Chapter 161: To Tell The Truth
Back to Konoha.
Kiiroinu looked at the mission report scroll and said, “Fox, you know engineering knowledge too? Water level monitoring? Hydroelectric power station construction?”
Yoru said, “I’m good at Earth Release. After looking at some research data in the Land of Rivers, I gave them some suggestions.”
Kiiroinu took out another scroll and said, “This is your squad’s ninjutsu reward scroll, a total of 7 ninjutsu. You go allocate them.”
Taking the scroll, Yoru was in a good mood.
After each subordinate had one offensive and one defensive ninjutsu, their combat ability would greatly improve.
Kiiroinu said again, “Fox, get ready. This month we might head to the Land of Whirlpools battlefield.”
Just withdrawn from the Land of Rivers battlefield, not even caught their breath, and now going to the Land of Whirlpools battlefield?
Yoru asked puzzledly:
“Captain, there’s Anbu Minister Danzo Advisor on the Land of Whirlpools battlefield, and the Crocodile Turtle Battalion.
Do we need to go…”
Yoru’s words came to an abrupt stop.
The Crocodile Turtle Battalion was monitoring the War of the Land of Whirlpools for the Hokage. If the Kiiroinu Battalion was still needed, it proved something might have gone wrong with the Crocodile Turtle Battalion.
Or perhaps, Danzo had a problem.
Yoru immediately asked, “Captain, are you going to move up?”
Yoru guessed that Hiruzen Sarutobi might want to find an opportunity to sideline Anbu’s Danzo.
The relationship between Danzo and Hiruzen Sarutobi was no longer as seamlessly cooperative as at the beginning.
Danzo had his own demands, conflicting with Hiruzen Sarutobi’s power.
According to the original plot, Anbu and Danzo eventually split, with Danzo leading Root himself, while the Hokage continued to control Anbu.
Just didn’t know when these plot events happened.
Kiiroinu asked, “Fox, do you support me moving up?”
“Support! Of course support!” Yoru said:
“Captain, if you don’t move up, how can I move up?
To be honest, I’ve had my eye on the Anbu Captain position for a long time.
If I don’t move up, how can my subordinates move up? Among my subordinates, some want to be squad leaders too.
If you don’t move up, how can we all move up together?
Captain, I absolutely support you. I represent all the ninjas of the Fox Squad in supporting you!”
Kiiroinu said, “You’re the Anbu who earned the title Copper Fox. If you want to be captain, your strength is sufficient.
Perform well in the Land of Whirlpools. That’s exactly why we’re in such a hurry to go to another battlefield. Maybe you and I can both achieve our goals.”
Yoru left the Captain’s Office, thinking that Kiiroinu might become Anbu Deputy Minister.
During the time in the Land of Grass, many of the Kiiroinu Battalion’s missions were arranged by Danzo, such as capturing prisoners, entering the Land of Rain to negotiate with Hanzo, etc.
In the Land of Rivers, the Kiiroinu Battalion had high independence, with all missions arranged by Kiiroinu alone.
Perhaps Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo had a conflict during the Land of Grass time, but Yoru’s level was too low to know about the high-ranking officials’ disputes.
To be honest, to be promoted to Anbu Captain? Just thinking about it was exciting.
Not long after Yoru left, Anbu Captain Kuroari entered Kiiroinu’s office.
Kuroari was a Nara Clan jonin, and like Kiiroinu, an absolute confidant of Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Kuroari handed a scroll to Kiiroinu. He said, “Kiiroinu, I got the latest intelligence. Kurokame is dead.”
Kiiroinu was stunned. He had just been talking to Fox about the Crocodile Turtle Battalion on the Land of Whirlpools battlefield, and Kurokame was actually dead?
Kuroari said, “Among Anbu’s six captains, you, me, and Golden Eagle are undoubtedly loyal to the Hokage.
Bay Leopard and Lynx were cultivated by Danzo and are loyal to him.
After Kurokame’s sacrifice, Minister Danzo wanted to make Root’s Otsu the new captain, but this appointment was vetoed by the Hokage.
