Since the Fox wasn't dead, there was no longer any need to report to Root.
But White Crane still did as Squad Leader Fox instructed, sending the intelligence praising Fox's Earth Release ninjutsu back to Root via the ninja hawk.
Yak came to Yōkō's side, gesturing with his kunai, implying whether they should execute White Crane here.
Yōkō shook his head and said, "White Crane is, after all, our Konoha comrade. Leave this matter to me to handle. I will resolve this hidden danger when we return to the village."
Purple Cat had just become pregnant not long ago; Yōkō couldn't bring himself to mercilessly execute the child's own aunt.
He missed his former self who had nothing.
If it were himself from over a year ago, White Crane would have been killed long ago.
He needed to go to the Uzumaki hideout as soon as possible to see if Yuka had deciphered Danzo's Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal.
Yōkō walked towards the Land of Rain noble's large ship, signaling for Yak to follow. They both Body Flickered onto the ship.
The nobles from the three countries saw the Konoha Anbu and exchanged panicked glances.
They occasionally looked at Koishi Chisa, thinking, wasn't it agreed to negotiate and resolve things in the noble way? Why did you secretly hire the Konoha Anbu?
And it was the famous Copper Fox from the Konoha Anbu at that.
Yōkō said, "No need to be nervous, everyone. We received intelligence that Iwa-nin were plotting to destroy the Tsutamidani Town aqueduct.
Konoha Anbu have killed the Iwa-nin Jōnin Yamashige. We hope this small incident hasn't affected you. Please continue."
Yōkō waved his hand and left with the Yak Squad via Body Flicker.
Koishi Chisa felt a sense of emptiness inside.
Yōkō left with the Yak Squad, heading quickly towards the border.
Near the Land of Rain border, Yōkō said:
"I actually didn't run into Uchiha Madara during this trip to the Land of Rain. It leaves me feeling empty, uncomfortable.
Yak, your squad has two tasks next.
First, wait for me at the Land of Rain border. I plan to venture deep into the Land of Rain to investigate intelligence on Uchiha Madara.
Your squad doesn't need to come. If I encounter Uchiha Madara, I might not be killed immediately, but protecting you all would be somewhat difficult."
Yak thought to himself, feeling empty because he didn't see Uchiha Madara?
The Lynx Squad lost two squad leaders last time they faced Uchiha Madara. Yak didn't think he was much stronger than those two squad leaders.
Yak quickly said, "I understand, Squad Leader. In front of Uchiha Madara, we would only hold you back."
Yōkō continued, "The second task: obtain the intelligence from the Iwa-nin Jōnin Yamashige's body as soon as possible.
I haven't heard any news about Uchiha Madara for a long time; I always feel he's plotting some major scheme."
White Crane felt extremely apprehensive.
Being discovered by the squad as having ties to Root, yet she wasn't killed. Now she could only follow the squad leader's orders.
The matter concerned Uchiha Madara, but she couldn't follow up on it.
Yōkō didn't avoid White Crane and said to Yak, "Yak, if you can find Uchiha Madara, write it into your squad's mission report."
Yak was delighted; the squad leader was giving him credit.
"I understand! Squad Leader, I'll wait for you at the border!"
After the Yak Squad left, Yōkō disappeared into the ground.
As a squad leader, he had the authority to decide his own mission content. The village wouldn't say anything even if they knew he was briefly absent.
The reason he sent the Yak Squad away was that Yuka had used the contract chakra to notify Yōkō through Hakuji.
When he reappeared, he was already outside the Uzumaki hideout.
In the rainforest, wisps of cooking smoke rose; the Uzumaki clansmen were well hidden.
Yuka came out holding a scroll.
She said excitedly, "Fox, I've finally deciphered Shimura Danzo's Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal!"
Yuka had had Ki's corpse for months, and only now managed to decipher it.
This Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal technique was powerful and endlessly troublesome.
"Good, very timely, very useful. Danzo's trump card is now useless."
In the secret tree house, after working up a sweat, Yōkō stroked Yuka's abdomen.
People under greater stress found it harder to get pregnant.
The other women were gradually showing signs, only Yuka hadn't caught up with this wave of baby boom.
