Cold sweat dripped continuously from the lower edge of the mask onto Yellow Dog's chest.
On the iron vest of his chest, the sweat drops shimmered blindingly under the sunlight.
This was the first time Night Light had seen Yellow Dog so disheveled, streaming with cold sweat.
Captain Yellow Dog's hand, gripping the scroll, was even more veined.
Night Light thought, has the cooperation between Senju Bo and Vortex Yuka finally taken effect?
Night Light could not allow Konoha's higher-ups to monopolize power, otherwise, his own scope of activity would become increasingly limited.
The extermination of the Uzumaki Clan was one thing; at that time, he was just a small fry. The Senju Clan absolutely could not be destroyed silently; they had to retain some influence to check the higher-ups.
If Senju Nawaki knew the truth, then the Senju Clan would surely cause trouble.
After pondering for a few seconds, Captain Yellow Dog said, "Ninja skilled in Earth Release stay! Everyone else return to the Village!"
Night Light immediately understood what Captain Yellow Dog intended to do.
A small number of elites would impersonate Stone Ninja, strike mercilessly, and eliminate Konoha's own people!
Anbu is a special assassination unit.
A part of the higher-ups' deterrent power came from the fact that the Hokage and Advisors would truly kill their own people.
Which higher-up didn't have a few lives of their own people on their hands?
As luck would have it, Night Light was skilled in Earth Release, and the Captain knew this, so he also stayed behind.
Purple Cat and the other two squad members left, Purple Cat turning back reluctantly, still somewhat unaccustomed to returning to the Village alone.
A total of five people followed Captain Yellow Dog back to the Land of Grass.
The atmosphere in the team was too heavy.
On the way, Shu, due to the arrangement of the sensory Ninja, asked Captain Yellow Dog for instructions and was cursed by Captain Yellow Dog for two minutes.
Captain Yellow Dog's neck veins bulged, and his words were very harsh, causing the other squad members to hurriedly lower their heads.
Captain Yellow Dog finally said:
"Hokage-sama and Danzo-sama are personally heading to the front-line camp! Just to clean up our mess!
Who the hell can tell me! Why did Senju Bo know our intelligence! Why was he able to lead us, Kabuto, around for so long!
Why, even though Senju Bo is clearly dead, the Senju Clan Ninja still know something and are constantly meeting in secret.
We failed! We all failed!"
Night Light heard some bad news: the Third Hokage and Danzo were both coming.
Either the trouble would be nipped in the bud, or there would be a direct confrontation with the Senju Clan on the front line.
Blocking intelligence transmission between the front line and Konoha could temporarily prevent the Senju Clan from knowing the truth.
Captain Yellow Dog said, "Advisor Homura Mitokado, as the overall commander, if he discovers any bad signs, will immediately dispatch Senju Nawaki. We must intercept Senju Nawaki!"
Upon arriving at the front line, all six changed into Stone Ninja clothing and headbands.
Dark red inner lining, yellowish-brown vest.
This was a traditional Anbu technique: dealing with Ninja from their own Village by disguising themselves as enemy Village Ninja and executing them.
Upon reaching a location about twenty kilometers northwest of the Konoha main camp, Yellow Dog ordered his subordinates to stop.
He said:
"According to Advisor Homura Mitokado's intelligence, Senju Nawaki's squad will pass through here on their way back to the main camp.
I will personally set up a trap here, ensuring Senju Nawaki cannot discover it.
Three of you will continuously lure Senju Nawaki, step by step, into the trap, and then use Exploding Tags to blow him up.
The bait must act realistically; they must truly die at Senju Nawaki's hands, without any faking.
Only then can we eliminate the suspicions of Senju Nawaki and Orochimaru and make Senju Nawaki rush in recklessly.
From now on, the bait must constantly give themselves psychological self-suggestion that they are Stone Ninja."
Seeing the hesitation of several subordinates, Yellow Dog continued:
"Orochimaru can only teach geniuses; his teaching method is hands-off and guiding.
In Orochimaru's squad's missions, Orochimaru always covers their backs at the end and does not interfere with Senju Nawaki's judgment.
Senju Nawaki will become the Hokage's favorite, paying special attention to protecting his teammates, and thus often rushes to the front.
Not only must Senju Nawaki die, but all Senju Ninja on the front line must die!
The Nine-Tailed transfer seal is imminent; no one can affect the Nine-Tailed's sealing, not even the young patriarch of the Senju Clan!"
Yellow Dog finally said, "First, let's decide who will be the bait. Is there anyone among you willing to become the bait for the Village's Nine-Tailed seal?"
Night Light thought for a moment and was the first to raise his hand.
Dying at Senju Nawaki's hands was part of his plan.
With the Third Hokage and Danzo personally on the front line, Advisor Homura Mitokado secretly planning, and Yellow Dog, one of the six elite Anbu Captains, personally setting the trap, Senju Nawaki was not necessarily doomed, but at least facing a near-certain death.
If he didn't extract his abilities now, it would be too late.
"Very good, Fox. You haven't let down the importance Black Gorilla and I place on you."
Night Light lowered his head, avoiding his eyes from revealing his dissatisfaction.
Squad Leader Black Gorilla was fine; he recommended him as acting Squad Leader before the surgery, which provided him with many conveniences.
Do you, Captain Yellow Dog, saying you value me, mean you want me to carry out even more suicidal missions?
Night Light could still distinguish between genuine cultivation and exploitation.
The three weakest Anbu became the bait.
On the border of the Land of Grass, Orochimaru said, "Let's go, Nawaki, this reconnaissance mission is over."
Orochimaru, as before, did not give Nawaki's two teammates a second glance.
In this mission, one from the Sarutobi Clan and one from the Shimura Clan performed too poorly; they did nothing but drag them down.
If it weren't for Nawaki's excellent performance, these two would have died long ago.
Orochimaru had a severe intolerance for stupidity; he hated fools the most.
Nawaki nodded and turned around silently.
Orochimaru asked Nawaki, "What's wrong, Nawaki, are you troubled?"
"No... nothing."
Nawaki's heart fluttered for a moment, but then he immediately acted as if everything were normal.
Before leaving the main camp, a Senju Clan Ninja had approached him, wanting to tell him something.
But that clan member only said the words 'Uzumaki Clan' before collapsing from poison.
Medical Ninja rushed in immediately afterward and took the clan member away.
Tsunade-neechan was dispatched on a mission, and Nawaki was very worried, not knowing if that clan member would recover.
At the same time, why did that clan member say the words 'Uzumaki Clan'?
After leaving the main camp, Nawaki had been pondering.
The Senju Clan's unique distress Water Release, the sudden dispatch of clan members on missions, and the words 'Uzumaki Clan' he heard just before leaving, made Nawaki feel that something bad must have happened.
He felt as if a large net was slowly tightening around him, closing in.
He trusted Orochimaru-sensei, but not the other Ninja in the Village.
Especially his two companions, one from the Sarutobi Clan and one from the Shimura Clan.
Originally, he wanted to team up with someone from the Kurama Clan and a civilian Ninja, but he couldn't. The Village directly assigned him two unfamiliar teammates.
He understood the Village's intention: these two teammates were also young geniuses within their respective Ninja clans, and the Village wanted him to get along well with them.
He was also willing to cooperate with his teammates and help each other.
However, the Village's rigid arrangement still made him unhappy.
Nawaki suddenly asked his sensei, "Orochimaru-sensei, do you think there's darkness in the Village?"
His teammates from the Sarutobi Clan and Shimura Clan felt a tightening in their hearts, wondering why Nawaki asked such a question.
Had Nawaki discovered something?