Uzumaki Yuka was gravely wounded, and the Cloud ninja squad leader had fallen under her control.
Yet Purple Cat remained fixated on the Anbu mission—priority one: prevent the leakage of sealing techniques.
Killing Yuka would, in fact, complete the mission.
But what good was that if he died right afterward?
Sometimes, Yako really didn't get how Konoha ninja thought.
Every day in the Anbu was either training or listening to lectures from squad leaders at every level—indoctrination drilled into them, branding ninja as tools to carry out missions.
Mission first. No exceptions. Anbu followed that motto to the letter.
Trailing close behind Purple Cat, Yako used his back as cover while he discreetly formed hand seals, shielding them from view.
Just as Purple Cat's kunai closed within ten centimeters of Yuka's throat, he froze.
His whole body locked up, joints sealed by a cursed mark—just like the Cloud squad leader before him.
Purple Cat's face twisted in shock. Yuka had taken two direct blade strikes, yet she could still fight like this?
But Yuka was just as surprised. She hadn't used the Self-Binding Curse Mark on him!
Then her gaze shifted to the fox behind Purple Cat.
Of course—that explained why the fox had been looking out for her the whole way.
So he's from the Senju clan!
This kind of Uzumaki secret technique wasn't taught to just anyone. Only disciples or those absolutely trusted would ever learn it.
And now she saw—Fox could use Uzumaki sealing arts. He was one of them. An ally. Completely unexpected.
So when she was in danger, he didn't try to kill her. He neutralized Purple Cat instead.
Yako charged straight for the Cloud squad leader, driving a kunai toward his heart.
But the enemy was strong. Despite his injuries, he broke free from the seal Yuka had placed before collapsing.
He slashed upward with his blade—aiming straight for Yako's wrist.
Against an elite starting at chunin-level strength, Yako felt death staring him in the face.
He'd already used his one revival this month. If he died now, it was permanent.
Feigning a collapse, Yako let his knees buckle and dropped lower—just barely ducking the upward slash.
His kunai missed the enemy's heart, striking his abdomen instead.
A hit was a hit. Yako hit the ground and rolled away as fast as he could.
There was nothing more he could do. He'd already gone above and beyond.
His chakra reserves were average, and now Purple Cat's seal had worn off too.
Purple Cat turned back toward the Cloud leader, forced to fight him at close range.
The Cloud ninja backed off quickly, wary of another sealing trap, but Purple Cat gave chase.
Yako crawled to Yuka's side and immediately began stopping her bleeding, applying medicine.
After some simple treatment, her condition improved a lot.
Then Yuka grabbed his hand and shakily but firmly guided it toward her thigh.
Yako blinked. 'Wait—this isn't the time for that, right?'
Under her skirt, he groped for a moment before finding a scroll strapped to her leg.
"Throw it! At the Cloud ninja! That's what they've been after—Our secret weapon!"
Yako's heart jumped. He had been right to save the Uzumaki—what a surprise reward.
Grabbing the scroll, he hurled it hard toward the Cloud squad leader.
Only then did he notice—Purple Cat was dead, just cut down by the Cloud ninja.
The scroll unfurled mid-air, flashing with golden light.
A cacophony of clashing iron rang out as dozens of barbed chains with spiked tips shot outward like a net.
Yako hit the ground flat.
Everyone nearby was either pierced or bound by the chains.
'Wait… are these the Adamantine Sealing Chains of the Uzumaki?'
The Uzumaki actually made their strongest seal into a one-use ninja tool like a paper bomb?
These chains were once a high-level sealing technique that only the most gifted Uzumaki could learn—yet now even ordinary clan members could use them?
Yako scrambled to his feet and hurled kunai in rapid succession.
The immobilized Cloud squad leader in the distance died with blades in his throat.
Yako finally let out a breath. The danger had passed.
"Fox! Keep going!"
Captain Antelope's shout startled Yako, and he turned to see the captain also bound by the chains, unable to move.
'That sealing jutsu is insane.'
Kunai after kunai flew out, each one hitting its mark, piercing the throats of every remaining Cloud ninja.
The battle was over.
All eight Cloud ninja were dead.
Two male Uzumaki had died, and Purple Cat as well.
Yako stood beside Purple Cat's corpse, feeling a twinge of regret.
They had just started to develop some teamwork, and now he was gone.
Purple Cat had been a civilian shinobi—just like Yako. Disposable.
Captain Antelope walked over, sighing with regret. "Purple Cat was the first to die? That's not what I expected."
Yako and Ox both looked up.
'Wait, what?'
'Captain… what do you mean by that?'
'What order were you expecting people to die in?'
Captain Antelope didn't bother. He simply walked toward Yuka.
"Captain Antelope, please let Fox carry me. We need to return to Uzushio Village as soon as possible," said Yuka, still lying on the ground.
Yako noticed the tension in the captain's muscles—he seemed to be hesitating.
'Isn't Uzushio an ally of Konoha? What mission did the captain receive, exactly?'
If the order was to make sure no Uzumaki fell into enemy hands, Yako could understand. But now the Cloud were all dead—so why hesitate?
Only the captain knew the full mission.
Grunts like Yako only carried out specific orders.
The scroll of Adamantine Sealing Chains was tucked into the captain's back, with no intention of returning it to Yuka.
Eventually, Captain Antelope said, "Fine. We'll head to Uzushio immediately."
Yako hoisted Yuka onto his back and set off in the direction of the hidden village.
During a rest stop, he gently laid her down and carefully checked her wounds.
They were healing well.
Then he checked her thigh—no scroll anymore.
Last time he'd been too focused on her beautiful muscle lines to notice she had a second scroll hidden on the other leg.
As Captain Antelope walked out of earshot, Yuka leaned weakly against Yako and whispered:
"I know you won't admit it, but… you must be from the Senju clan if you know the Uzumaki's secret technique—the Self-Binding Curse Mark.
So I've decided to treat you as one of us.
Please help me—get me back to the village safely.
There've been strange rumors lately… that after Lord Tobirama of the Second Hokage died, Konoha no longer plans to honor the alliance between the Senju and the Uzumaki.
The Hokage now is Hiruzen Sarutobi, not from the Senju clan.
Konoha's attitude toward us has been worsening. Only the Senju's in-laws still uphold the treaty."
Yako nodded faintly, pretending to agree.
But deep down, if the captain ordered him to kill Yuka, he'd do it in a heartbeat.
He couldn't beat Captain Antelope. So he obeyed him.
When they finally arrived at Uzushio, Yako stood rooted in place, stunned by the sight before him.
'So this is Uzushio Village… and it's this strong?'