The frontlines of the battlefield had stretched on for nearly two kilometers.
No ordinary shinobi dared interfere in the battles between the top commanders.
High-ranking jōnin duels drew few observers; lower-ranking combatants instinctively stayed away.
But the fights among the regular shinobi? Brutal. Cramped. Bloody.
Veteran squad leaders guided their comrades toward enemies of matching strength.
An inexperienced genin charging into a jōnin's domain would get wiped out by stray jutsu in seconds.
Their deaths would be meaningless.
The lengthened frontline served another function—
Preventing enemy jōnin from rampaging through squads of genin unchecked.
===
Hatake Sakumo drew his White Fang short blade and led the charge on Konoha's left wing—Sunagakure's right.
His blade flashed—
A sweeping arc of white chakra light several meters long.
Two Sand squads were annihilated in an instant.
Sakumo's idealistic nature aside, his combat style was pure poetry.
Every move—
Every reaction—
That blinding blade arc—
It created an unstoppable momentum.
His presence alone made the battlefield feel safer.
Many ninja built their fame by crushing weaklings.
Like the "Yellow Flash" of the original series—
Minato killed 50 Iwa-nin in a single blitz.
But we never saw how strong those Iwa-nin really were…
But the number made his legend.
Or Zabuza, who slew every last one of his classmates.
Watching Sakumo dominate the battlefield, Yako felt the itch to move.
"Purple Cat Squad, keep recording!" he ordered.
"White Ram Squad, protect them.
BlossomDeer, you're with me!"
A shift in energy.
Blossom Deer unsheathed her blade, eyes lighting up—
She rushed forward behind her Captain.
Yako flanked Sakumo, widening every breach the White Fang carved.
Sakumo pierced the enemy front.
Yako intercepted the reinforcements.
With each sweeping arc of Water Release: Water Severing Wave,
he sliced through enemy squads at the waist—
just like Sakumo's blade.
White and blue.
Power and beauty in motion.
Sakumo noticed the sudden ease on his left.
'Of course,' he thought, spotting Fox's mask.
Copper Fox's Absolute Defense and lethal Water Release were nightmares for puppet users.
Even strong Sand shinobi who dodged Yako's water attacks got caught by Blossom Deer,
who picked them off one by one.
Then Yako spotted him—
The Sand jōnin who took Pakura away.
'I can't beat Rasa,' he thought. 'But I can beat you.'
He tanked a barrage of wind blades and kunai, then charged forward.
The jōnin panicked.
'Who the hell is this guy? Did I piss him off in a past life?'
But before he could react, Yako's fist exploded through his skull.
In less than fifteen minutes, Sakumo's reinforcements tore straight through the Sand's right flank.
That collapse shattered the cohesion of Sunagakure's line.
Konoha's ninja swarmed into their rear.
The Sand forces were now surrounded—
threatened from every angle.
In the center, Rasa saw the right flank fold.
Then that blinding white light again.
'This war… it's over,' he realized bitterly.
He exchanged glances with Ebizō.
They both knew—
Now, the only choice was to save what was left.
"I'll cover the retreat!" Rasa shouted.
"Advisor, gather the survivors and fall back—orderly!"
Ebizō was moved.
Rasa was young, but worthy of trust.
A true asset to the village.
It was a shame.
No matter how loyal Rasa was, their clan had long chosen Takuji to inherit the Kazekage title.
Rasa could never win their support.
Ebizō glanced toward where the White Fang had struck.
Takuji…
Did he fall?
He couldn't help but worry.
Rasa began weaving hand signs.
A massive wave of Gold Dust, stretching over a hundred meters,
came crashing down toward Akimichi Yamashiro and Katsuyu.
The two were forced to fall back.
Yako observed from a distance.
In one-on-one combat, Gigantification Techniques weren't ideal.
But on a battlefield, they were devastating.
Rasa's last stand killed many—
including several of Konoha's battle strategists.
Yako spotted a struggling Nara Meika.
She wasn't built for a war like this.
Not at this level.
The Sand lines shattered.
Retreating units formed makeshift rearguards as they fled deeper into the desert.
But Sakumo wasn't done.
He led his elite troops in a reverse thrust,
smashing through the same flank again.
The Sand's left and center might escape—
But their right wing was finished.
The battle dragged on for another half hour.
Yako, panting, finally lowered his fists.
His gloves were soaked in viscous blood.
His chakra reserves?
Nearly empty.
The war had pushed all the way from the Gobi plains of River Country
into the heart of Wind Country's desert.
The trail behind them was littered with corpses.
Only when Chiyo finally arrived with reinforcements
did Konoha halt pursuit.
They were out of water.
The desert was punishing.
The war had ended.
Only the negotiation remained.
At a desert oasis, Konoha's commanders gathered.
Nara Shikakaku stared at the water silently,
avoiding everyone's gaze.
His falling-out with Hatake Sakumo was complete.
The Ninjutsu Exam Policy had been abolished.
There was nothing left between them.
Tsunade noticed, but had no desire to intervene.
Yako leaned in beside Captain Yellow Dog and whispered:
"Should we spread the word that Takuji and his wife were killed?"
Yellow Dog didn't hesitate.
He said it loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Go ahead, Fox. Spread the word that Vice-Commander Sakumo killed Chiyo's son.
And you killed her daughter-in-law.
Maybe the Sand still hold onto a sliver of hope about that battlefield."
Yako blinked.
This guy's trying to the credit… spreading the news that the Anbu killed the daughter-in-law makes Sakumo's achievement less significant.
Yako glanced at Sakumo.
Good thing the man was decent.
If this were someone else…
Yako would be on the hit list.
He left to spread the news.
Tsunade lingered, watching both Sakumo and Copper Fox.
The Takuji couple… actually dead.
