After the Kika Squad recovered, Yōkō gathered all members of his squadron.
Holding a stack of jutsu scrolls, he said, "The prisoner exchange mission was overall rated as an A-rank mission. Most of your individual ratings were B-rank. During this mission, the determination shown by many of you pleased me. Especially the Kika Squad; their convincing self-mutilation perfectly deceived the Sand-ninja prisoner exchange team, creating the opportunity for the final ambush. I applied for jutsu on your behalf. From these six jutsu, try to pick the ones most suitable for you."
Fire Release: Fire Dragon Projectile
Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique
Earth Release: Earth-Style Rising Spears
Wind Release: Great Breakthrough
Lightning Release: Earth Running
Water Release: Water Formation Wall
Four of these were given by Battalion Commander Yellow Dog; the remaining two were Yōkō's own jutsu.
Using his own jutsu to give rewards to his subordinates – he was truly a five-star Root Squadron Leader.
The four members of the Kika Squad were very excited, their breathing growing heavier.
"Squad Leaders, organize your teams. Come up and copy the jutsu one by one."
After the three squads had sequentially copied the jutsu, Yōkō said, "For the vast majority of Root missions, you must never reveal your identity, primarily fighting with kunai and explosive tags. For example, Root's most common mission – assassinating disobedient nobles – such a mission cannot possibly use jutsu. However, Root sometimes has no choice but to assault certain enemies head-on. For instance, when we met Hanzo in the Land of Rain, Commander Danzō was leading the team, so hiding our identities was unnecessary. Squad Leaders, based on your members' abilities and jutsu, practice combined assault tactics. In fifteen days, I will proactively request an assault mission from the Battalion Commander to test the squadron's assault capabilities."
With the combined boost from the Senju and Uzumaki bloodlines, Yōkō's jutsu prowess had improved significantly. His subordinates should also develop in a jutsu-oriented direction to facilitate coordination with him.
He glanced towards the medical station tent. Once there's a month without the pressure of death, I'll go 'poke' Tsunade... no, I mean, I'll go find Tsunade to try my luck.
Maybe his Senju bloodline could improve once more.
Yōkō looked at the Wind Release: Great Breakthrough scroll. He had Wind Attribute chakra now; he might as well take this opportunity to learn a Wind Release jutsu.
As a Squadron Leader, occasionally lining his own pockets, using the excuse of securing benefits for his subordinates to give himself special treatment... wasn't too excessive, right?
He couldn't imagine how many benefits he would get if he became a Battalion Commander.
Wasn't this precisely why many ninjas climbed the ranks unscrupulously?
Empowered by authority, learning a jutsu became so simple.
Wind Release: Great Breakthrough, a C-Rank jutsu. After forming hand seals, the user spews a gust of violent wind from their mouth to suppress the enemy.
Later, one could even add wind blades to the Great Breakthrough to enhance its offensive power.
This would serve as a supplementary functional jutsu for Yōkō. If he encountered Sand ninjas' yellow sand, he could use Wind Release: Great Breakthrough to clear it.
It didn't take fifteen days. Just twelve days later, Yōkō received a mission.
In the Battalion Commander's tent, Yellow Dog looked at the slightly surprised Fox and asked, "What is it? Is there a problem with this mission?"
"None. I just left the capital of the Land of Rivers. Returning to a familiar place... this mission is perfect for me."
Upon learning that the Land of Rivers was building a hydroelectric plant, the Daimyō of the Land of Earth was extremely displeased.
The Land of Earth heavily relied on coal. The highlands were rich in coal, which was one of the Land of Earth's economic lifelines.
The Land of Earth's Daimyō issued a mission, ordering Iwagakure to dispatch an infiltration unit to bypass the front lines, travel the long distance to the Land of Rivers, and sabotage the hydroelectric plant.
The Fox Squadron's mission was to intercept and eliminate the Iwa-nin infiltration unit.
Yōkō thought, I just told Koishi Chisa we likely wouldn't meet again. Who knew fate would be so unpredictable? I've received another mission in the capital of the Land of Rivers.
