The ANBU was the Hokage's direct strike force. Since the Hokage was often too busy, it was usually the ANBU Commander who handled their management and orders.
Now that the Hokage himself was present, Yako only needed to follow Sarutobi Hiruzen's lead. It was far more comfortable than shadowing Danzo.
Inside and outside the cavern, Sarutobi Hiruzen paced back and forth, making repeated inspections and questioning every detail.
Yako answered when he could, and when he couldn't, he offered guesses or recommendations.
The mist shrouding Uchiha Madara was far too thick.
Recon squads led by several clan heads returned.
The Hyūga elder, Inuzuka Retsu, and others came to the Hokage's side one after another, each shaking their heads.
Inuzuka Retsu was the first to speak.
"Hokage-sama, Uchiha Madara's escape plan is almost too perfectly executed. Coupled with the heavy rain, none of us could track a single trace of his departure.
My judgment is that the hundred-meter giant within the cavern must have been a summoning. Otherwise, moving a giant of that size so secretly would be impossible."
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded. "You've all worked hard. Please remain on guard at the cave entrance. I have matters to discuss with the Senju and Uchiha clan heads."
The cavern emptied until only the Hokage's party, Senju Hanaki, and Uchiha Kagen remained.
Sarutobi Hiruzen turned first to Uchiha Kagen. "Clan Head Kagen, does the Uchiha still maintain any secret channels with Madara?"
Uchiha Kagen shook his head firmly.
"Hokage-sama, when Uchiha Madara first betrayed the village, we severed ties with him completely.
Please trust the Uchiha clan. We are here in Konoha—how could we betray the village? How could we ever conspire with a criminal like Madara?
As for his affairs, I know nothing. What confuses me more is this—why would Madara, of all people, wield Wood Release?"
Yako thought to himself, Here it comes. Kagen's starting to shift the blame.
And who could blame him? If the burden of Madara's sins was placed on the Uchiha, their clan would never withstand it.
Senju Hanaki's expression tightened with grief and fury.
"That is exactly what I want to ask you. How could an Uchiha possess our clan's most treasured technique?
Madara is a man of the Warring States era. At that time, the Senju and Uchiha would never have intermarried.
Is it possible that your Uchiha have secretly carried out human experiments all along?
The prodigies who vanished from my clan—were they dissected on your laboratory tables?"
The two were seconds from erupting when Sarutobi Hiruzen cut them off.
"Enough! Do not dig into grudges of the Warring States!"
He fell into thought before speaking again.
"Madara is too great a threat. Clan Head Hanaki, Clan Head Kagen—you two will form a joint investigation force, starting from here, and pursue him.
Uchiha Madara's hatred of Konoha will never die. We cannot ignore him.
I believe there is a strong chance that the Nine-Tails' transfer seal rampage was his doing.
The Nine-Tails once served as his summon. He has always sought to reclaim it, but that night he found no chance to strike amidst so many Konoha shinobi."
Senju Hanaki wanted to reject the Hokage's claim, yet she couldn't find a logical counterargument.
The Senju and Uchiha were already at each other's throats over the Nine-Tails disaster. Forcing them to build a joint investigation force now was like pouring oil on fire.
But who else could investigate? Madara was of the Uchiha, yet he wielded the Senju's Wood Release. No other clans were in a position to uncover the truth.
Reluctantly, both Senju Hanaki and Uchiha Kagen agreed. Their conflict would only deepen from here—Sarutobi Hiruzen knew this well. And when it finally reached a breaking point, he would step in to mediate. That was what the Third Hokage did best.
Senju Hanaki closed her eyes in pain. As long as Madara lived, the village would pin the Nine-Tails incident on him. Yet she couldn't shake the sense that things were not so simple.
When she left the cavern, she ordered two Senju guards to collect the bodies of their fallen comrades.
She gazed at the three sorrowful bundles. "When it comes time to bury them, we'll notify Tsunade. If we tell her now, she won't bear it…"
Suddenly, one of the guards exclaimed, "Clan Head! We found the First Hokage's necklace on Dan's body!"
