Thinking about having to lie low for an entire month, Night Light felt a headache coming on.
A high-pitched dog bark echoed through the rainy night.
The Split Dog was coming.
Night Light feigned asking Bai Yang, "What happened?"
Bai Yang quickly said:
"Three Konoha Ninja are carrying three captives, one of whom is a child, and are running towards here.
Behind the Konoha Ninja is a large summoned beast, the Split Dog, which was once the guardian summoned beast of Uzushiogakure."
Little time was left for Night Light.
Uchiha Madara was just a few kilometers behind, inside the mountain.
If he were to encounter Uchiha Madara again, Uchiha Madara had a hundred ways to kill him.
"Go! No matter who from Konoha it is, we cannot stand idly by."
Night Light wanted to save Uzumaki Nagato but also didn't want to face Uchiha Madara. The best way was to intercept Uzumaki Nagato as early as possible.
Night Light's speed was very fast, and the further he got from Uchiha Madara behind him, the more secure he felt.
As soon as he saw the three Konoha Ninja, Night Light quickly said:
"The three Konoha Ninja are very likely under Genjutsu; their eyes don't look right!
You all stop our Village's three people, and I will stop the Split Dog."
Bai Yang was about to report that the Chakra flow within the three Konoha Ninja was strange, but he didn't expect his Squad Leader to notice it so quickly.
The Squad Leader was truly sharp; he was indeed a seasoned Squad Leader who had survived in Anbu for over half a year.
Night Light pushed off with his legs, leaping high over the three Konoha Ninja, appearing between the Konoha Ninja and the Split Dog.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
A massive water wall shot up into the sky, blocking the Split Dog.
Above the Split Dog's head, Vortex Yuka's eyes showed surprise as she saw a familiar face: Fox!
She quickly made the Split Dog retreat, feigning fear of Fox, and moved away first.
Yuka observed Fox's appearance; he seemed to have become the Squad Leader of three Squads.
She hadn't expected Fox to be so successful as a Spy, already becoming an Anbu Squad Leader. She still remembered the first time she saw Fox; he was just the lowest-ranking member of Anbu.
More than half a year had passed, and Fox had become a core force in Anbu, able to obtain more information.
She heard that a major event had occurred in Konoha Village, and Lady Mito had passed away. Yuka really wanted to ask about the Nine-Tailed seal and how Princess Kushina was doing.
However, this was not the time for reminiscing or gathering intelligence.
The three Squads charged towards the three Konoha Ninja, trying to find a way to dispel the Genjutsu.
These three Konoha Ninja were very strong: one Jonin and two Special Jonin.
After a few exchanges, Purple Cat immediately discovered the key: "They are protecting the captives behind them!"
The three valued the captives more than their own lives.
Night Light and the Split Dog appeared to be fighting intensely, with Water Release surging into the sky one moment and Earth Flow Spears appearing like a dense thicket of thorns the next, but in reality, most of their attacks missed.
Taking advantage of the Water Release to obscure his figure, Night Light gave Vortex Yuka a gesture, telling Vortex Yuka to leave quickly.
Vortex Yuka trusted Fox completely, and without any unnecessary actions, she decisively commanded the Split Dog to leave.
After the Split Dog left, Night Light arrived at the battlefield behind him.
He came to Bai Yang's side and asked, "Bai Yang, can you tell what kind of Genjutsu it is?"
Bai Yang said:
"I can't tell what kind of Genjutsu it is. Most Genjutsu have fixed effects, either binding or hypnotizing.
The Genjutsu on these three is more like a strong psychological suggestion directly created with a Dojutsu, forcing the three Konoha Ninja to achieve a certain objective.
Judging from how they are willing to get injured to protect the captives, the Genjutsu's suggestion is to transport the captives."
There was no time to waste; this place was too close to Uchiha Madara.
Night Light looked at Uzumaki Nagato; if he could just snatch Uzumaki Nagato and get away from Uchiha Madara, there might be a slim chance of survival.
