After leaving the Land of Rain's capital, Danzo issued orders to Captain Yellow Dog through the pouring rain, then departed with the Foundation operatives.
Captain Yellow Dog walked over to the three squad leaders and assigned their missions.
"Since the Land of Rain unexpectedly joined the war, the village has prepared two approaches.
First, on the main battlefield: Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Jiraiya will each lead divisions into the Land of Rain to seek and eliminate the Land of Rain's main forces.
Second, we will attempt negotiations.
Hanzō has stated that as long as we drive the Sand shinobi out, he is willing to talk.
Both the direct assault and the negotiations are indispensable for victory.
According to the intel Hanzō provided, our battalion will head to the southern river of Jisui in Land of Rain, investigate the Sand's objective there, and expel any Sand shinobi operating inside Land of Rain's borders.
The war with the Hidden Stone Village is the core of the Second Great Ninja War. To pin down the Land of Earth from north and south together with the Cloud ninjas, we must resolve the the Land of Rain front as quickly as possible.
Each of the three squads will investigate one section of the Jisui River, capture Sand shinobi, interrogate them, and uncover whatever plot Suna has near the river."
Yoru was assigned the middle section of the Jisui River.
Recently, Captain Yellow Dog had come to regard the Fox Squad as the strongest, so they always received the toughest assignments.
I've been performing too well lately… I should probably keep a low profile.
Just like in the previous life's workplace—do more, get nothing extra. Do more, and you'll simply be asked to do even more. Forever.
After receiving orders, the three squads scattered in three directions.
Half a day later, White Ram suddenly spoke:
"Captain! A large group of shinobi ahead!"
Yoru quickly moved the squad to higher ground for better visibility.
Through the binoculars, the landscape was drowned in rain mist—they couldn't see clearly.
He suddenly missed the previous White Ram—if that White Ram were here, he could have identified the distant shinobi with ease.
"Captain! My insects detected Aburame-clan insects! They're Leaf shinobi!"
"Oh? Excellent. Likely the main force under Orochimaru-sama."
Yoru instructed White Ram to make contact and notify the main force that they were ANBU, to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings.
Soon, four shinobi appeared across the way.
Leading them was a female shinobi wearing a mask, a high-collared coat, and carrying an insect jar on her back—an Aburame-clan kunoichi.
When she approached, she scanned the group and fixed her gaze on the ANBU wearing the White Ram mask.
"Is it you?"
Yoru was briefly stunned.
Had she recognized an ANBU member purely by sensing the insects?
He stepped in front of White Ram.
"Aburame kunoichi, be mindful of Konoha's confidentiality protocols."
Even if she recognized a clansman, she shouldn't say it aloud.
"My apologies, Captain." The kunoichi bowed slightly.
"I am Aburame Chima. I've come to deliver orders from Deputy Commander Orochimaru-sama.
Orochimaru-sama requests that if there are ANBU here, the ANBU captain is to report to him immediately."
Yoru hesitated, unsure why Orochimaru wanted to meet ANBU.
But Orochimaru was a "Class-A" Root member and possessed ANBU battalion-level authority—Yoru had no choice but to comply.
Along the way, Aburame Chima repeatedly turned her head to look at White Ram.
Even after the ANBU captain's warning, she couldn't resist glancing back again and again.
White Ram hid at the back of the formation.
Yoru moved beside him and asked quietly, "White Ram… before joining ANBU, did you leave behind unresolved trouble? Who is Chima to you?"
White Ram became visibly uneasy.
ANBU required absolute reliability. The captain would judge his qualification to remain based on his answer.
White Ram finally said quietly:
"Captain… the Aburame keep their insects within their bodies. Because of this, it is very difficult for us to marry outside the clan.
Aburame Chima… she's the fiancée my clan arranged for me. But… I truly cannot develop feelings for her.
She's a good girl. To help her forget about me, I chose to disappear—by joining ANBU."
Yoru replied with the tone of someone who had lived through such matters:
"Hiding in ANBU can give you space. Women develop feelings through time—what matters is how long you spend together. Why worry so much?"
White Ram shook his head.
"Captain, you don't understand. I cannot feel anything for Chima.
More importantly… the insects in my body reject the insects in hers."
"Wait."
Yoru felt as if he had stumbled upon another secret of the Leaf clans.
"You're saying that when you and Chima are together, even your insects have to be compatible?"
"Yes." White Ram nodded.
"On the wedding night, just like an exchange of bodily fluids… our insects also exchange—mate.
My insects hate hers. There is no possibility for us.
When Aburame couples have children, the insects bred by both parents' colonies become the symbiotic insects for the next generation."
Yoru inhaled sharply, horrified by the mental image:
An Aburame couple's wedding night…
And on the floor, walls, ceiling, windows—countless insects also… having a wedding night of their own.
He already knew the Ino–Shika–Cho clans were messy in their own ways.
But the quiet and stoic Aburame clan… unexpectedly turned out to be terrifying on a different level.
Yoru said,
"That really is physical repulsion—not just from you, but from your insects as well.
I'll warn her again. She should not look for you or inquire about you."
Yoru moved back to the front, found Aburame Chima, and said:
"Captain Chima, please stop looking behind you. There is no one you know in my squad. Understood?"
Chima's expression immediately darkened; she looked like she might cry.
"…Understood, Captain."
They followed Chima into the main Konoha force.
Leaf shinobi leaned exhausted against tree trunks.
In this downpour, it could barely be called rest—at best, it eased their tense muscles.
More than four hundred shinobi searched through the rain for the decisive battle against the Land of Rain.
The Land of Rain and Land of Sand were universally hated by Leaf shinobi—harsh environments, and a single mission here could make you lose ten pounds.
At the front of the formation, Yoru spotted the commander of the operation: Orochimaru.
Next to him stood Tsunade and Jiraiya.
Jiraiya was talking nonstop at Tsunade's ear, not noticing Yoru's arrival at all.
By the time Yoru drew close enough to hear, Jiraiya was trying to comfort Tsunade—urging her not to fall into despair over Dan Kato's death.
Tsunade's entire body shifted away from him in disgust. Her expression, posture, everything radiated pure rejection.
Orochimaru finally spoke:
"Fox. If I remember correctly, you're from Captain Yellow Dog's battalion. Is your mission related to the Land of Rain campaign? If so, report the details—it will help me coordinate strategy."
Yoru glanced at the people surrounding Orochimaru—Jiraiya, Tsunade, and two strategists.
Strictly speaking, this wasn't proper ANBU protocol.
Seeing impatience flicker across Orochimaru's face, Yoru immediately dropped his objections.
With the way Sarutobi valued him— and with Danzo's reliance on him—Orochimaru was the protocol.
Yoru reported the encounter outside the Land of Rain capital, including Hanzō's conditions.
After hearing everything, Orochimaru said coldly:
"So Danzo-advisor agreed to Hanzō's terms. Hmph. I will defeat Hanzō on the battlefield myself. There is no need to compromise with him."
"Fox, you may leave."
Yoru thought silently:
I hope you can still talk that tough after Hanzō beats you senseless…