Chapter 153: Admiration
After completing the mission to execute several Nara ninjas, just like in his previous life, Yoru received the mission to rescue Nara Baika.
Yoru led Aries Squad out, pretending to wander aimlessly, but actually heading straight to the lumber mill he had visited in his previous life.
Outside the lumber mill, several lumber merchants were lining up to enter and haul lumber.
Nara Baika had created an identity for herself as a lumber merchant and was sitting in a covered carriage, with a camel train of 10 camels behind her.
She frowned, pondering what she had seen and heard in the past few days, worried both about whether the Nara Clan’s scandal would be exposed and about her own safety.
Originally, she had gone to investigate the Sand ninjas’ replication of gliders, but was discovered by Sand ninjas, chased and killed along the way, her teammates sacrificed, and she was forced deep into the Land of Wind.
Here, she also discovered anomalies in the yellow hardwood market, and for Konoha’s sake, she had to embark on a new investigation.
Just as she was lost in thought, it suddenly darkened beside her.
The carriage curtain was blocked by someone!
Nara Baika swiftly drew a kunai and stabbed at the person beside her.
Ding!
After the crisp sound, Nara Baika saw the tip of her kunai flung away.
Her own palm was also shaken painfully.
Looking again, the person beside her had taken her kunai with his throat and immediately raised his hand to grab the flung kunai tip.
The skin at his throat gleamed with a dark red copper color.
This ability… Nara Baika thought, isn’t this the new star of Anbu, Copper Fox, who just gained fame?
“Don’t get agitated, relax, we’re on the same side.”
Nara Baika let out a long sigh of relief.
Copper Fox was so strong, and he had found her so quickly.
In this life, with the plot advantage, Yoru found Nara Baika three days earlier than in his previous life, even more efficiently.
After briefly listening to the intelligence Nara Baika had gathered, Yoru began to fabricate:
“The price of yellow hardwood is based on the demand from Hidden Sand Village puppet masters.
You say someone is buying up large quantities of yellow hardwood, which might mean Hidden Sand Village is preparing a major move.
No need to waste time here, come with me.”
Nara Baika got down from the carriage and abandoned the camel train. The camel train she had painstakingly assembled here was wasted.
Yoru led Aries Squad and Nara Baika straight to the necessary route from Hidden Sand Village to Sand Wave Port.
Soon, they saw a massive procession.
Like a corpse-driving procession, puppet masters were advancing through the yellow sands surrounded by puppets of various shapes.
Yoru lowered his telescope and said:
“On the Border of the Land of Rivers, our Konoha side holds the advantage, with Nara Shikaku’s Commander-in-Chief arrangements watertight.
If they want to make a move, they must take risks, and they have no choice but to do so.
Sand Wave Port was just destroyed by Konoha, and we’ve reduced defenses in the direction of Sand Wave Port.
Hidden Sand Village wants to counterattack, and they might use Sand Wave Port.”
After hearing Copper Fox’s analysis, Nara Baika looked at Copper Fox in shock.
Copper Fox was not only strong but also clear-headed, thinking even faster than her.
Yoru turned to look at Nara Baika, hoping she would quickly accept his judgment and return as soon as possible.
Deep within the Land of Wind was too dangerous.
He first saw a pair of admiring, delicate, crystalline eyes.
Yoru was stunned, then immediately understood.
The smarter the woman, the more she admires strength.
In this life, finding Nara Baika three days earlier than in the previous life gave her a great sense of security.
More importantly, Yoru had discovered Hidden Sand Village’s movements early.
As an elite of the Nara Clan, Nara Baika had never been so surprised by a man as she was today.
Within the clan, aside from the clan head and other elders, she viewed others with some scrutiny, and no man had ever won her heartfelt admiration.
Only now did she realize that truly exceptional men were all given to the village.
If not for encountering Copper Fox on this mission, she wouldn’t have known the village had such a strong person.
Whether in strength or analytical ability, he was admirable.
Yoru said: “Let’s go! Hurry back to the main camp, notify the commander early, and prepare early.”
In the previous life, they were still chased by Hidden Sand Village’s sensor ninjas, but in this life, after convincing Nara Baika, Yoru immediately fled far away.
After entering the night, three gliders took off, flying above the low cloud layer toward the Land of Rivers.
On the way back, they encountered Sand ninjas’ gliders again.
Nara Baika felt anxious; she noticed the Sand ninjas’ gliders were becoming more standard.
She looked down at the low cloud layer, carefully checking for shadows above; if there were shadows, she could participate in combat with the Shadow Secret Jutsu.
However, her anxiety was unnecessary.
From the front side, Copper Fox used ninjutsu.
A high-speed water line shot out, slicing from above downward through a Sand ninja glider, cutting through the two Sand ninjas under the glider, and also slicing through the clouds below.
Nara Baika was stunned.
She thought Copper Fox specialized in Absolute Defense Secret Jutsu, but unexpectedly, his offensive ninjutsu was so powerful.
Especially the clouds being sliced open, it had extreme visual impact.
Had Konoha Anbu become this strong already?
She knew the Nara Clan had a jonin serving as a captain in Anbu.
No wonder the clan head wanted the family’s second strongest to join Anbu; Anbu was full of hidden talents, and Anbu’s intelligence could not be ignored.
After clearing the glider, Yoru and his group continued flying toward the Land of Rivers.
Nara Baika estimated the distance; they couldn’t fly to the Land of Rivers tonight.
Before dawn, the Anbu landed in the desert.
While the team members were packing their gliders, Yoru said:
“Baika jonin, you’ve gone too deep into the Land of Wind; we can’t fly back in one night.
Find an oasis town nearby to rest, and after nightfall, we’ll take off again and fly back to the Land of Rivers in one go.”
“Sorry, the original passive flight turned into active reconnaissance after I discovered the anomaly in yellow hardwood movements, so I went deep into the Land of Wind.”
They found an inn, and the group entered in batches to check in.
Nara Baika and Copper Fox entered the inn last; she glanced at Copper Fox’s room and memorized his room number.
At noon, Nara Baika knocked on Copper Fox’s door.
“Captain Copper Fox, regarding the movements of Hidden Sand Village’s puppet master troops, I have some questions I don’t understand; I hope to consult you.”
Nara Baika brought a map, and the two quickly identified possible Sand ninja sneak attack routes on the map.
Starting from Sand Wave Port, then going upstream along a river, most likely White Wild River, to raid Konoha’s rear.
Nara Baika admired Yoru more and more; in strategic thinking, Copper Fox was equally outstanding.
They say men with strength never lack women, but looking at Nara Baika’s admiring gaze, Yoru chose to keep his distance.
Those silly women taking the initiative, he could just go along with it, but Nara Baika was very smart, and Yoru didn’t want any deep entanglements with her.
After nightfall, Yoru and his group left the town and took off in the desert outside the town.
After flying all night, Yoru and the others finally crossed the combat zone.
Upon entering the main camp, Yoru brought Nara Baika into the Anbu Tent Area.
“Captain, mission accomplished, successfully rescued Nara Baika jonin.”
Kiiroinu glanced at the fox behind him; not only had Nara Baika returned, but the squad the fox had taken out was also safe and sound.
