Yako returned to the night of the last full moon.
Back then, he had been instructing his squad on the proper use of Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall—specifically how to angle its trapezoidal slope to redirect incoming force downward, improving the wall's stability.
His team had been training hard, sweat soaking their foreheads as they practiced each formation with diligence.
[Arc of the Waning Moon activated!]
The host has one resurrection per month. Upon death, you return to life on the night of the previous full moon.
Reward: One lottery draw.
Jonin-level Chakra Reserves (stackable)
Secret Technique: Steaming Danger Tyranny (Entry Level)
Secret Technique: Hydration Healing Technique (Entry Level)
The first option was immediately out. Yako already had more than enough chakra.
That left the two secret techniques—both tempting in their own right. He hesitated.
Steaming Danger Tyranny was devastating. A brutally effective combat technique.
Hōzuki Muratsuki had used it against Uchiha shinobi with great success.
But the Hydration Healing Technique... now that was rare. A powerful medical jutsu, nearly impossible to come by.
Yako reviewed his own strengths. He had no shortage of offensive tools. What he lacked was healing.
The Senju bloodline granted him mild regenerative abilities—but they were slow, unreliable in battle, and ultimately insufficient.
He chose the third option.
No shame in fearing death.
As long as I'm alive, there's always another chance. If I'm dead... that's it.
[Host Status Updated]
Chakra Capacity: 4.4x Jonin level
Chakra Natures: Earth, Water, Wind, Yang, Yin
Bloodlines: Senju (Upper-Mid), Uzumaki (Upper-Mid), Uchiha (Upper-Mid)
Ninjutsu:
Water Release: Water Severing Wave (Proficient)
Water Release: Water Body Flicker (Proficient)
...
Taijutsu:
Shattered Bone Copper Light
Fuinjutsu:
Self-Binding Curse Mark (Mastered)
Contract Seal
Summoning Technique (Longspear Egret, Eight-Winged Crow, Giant Panda)
Secret Techniques:
Absolute Defense: Copper Light
Hydration Healing Technique
Unique Abilities:
Reflex Overdrive (Tier 2)
Natural Chakra Growth
His chakra growth was progressing smoothly, now exceeding 4.4 times that of a Jonin. Even without the lottery system, at this pace, by the time he turned 18, he'd naturally reach elite Jonin levels.
Several of his techniques had already become proficient with frequent use and training. With the addition of the Hydration Healing Technique, he finally had a reliable way to recover from serious injuries.
One step closer to survival.
After claiming his reward, Yako looked toward the command tent of the main camp.
The planned ambush... was about to become an ambushed massacre.
Five Konoha battalions were walking into a trap, where a massive force of Mist shinobi lay in wait.
Their positions, numbers, even timing—Kirigakure knew it all.
All thanks to Fuguki.
He had claimed to be one of Danzo's men.
Danzo... your hands are longer than I imagined. You even bought a Mist ninja of his caliber?
Even without Samehada, Fuguki was still elite Jonin-level. With the blade? He could brush the threshold of Kage-level.
Yako narrowed his eyes at the detail that had suddenly caught his attention.
Why is Giant Panda listed in my summoning roster? I haven't formed a contract with them yet.
He recalled: perhaps Yuka hadn't yet completed the summoning pact with the Giant Panda clan.
In canon, Jiraiya had once used the Summoning Technique without a contract and was reverse-summoned to Mount Myōboku.
If Yako attempted a forced summon now without the contract, would he be reverse-summoned to their domain?
He had already established some strange connection with the Giant Pandas—like fate had intertwined them, just as Jiraiya had been destined to bond with the Great Toads.
'But now's not the time to explore summoning mechanics.
Right now, I need to stop that ambush from succeeding.'
Step one: find the traitor.
Danzo's shadow loomed large, and someone was clearly acting as his hand.
Yako couldn't take Danzo down—yet. But his agents? That was a different story.
Someone in camp had accessed Yellow Dog's full battle plans and passed them to Fuguki.
'All I need is that one leak. Expose them, and I can take Kirigakure's advantage away.'
A voice broke his thoughts.
It was Black Ape, approaching with a concerned expression.
"Captain, I've got a problem. The Earth-Style Wall... it's too brittle. When defending against explosive tags, the wall just shatters. Is there a fix for that?"
In his past life, Yako remembered this clearly—Blossom Deer's squad had followed him. The other two squads went with Yellow Dog.
That day, Yellow Dog's battalion triggered steel wire traps set long ago by Kurisame Tsumaru.
Black Ape's legs were severed instantly. He died on the spot.
Looking at him now, alive and well, Yako felt a flicker of emotion.
'He's not bad. Best make sure he lives.'
"Hmm... yeah, Earth-Style Wall does break too easily..." Yako said thoughtfully. "Actually, I just had an idea. Let's run some experiments together, see if we can reinforce it."
Black Ape's eyes lit up. Is Captain Yako choosing me for joint research? Does he believe in my potential?
Yako knelt, drew a stick from nearby, and started sketching diagrams on the ground.
"Wall durability depends on several factors.
"First—stability. An Earth Wall can't be toppled too easily by jutsu. To handle that, the wall must have sufficient depth underground.
"If it's too shallow, even a Water Severing Wave will tip it. Too deep and it wastes chakra.
"From my experience, the buried section should be at least one-third the visible height."
He gestured at the diagrams as he explained, drawing a cross-section.
"A tapered, trapezoidal shape—wide at the base, narrow at the top—greatly improves stability."
More and more shinobi gathered around to watch as their captain taught one-on-one.
Yako continued.
"Next—material strength. That depends primarily on chakra infusion.
"The more chakra you pump into it, the tougher the wall gets.
"But harder materials are also more brittle. They fracture suddenly under pressure."
He paused.
"This is where reinforcement comes in—tensile skeletons embedded inside the wall."
Honestly, the way he was going, he might as well build a concrete dam next.
What next, chakra-powered rebar?
Sadly, Earth Release users couldn't conjure steel.
But they could improvise.
"Here's the plan," Yako said. "Black Ape, make three test walls."
"First wall: standard Earth-Style Wall. Control sample.
"Second wall: embed a net of wire from your ninja tools pouch. Let the wall wrap around it.
"Third wall: during formation, pulse your chakra to form root-like columns throughout the structure—internal wall pillars."
Black Ape followed instructions, shaping three walls.
Yako pulled out nine explosive tags and handed them to Blossom Deer.
"Three tags per wall. Let's see what happens."
Boom. Boom. Boom.
The first wall crumbled instantly—blown to pieces.
The second wall cracked, but the wire mesh held it together. It split—but didn't fall.
The third wall, with its root pillars, broke in sections—but stood firm.
Yako nodded, then summarized.
"Wire-reinforced walls perform best—but they require prep and aren't practical mid-fight.
"Pillar-reinforced walls significantly boost structural integrity. With practice, the casting speed can improve."
He straightened and declared, "From now on, our squad's Earth-Style Walls must be trapezoidal and pillar-reinforced. No exceptions."
The Earth Release users all nodded in agreement, thoroughly impressed by the research.
'I'm going to be a Commander,' Yako thought. 'And when I am, I'll need competent subordinates.'
These three squads?
He'd train them himself.