Deep within the Forest of Death, in the Anbu's open-air training ground.
Yōkō turned around, his tone slightly disappointed:
"Is there only 21 Anbu without missions today?"
Hippo said, "Lord Fox, most Anbu squads are on surveillance missions. Everyone free today is here."
Yōkō took out a sealing scroll. After unsealing it, several ninja swords appeared.
Hippo's heart tightened. Was this Advisor Mitokado Homura's weapon treasury?
Was it necessary to use such powerful weapons for sparring with Anbu members?
Couldn't he just use a kunai to make a point?
The four ninja swords were stuck in the ground.
Yōkō picked up the Chakra Metal Ninjato, looked up at the 21 Anbu, hesitated, and then put it down.
These Anbu didn't look very resistant to beating.
Although he didn't specialize in Chakra blade techniques like Hatake Sakumo, the Chakra he casually channeled into a ninja sword wasn't something these Anbu could withstand.
Some Anbu had seen Mitokado Homura in action. Seeing Lord Fox put away the Chakra Ninjato, they visibly breathed a sigh of relief.
That wouldn't be necessary, not necessary at all.
Today was for sparring. Using the Chakra Ninjato would be a bit excessive.
Then, they saw their superior pick up the Senju Broadsword.
This... wasn't that even more excessive?
The Senju Broadsword had the property of being indestructible and was the heirloom ninja sword of the Senju clan.
If Lord Fox used that sword... wouldn't the person in charge of the Equipment Division cry?
The standard-issue ninja swords and kunai in the hands of ordinary Anbu would all be finely crushed into iron dust by their superior.
Seeing Lord Fox put down the Senju Broadsword, the Anbu shinobi sighed in relief again.
Their superior then picked up the Giant Fūma Shuriken...
The Anbu thought, surely not? For sparring with them, would Lord Fox use long-range attacks to harass?
Sure enough, their superior put down the Giant Fūma Shuriken.
Finally, Lord Fox picked up the all-black Assassination Black Blade.
Did their superior need to use assassination techniques against them?
In the very end, Yōkō stabbed the Assassination Blade back into the ground.
A wooden spear appeared in his hand.
Taking out the Four Ninja Swords scroll had been entirely unnecessary.
He weighed the wooden spear in his hand. It would do. He'd use the wooden spear.
Yōkō said, "Lord Hokage said the Anbu's strength is too weak to deal with the rogue ninja group. As the Anbu Vice-Commander, this pains me deeply. Criticizing you is criticizing me! We must keep Lord Hokage's criticism in our hearts, take it as a disgrace, and turn that shame into motivation. All 21 of you, come at me together! Let me see just how weak you are!"
Hippo swallowed hard with difficulty.
Lord Hokage, really, why did you have to criticize Lord Fox for no reason?
"Show me the determination to kill me in your taijutsu sparring, because..." Yōkō's eyes turned icy as he said, "I will show you the determination to kill you, to show you why Lord Hokage called you garbage!"
The 21 Anbu accelerated, some fast, some slow, charging towards Fox from different directions in a pincer movement.
Two Anbu shinobi specializing in tool usage unfurled scrolls mid-air, releasing a dense shower of kunai.
Yōkō didn't use Copper Light, didn't use the Sharingan. He shifted left and right, dodging all the kunai.
"You two, extra training! In three days, I want to see an improved plan for the sealing formulas! Too weak! So slow, so few in number, how is this different from kunai farted out?"
The two tool-specialist Anbu felt bitter in their mouths. So humiliating! What kind of butt could fart out dozens of kunai?
Kicking away the Anbu shinobi charging at the forefront, Yōkō immediately offered commentary.
"Reckless fool! Couldn't you utilize your teammate on the left?"
His wrist flicked, deflecting the second person's ninja sword. The wooden spear thrust forward, its blunt tip striking the second person's windpipe.
"Did you think this was a chance to show off? Why not sneak attack me from behind? Why circle to my front? So I can see your mask? I don't care who you are. If I don't see improvement in a month, go straight to processing your discharge!"
The third and fourth attackers sandwiched him, thrusting their ninja swords from front and back.
Yōkō's wooden spear suddenly elongated, striking both their chests from front and back.
"A little tacit understanding, but not much. You didn't even distinguish between main attacker and support."
The fifth person: Yōkō tapped his leg, and he immediately fell face-first.
"Leg strength too weak. Make sure you walk slowly from now on. Don't take two steps and break a bone. The Anbu won't cover that as an on-duty injury."
...
Hippo, at the back of the group, his eyes beneath the mask screwed up in worry.
Why didn't the village send Lord Fox to investigate the rogue ninja like before?
Lord Fox had all this strength with nowhere to use it. Tormenting the Anbu like this... how could they endure it?
"Hippo!"
Lord Fox's shout made Hippo jump.
"Hiding behind your subordinates? Waiting for them to die to gather intelligence for you?"
That's really not it! Hippo was simply complaining about the Hokage in the back.
"Multi-Size Technique! Human Bullet Tank!"
Hippo used the Akimichi clan's secret technique and charged at Lord Fox.
The next second, his massive body was sent flying back.
The difference in strength was too great. Even using the Akimichi secret technique, he was no match for Lord Fox.
A few minutes later, everyone was groaning on the ground like worms.
Yōkō said contentedly, "Reflect carefully. In three days, it'll be your turn for training again. I want to see your progress."
There were about 70 people across the four Anbu squads. With over 20 people sparring with Yōkō each day, it would be a three-day cycle.
