Finally a Squad Leader

After meeting the Brown Bear Squad Commander, Yagami was assigned to the Azure Wolf Squad.

The squad changed into Cloud Ninja gear and prepared to openly seize the Uzumaki Sealing Scroll.

This time, Yagami felt much more secure and was no longer so nervous. I've got an insider too now.

The Azure Wolf Squad Leader was inhumane, relentlessly urging Yagami to send Shadow Clones into the town to gather intelligence.

Yagami's Chakra Quantity had doubled, but he pretended to complain that he did not have enough Chakra.

He also secretly gave the Shadow Clone an order to lure the Uzumaki Ninja in this direction as soon as possible.

The memories sent back by the Shadow Clone showed that Uzumaki Yuka had already arrived in the town.

After sending out two Shadow Clones, the Uzumaki Ninja charged over.

Yagami had more Chakra left and remained even calmer.

Seven Uzumaki Ninja came charging over.

Uzumaki Yuka spotted Fox at first glance. After their intimacy, she was extremely familiar with Fox's figure.

Fox had been sent by ANBU to infiltrate the Cloud Ninja as a spy.

The battle between both sides instantly reached a fever pitch.

Uzumaki Yuka took the initiative to choose Fox, and the two fought farther and farther away.

One clueless Uzumaki Ninja insisted on going over to help Uzumaki Yuka.

Yagami still took a Kunai in the leg, but under Uzumaki Yuka's cover, he found an opportunity to escape with Earth Release: Subterranean Mirroring Fish Technique.

The male Uzumaki Ninja came to Uzumaki Yuka's side and said regretfully, "That Cloud Ninja actually knows an Earth Release ninjutsu for escape. He'll be hard to pursue now."

Uzumaki Yuka nodded, but she was worried about Fox. A Kunai was stuck in his leg, and she did not know whether it would affect his movement underground.

With Yagami's current Chakra Quantity, the beginner-level Earth Release: Subterranean Mirroring Fish Technique could only let him travel a little over thirty meters underground.

After moving through the earth to the Uzumaki Ninja's blind spot, he emerged from the ground. He did not move rashly, instead lying in the bushes and waiting patiently.

The battle ended. The sound of people leaping rose in the distance, and only after the Uzumaki Clan ninja had left did Yagami use Earth-Corpse Transmigration again and disappear.

Once he was completely safe, he carefully treated the Kunai wound on his thigh.

The clothes around the Kunai had been dyed red with blood. The clothes Uzumaki Yuka had just washed were dirty again.

He hid in a gap between the reefs and did not run around even after eating his last Soldier Pill.

The full moon hung like a silver disk, and the moonlight resembled white frost.

Only when the full moon shone into the reef crevice did Yagami emerge.

Soldier Pills alone were not enough, and Yagami was starving. He snuck into a fishing village and stole some food.

Salted fish and cold leftover rice disappeared into him as he wolfed them down.

After filling his stomach, Yagami planned to wait another fifteen days before looking for the main ANBU force.

The closer it was to the next full moon, the safer he would be.

Over these fifteen days, he would properly train his ninjutsu and taijutsu and raise his strength as quickly as possible.

First came his Hand Seal speed.

If he had cast his technique faster, a flying Kunai would not have struck his thigh. He would have gone underground long ago.

Both Earth-Corpse Transmigration and the Self-Exerting Curse Binding Seal required three seals.

Uchiha Itachi could form six seals per second, while Yagami needed a second and a half to form three. That rate was far too slow.

He needed to develop muscle memory as quickly as possible and raise his Hand Seal speed to three seals per second.

Hand Seal training was not just about hand speed. It also required coordinating the Chakra within the body; only by coordinating both could one use ninjutsu.

While practicing, Yagami felt that his hands were incredibly stiff. Other people had pianist's hands; he had plaster hands.

After spending five days practicing Hand Seals until his hands cramped, he finally made some progress. His Hand Seal speed increased considerably, reaching three seals per second.

Next came the tedious training for strength and speed.

With the system's help and his own diligent cultivation, both sides worked toward the same goal.

The nearby fishing villages were unfortunate, losing plenty of salted fish and leftover rice.

A new month arrived. When fifteen days remained until the full moon, Yagami began searching for ANBU markings.