If he could snatch Uzumaki Nagato here, Uchiha Madara's Rinnegan would rot directly in his eye sockets, and the Ninja World would reach its grand finale early!
Night Light charged towards Uzumaki Nagato. He shouted to the Leaf Monkey Squad beside Uzumaki Nagato, "Help me restrain them! I'll deal with them!"
"Okay, Squad Leader!"
Night Light observed Uzumaki Nagato. Uzumaki Nagato was unconscious, with two ropes around his armpits and waist, tied tightly by the Konoha Jonin.
"Squad Leader!"
Purple Cat cried out, her voice full of shock!
As Fox passed by him, Leaf Monkey suddenly stepped diagonally forward, stabbing a blade into Night Light's back!
Hearing the sound of rushing wind behind him, Night Light instinctively moved sideways to dodge.
It was this crucial half-step that saved his life.
Night Light looked down, startled to see the tip of the Ninja blade pierce out from his left shoulder!
Adrenaline surged; he felt no pain, only an abnormal burning sensation in his left shoulder.
He quickly formed hand signs and released the only Ninjutsu that could attack behind him, Earth Flow Spears.
Two Earth Flow Spears shot out, piercing through the Leaf Monkey behind him.
Purple Cat simultaneously used her Mind Body Switch Technique; she discovered two souls in Leaf Monkey's mind!
Hundreds of miles away, Kato Dan suddenly woke up in a cave.
The accompanying guard Ninja asked, "How is it, Dan? Did you find the Rain Ninja?"
Kato Dan shook his head and lied, "No, I didn't find any Rain Ninja, only some Land of Rain rogue Ninja who were dissatisfied with Hanzo."
The matter of attacking Anbu was known only to himself and the Flower Tree Clan Head; he couldn't tell the two guards beside him.
The guard said:
"Hanzo is very strict with his subordinates; it's said that no one is allowed within ten meters of him, or the leaking poison gas could kill them.
Without trusted aides, his control is poor, relying only on personal strength for deterrence, and there are rogue Ninja groups everywhere."
Kato Dan leaned against the wall thoughtfully, regretting that he hadn't found any clues on that Leaf Monkey Ninja.
Leaf Monkey participated in the Nine-Tailed Transfer Seal Night, but he knew nothing about the truth; all orders came from his Squad Leader, Fox.
In the Fox Squad, Fox's strength was not weak, and the two Squad Leaders, Purple Cat and Bai Yang, one from the Yamanaka Clan and the other from the Hyuga Clan, both had strong spiritual power.
When his soul was floating in the air, he noticed that the Fox Squad Leader's soul was unusually strong, twice the intensity of an ordinary soul.
The Flower Tree Clan Head said that there was a Vortex Clan Spy in Anbu, and he could only kill the Fox Squad Leader after confirming he wasn't a Vortex Clan Spy.
On the battlefield, cold sweat streamed down Night Light's face: "Smoke Bomb!"
Everything was in chaos; Leaf Monkey had suddenly attacked him, and his left shoulder was injured.
Using the cover of the smoke bomb, Night Light quickly jumped up and fled.
There were still strong enemies in the shadows; Nagato's matter was temporarily out of his hands.
The three Konoha Ninja's goal was to capture Uzumaki Nagato; they didn't bother with the retreating Anbu.
After disengaging from the fight, Night Light said, "Go west! Find a place to shelter from the rain! Let me quietly recover from my injuries!"
Uchiha Madara's cave was to the east; he had to get as far away from Uchiha Madara as possible.
His current physique, possessing the bloodline limits of both the Senju Clan and the Vortex Clan, gave him strong physical attributes. As long as he had a chance to rest quietly, his shoulder injury could recover due to the Senju Clan's slow self-healing ability.
After finding a cave, Purple Cat treated Night Light's wound and bandaged it.
This was the closest Night Light had come to true death; if not for his last-second dodge, Leaf Monkey's sneak attack would have directly pierced his heart.