Mache glanced at Yoru's ANBU mask and outfit.
"You're ANBU from the Leaf? Shouldn't you be dealing with Hanzō? What are you doing in the Jikō Mountains?"
Yoru hung one-handed from the kunai he had driven into the cliffside. With a powerful swing, he flipped up and stood balanced atop the kunai.
He said:
"You didn't just sweep a whole town and a dozen villages into the caverns beneath these mountains…
You also ask too many questions. Why do you care which village's ANBU I belong to?"
Yoru had always felt out of place in this world, detached from its people. He never considered himself virtuous.
But Mache's method still crossed a line even he couldn't ignore.
With Mache's strength, there had to be ways to accomplish his plan without killing civilians.
But he simply hadn't bothered. How many people in the Land of Rain died, didn't matter to him.
Mache laughed in annoyance.
"So Leaf brats aren't afraid of dying anymore?"
More than twenty Sand shinobi landed behind him, facing the Fox ANBU on the cliff.
Yoru felt the cut left on his body by Mache's Wind Release. Not deep enough to hinder movement.
He said, "I'm not afraid of dying right now. So, what are you going to do about it?"
The next instant, Mache's expression changed.
This wasn't Leaf ANBU, this was Rain Village ANBU!
But why wasn't he wearing the Rain's signature gas mask?
Mache had assumed Fox Squad was from Rain because Yoru used one of Hanzō's trademark techniques:
Water Release: Water Body Flicker.
After a single seal, Yoru vanished and reappeared behind the Sand forces.
With rain pouring nonstop, water was everywhere, perfect conditions for Water Flicker. Not planning to survive anyway, Yoru threw every explosive tag he had.
"Ah—! Aah!!"
Screams erupted.
Of the twenty-plus Sand ninja, more than fifteen were blasted into the air. Only then did Mache turn around. Such incredible speed, just one seal, and he might as well have teleported.
"Is he Hanzō's disciple…?"
The smoke from the tags was quickly beaten down by the rain. Yoru burst through the haze and charged the Sand ninja.
His ninjatō scraped the ground as he accelerated, slashing hard at Mache's leg. A sudden whirlwind surrounded Mache.
Within it, countless wind blades spun violently, shredding Yoru instantly.
Poof!
A cloud of white smoke, a Shadow Clone.
Yoru crouched not far away, watching the whirlwind around Mache shrink.
Wind armor for defense, Wind Slicer for offense, a rock-solid combat style befitting a Hidden Sand Village's elite jōnin.
Yoru pressed a hand to his mask.
He had to go all-out, force Mache to reveal his trump cards, gather intel, and gain an edge for the next life.
His eyes turned crimson. A single-tomoe Sharingan spun to life. Don't underestimate a single tomoe.
Mache froze again.
What…?
Why would Hanzō take an Uchiha as a disciple? And teach him Water Flicker, a top-tier mobility technique?
Was Rain conspiring with the Leaf?
Or was Hanzō using the Uchiha clan to cripple Konoha?
The conspiracies tangled in Mache's mind. His head hurt.
A massive conspiracy!
This was huge!
Yoru formed one seal, Water Flicker.
He vanished.
The next instant, he appeared behind Mache.
Mache reacted instantly, activating his whirlwind Wind Release.
Yoru's Sharingan caught all motion. Suspended mid-air, his body twisted into an almost impossible angle, shoulder down, waist up, legs arched, perfectly slipping through the gaps between the wind blades.
His sword shot forward, aiming straight for the back of Mache's head.
Mache ducked just in time.
Yoru's attacks continued in an unbroken storm, the blade shrieking as it carved arcs through the air. The more he struck, the more Yoru's shock grew.
Mache wasn't moving, yet he dodged every slash with frightening precision. Was the difference in raw ability truly this vast?
Suddenly, Mache raised a hand and clamped it around Yoru's throat.
Yoru's eyes widened.
So that was it.
Before Mache's hand even reached him, Yoru had already felt a strong wind pressure.
Meaning, Mache's entire body was wrapped in a dense layer of compressed air. This layer amplified the airflow of any approaching attack.
And indeed, not a single raindrop touched him.
When Yoru's blade was still twenty centimeters away, Mache already felt the pressure, giving him time to evade.
What kind of technique was this?
A Wind Release armor?
Mache squeezed. Yoru's neck snapped with a dull crack.
"Whether you're Hanzō's disciple or an Uchiha prodigy…
Tonight, you die."
[Death detected. Activating Arc of the Full Moon…]
—
Yoru's vision blurred, then shifted.
He was back in the inn, on the night of the previous full moon.
Purple Cat slept beside him, resting peacefully. The quiet rain outside tapped softly on the window.
Yoru exhaled. His strength was still far from that of an elite jōnin. Even using every trump card he had, he still wasn't close.
Death walked alongside everyone. In the shinobi world, without family backing or a village's protection, even geniuses rarely survived long enough to grow.
Minato had Jiraiya.
Kakashi had Minato.
And even then, Obito and Rin still died in the war.
Most geniuses died young and nameless. Only the survivors became legends.
[Arc of the Full Mon Activated]
You receive one revival per month. Upon death, you return to the previous full-moon night.
Reward: One random draw
1. Wind-nature Chakra
2. Special Jōnin-level Chakra Capacity
3. Bandage-Style Taijutsu (Basic)
Wind-nature chakra didn't suit his current combat style.
Even if he learned Wind Release, it would only be supplementary. During wartime, raw combat power mattered more, weaknesses could be filled during peace.
The third option was also out.
Bandage-style taijutsu…
Considering Mache's heavily wrapped head, it was likely one of his secret arts.
Yoru chose the second option, Special Jōnin-level Chakra Capacity.
Last time he drew, his chakra reserves were 3.8× Special Jōnin level. Thanks to his unique physique, his chakra had naturally grown to 4.5× over time.
With this reward adding another full multiplier, his chakra was now 5.5× Special Jōnin level,
Roughly 1.1× average Jōnin level.
Finally, he had reached a true jōnin's chakra threshold.
After finishing this mission, he could request Special Jōnin certification from Captain Yellow Dog.
Chūnin had few privileges. As a Special Jōnin, he could access more intel and wield more authority within ANBU.
Yoru stood up and equipped his gear. Purple Cat stirred awake, stretching like a sleepy kitten.
"Hm…? Do we need to head out already…?"
Yoru tapped her cheek lightly and said:
"While you were asleep, I sent a Shadow Clone to watch over you and went out to scout. I gathered intel, we need to meet Captain Yellow Dog immediately. And why are you trying to wash up now? Are you a Purple Cat or a hungry stray? Come on, time is running."
Purple Cat blinked, suddenly tense.
The captain went scouting…? She didn't notice at all?
Had she been sleeping that deeply…?