The necklace was indestructible and had survived intact.
Senju Hanaki accepted it and tucked it away, intending to return it to Tsunade.
Meanwhile, Yako followed Sarutobi Hiruzen all the way back to Konoha.
Another seven days passed on the road. The next full moon was approaching.
Upon their return, Sarutobi Hiruzen brought Yako straight to the Hokage's office. Only Captain Yellow Dog awaited them there.
"Fox," the Hokage said, "tell us everything in detail."
Yako understood. The Third wanted to know exactly what Danzo had done.
This time he concealed nothing.
He described encountering three Konoha shinobi under Madara's control, being hunted by Kato Dan, and the deaths of White Ram, Leaf Monkey, and the others—how he had survived only thanks to the Yamanaka secret arts.
He spoke of meeting Danzo, how Danzo had led him to Madara, how they had fought, and how Danzo had burned a Mangekyō Sharingan just to escape with his life.
"What? You're saying that eye was destroyed?"
Yako blinked. Danzo hadn't reported this to Hiruzen?
Was there a rift between them?
During the devastation at Mount Ushiga against Ōnoki and Iwagakure, ANBU had spread the tale that Danzo deserved all the credit—but later, the Third had silenced the boasting.
Perhaps the fracture between them had begun already.
"Yes, Hokage-sama. That eye turned into a lifeless white husk."
"Continue."
Yako then revealed that Danzo had gone after Kato Dan and slain him at the cost of another Mangekyō Sharingan.
He also explained how he had advised transferring Dan's body to the forest Madara's wood release left behind.
Anything connected to Danzo had to be laid bare. If he hid something and the Hokage compared notes with Danzo, he would be finished.
Sarutobi Hiruzen puffed hard on his pipe. Before long, the Hokage's office was choked with smoke.
At last, he spoke.
"Good. I understand. Fox, your performance exceeded my expectations.
Write a mission report at once. Hand it to Captain Yellow Dog to deliver to me."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Yako returned to the ANBU base to write.
When he left, Yellow Dog said quietly, "Father, before this mission, White Ram—who was killed—mentioned he noticed Fox's chakra had been completely drained on the night of the Nine-Tails incident. This time…"
"Work hours are called duty."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Sarutobi Hiruzen exhaled.
"Yellow Dog, don't get lost in details. If Fox had any real problem, Danzo would have already dealt with him.
Fox is talented—worth cultivating. ANBU is short on capable hands. Most elite jōnin just want to sit in their committees. Few, like you, still burn for Konoha.
If you want to inherit the ANBU one day, you'll need powerful captains under your command. Fox's growth is astonishing—he's worth the investment."
"I understand," Yellow Dog said. "Still… it's a pity Fox is only a commoner. If he were Sarutobi, or from the Ino–Shika–Chō families, things would be easier."
"We will slowly nurture the Sarutobi and Ino–Shika–Chō heirs. There's no need to rush," Hiruzen replied.
Back in the Anbu base, B spotted Fox's return and reported to Danzo.
Danzo murmured, "It seems Hiruzen trusts Fox. Given his smiling face and black heart, if Fox were a liability, he would've eliminated him already. Suspend investigations for now—just keep light tabs on him."
Yako finished his report and personally handed it to Captain Yellow Dog before leaving the base.
He returned to the village while his unit remained at the forward camp.
This full-moon cycle was the hardest to endure.
Late that night, Yako pushed open the doors of the Tsurugetsu Tavern. "Boss, bring me your finest sake!"
Kyoi spotted Miqū returning and rushed over, leaning close to his ear.
"Do you want your sake spicy… or salty?"
Yako blinked. "Salty sake? Oh… I get it. No thanks—I'll skip the salty kind. But I expect you to repay me like a spring overflowing."
The two slipped into the back courtyard.
Half an hour later, Yako groaned, "Change the sheets already. That wasn't a spring… that was a damn fountain!"