Inside a cave in the Land of Rain, Kato Dan's face was pale.
Since mastering the forbidden Soul Release Technique, he had never failed.
His raw strength was no match for Jiraiya and others, but his battlefield presence was unparalleled—three Jiraiyas combined couldn't compare.
Unexpectedly, he had suffered a loss against an Anbu wearing a fox mask.
When he tried to control that squad leader, the leader had already been seized by a secret technique of the Yamanaka clan.
He had never seen such a situation—losing to the clash of two souls.
It taught him a lesson: be more cautious around the Yamanaka clan.
Physical wounds could be healed with medicine; soul injuries healed slowly over time.
Kato Dan told his two Senju guards, "Give me another half hour. After that, I'll use Soul Release to scout the return route. If it's safe, we'll head back to the frontline base."
Dan was an elite Jonin of the Senju clan. One guard advised, "Don't push yourself too hard, Dan. Avoid leaving hidden injuries."
Dan nodded, signaling he understood his limits.
Lying in the cave, Kato Dan listened to the pattering rain at the entrance.
Senju Hanamoku, clan leader, had tasked him to investigate the truth behind the Nine-Tails' transfer sealing. He had investigated many Anbu.
Unfortunately, the Anbu's command system was strict—lower-level members knew nothing, only following orders from squad leaders.
Squad leaders didn't know the real orders or the full scope.
Any Anbu investigated had to be eliminated to prevent exposure.
After the Fox Squad escaped, Dan worried they might report to the Anbu command.
He gained no valuable intel from several Anbu squad leaders.
Should he strike at the Anbu captains?
He thought of the captains he knew, feeling the difficulty:
Kouken, the veteran Anbu captain of the Yellow Dog Squad and right hand to the Hokage. Kouken had protected him during the Ushigatayama battle, with strong taijutsu and ninjutsu, and a tenacious will.
Kuroari, the Nara clan's Anbu captain, was the Anbu strategist, second in command only to the Hokage and Danzo.
Which Anbu captain should he target?
Who knew why the Nine-Tails suddenly manifested Susanoo armor?
The rain grew heavier.
The miserable weather of the Land of Rain made Yako wonder why anyone there endured daily hunger and hardship without relocating.
"Parasitic insects!"
A Senju guard suddenly shouted. The parasitic insects had sneaked into the cave under the cover of the heavy rain.
Inside, the three rushed to the cave entrance. Outside, two Anbu charged in.
One wore a beetle-patterned mask; the other, a fox mask.
Fox mask?
Dan was stunned—that was the Anbu squad leader he had fought before.
Had he already been exposed?
Dan shouted, "The Anbu want to kill me! Stop them!"
The two Senju guards hesitated only a moment before deciding protecting Dan was paramount.
One Senju ninja dashed out to block the two Anbu.
The other guarded Dan, wary of a sneak attack.
"Water Release: Water Cutting Wave!"
A high-speed jet of water blasted from the Senju ninja's mouth, sweeping through and slicing the two Anbu at the waist.
Even the trees behind them snapped.
The Water Cutting Wave was tremendously powerful.
Yet the Senju ninja's face suddenly changed.
"No good!"
The beetle-masked Anbu shattered, scattering into countless insects—it was an insect clone.
The fox-masked Anbu turned into sludge—it was an earth clone.
No wonder these elite Anbu had found Dan; they wielded such exquisite clone techniques.
"Careful!"
Suddenly, the sound of explosive tags rang inside the cave.
The Senju guard shielding Dan was blasted out with him on his back, taking the explosion to prevent Dan from injury.
Yako regretfully emerged from the cave floor. The Senju guards were strong—no surprise they couldn't be taken by surprise.
After the heat from the explosive tags faded, Yako slowly stepped outside.
There, two Senju guards fled north quickly with Dan, while Otsu pursued behind.
Yako hurried after them. Danzo was still nearby hiding—if Danzo caught him slacking, it wouldn't end well.
After several minutes, one Senju guard seeing he was slowing down stopped to cover the others.
"Go! Don't worry about me!"
He leapt toward Otsu midair but was blocked by the fox Anbu.
Such fast Body Flicker!
Yako drew his kunai, clashing with the Senju guard's kunai.
Otsu continued the chase, while Yako fought the Senju guard one-on-one.
The Senju guard grew increasingly uncomfortable. He felt the fox Anbu opposite was like his mirror image—skilled in Earth and Water Release, strong constitution, slight advantage, but no quick victory.
The fox Anbu mainly defended with Water Release: Water Formation Wall, lacking strong offense, seemingly willing to win by delay.
Suddenly, the Senju guard realized the fox Anbu's delay meant there was more than just two Anbu—other enemies hid nearby ready to ambush.
The turning point wasn't between these two, but in the hidden enemy's surprise attack.
He glanced back and saw the beetle-masked Anbu and another guard also locked in fierce combat.
The beetle Anbu fought desperately, trading blows just to get closer to Dan.
Dan sat on the ground preparing to use forbidden jutsu.
"No!"
Once Dan used Soul Release, his body would be completely vulnerable.
At that moment, a figure appeared behind Dan.
Danzo held a kunai with a sharp Wind Release vacuum blade.
The vacuum blade sliced rain droplets in midair.
Danzo stared at Dan's neck—if he killed Dan, the trouble would end.
Yet the vacuum blade abruptly stopped three centimeters from Dan's ear.
Dan's soul moved faster!
As expected from the highly praised Kato Dan, his forbidden jutsu release was lightning quick.
Danzo's expression changed; his entire aura shifted.
Danzo spoke:
"Danzo-sama, I didn't expect it was you. Since you've found me, there's no need to hide anymore.
I've been investigating something—who used the Sharingan on the night of the Nine-Tails' transfer to create Susanoo armor that caused Lady Mito's early death?"
Danzo's eyelids trembled, struggling.
"Then why did you suddenly put on that eyepatch?"
He raised his left hand and lifted the eyepatch.
Beneath, a new Mangekyo Sharingan gleamed crimson in the rainy night.
"So it really is you!"
Danzo's vacuum blade suddenly stabbed upward, piercing his own throat.
The vacuum blade, sharp enough to cut through boulders and steel armor, sliced Danzo's flesh-throat like clay.
His throat was instantly pierced.
Without Danzo's chakra to sustain it, the vacuum blade vanished instantly.
Blood gushed out, drowning out even the rain's sound as it splattered onto the muddy ground.
Danzo's body collapsed forward, rigidly falling into a pool of rainwater.
Danzo died again?
Twice in one night?
Even with a resurrection system, Yako wouldn't dare die like this.
Blood spread across the water's surface.
Otsu shouted, "Danzo-sama!"
Yako felt no joy, eyes fixed on Danzo's figure.
Could it be...