The river exploded violently.
Mist shot into the air, tinted purple under the moonlight.
Along both banks of the river, a series of Poison Mist Exploding Traps had been laid.
Booms rang out one after another. The toxic fog spread like a creeping death.
Captain Black Ape's squad was instantly engulfed in the poisonous haze.
The regions around Amegakure were home to the Salamander Clans, and salamanders were infamous for their venom. The Rain-nin had long mastered the use of poison—on par with the puppet masters of Sunagakure.
Each member of the squad swallowed an antidote.
But ANBU-issued antidotes were designed for Iwa-nin poisons. No one had expected Rain-nin to enter the battlefield.
The medicine didn't work.
Coughs erupted through the team as they burst out of the toxic cloud.
"Cough—Cough!" White Ram choked, his voice heavy with guilt. "Sorry, Captain. I didn't detect any enemies lurking in the water."
"It's not your fault," said Captain Black Ape, wheezing. "Capturing those hostages wasted too much time—cough! Retreat! Fall back in order. Make sure we get the three prisoners out of here!"
The team ran with staggering steps—some fast, some dragging. Everyone was poisoned.
Yako felt like he was holding up better.
The Forest of the Senju bloodline had gifted him with greater constitution—and resistance to toxins.
"Leaf Monkey Squad, hold the rear!"
The newly formed Leaf Monkey Squad didn't hesitate. They turned back immediately to cover the retreat.
The others fled as fast as they could.
Yako glanced back.
The poisoned Leaf Monkeys held out for only a few seconds—then were wiped out by the Rain-nin.
Before falling, they took five, maybe six enemies down with them.
But the Rain-nin pressed on.
Captain Black Ape looked to Yako, his eyes fierce with resolve.
Yako understood.
He and Fox were the strongest in the squad.
They would stay behind.
It was the only way to give the others—especially White Ram and the prisoners—a chance to escape.
If this kept up, the poison would weaken everyone into uselessness. The mission would fail.
Captain Black Ape was desperate to prove he'd recovered. Too desperate.
Yako gave a firm nod, then turned to Purple Cat.
"You three—carry the hostages and keep moving. From here on, you follow Captain White Ram's orders."
"Captain..." Purple Cat started to protest, but bit her words back.
ANBU missions were always this cruel.
Yako and Captain Black Ape stopped in unison. They turned to face the Rain-nin.
The captain steadied his breath, then took out a small box.
Yako recognized it—the secret medicine of the Akimichi Clan, the Three Colored Pills.
"Fox," said Captain Black Ape, "you're supporting me in this next part."
"Understood."
Without hesitation, the captain skipped over the Blue Fat-Burning Pill, and pulled out the stronger Yellow Curry Pill.
He caught the confusion in Fox's gaze and explained:
"The Rain-nin's poison... it's like it knows where my weakness is. My recently healed leg—it's going numb, itchy... the bones and muscles feel like they're tearing apart."
"If I don't finish them before it gives out, I'm done for."
Yako nodded. He understood.
The compound fracture from the last mission had limited the captain's ability.
"Then let's do it," Yako said. "For your first mission since coming back."
Captain Black Ape lifted the corner of his mask and swallowed the Yellow Curry Pill.
"If I get injured again, I might be forced into retirement. Fox, how's it feel—acting captain?"
"Don't worry, Captain. Princess Tsunade and her students are on the front lines. If you get hurt, you won't be retired."
The captain didn't respond. His focus was already on the battle ahead.
Chakra steamed visibly off his body.
"Partial Multi-Size Technique!"
His right hand swelled instantly—ten meters wide. His arm stretched like a club.
With a single swing, he backhanded five Rain-nin, sending them flying.
Yako leapt forward, launching kunai to finish the stunned enemies.
Captain Black Ape became a Human Bullet Tank, rolling straight through the Rain-nin ranks.
Their captain shouted, "Don't panic! He's been hit by salamander poison—he won't last long! Wear him down!"
Under orders, the Rain-nin scattered.
But the Bullet Tank charged through them with crushing momentum. Each charge was brutal—though his attacks started losing force.
The Rain-nin retaliated with Explosive Tags, hurling them at the captain's body.
From the outskirts, Yako stalked for openings.
One Rain-nin leapt backward to escape the attack—landing near Yako.
"Earth Style: Earth Longspear!"
Before the Rain-nin could react, a sharpened earthen spear burst up, impaling his abdomen.
The man turned his head weakly to see an ANBU in a fox mask forming a single Bird seal.
Yako admired the technique. The Earth Longspear used one hand sign, could strike from mid-range, and didn't require him to close the distance.
He understood now why many ninja shifted from taijutsu to ninjutsu once they had more chakra.
Mid-to-long-range ninjutsu greatly boosted survivability.
Taijutsu specialists danced on a blade's edge—one mistake, and the cost was blood.
The Bullet Tank rolled over the Rain-nin again and again.
With Yako's support, over a dozen enemies were taken down.
After his final charge, Captain Black Ape collapsed, gasping, and shrank back to normal size.
His fingernails were turning purple.
The poison had sunk deep.
Nearby Rain-nin were already charging him, kunai and senbon in hand.
"Water Style: Water Formation Wall!"
Yako appeared just in time, blocking the weapons.
The captain finally had a moment to breathe.
He pulled out his final pill.
The Red Pepper Pill.
"Captain… are you really going to burn through all your fat reserves…?"
This was it.
His last resort.
He swallowed the Red Pepper Pill.
Chakra exploded off him like a storm.
His plump frame melted away, revealing lean, taut muscle brimming with power.
His fighting power surged again.
He sprang forward, straight through the falling water wall.
The three Rain-nin beyond barely had time to blink before a massive fist filled their vision.
Yako could only think one thing:'He's going all out. To prove he still has worth. For the mission... he's throwing everything in.'
After a full month of recovery, Captain Black Ape had caught wind of something—ANBU leadership might be considering his retirement.
But the Akimichi Clan needed to maintain its influence in ANBU.
The Ino-Shika-Cho Trio and the Sarutobi Clan had always been allies—teachers and comrades across generations.
Captain Black Ape wasn't about to be pushed out.
The fight turned into a massacre.
He tore through the Rain-nin like paper.
With the short burst of strength from the Red Pepper Pill, he charged straight toward the Rain-nin commander.
That commander pulled a strange umbrella-shaped ninja tool from his back.
But the captain was too fast.
He didn't bother guarding—he dove straight in.
The umbrella snapped open and swung around to Black Ape's back.
The commander gritted his teeth, ignoring his own injuries, and slammed it shut.
From within, spikes over a meter long stabbed deep into the captain's back.
Yako rushed to help—but it was already too late.
The Iwa-nin commander, missing since earlier, burst from hiding.
His blade flashed down toward Black Ape's head.
The captain raised the only arm he had left to block.
His right arm—the only one still functional—was cut clean off.
"Earth Style: Earth Longspear!"
The spear pierced through the Iwa-nin's heart.
Yako dashed in, killed the crushed Rain-nin commander, and dragged Captain Black Ape out from the umbrella weapon.
"Captain!"
Both arms gone.
His back impaled with steel spikes.
Every wound sprayed purple poison.
He had given everything.
And for what?
To uphold the pride of the Akimichi Clan?
Was it worth it?