Yellow Dog said, "This mission was commissioned by the Land of Fire's Chief Treasurer. I will first go to the Land of Fire's capital to escort the Chief Treasurer into the Land of Rivers. You go eliminate the Iwa-nin. The Land of Fire's Chief Treasurer said that if the hydro plant proves feasible, the Land of Fire will also build one."
Yōkō went to the squadron tents, gathered the three squads, and left the base.
On the road, Purple Cat looked curiously at the Squadron Leader leading the way.
Why was the Squadron Leader moving so fast? Was he in such a hurry to get to the capital of the Land of Rivers?
White Ram, walking beside her, didn't dare reveal too much, thinking to himself, Squadron Leader, now it's time to test your time management skills.
Outside the capital of the Land of Rivers, the dam's foundation was beginning to take shape.
Upstream from the dam, following the construction plan left by Kōji, an upper cofferdam had been built.
The upper cofferdam held back the water. A temporary diversion channel was constructed next to it, diverting the river away, providing a dry construction environment for the dam.
Koishi Chisa stood on top of the cofferdam, holding her thin sword high, shouting, "We must stop the Iwa-nin!"
As the Daimyō's sister, she came to the dam early every day and didn't return to the capital until midnight, all to ensure the dam was completed as soon as possible.
Today, the dam was under attack by several dozen Iwa-nin.
Samurai on the periphery were desperately trying to hold back the Iwa-nin, while rogue ninjas on the bank of the Yoshimizu River threw kunai at the Iwa-nin charging across the water surface.
Both the samurai and the rogue ninjas were too weak compared to the Iwa-nin.
The highest quality ninjas in the shinobi world were all in the major hidden villages. The Land of Rivers had no hidden village, and the hired rogue ninjas weren't very strong.
Massive chunks of Flying Rubble shot towards them.
Koishi Chisa's swordsmanship was decent. She brandished her thin sword, doing her best to slice the flying rubble apart.
There were too many Iwa-nin on the water. They not only attacked the people on the cofferdam but also pounded the cofferdam itself with rocks.
If the upper cofferdam was breached, the hydro plant foundations behind it would also be washed away.
Each impact of the rocks made the cofferdam tremble.
The tremors beneath her feet filled Koishi Chisa's heart with despair.
What did it matter if she was the Daimyō's sister? Ninjas could easily destroy her painstaking work.
The strongest Iwa-nin squad leader, having dealt with the samurai on the bank – over a hundred samurai lay dead on the shore – jumped onto the water surface and formed hand seals aimed at the upper cofferdam.
A continuous stream of gigantic rocks, accompanied by the whistling wind, hurtled towards the cofferdam.
Each rock was four or five meters in size, one after another, more than twenty in total.
Koishi Chisa's thin sword slowly lowered.
They couldn't block it. With her strength and that of her guards, they couldn't withstand such a terrifying Earth Release.
Just then, the water surface before her suddenly churned.
Water Release: Water Formation Wall!
A water wall over ten meters high appeared in front of Koishi Chisa.
The gushing water created a mist that blew against her face, bringing a rare coolness.
Reinforcements!
The Land of Rivers' Daimyō had written to the Land of Fire's Daimyō about the hydro plant and suggested building one on the Nakano River as well.
Had the Land of Fire's support arrived?
A figure landed beside Koishi Chisa.
He wore a fox mask and a hood, his features unclear.
It was the Fox Root ninja who had used a massive Water Release to block the terrifying Earth Release attack.
Koishi Chisa looked at the ninja by her side, feeling a strong sense of security.
But... this figure?
Yōkō glanced at Koishi Chisa's form-fitting dress, now creased and disheveled from the intense fighting.
He reached out and adjusted her crooked glasses for her. Yōkō said, "Miss Chisa, don't panic. This area is now under Konoha Root's control."
Koishi Chisa stood motionless as the Fox Root ninja adjusted her glasses, repeatedly telling herself it wasn't what she thought, that person was a Rain ninja and had long since left.
A ninja wearing a Purple Cat mask also landed on the cofferdam. She said, "Miss Koishi Chisa, please leave this area. It's dangerous here."
Koishi Chisa glanced at the female Root member standing beside Fox. A woman's innate sixth sense caused an inexplicable feeling of jealousy to arise within her.
***
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