Naruto followed the blood trail, continuing his search for the Kirigakure Anbu and Mizunotsuki Shingetsu's father. Along the way, he found signs of fighting, which gave him a glimmer of hope. Those signs meant that Shingetsu's father had likely broken free of the Anbu holding him captive, greatly improving his chances of survival.
Naruto kept searching until he finally spotted the Anbu surrounding a cave on a nearby hillside. He used the Body Flicker Technique to get closer, hiding behind a large rock to study the situation.
He heard one Anbu say to another beside him, "Commander, that man is hiding in the cave and refuses to come out. What should we do?"
The commander said, "It doesn't matter. With injuries that serious, he isn't going anywhere. All we have to do is keep him trapped inside. He'll be dead before long. By the way, have the men who went after that woman returned?"
The Anbu replied, "They're back. The woman is dead."
The commander nodded. "Good. Hmph, the Fifth Mizukage wants to change Kirigakure and spare the Yuki Clan? Dream on. I won't let the Yuki Clan lord it over me again. This is a perfect opportunity. I'll wipe them out once and for all."
The Anbu nodded. "Yes, sir. Pretending to pledge allegiance to the Fifth Mizukage was a brilliant move. Not only did you preserve our strength, you even obtained a map showing where the Yuki Clan survivors live. Two birds with one stone. I'm impressed, sir."
The commander sneered. "Hmph, if I hadn't been pressed for time, I could have done even better without letting the Fifth Mizukage discover us. But never mind. With this map, I can still wipe out the remaining Yuki Clan members and show those arrogant bastards what happens when they look