It was a total victory.
But Sakumo didn't look the least bit happy.
Not because Fox had stolen his glory.
He didn't care about that.
It was Shikakaku's coldness that hurt.
That rumor about the Nara manipulating their allies—
Sakumo hadn't spread it.
Only he, Shikakaku, Tsunade, and the ANBU knew the truth.
Not even his assistant had been told.
Yet now, he was treated like a traitor to Konoha's code.
The rumor alone had ruined everything.
Meanwhile, the news of Takuji's death had reached the Sand—
Via the "lucky" prisoners who'd escaped Konoha's clutches.
Chiyo was stunned.
"I want proof!" she screamed.
Proof came quickly.
Konoha offered a body trade:
Takuji and his wife in exchange for several Konoha jōnin.
Chiyo turned to Ebizō in horror.
He hung his head.
Off to the side, Rasa looked appropriately mournful.
But deep in his eyes…
a flicker of relief.
In Sunagakure, the puppet masters and secret arts users had long fought for dominance.
Now Takuji was gone.
Rasa had one less rival.
Days passed.
The confirmation came.
The Sand accepted Konoha's terms.
The war was truly over.
As Konoha's forces withdrew from the desert,
Captain Yellow Dog called Yako over.
He studied the battle scrolls carefully.
"Are the details of Hatake Sakumo's combat ability fully documented here?"
He was briefly puzzled.
Not because he doubted Sakumo's strength—
But because he tried to imagine killing Takuji himself.
It felt impossible.
Yako said, "Captain, he's just that strong. His chakra blade… sliced through every puppet.
Even the most intricate contraptions became scrap in seconds."
Yellow Dog nodded.
"On the flank battlefield, Sakumo killed Takuji.
On the main battlefield, he shattered the enemy line.
He's the hero of this war."
"Before he arrived, our casualties were staggering.
Over 500 dead."
"If not for him… it could've been far worse."
He added with a grin,
"Good thing you took out Takuji's wife. Otherwise, Sakumo would've gotten all the credit."
Back at base, the Fox Squad had finally earned a breather.
Yako gathered his three squad leaders.
"River Country War is almost over.
I'm applying for short-term leave for each of you.
But don't slack off.
Purple Cat. White Ram, Blossom Deer.
When you get back, I want training plans from each of you."
"I've gotten you a few jutsu already, but we're not stopping there."
"This victory put us in the spotlight.
Now's the time to strike."
"Everyone should patch their builds: one offensive jutsu, one defensive.
You can train each other if needed."
"After that, apply for powerful B-rank, maybe even A-rank techniques."
"Purple Cat. White Ram. You both have clan techniques.
Think about how to augment them.
If you need anything, I'll request it from HQ."
The three left.
Yako leaned back.
'I've got a title now.
A name.
In the ANBU, I'm someone.
If I can't get a few jutsu for my squad, what's the point?'
The camp felt quiet.
Of the 2,000 Konoha shinobi who'd entered the River Country theater,
over 900 had died.
It had been bloody.
Even in victory.
That night, someone entered his tent.
Yako was reviewing Fox Squad's mission records.
"Purple Cat? You done with your training proposal already?"
"Um… well…" she hesitated.
Yako looked up.
"Something wrong?"
"I just took a bath."
"...What?"
He glanced at the flap.
It was shut.
The war was over.
Everyone was loosening up.
"I guess I should shower too—"
"I can't wait. I don't mind you."
"...You're not wearing anything, are you?"
"Looks like you figured it out—"
Half an hour later…
Purple Cat lay panting against his chest.
"Captain," she whispered, "I… I have some ideas for my training plan. Could you look them over?"
"I'll have to dig deep to help you… You agree?"
Later—
"Captain, I'm from the Yamanaka Clan.
Our clan jutsu draw strength from teamwork, especially the Ino-Shika-Chō trio."
"But in ANBU, I'm alone.
No Shikamaru. No Chōji. No partners."
"I need to change."
"My jutsu rely on mental strength—that's my edge.
So I was thinking…"
"What if I study Genjutsu?"
"Illusion-type ninja can be powerful.
And stealthy.
Perfect for ANBU."
Yako nodded.
"That's smart."
'Kurenai in the original story was one of the only genjutsu specialists.'
"It's rare. But it works."
"You've got the mental strength.
I'll request some Genjutsu for you."
The next day, all three squads turned in their plans.
Yako went to Captain Yellow Dog.
The captain scanned the forms—
And signed them all without hesitation.
"Some of these aren't stocked at the front.
Especially Genjutsu.
But once we're back in the village, I'll make sure your squad gets them."
He added:
"Fox, come with me. We've got a new mission."
"Sunagakure has agreed to talks.
Their delegation will be small—to avoid tension."
"You and I will serve as the Hokage's eyes,
and observe the negotiations."
"Understood."
Yako had become Yellow Dog's number one subordinate.
He'd just requested seven jutsu.
The captain didn't blink.
'Should've asked for ten.'
That trust?
It was worth more than the jutsu.
And Yako would protect it.
At least for now.
Because that trust… was a never-ending source of resources.
All seven jutsu were available for Yako too.
A perk of being squad captain.
If he became Captain of the ANBU company,
his benefits would grow even more.
As for that time Yellow Dog subtly warned him about the izakaya—
Yako buried it deep.
Unless Yellow Dog crossed a line,
Yako wouldn't either.
At the camp gate—
The negotiation team assembled.
General Nara Shikakaku, two advisors, Yellow Dog, and Yako.
Tsunade stayed behind in the medical tent.
Aside from that last battle, she rarely fought on the frontlines.
The small team was a gesture of good faith.
Low chance of conflict.
And even if there was—
These five could fight their way out.
Or vanish like shadows.