"Stop! Let go of our sensei!"
The three Sand Genin pursued them for dozens of kilometers until they were utterly spent, lungs burning and legs turning to lead. They eventually collapsed, hands on their knees, heads lolling back as they gasped for air. For Genin to chase a Jonin this far was a testament to their sheer willpower.
Yagami checked their heading. He had given the trio enough "clues"—he was taking Tade's body further north, toward the borders of the Land of Rain and the Land of Earth. He tossed three kunai back toward them, sending the exhausted Genin scrambling and rolling into the sand in a blind panic.
Their clothes were soaked with sweat and matted with grit, making them look pathetic.
"Your strength is negligible, but your courage is commendable," Yagami's voice echoed back. "I admire that spark. I'll grant you the 'mercy' of a chance to live. Scram back to the Sand Village."
With Tade's corpse slung over his shoulder, Yagami vanished in a Body Flicker alongside Umeka Nara. Only after they were gone did the three Genin feel the true weight of terror. They realized how foolish they had been; if the killer had wished it, they would have been dead at the very start of the chase.
Once they were clear, Yagami unsealed medical bandages and wrapped the body, spraying it with preservatives to prevent rot.
"Let's go," Umeka said. "We'll head to an Exchange in the Land of Earth to turn in the body and collect the bounty."
...
As they skirted the Yoshioka Mountains, they came across a sprawling green expanse.
"That's the mountain oasis of the Land of Wind," Umeka noted. "After the war, they used tunnels to divert water from the Land of Rain. I heard Ebizo was nearly fuming with rage over it. His men found the caves first, but after the defeat, the Wind Daimyo negotiated the rights from the Lords of Fire, Rivers, and Rain. The credit went to the Daimyo; Ebizo got nothing."
The fan-shaped oasis stretched for over ten kilometers and was still expanding—a rare sight in the arid Land of Wind. As they climbed the Yoshioka range, the temperature plummeted, and the air lost its biting dryness. Crossing the peaks, they re-entered the Land of Rain.
Yagami found himself back in Tutsuya Town. Three squads of samurai—representing Rain, Rivers, and Wind—guarded the dam to ensure the water distribution remained fair.
"Let's rest here for the night," Yagami suggested. "I'm a bit drained."
"You're the powerhouse," Umeka replied smoothly. "We do what you say."
Yagami noted how the brilliant Umeka still held an instinctive respect for strength. They checked into a newly built inn, where the owner, recognizing them as dangerous rogue-style ninjas, quickly provided their two best rooms.
That evening, Umeka knocked on Yagami's door. "I have a plan I'd like to consult you on—as an ANBU squad leader."
Yagami noticed the stray water droplets in her hair; she had clearly just showered. He thought to himself: 'This can't be just a 'consultation,' can it?'
She stepped inside and sat on the edge of his bed. "Inevitably, every village will start posting enemy targets at the Exchanges. It's a layer of plausible deniability, but the 20% fee is basically throwing money away. The village budget is tight; we can't keep paying that tax. Fox, do you think it's possible that if, say, the Cloud posts a bounty on a Mist Jonin, the Leaf could intercept that target and 'earn' the Cloud's money?"
"Absolutely," Yagami said. "But that requires a massive intelligence foundation. If the Cloud spends millions on a bounty, they'll send their own assassins immediately, just like we did. You'd have to beat them to the kill by a hair's breadth. Our current intel system isn't fast enough; we'd end up wasting resources on empty leads."
Umeka nodded. Intelligence was indeed the pivot. This was the proposal she intended to push—a move that would bring her immense merit and benefit the Nara clan.
"Any suggestions on the intel side?" she asked.
Yagami shook his head. "I've always been the 'executioner.' I follow orders from the Hokage or Yellow Dog. Before this mission, I never touched the intel side. You're better off asking someone else."
'The spy system belongs to Gibbon now,' Yagami thought. He needed to watch Yellow Dog's true confidant and wait for a moment to strike.
'Blood is thicker than water, after all.' Despite Yagami's loyalty, Yellow Dog had chosen family over him in the end.
"What about the 'interception' part?" Umeka pressed.
"Speed is everything. You'd need a Rapid Response Force," Yagami explained. "Ninjas who can cover 500 kilometers a day while maintaining enough stamina to fight an elite target upon arrival."
Umeka took mental notes. "Fox... would you be willing to lead such a force?"
"I'm an all-rounder," Yagami replied. "Speed, power, defense—I have it all. I'll go wherever the Hokage or Yellow Dog sends me. But you might want to suggest Black Ant for a smaller squad; he's a Nara, after all."
Umeka looked slightly offended. "Do you really think I'm the type to play favorites for my clan?"
"Apologies. I've spent too much time in the dark ops; the 'good' people are few and far between there. I tend to assume the worst."
"The ANBU is predictable; Root is where the real darkness lies," Umeka said softly. "I heard that of the twenty new recruits Danzo is training, three have already died. He's pushing them to the brink just to fill the ranks."
Yagami's gaze darkened. Danzo was personally meat-grinding the youth to rebuild his power. As he was lost in thought, the room seemed to dim as Umeka moved closer.
"There are... a few other things I wanted to discuss..."
As they "discussed," the barriers between them began to dissolve, and layers of clothing fell away.
Twenty minutes later.
"Fox... relax," Umeka whispered. "Let me control you with my shadow..."
"Huh? Why?"
"You're a busy ANBU ninja... you probably don't spend much time with women. You don't understand them at all."
Yagami wondered if his "performance" had been that lackluster. He relaxed his body, allowing her shadow to take hold. Ten seconds later, he had an epiphany.
'I get it! So it's this angle... this frequency...'
'Wait a minute, she's literally using me as a giant living toy!'
'The Nara clan really knows how to have fun! Truly, the smarter they are, the more selfish they get!'