On the return journey, Yōkō mentally rehearsed his plan to strike against Danzo again.
Root had become much quieter, rarely operating outside the Land of Fire, but they had become more insidious, using the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal to gather intelligence more secretly and accumulate power.
After meeting Yak at the Land of Rain border, Yōkō whispered something to him.
Yak's eyes lit up. The squad leader had actually found intelligence on Uchiha Madara!
Yōkō said to Yak, "Yak, write a report as soon as we return to the village.
I discovered a piece of information in the Land of Rain: Uchiha Madara also has a secret base within the Land of Fire.
The base's location is near the Valley of the End, west of Konoha Village."
Yak recalled some legends:
"Squad Leader, Uchiha Madara's death was faked, but initially, after Uchiha Madara was killed by the First Hokage, he was buried in the Valley of the End.
Could there be some major secret in the Valley of the End?"
Yōkō shook his head and said, "I don't know. Write the mission report quickly. I'll discuss with Battalion Commander Yellow Dog and organize an investigation of the Valley of the End as soon as possible."
"Okay, Squad Leader."
Yak was enthusiastic.
Uchiha Madara was the number one S-rank target on the Assassination Manual. Any intelligence regarding him was extremely important.
He thought this trip to the Land of Rain to assassinate the Iwa-nin Jōnin Yamashige was an A-rank mission, but unexpectedly, there was a surprise; it might turn into an S-rank mission.
Returning to the Konoha Anbu base, Yak immediately began writing the mission report.
In the adjacent squad locker room, White Crane stood by the crack in the door, watching the side office of the Yak Squad leader.
A few seconds later, White Crane went to her sister Purple Cat's office.
Passing by Squad Leader Fox's office door, White Crane couldn't help but quicken her pace.
Entering the assistant's office next to the squad leader's office, White Crane's tone instantly became lively, completely belying her troubled thoughts:
"Purple Cat, is there anything I can help with? Let's go home early today!"
"You've improved a bit, knowing to call me Purple Cat here, not sister," Purple Cat said:
"But not much improvement. We are Anbu ninja. When can we decide for ourselves when to go home?"
While chatting with Purple Cat, White Crane's eyes occasionally glanced at the bell on the side wall.
If Squad Leader Fox wanted to summon Purple Cat, he would ring the bell via a mechanism.
Before long, the bell rang.
Purple Cat stood up and went to the adjacent office.
After a while, Purple Cat returned.
"Purple Cat, is there a new mission?"
"Oh, deliver a scroll to Butterfly."
White Crane said, "Purple Cat, let me deliver it for you. You take good care of your health, don't risk the pregnancy. You pack up; after I deliver the scroll, we can go home together."
Purple Cat's eyes changed slightly, but she said, "Okay, deliver it to Butterfly quickly."
White Crane took the scroll and saw the Yak pattern on it.
This was the scroll Yak had just written.
White Crane left with the scroll and suddenly pushed the door open.
The dim corridor was empty, no Squad Leader Fox, no Squad Leader Yak.
White Crane thought to herself that her luck was good. Glancing at the contents of the scroll, her eyes instantly brightened.
Such valuable intelligence?
She hurried towards Deputy Chief Yellow Dog's office area; next to Deputy Chief Yellow Dog's office was Assistant Butterfly's office.
Inside the Root base.
Hei rushed swiftly through the base, quickly arriving before Danzo.
Danzo was standing in the cross-shaped bridge overpass, seemingly deep in thought.
Hei, not daring to disturb Danzo for long, said directly:
"Lord Danzo! The Fox has returned from the Land of Rain. He learned that Uchiha Madara has a base in the Land of Fire, located at the Valley of the End, where Uchiha Madara and the First Hokage fought!
The Anbu are organizing an investigation force! They're heading to the Valley of the End!"
Danzo was startled, then understood that for someone as proud as Uchiha Madara, being defeated by the First Hokage must have been an insurmountable hurdle in his heart.
Undoubtedly, the Valley of the End was extremely important to Uchiha Madara.
Danzo said, "Immediately! Take people to the Valley of the End! Find Uchiha Madara's secret base before the Anbu do!"
"Yes, sir!"
***
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(End of Chapter)