After the Flower Deer Squad recovered, Yoru gathered the entire platoon.
Holding a stack of jutsu scrolls, he said:
"Overall, the prisoner-exchange mission is rated A-Rank. Most of your personal evaluations are B-Rank.
Many of you showed determination that made me proud.
Especially the Flower Deer Squad, your realistic self-injuries completely fooled the Sand ninja in the exchange team and created the perfect opening for our sneak attack.
I applied for jutsu rewards for all of you.
From these six jutsu, pick the ones that suit you best."
Fire Style: Fire Style: Dragon's Flame
Fire Style: Fierce Dragon Flame Jutsu
Earth Style: Falling Earth Spears
Wind Style: Great Breakthrough
Lightning Style: Earth Flash
Water Style: Water Formation Wall
Four of these were granted by Captain Yellow Dog, the remaining two, Earth Lung Spear and Water Formation Wall, were Yoru's own jutsu.
Giving out his own personal jutsu as rewards… truly a five-star ANBU captain.
Members of the Flower Deer Squad were so moved their breathing grew heavy.
"Three squad leaders, step up and copy the jutsu."
When all three squads finished copying, Yoru continued:
"Most ANBU missions must NEVER reveal your identity. We mainly fight using kunai and explosive tags.
For example, the most common ANBU mission, assassinating disobedient nobles, absolutely cannot use flashy ninjutsu.
But sometimes ANBU must forcefully assault enemies.
For example, when we met Hanzō of the Salamander in the Land of Rain, since it was led by Danzo-sama, hiding our identities wasn't required.
Each squad leader, train your teams in assault-type joint combat, based on their abilities and their new jutsu.
In fifteen days, I'll request an assault mission to test our platoon's assault capability."
With the boosts from Senju and Uzumaki genetics, Yoru's ninjutsu power had skyrocketed. His subordinates needed to grow too, so they could cooperate with him.
He glanced toward the medical tent.
Another month without life-or-death pressure… maybe I should go 'touch Tsunade' again… no, no, I mean let Tsunade touch me for a lucky draw. Maybe my Senju lineage will upgrade again.
Yoru looked at Wind Style: Great Breakthrough. Since he now had Wind-nature chakra, he decided to learn at least one wind jutsu.
As a platoon captain, occasionally skimming some benefits for himself while giving out rewards to subordinates… nothing wrong with that.
Can't even imagine how many perks he'd have if he became an ANBU captain of a whole division.
Many shinobi claw their way upward for exactly this reason.
With power, learning any jutsu becomes easy.
Wind Style: Great Breakthrough, a C-Rank technique, after forming hand signs, the user releases a blast of wind from the mouth to suppress enemies.
Later it can be enhanced with wind blades for more damage.
A functional jutsu, great for sweeping away Sand's sand techniques.
Before fifteen days passed, only twelve days later, Yoru received a mission.
In the captain's tent, Yellow Dog looked at the surprised Fox Mask and asked:
"What's wrong? Any issues with this mission?"
"No. I just left the capital of the Land of Rivers recently… returning there again is perfect for me."
The Land of Earth Daimyō hated that the Land of Rivers was building a hydroelectric plant.
The Land of Earth relies heavily on coal, which is one of their primary industries.
So the Earth Daimyō commissioned the Hidden Stone Village: send a secret infiltration team to bypass the front lines, travel across the continent, and destroy the hydroelectric station.
The Fox Platoon's mission: intercept and eliminate the Stone infiltration unit.
Yoru had just told Koi Chisa that they might never meet again, yet fate brought him another mission in the River Country capital.
Yellow Dog said:
"This mission comes from the Fire Country Treasurer. I'll escort the Treasurer to the capital of the Land of Rivers. Your job is to take out the Stone ninja.
The Treasurer said if the hydroelectric station proves viable, the Fire Country will build one too."
Yoru returned to the platoon tent, summoned all three squads, and they set off.
On the road, Purple Cat stared at her captain.
Why is he moving so fast? Is he that desperate to get back to the River Country capital?
White Ram remained silent, thinking:
Captain… now's the time to show your time-management skills…
Land of Rivers — Capital Outskirts
The dam foundation was beginning to take shape.
Upstream, based on Light's construction plan, they built an upstream cofferdam.
The cofferdam blocked the water, and a temporary diversion channel redirected the flow, giving a dry working area for the dam.
Koi Chisa stood atop the cofferdam, holding her thin sword:
"Don't let the Stone ninja break through!"
As the Daimyō's younger sister, she came early every morning and returned to the capital past midnight, determined to speed up the dam's completion.
Today, dozens of Stone-ninja were attacking the dam.
Samurai defended desperately at the perimeter, while hired rogue ninja on the riverbank threw kunai at the Stone shinobi advancing across the water.
But samurai and rogue ninja were too weak. Shinobi with the highest training were all in the great hidden villages. The Land of Rivers had no village, its hired forces were mediocre.
Huge boulders launched toward them.
Chisa's swordsmanship was sharp, she slashed as many boulders as she could.
But too many Stone-ninja were on the water's surface now, attacking not only the defenders but the cofferdam itself.
If the cofferdam collapsed, the dam foundation would be washed away. Each impact made the ground shudder beneath her. The trembling made Chisa's heart sink. Even being the Daimyō's sister meant nothing, shinobi could easily destroy her work.
The strongest Stone captain finished slaughtering the samurai on the shore, hundreds were dead. He stepped onto the river surface and formed hand signs.
A chain of massive boulders, each four or five meters wide, came hurtling toward the cofferdam. More than twenty in total.
Chisa lowered her sword. She couldn't stop that. Neither she nor her remaining guards could.
Just then, the water in front of her exploded upward.
Water Style: Water Wall!
A towering wall of water, over ten meters high, rose before her. The spray washed over her face, bringing a rare coolness.
Reinforcements!
The River Daimyō had written to the Fire Daimyō about the hydroelectric station, maybe this was Fire Country's support!
A masked figure landed beside her.
Fox mask. Hooded cloak. Appearance unrecognizable.
The Fox ANBU had blocked an overwhelming Earth Style barrage with a giant Water Style.
Chisa stared at the ANBU next to her, overwhelmed with a sense of safety.
But… this silhouette…
Yoru glanced at her fitted dress, its fabric wrinkled from the battle.
He reached out and gently adjusted her crooked glasses.
"Lady Chisa, don't panic. From here on, the Konoha ANBU will take over."
Koi Chisa froze as the Fox ANBU touched her glasses.
She kept telling herself:
It's not him. That man was a Rain ninja. He left long ago.
Purple Cat landed beside them:
"Lady Koi Chisa, please evacuate. It's dangerous here."
Chisa looked at the female ANBU standing next to the fox-masked man.
A woman's sixth sense ignited, she suddenly felt a stab of jealousy for no reason.