Walking through the corridors of the base, Hippo really wanted to take off his mask to show everyone his bruised, blue and purple face.
Lord Fox hit too hard.
But the Anbu also gained a lot. At least they all learned their weaknesses in taijutsu.
From Lord Fox's meaning, after three months of high-intensity taijutsu guidance, there would be ninjutsu and secret technique guidance.
So difficult. They had to complete surveillance missions and undergo Lord Fox's special training.
—
The full moon was like a silver plate.
The second full moon night of year 42 arrived.
The higher-ups wouldn't let him leave the village. This month, he could only find targets within the village for the 'lottery draw'.
Just wait, you're in for a world of hurt.
After the 'lottery draw', it was best to eliminate the target to avoid future complications.
Over twenty days passed before Yōkō finally found a suitable target.
Sarutobi Hinoyuu, the 'biological father' of the rogue ninja Sarutobi Kanenosuke, imprisoned in Konoha Prison.
Konoha Prison was located in the remote southwest corner of the village, where the higher-ups couldn't arrive quickly.
No matter how powerful Sarutobi Hiruzen was, could he thrust his staff ten kilometers?
Late at night at the end of the month, Konoha Prison was quiet.
Patrolling shinobi walked the corridors.
Each cell housed shinobi who had committed serious crimes but hadn't yet received the death penalty.
Keeping these shinobi was very useful in war.
Whether willingly or driven by jutsu, they could be used to deal with extremely dangerous battle situations.
When the patrolling shinobi were three cells away from the end of the corridor, they turned around with tacit understanding.
The last three cells had been remodeled.
One was a private toilet and shower, one was a bedroom, and the last was a study.
This remodeled prison suite held the Third Hokage's younger brother, Sarutobi Hinoyuu.
The village imprisoned Sarutobi Hinoyuu here merely to silence public criticism.
Even as the Hokage's own brother, when his son became a rogue ninja and caused losses to the village, he had to be punished.
Sarutobi Hinoyuu stood by the specially enlarged window, looking outside.
He wondered how Hatake Sakumo was performing in the Land of Grass.
He hoped Hatake Sakumo would achieve results and kill his unfilial son.
To be honest, he had always disliked the illegitimate son, Sarutobi Yomogi. Now that Sarutobi Yomogi had become a rogue ninja, he detested him even more.
With Sarutobi Yomogi's talent, if he had stayed within the clan grounds, Hinoyuu's status would have been higher because of the illegitimate son.
But now, the stronger Sarutobi Yomogi became, the worse off he was.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
"Enter!"
Sarutobi Hinoyuu saw an Anbu open the door.
This Anbu was from the Black Ant Squad.
"Jōnin Hinoyuu..."
Hearing this address, Sarutobi Hinoyuu felt displeased.
He, the brother of Sarutobi Hiruzen, couldn't even earn a 'Lord' title?
He wondered what news this Anbu was bringing. Had Hatake Sakumo killed Sarutobi Kanenosuke?
Or had Sarutobi Kanenosuke killed Hatake Sakumo?
That wouldn't be bad either. If Hatake Sakumo died, it would remove a thorn from his elder brother's side.
"Jōnin Hinoyuu, the Hokage believes you have sullied the honor of the Sarutobi clan, so..."
A kunai suddenly stabbed towards Sarutobi Hinoyuu.
However, Sarutobi Hinoyuu moved quickly, snatching the kunai and brutally stabbing it into the Anbu's abdomen.
How strange, what was this Anbu trying to do?
[Mochizuki's Arc system starting up...]
Yōkō had resurrected on the previous full moon night and drawn Elite Jōnin-level Chakra Reserve from the three options.
His Chakra reserve increased from 4.3 times Kage-level to 4.5 times.
As his Chakra increased, Yōkō felt somewhat uncomfortable.
This was a condition he had never experienced before.
His body felt bloated, struggling to contain so much Chakra.
Time passed day by day amidst the special training of the Anbu shinobi.
He arrived once again at the night he had died at the hands of Sarutobi Hinoyuu in the previous timeline.
Sarutobi Hinoyuu was still gazing out the window at the stars, his mind wandering, hoping Hatake Sakumo would kill Sarutobi Kanenosuke, or that Sarutobi Kanenosuke would kill Hatake Sakumo.
At that moment, a roar shook Konoha Prison!
The cell door burst open violently, and a black shadow crashed towards Sarutobi Hinoyuu.
Yōkō kicked Sarutobi Hinoyuu in the lower back.
Sarutobi Hinoyuu was sent flying, crashing through the wall and out into the forest outside the prison.
His back hit a tree trunk, and he stopped.
He shook his head, struggling to his feet amidst the dizziness.
There was someone on the prison roof, but why were there double images?
No... not double images, but five identical figures!
Seeing the five figures, Sarutobi Hinoyuu knew. That unfilial son had come.
The bastard born from that woman he had forced himself upon had arrived.
The light of five elemental ninjutsu glowed in the darkness.
Earth Release: Flying Rubble, Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique, Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique, Wind Release: Great Breakthrough, Lightning Release: Roaring Thunder...
Sarutobi Hinoyuu gave up resisting.
Neither the Body Flicker Technique nor Earth Release ninjutsu could escape the range of this kinjutsu.
Five Elements Unrivalled Attack!
"Unfilial Son!"
The night in Konoha Village suddenly became restless. Countless shinobi rushed towards the southwest corner's Konoha Prison.
After the terrifying explosion, even the Konoha wall had a gaping hole blown in it.
A black shadow rushed out through the hole in the wall and escaped into the darkness.
***
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(End of Chapter)