Yagami's vision suddenly shifted.
He gasped for air as he jolted awake in bed — beside him, the tavern owner, Qiaoyi, was still fast asleep.
Her bare back was smooth and beautiful under the faint morning light.
The feeling of being alive… was incredible.
[Arc of the Moonlight, activating!]
[The host is granted one resurrection per month. Upon death, revival occurs on the night of the previous full moon.]
[Reward: One lottery draw.]
1 — A-rank Sealing Jutsu: Self-Sealing Curse Mark (Beginner)
2 — Chūnin-level Chakra Capacity (stackable)
3 — Swordsmanship (Beginner)
While running his hand along Qiaoyi's slender waist and soft back, savoring the sensation of rebirth, Yagami began making his choice.
The swordsmanship entry seemed pretty useful.
Next time he'd be escorting Uzumaki Yuka's team — and the Cloud shinobi they encountered were all skilled with blades.
If he also learned kenjutsu, he could better read their movements and hold his own in close combat, avoiding a repeat of his last death.
The chakra capacity option was also practical — especially since it could stack.
His current chakra reserves were only at the chūnin level. Without a bloodline limit, his chakra growth was far slower than that of any prodigy.
If Kakashi's chakra reserves were considered a standard unit, his own would barely amount to 0.1 "Kaka."
But in the end, Yagami chose the first reward.
Who could turn down an A-rank sealing technique?
Ninjutsu ranks didn't determine power — only difficulty of mastery.
The Uzumaki Clan's Self-Sealing Curse Mark was particularly impressive.
Even while fatally injured, Uzumaki Yuka had used it to completely immobilize two Cloud shinobi.
After some study, Yagami began to grasp its mechanics.
Through direct contact — or by pre-setting it beneath one's feet — the seal could trap any enemy who stepped within range.
Once activated, the sealing script locked every joint in the victim's body, leaving them unable to move.
At beginner level, the system's version allowed him to plant it on the ground with a two-meter effective radius.
A powerful immobilization jutsu, and a near-invisible trap at that.
Not bad at all. Finally, he had a second ninjutsu under his belt.
Yagami walked to the window, glanced once more at Qiaoyi's back and long legs, then leapt out into the dawn of the Hidden Leaf Village.
...
Later that morning, while changing gear in the team locker room, Captain Antelope noticed something odd.
For some reason, Fox — Yagami's Anbu codename — had looked at him differently today.
Yagami, meanwhile, was seething inside.
Last time, when he'd died, Captain Antelope hadn't even tried to help. He'd just turned and run.
If not for the revival ability, Yagami would've died like some nameless weed in a wheat field — worthless and forgotten.
This time, he'd decided to save all three Uzumaki ninja. If they could stay alive and keep fighting, they'd have a real chance against the two Cloud squads.
Everything unfolded exactly as before: they found Uzumaki Yuka's team in the Land of Waves.
But this time, Yagami came prepared — with better medical supplies. He carefully redressed Yuka's wounds himself.
Yuka was moved.
How fortunate, she thought, that Hidden Eddy Village had allies like the Senju and the Leaf.
The masked Anbu before her said nothing, but she could feel his concern.
To ensure proper wrapping, the bandages had to go deep around her thigh. Yuka had to spread her legs wider — a little embarrassed, her cheeks flushed red.
Her legs were long and shapely. Yagami couldn't help a stray thought or two, but he quickly pushed it aside.
These three Uzumaki shinobi needed to hold the line — if they all died, he wouldn't survive either.
He finished dressing the thigh wound, then tended to the injury on her hand.
Through his mask, Yuka caught a glimpse of his eyes — calm, steady, and surprisingly gentle.
"Thank you," she murmured.
"You're welcome."
"My captain called you Fox. What's your real name?"
"Classified."
Yuka looked a little disappointed. The Anbu was so earnest — yet wouldn't even tell her his name.
If she ever made it to the Leaf, she wouldn't even know where to find him.
...
Once they crossed into the Land of Whirlpools, Yagami was more tense than anyone.
Especially when they entered the narrow path between wheat fields.
Recalling the events of his last life, he found his bearings — and pinpointed exactly where the explosive tag traps were hidden.
He pulled three shuriken from his pouch and hurled them into the tall wheat on the roadside.
The others gave him puzzled looks, unsure what he was doing.
A moment later — BOOM!
The explosive tags detonated.
So he'd found them first.
Captain Antelope shot Yagami a surprised glance. Fox's perception was impressive — he hadn't even noticed the traps himself.
"Ambush!" he barked.
Eight Cloud shinobi rose from the wheat, hurling kunai and shuriken in a deadly storm.
Yagami followed Uzumaki Yuka into the field.
A Cloud ninja swung his sword at her, aiming to cleave her down.
But Yuka had already formed three seals. She raised her kunai and blocked.
Clang!
The Cloud ninja froze mid-motion.
The clash of metal halted — sealing marks crept across his body. It was the Self-Sealing Curse Mark.
Yagami watched in awe.
So that's how it worked in real combat. Practical and efficient.
The immobilized Cloud ninja didn't stand a chance — Yuka drove her kunai straight through his chest.
Another Cloud ninja lunged at Yagami.
He parried the blade and maneuvered the enemy toward Yuka.
Once Yuka joined in, the two of them quickly dispatched the attacker.
Brilliant decision. Saving Yuka had indeed increased his odds of survival.
But then, the Cloud squad captain fixed his gaze on Yuka.
Yagami saw that predatory glint in the man's eyes and immediately pretended to assist Purple Cat, stepping back to avoid being caught in the crossfire.
Fighting captains was not in his job description.
He'd already met his quota by killing one Cloud ninja. The rest was just… coasting.
If he could get away with slacking off, he would.
Still, by dancing around Purple Cat's fight, he made himself look busy enough. His interference even lightened her pressure a little, giving her an edge in the taijutsu clash.
When Purple Cat wounded her opponent, Yagami jumped in — the two struck from both sides, twin kunai piercing the Cloud ninja's ribs.
They exchanged a glance — for the first time, they almost felt like teammates.
Then, a woman's scream cut through the air.
Uzumaki Yuka had been kicked aside by the Cloud captain, her body slashed twice by his sword.
Damn it, Yagami thought. This woman's completely useless — after all that help, she's still dragging us down! How am I supposed to leech off her at this rate?
The Cloud captain wasn't unscathed either — blood flowed from the kunai wound in his abdomen. But he pressed forward, ready to finish Yuka off.
Yuka's hands formed seals once more. She poured everything she had left into another Self-Sealing Curse Mark.
The Cloud captain's sword was already descending, less than a foot from her wrist — when his body suddenly froze, locked in place by the seal.
He trembled, forcing every muscle in his body, trying to sever Yuka's arm and end her jutsu.
Purple Cat saw the bloodied state of Yuka's body and immediately decided she was no longer worth protecting.
She rushed in, her kunai aimed straight for Yuka's throat — ready to kill.
Yagami's heart dropped.
No — Yuka still had value! If she died now, he'd be doomed all over again.
He and Purple Cat together still couldn't take the Cloud captain alone!