Kurumi screamed, "No!" her small hand lunging out to grip Yagami's wrist.
Yagami's strength was immense. As he swung his arm, Nonō Yakushi wasn't the one struck; instead, Kurumi was flung aside by the centrifugal force. She slammed hard into a wooden pillar behind Nonō, her body sliding down until she was hooked precariously over a railing. With a loud *thud*, the pillar visibly shuddered from the impact.
Yagami froze.
Despite the severe blow, Kurumi hadn't let go. Her tiny hand still gripped Yagami's wrist so tightly that her fingers were white and contorted. Locked by the curse seal, Nonō Yakushi watched with wide-eyed terror. The reddish-copper fist was mere centimeters from her forehead.
Kurumi spat out a mouthful of blood, using her free hand to push herself up from the railing, struggling to a half-kneeling position. "Captain Fox! I beg of you! The Matron is truly a good person... please don't kill her, okay?"
Yagami looked down at the kneeling girl. Her eyes were drowning in supplication. Nonō's terror slowly shifted into confusion as she saw Copper Fox slowly retract his fist and reach down to help Kurumi up.
Yagami first checked Kurumi 's spine where she hit the pillar. Noticing some hairline fractures, he said, "Kurumi , don't you know medical ninjutsu? Treat yourself first."
"I can endure it," Kurumi said breathlessly. "Captain, the Matron is a good person. I don't know what it's like to have a real sister, but she is my sister. Is there a mistake? Why do you want to kill her?"
Yagami replied, "Kurumi , we've known each other since the Land of Rivers. You are one of the rare, untainted good people I've met among ninja. I believe you. Your Matron is likely a good person to you. However, your Matron almost got me killed. She sold the intelligence of our brigade's ambush to the Mist. If I hadn't been prepared, I'd be a corpse right now. If she isn't stopped, she'll eventually sell my life to some high-ranking figure in another mission. Kurumi , I'm sorry. She may be a saint to you and the orphans, but to the Leaf, she's a traitor who nearly wiped out five brigades."
"Please, just give her a chance to explain! How could she possibly want to kill five brigades? Please..." Kurumi was sobbing now, but Yagami's hand struck the back of her neck, knocking her unconscious.
He turned back to finish Nonō Yakushi, only to find her suddenly leaping backward. Yagami stared at her in genuine shock. Since he had mastered the Self-Curse Binding Seal, she was the first person to ever break free from it on her own. Sweat poured down Nonō's forehead; breaking the seal had clearly cost her immense effort.
Seeing the muscles in Copper Fox's legs tense for a kill-strike, Nonō screamed, "Have you ever heard of the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal!"
A split second later, the copper fist stopped once more in front of her face. Looking at the metallic knuckles, Nonō thought, *I guessed right.* An ANBU so skilled in the Uzumaki sealing arts would definitely know that name.
The Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal was essentially the Uzumaki version of the Caged Bird seal. If Danzo mastered it, every ANBU would become his puppet. If the Fox before her had even an ounce of pride, he wouldn't allow himself to be turned into a puppet. By shouting out the name of this secret technique, she had piqued his interest and traded a secret for her life.
A ninja's strength wasn't just in combat; it was in intelligence. By providing high-value information at the right moment, she had turned peril into safety.
Yagami pulled back his hand. "You are a terrifying woman, Nonō Yakushi. You'd better change my mind quickly. I don't like the feeling of being led by the nose. You have one minute to explain, or you die."
The reason Yagami stopped was that Nonō clearly possessed knowledge of the Self-Curse Binding Seal; otherwise, she couldn't have broken it in twenty seconds. This meant she held Uzumaki-related intelligence that made her too valuable to kill immediately. She gave him a dangerous vibe, but the information she dangled was too tempting.
Nonō said, "When the Uzumaki clan was wiped out, several Uzumaki Jonin who served as guardians to the Daimyo were captured by Danzo. He established a secret base in the Land of Whirlpools to research their sealing arts. I can give you the location."
"Heh," Yagami scoffed. "Why should I believe you? How do I know it's not a trap?"
"The reason I could break your seal is because of the research from that base. They are at a critical stage in perfecting the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal. You spared Kurumi , so I can see you recognize her worth—that's why I'm willing to cooperate. You don't want Danzo carving that seal onto you, do you?"
Yagami wasn't actually worried about himself; as a prominent ANBU Jonin, he wasn't someone Danzo could easily grab. However, if Danzo acquired that seal, building Root would become effortless. No need to vet for loyalty—everyone would be forced into unconditional obedience and absolute secrecy. Currently, Root members were limited; every time one died, Danzo lost a piece of himself. After Ryoma Aburame's death, it would take Danzo a long time to find someone of equal power and loyalty.
Yagami said, "Do you think I'm that easy to fool? If it's Danzo's secret base, it must be heavily guarded. Am I not just walking to my death? Don't think your words can bewitch me. I should still kill you today."
Despite the harsh words, both of them could feel that Yagami's killing intent had vanished. He truly wanted that research base.
Yagami continued, "Fine. Give me the address. This is our first cooperation; if you lie to me, I will destroy your orphanage. As long as you work with me, Brigade Commander Yellow Dog will not mistreat you."
Nonō thought to herself that the struggle between Yellow Dog and Danzo had reached a point of no return. She could use their conflict, even provoke it, to weaken Danzo and keep him distracted. This Copper Fox, while talking tough, was unexpectedly gentle with Kurumi . He was a viable partner.
Nonō knelt down to treat the fractures in Kurumi 's back while she spoke: "Twenty kilometers southeast of the Land of Whirlpools' capital, there is an underground cavern. That is Danzo's research base for Uzumaki sealing arts. It contains many precious scrolls—not just the Tongue Eradication Seal and the Self-Curse Binding Seal. Good luck."
After finishing Kurumi 's treatment, Nonō vanished from the village. Yagami looked at Kurumi and her three teammates; fearing they would see him upon waking, he also flickered away.
To investigate this secret base, he could use the Stone Panda clan's reverse summoning to bring in Yuka Uzumaki. She could help him, and in return, gain more knowledge of her lost clan.
***
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