Being in the barrier with Danzō made Yorimitsu feel deeply uneasy.
As one of Konoha's most dangerous figures, simply being near him was a risk in itself.
The entire ANBU division bore Danzō's personal stamp—
ruthless, indifferent to casualties, and utterly obsessed with loyalty and the so-called "Will of Fire."
Teams and squads kept leaving the barrier to carry out unknown missions.
Yorimitsu was lucky. After several days of waiting, the Black Ape Squad was finally deployed.
At a crucial moment in monitoring Uzushiogakure, the squad arrived at the port where the Nanga River met the sea.
Finally, he no longer had to stay around Danzō.
During mission briefing, Captain Black Ape instructed, "In the coming days, closely monitor every ship arriving from the Land of Waves and the Land of Water—especially those carrying Konoha shinobi."
The team scattered among the cargo stacks at the dock, quietly observing.
A Konoha squad disembarked, looking relieved and happy to be home.
After all, missions abroad were far more dangerous than those in the Land of Fire. Returning home meant safety.
Such squads were normal, not their target.
Three days later, however, something unusual happened.
Another Konoha team rushed off the ship in panic.
The two shinobi stumbled onto the pier, knocking over dock workers as they bolted toward Konoha's direction.
Captain Black Ape moved instantly, and Yorimitsu's group followed.
In the forest outside the port, the two Konoha nin sprinted along the Nanga River.
Ahead, another shinobi appeared, blocking their path.
Yorimitsu had already removed his ANBU mask and put on a Konoha forehead protector, disguising himself as a wounded Konoha shinobi. His shoulder was wrapped in blood-stained bandages as he shouted,
"Hey! I'm a Konoha ninja too! Can you help me change my dressing? I can't treat my shoulder and arm alone!"
An older ninja replied hurriedly, "Sorry! We have vital intel to deliver to the village!"
He added anxiously, "We saw ships on the sea—carrying a large number of Cloud and Mist shinobi! They're headed straight for the Land of Whirlpools! Uzushiogakure is our ally, they might—ah!"
Before he could finish, several masked figures burst out of the river, blades flashing.
With a spray of water, both Konoha nin were cut down in an instant.
Yorimitsu silently clicked his tongue. As expected of the ANBU—the shadow of Konoha. To keep secrets, they even kill their own.
The large-scale movements of the Cloud and Mist shinobi could never be fully hidden; some Konoha teams were bound to notice.
But the ANBU couldn't allow this information to reach the village. They wouldn't imprison witnesses—too risky if anyone investigated later.
After purging three such groups of Konoha shinobi, Captain Black Ape finally seemed satisfied.
"Move out! Back to the Land of Whirlpools! We report to Lord Danzō!"
Yorimitsu quickly calculated. Judging by the distance between Konoha and Uzushiogakure, even if the village received intel today, it would be too late to send aid.
By the time the Senju's reinforcements arrived, Uzushiogakure would already be ashes.
When the Black Ape Squad reached Uzushiogakure, it was already past midnight.
From afar, the village was engulfed in fire.
Yorimitsu was about to charge forward—but stopped himself.
Under normal circumstances, the alliance between Konoha and Uzushiogakure meant they had a mutual defense pact.
If one village faced danger, the other was obligated to help.
But now was not a time for "normal."
"Where are you going? Stop!"
One ANBU, acting on instinct, dashed toward the burning village—but Captain Black Ape shouted him back.
The squad followed him to a hilltop barrier nearby.
Inside, the place was crowded with ANBU shinobi.
On the peak, Danzō sat calmly atop a rock, gazing coldly toward Uzushiogakure.
From here, the entire village was visible.
Half shrouded in mist, half flashing with dense bursts of lightning—it looked like a dying beast surrounded by predators.
Fires burned everywhere. Organized groups of attackers were setting the village ablaze from the outer perimeter inward.
The Konoha nin who had been killed earlier were right—Cloud and Mist forces were indeed assaulting Uzushiogakure.
Yorimitsu silently analyzed the situation.
Right now, under the Third Hokage's rule, Konoha was facing its greatest crisis since Hiruzen Sarutobi took office—the transfer of the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki.
This was during the Second Great Ninja War.
The wars in the Lands of Hot Water, Rivers, and Rain were nothing compared to the importance of securing the Nine-Tails.
Losing a minor front only cost Konoha a few mission territories—recoverable in time.
But if anything happened to the Nine-Tails, the entire village could be wiped out.
In the original timeline, the Nine-Tails rampaged and countless Konoha lives were lost—
including the Fourth Hokage himself.
That disaster was where the original story began.
At this point, Uzumaki Mito was already old. Her strength had waned, her chakra diminished, and her seal had weakened.
To ensure stability, Konoha decided to choose another Uzumaki prodigy to become the next Nine-Tails' host.
However… the Uzumaki Clan had other ideas.
After two ninja wars, Konoha had grown weaker—no longer the dominant power it was under the First Hokage.
To entrust their clan's survival solely to Konoha's "alliance" was becoming increasingly dangerous.
For the sake of their own safety and legacy, the Uzumaki planned to use their unparalleled sealing arts to seal a Tailed Beast for themselves.
That way, the Uzumaki would hold a deterrent powerful enough to stand against the Five Great Nations.
Thus, Uzushiogakure refused Danzō's demand to send their princess to Konoha.
The crack in the alliance began there.
The Uzumaki dispatched a sealing team—led by Kushina Uzumaki herself—to capture and seal the wild Three-Tails.
It was true that the Three-Tails had no host at that time—but it still belonged to Kirigakure.
The idealistic First Hokage had distributed the tailed beasts among the villages—but had given none to Uzushiogakure.
When Kirigakure learned of the Uzumaki's attempt to take the Three-Tails, they sent several of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist to crush the effort.
The Mist Village wasn't one to be trifled with. Not only did they thwart the sealing attempt, they retaliated brutally.
And then, the Cloud Village intervened as well.
The Third Raikage was immensely powerful. On the battlefield of the Land of Hot Water, Konoha was already at a disadvantage—hence the heavy Cloud presence here.
The combined Cloud and Mist forces attacking Uzushiogakure were massive—prepared as if to fight a full-scale war against Konoha itself.
If victorious, they'd gain what they desperately needed: the Uzumaki sealing techniques, and with them, the power to control Tailed Beasts.
For Konoha, the Nine-Tails was the cornerstone of the village's power.
For the Cloud and Mist, their own beasts were the same.
Yet Konoha… would not send help.
All Konoha wanted was Kushina Uzumaki.
They would never allow the most gifted Uzumaki princess to become the Three-Tails' jinchūriki.
Kushina had already been chosen as the next Nine-Tails' host—a matter of absolute priority.
For the sake of the Nine-Tails, Konoha was willing to sacrifice anything.
With the Senju clan gone from leadership, no one in Konoha's upper ranks cared about "alliances" or the fate of the Uzumaki.
Through his binoculars, Yorimitsu watched the tragedy unfold in Uzushiogakure—the burning homes, the screams, the blood.
It was the end of the Uzumaki clan.