[Arc of the Full Moon Activated!
The host has one resurrection per month, reviving on the previous full moon night after death.
Reward: one lottery draw:
1—Fire-natured chakra;
2—Chunin-level chakra (stackable);
3—Taijutsu: Body Flicker Technique (Beginner).]
Fire-natured chakra seemed a bit superficial and useless, so Yoru skipped it.
However, the second and third options made him hesitate.
Choosing Chunin-level chakra would instantly solve the problem of insufficient chakra, allowing him to use Earth Release: Underground Projection Fish Technique to stealth longer and move faster.
But the last option was also tempting.
Taijutsu Body Flicker, the rapid-movement technique once used by Captain Brown Bear.
Weighing the options, Yoru chose Taijutsu Body Flicker (Beginner). Chakra quantity could be dealt with later.
First solve whether he had the ability, then worry about how strong it was.
In an instant, Yoru mastered Taijutsu Body Flicker.
By concentrating chakra in the calves and ankles and stimulating the muscles, the power of both muscle and chakra exploded, allowing him to propel himself rapidly off the ground.
The key was keeping chakra in the leg meridians and stimulating specific muscles.
Bending down, he hoisted the Cloud ninja squad leader onto his shoulders and continued moving.
This time, he trained in Body Flicker while traveling.
The Cloud ninja on his shoulders was astonished—how had the Konoha ninja suddenly become so fast?
Captain Brown Bear looked surprised as Yoru completed his task.
Yoru said, "Captain, on my way back I discovered several Uzumaki ninjas with a sealing scroll. I request to seize that scroll."
He had to leave now; otherwise, after the interrogation revealed the Cloud-Mist alliance, he wouldn't be able to leave.
Captain Brown Bear said, "Alright, go seize the sealing scroll."
After leaving the squad's beach, Yoru used Body Flicker to quickly cover ground.
The feeling of Body Flicker was incredible.
A single step released chakra from his feet, propelling him meters into the air.
Wind whistled past his ears as he sped forward.
After checking several lakes, Yoru finally found a juvenile spear heron.
The heron was fast, with a long, sharp beak.
Following the heron, he reached a lake and saw a giant spear heron circling the water, noticing him.
Its gaze sharpened, and it dove at Yoru.
Its beak, over a meter long, gleamed bronze like a spear.
"Stop! Don't be reckless!"
The voice of Uzumaki Yuka sounded.
The diving heron pulled up sharply.
Yuka stood at a distance, hands on hips, a proud smile on her face: "Fox, how do you like my new summon?"
Yoru's heart still raced as he eyed the beak. This summon was faster than thrown kunai and had its own judgment—knowing how to dodge and turn.
"So fast you already tamed this summon?"
Truly enviable.
"And that's not all. I have a whole flock of spear herons."
Yuka waved, and five normal-sized herons flew from the forest behind her.
The flock flew rapidly, their beaks like kunai.
With a large summon for offense and smaller ones for interference, this flock greatly enhanced Yuka's abilities.
Yoru returned to the matter at hand:
"Yuka, I gathered intelligence from Anbu.
Princess Kushina went to seal the wild Three-Tails but faced setbacks. She was pursued by Cloud and Mist ninjas, and the seal failed.
Konoha Anbu will soon go to the beach to support Princess Kushina, but the two Anbu squads alone cannot save her."
Yuka was shocked: "Princess Kushina went to seal the Three-Tails? I didn't know! I guess the village kept it secret to prevent spies from leaking information. Then I…"
"Luckily, you've contracted a flying summon. Use it to quickly gather reinforcements. Princess Kushina cannot be lost."
With that, Yoru departed using Body Flicker.
Yuka noticed that Fox had grown much stronger. How had he done it—through combat experience?
The Body Flicker left a black streak, a visually impressive display.
An hour later, a special signal flare rose in the distance.
It was a scarlet flare from Konoha Anbu, signaling the highest-level mobilization order.
Captain Yellow Dog had received intelligence from interrogating the Cloud ninja squad leader.
He quickly returned to the main squad's location.
Yoru said to Captain Brown Bear, "Captain, I was halfway there when I saw the flare, so I returned."
"No matter. Compared to the Uzumaki sealing scroll, the intelligence you brought from the Cloud squad leader is more important."
Yoru secretly worried—would Uzumaki Yuka bring enough reinforcements?
The Land of Waves was far from both Konoha and Uzumaki Village; they might not arrive in time.
Following the squad to the beach, Yoru encountered Princess Kushina and her group.
Facing Mist ninjas, having learned Body Flicker made dodging and maneuvering much easier.
After Princess Kushina's group had retreated, Yoru finally received the withdrawal order.
The Mist and Cloud ninjas were strong—Mist closely pursued the Anbu, Cloud flanked.
Pressure increased; Captain Yellow Dog sent Black Bull Squad to cover the rear.
Less than thirty seconds of delay, and Black Bull Squad was annihilated.
Yellow Dog then sent Brown Bear Squad, including Yoru, to cover the rear.
Captain Brown Bear calmly faced his own death and that of his squad.
But his squad didn't need such calm.
Death was imminent.
Yoru scanned the surroundings, concentrating all chakra in his feet.
Using the battlefield's width, he found a spot with fewer Mist ninjas.
A Body Flicker jump there bought him at least three seconds of survival.
The nearest Mist ninja could only attack him after three seconds—every extra second counted.
Using Taijutsu Body Flicker, Yoru maximized his survival time.
Captain Brown Bear faced more enemies, his body bristling like a hedgehog, pierced by countless steel needles.
Some skewered his throat and heart.
Before dying, Brown Bear realized he wanted to see his squad's condition.
He turned his head and saw Fox still alive.
The next moment, his eyes behind the mask were filled with sympathy.
Yoru was shocked.
Why did he sympathize with me?
Instinctively, Yoru lunged forward!
Behind him, Bizan Jūzō's decapitating blade was already swinging at his waist!
A man's waist—how could it be harmed?
At the brink of death, Yoru heard a thrilling sound of chains!
It was the Uzumaki clan's Vajra Chain Sealing Technique!
Two chains pinned the ground on either side of Yoru, blocking the decapitating blade.
Rolling on the ground, Yoru saw the rescuers.
A ninja wearing the emblem of the Daimyo's bodyguards in the Land of Waves!
Behind him were many Uzumaki ninjas, all sent on missions in the Land of Waves.
The silhouette of Uzumaki Yuka appeared in the mist.
She had brought reinforcements!