Still somewhere along the coast, Yagami found the Brown Bear Squad Commander.

The Brown Bear Squad Commander was guarding the coast to prevent the Uzumaki Ninja from escaping back to the Land of Whirlpools by sea.

Konoha Anbu was determined to obtain the Uzumaki Sealing Jutsu.

There were many ANBU commanders like the Brown Bear Squad Commander. The Uzumaki Ninja who had entered the Land of Waves would likely all die here.

Squad Commanders and Captain Commanders guarded the coast, while Uzu Hidden Village did not even know what was happening here.

Yagami reported the Azure Wolf Squad's encounter to the Brown Bear Squad Commander.

"The Uzumaki Ninja you mentioned have also been encountered by other ANBU over the past few days. They are indeed quite strong."

The Brown Bear Squad Commander looked at Fox's leg. His clothes were torn and stained with blood, and the wound did indeed look like it had been inflicted half a month ago.

The Brown Bear Squad Commander thought for a moment and said:

"Fox, real name Yagami.

His parents moved into the village in Konoha Year 18, after the end of the First Shinobi World War.

He was born in the village in Konoha Year 23. Five years later, his parents died in a Rogue Ninja rebellion.

He graduated from the Ninja Academy in Konoha Year 33. In Year 38, this year, he passed the Chunin Exams after their difficulty was lowered and was selected by ANBU.

His background is clean. Although his strength is somewhat lacking, he has adapted to ANBU missions and even learned the Shadow Clone Technique from Ling.

Follow me, Fox.

In a few days, I'll assign you one or two Anbu ninja and make you an acting Squad Leader.

If you can complete several missions, you will officially be appointed Squad Leader."

Yagami quickly lowered his head. "Thank you, Squad Commander!"

A promotion did not matter much. The key was that once he became a leader, he would receive orders and learn more intelligence.

For five straight days, Yagami followed the Brown Bear Squad Commander, responsible for leaving ANBU signals nearby.

During that time, two Uzumaki Ninja attempted to break through the blockade and leave the main island of the Land of Waves.

The Brown Bear Squad Commander easily dealt with the two Uzumaki Ninja.

The gap in strength was too great. The Brown Bear Squad Commander used only taijutsu, without using ninjutsu.

After searching the corpses, they did not find the Sealing Scroll.

Yagami was itching to make a move.

If I'm still alive on the fourteenth of this month, I'll go after the Brown Bear Squad Commander. Maybe I can get some good rewards from him.

He only dared think that while looking at the ground. If he stared at the Squad Commander while thinking it, he feared the commander would stab him to death with a Kunai.

"Squad Commander, aren't you afraid that Uzu Hidden Village will hold Konoha accountable?"

"Of course not." The Brown Bear Squad Commander glanced at Fox.

"I know you are Konoha Anbu, but how would these Whirlpool Ninja know who you are?

Even if they find some evidence, the village can simply say it was Kirigakure framing us.

Konoha and Uzu Hidden Village are allies. Why would Konoha kill its own ally?

And don't ask questions you shouldn't ask."

"My apologies, Squad Commander. I was overthinking it."

ANBU did the village's dirty and exhausting work. Other than death or Danzo's permission, no one could leave ANBU.

Yagami's ninja registration number had been sealed away. In the records, he was a Konoha Ninja who had already died during some mission.

Other ANBU whose units had been scattered gradually came to find the Squad Commander.

The Brown Bear Squad Commander assigned Yagami one person, an ANBU wearing a Matsutori mask.

The two formed a new squad, with Yagami serving as acting Squad Leader.

After sending Matsutori away, the Brown Bear Squad Commander assigned the squad's mission.

"Fox, the Land of Waves is now a chaotic mix of all sorts. There are Mist Ninja, Cloud Ninja, Whirlpool Ninja, and us ANBU.

Go assassinate a noble town mayor from the Land of Waves. He is a supporter of Uzu Hidden Village.

Be careful of that noble's samurai and Guardian Ninja."

Taking the mission scroll, Yagami said, "All right, I understand."

The mission scroll contained plenty of information about the noble town mayor. Yagami was finally no longer just a tool for carrying out missions. He had begun receiving intelligence and gained some authority to make his own decisions.