yakushi's intel had pointed to this very location.
Yako stood at the front of the formation and quietly activated his Byakugan.
What surprised him was the sheer length of the valley. Even with a three-kilometer range, he still couldn't see its end.
No wonder no one entered from the front—Hidden Cloud shinobi could leap into the valley from anywhere along its edges.
"We move. Climb the western ridge," Yako ordered.
He didn't enter the fog-shrouded valley. Instead, the squad scaled the slopes.
The summit was bare—nothing but crumbling white stone and uneven cliffs.
With chakra laced under their feet, they treaded cautiously. But erosion was severe—rocks crumbled constantly beneath their steps.
White Ram frowned at the sound. The falling debris made too much noise. What if someone heard?
As they climbed, Yako's Byakugan spotted a squad descending from the mountaintop.
He immediately signaled everyone to stop.
The peak above them had already disappeared into the clouds.
Everyone—White Ram included—stared upward, muscles tensed.
The mist, once a faint haze, thickened rapidly into dense, unbroken white.
White Ram glanced behind him. Every member was slightly crouched, ready to attack or dodge.
"Scatter!"
Yako shouted and leapt into the air.
The others darted to the sides.
A piercing beam of light burst through the fog.
That glow—unnatural, sharp—was Storm Release: a fusion of Water and Lightning Release.
None of them were hit. Not even close.
Darui, hidden in the mist, was surprised.
He could accept that the Copper Fox—a renowned ANBU—had dodged.
But all four of his subordinates too?
When Yako had called out, not one of them had hesitated. They obeyed instantly—no questions, no confusion.
That kind of reaction came only from absolute trust and absolute discipline.
The Storm Release beam veered mid-air, curving back around toward Yako.
It retained Water Release's properties—flexible, tracking, relentless.
Suspended mid-air, Yako had several options:
—Twist his body and dodge with taijutsu.
—Use Wind Release to launch himself sideways.
—Take it head-on, test its power.
A real man obviously chose Option Three: tank it.
Yako swiftly condensed Water Release chakra.
A spiraling serpent of liquid coiled around him.
The Storm Release beam struck the semi-absolute defense: Spiral Serpent.
It slowed dramatically.
Like a Faraday cage, the water barrier absorbed and redirected the electrical force.
Water splashed through the air. Who would've guessed such a slim coil held so much chakra?
The beam dissipated.
Yako landed safely.
From within the mist, Darui stepped forward.
"So you're the Copper Fox of Konoha—the one who blocked the Third Raikage's strike?"
Hatake Sakumo had long planned to crush the Hidden Cloud command post in a swift raid. Ideally, kill Darui.
Who would've thought Darui would show up here himself?
The battle erupted instantly.
Yako's pupils narrowed.
Fast!
Darui's Body Flicker brought him right in front of Yako, blade swinging at his skull.
Spiral Serpent coiled around again, intercepting the blow just in time.
Darui's blade met resistance.
Lightning sparked along the steel. With force, he cleaved through the water barrier—but Yako had already retreated.
Yako quickly analyzed his opponent.
Storm Release Kekkei Genkai.
Extreme-speed Body Flicker.
Lightning-infused sword style—similar to Chidori Blade.
All of it: top-tier.
Yako formed a hand seal and fired a Water Release: Water Severing Wave.
A high-pressure stream shot straight for Darui's chest.
Darui vanished mid-stride, reappearing elsewhere in a blur of arcs.
Yako's gaze narrowed at the visible sparks around Darui's calves.
Lightning Flicker?
Yako chuckled.
'Darui, you're a bit too flashy. I don't even know what to want from you first.'
He'd already learned enough.
The Cloud command base was here.
Darui was here.
His abilities included Storm Release, Lightning Flicker, and Lightning Blade technique.
Storm Release packed massive force.
Lightning Flicker—one of the fastest movement techniques Yako had seen.
Darui lunged again.
This time, Yako didn't use Spiral Serpent—he used Bronze Light.
The lightning-infused blade slammed against the Bronze Light barrier with a sharp metallic clang.
The Earth-nature chakra crystals cracked—Lightning Release disrupted their internal structure.
Even with the elemental advantage, Bronze Light withstood two strikes.
Yako had just found the barrier's limit.
Darui's third swing cleaved Yako clean in half.
His blade finished in a diagonal slash.
Darui's body froze, stunned.
What…?
No Shadow Clone?
No Earth Substitution?
He remembered the intel—Copper Fox specialized in Earth Release and substitution techniques.
Then—
[Fatal damage detected. Activating Arc of the Waning Moon system...]