Yoru sighed in relief—he had survived.
Behind him came the call of a heron.
He quickly turned his head and saw the beak of a spear heron blocking a thousand steel needles aimed at him.
"Don't get distracted! These are Mist ninja elites!"
Uzumaki Yuka landed beside Yoru.
Her skirt, high and flared, fluttered in the wind and mist.
Her toned legs were right in front of him.
At that moment, Yoru thought Uzumaki Yuka was stunningly beautiful.
"Sorry, the death of the squad captain distracted me a bit."
The guardian ninjas and Uzumaki clan ninjas sprang into action.
Countless chakra chains shot out, striking Bizan Jūzō's decapitating blade with metallic clangs.
Bizan Jūzō was forced to retreat step by step.
More Mist ninja surged out of the fog.
Uzumaki Yuka called out softly: "Go! Leave this to them! We'll protect Princess Kushina!"
Yoru's eyes brightened. His mission was rear guard. Now that the Daimyo's guardian ninjas were covering the rear, he hadn't abandoned his duty.
It was also the perfect chance to report the situation to Captain Yellow Dog.
Yoru followed Uzumaki Yuka, running over two hundred meters before emerging from the fog.
The view opened up.
The Blue Sparrow Squad was a hundred meters to the side, fiercely fighting part of the Cloud ninjas.
Captain Yellow Dog's squad chased Princess Kushina, aiming to intercept the rest of the Cloud ninjas.
Seeing this, Uzumaki Yuka moved to intercept the Cloud ninjas, shielding Princess Kushina.
Yoru assessed his own strength—there were too many Cloud ninjas, he could still die, and had to think of a solution.
He said to Uzumaki Yuka:
"Yuka! Princess Kushina is only seven!
She's very small! Your giant spear heron can easily carry her!
That way, she can escape the encirclement faster!"
A diversion—if Princess Kushina was gone, the Cloud and Mist ninjas would follow her, leaving this area safer.
If Kushina died, so be it—his own life was the priority.
Uzumaki Yuka understood—why fight the Cloud ninjas directly? With her flying summon, she could use aerial advantage.
Flight was rare in the ninja world—99% of ninjas could not fight in the air.
Yuka summoned the giant spear heron, sending it toward Princess Kushina.
"Grandpa Roku! I've just contracted a flying summon! Let Princess Kushina go first!"
The sealing squad captain, Yuka's Grandpa Roku, brightened.
A good plan.
Everyone else could die here, but Kushina must escape.
Kushina's body was unique, with high potential to become a Jinchūriki—perhaps even a perfect one.
If she became a Jinchūriki, Uzumaki Village's strength would rise, akin to the Taki Village with a Seven-Tails.
Princess Kushina was tossed into the air.
The three-meter-long spear heron let out a scream and grasped Kushina's shoulders.
Kushina ascended into the sky, her hair brilliantly red, more vibrant than any Uzumaki ninja's.
Yoru immediately looked at the Cloud ninjas.
As he expected, upon seeing the target fly away, they split their forces to pursue Princess Kushina.
Pressure on Yellow Dog's squad dropped sharply.
After two months of fighting in the Land of Waves, Yellow Dog's squad was down to remnants, over half killed or injured.
"Captain! The Daimyo's guardian ninjas have joined! They've held off the Mist ninjas! Captain Brown Bear has fallen!"
Yellow Dog glanced at the dense fog ahead. "Understood."
Two squads were completely wiped out; the remaining two were reduced to remnants. Out of a 60+ person squad, only 19 remained.
Anbu casualties were extremely high.
"Follow the summons! Protect Princess Kushina as the top priority!"
Yoru stayed at the end of the squad.
Good news: his squad captain was gone. As long as Captain Yellow Dog didn't directly order him, he had complete freedom.
Thanks to Princess Kushina's small size, the spear heron maintained full speed.
The situation had changed. Previously, Konoha Anbu blocked the Cloud ninjas; now, the spear heron and Kushina were in front, Cloud ninjas in the middle, Anbu at the rear.
The Cloud ninjas sprinted desperately forward, splitting forces to delay Konoha Anbu.
One Cloud ninja squad after another was sent to cover the rear.
Yoru followed at the rear, carefully choosing his moments to strike.
One Cloud ninja was sent flying, stumbling backward.
Yoru seized the chance, used Body Flicker to jump behind the Cloud ninja, and drove his kunai into his chest using the momentum of the fall.
Pulling out the kunai, Yoru vanished behind the Anbu lines.
Nearby, the Anbu squad captain, Black Chimp, glanced sideways—this fox-masked Anbu struck with perfect timing.
With his squad heavily reduced, he planned to bring Yoru in after the battle.
Through continuous combat, Yoru gradually mastered Body Flicker.
His Body Flicker became faster and more precise.
He also discovered a small trick:
Chakra concentrated in the calves and feet increases jump speed, but upon landing, it must again focus in the legs.
This allowed him to stop instantly and assume a combat stance.
The battle moved from the beach into the interior of the Land of Waves.
Under Yuka's control, the spear heron flew through complex terrain—rocky beaches, marshlands, and mountains.
Pursuit became increasingly difficult.
After defeating three Cloud ninja squads, the Cloud ninjas finally gave up.
Without Mist ninja support, the Cloud ninjas alone could not stop the Uzumaki and Konoha Anbu.
After several more hours, Captain Yellow Dog chose a hidden mountain valley for the squad to rest.
Uzumaki Yuka enjoyed praise from the sealing squad captain. Her flying summon had become a key factor in the battle.
With such a summon, Yuka effectively leapfrogged the Chunin rank, gaining special Jonin-level power.
She often glanced at the distance, checking on Fox, who feigned rest while holding a kunai.
Luckily, Fox had warned her in advance, allowing her to arrive with reinforcements in time.
Uzumaki Yuka would not tell the sealing squad captain about Fox—he was a spy from the Senju clan in Konoha Anbu. The fewer people who knew, the better.
Only leaders of the Senju clan could subtly inquire.
Sending a spy into Anbu was an unpardonable crime.
Gradually, Fox left an impression on Yuka—mysterious and reliable.
Every meeting revealed new abilities, and his Body Flicker surprised her.
It was clearly the skill of someone who had practiced Body Flicker for at least two and a half years.
"Big sister Yuka, this white bird is so beautiful."
Princess Kushina tiptoed, matching the heron's slender legs, and lovingly touched its feathers.
"I wonder what kind of summon I'll have in the future. Flying feels amazing."
Yuka said, "Princess Kushina, you'll definitely have incredibly powerful summons in the future—maybe even a Tailed Beast."
After a brief rest and replenishing rations, the squad continued, moving from the Land of Fire toward the Land of Waves.
Yoru watched Kushina's back anxiously, unsure if he could survive the Uzumaki clan's near extinction.