Kiiroinu, the situation has suddenly become complicated. Be extremely careful after you go to the Land of Whirlpools.”
Kiiroinu nodded and took the Kurokame death investigation report: “I’ll be careful.”
Kuroari said again, “There are some other things we need to investigate too.
Root is conducting some dangerous experiments, led by Kabu, that is, Orochimaru. Danzo Advisor and Orochimaru aren’t even willing to share experimental data and results with Anbu.
The Hokage is very dissatisfied with this.
Under all these accidents, Anbu urgently needs a deputy minister, otherwise there’s a risk of Anbu slipping out of the Hokage’s control.”
Kiiroinu said, “Each of the Hokage’s three disciples is troublesome.
Jiraiya is lingering in the Land of Rain, unauthorizedly leaving the ninja battle sequence. Princess Tsunade publicly defied the Hokage in the jonin class. Now Orochimaru is leaning toward Danzo.
Can’t they do experiments by following the Hokage?
What conditions did Danzo offer Orochimaru exactly? Or what precious experimental materials did he provide?
The Hokage cultivated the Sannin, yet the Sannin are all going astray one by one.
If even the Hokage’s disciples aren’t trustworthy, then who is?”
Kuroari suddenly thought of the Second Hokage. The Second Hokage’s disciples ultimately overturned many of his policies.
Konoha Village particularly values mentor-disciple lineages, yet mentor and disciple often easily fall out.
Kuroari said, “Orochimaru’s experiments must be progressing well. According to intelligence from spies, Orochimaru is in a very good mood.
In the war with the Land of Earth, Orochimaru has rarely made moves lately, always in the experiment tent in the camp.
We should find a way to probe more intelligence on Root.
Right under the Hokage’s nose, Root’s power is growing bigger and more incomprehensible.
If you get promoted to Anbu Deputy Minister, your battalion, plus the now-vacant Crocodile Turtle Battalion, would suddenly have two captain positions vacant.
Do you have recommended candidates for captain?”
Kiiroinu said, “My battalion is preparing to let Fox take over.”
Kuroari nodded and said, “Copper Fox, his strength is sufficient.
After making contributions in the Land of Whirlpools this time, we can indeed consider letting him serve as captain.
He’s still a special jonin, right? How about we first resolve his jonin status?”
“I have this intention. I’ll write Fox’s jonin recommendation in the next couple of days.”
After Yoru returned to the squad, he summoned all three squad leaders.
“These are the ninjutsu scrolls I applied for you. Squad leaders, each copy the ninjutsu your squad needs.
The Land of Rivers war is over. After a day or two of slight rest and relaxation, immediately organize intensive ninjutsu study.
The squad’s strength must be elevated as quickly as possible, because we’ll soon follow Kiiroinu Captain into the Land of Whirlpools.”
Purple Cat couldn’t help saying, “Captain, but why is Kiiroinu Captain in such a hurry to go to the Land of Whirlpools battlefield again?”
“Purple Cat, don’t complain. We are Anbu. We have only one duty, and that is to execute orders.”
Yoru guessed in his heart that Kiiroinu was working so hard to earn a great merit, making Anbu convinced to see him advance further.
The Hokage could directly appoint Kiiroinu as Anbu Deputy Minister, but it wouldn’t be as solid as Kiiroinu promoting through missions himself.
After the three squad leaders copied the ninjutsu their squads needed, Yoru also opened the scroll.
Inside the scroll was one genjutsu and six elemental ninjutsu.
The elemental ninjutsu was fine, Yoru’s current elemental ninjutsu power was sufficient. He would at most learn them to handle special situations, without spending extra effort.
His gaze turned to the genjutsu: Demonic Illusion: Nirvana Temple Technique.
This was prepared for Purple Cat.
He had the Sharingan and could try learning genjutsu.
The biggest feature of Sharingan genjutsu was no hand seals needed, instantaneous release.
This gave the Uchiha great first-mover advantage on the battlefield.
In the original story, Uchiha Itachi had maxed-out presence, a big reason being he opened with genjutsu, deciding battles with one glare.
Squad leader benefits were really nice. Now getting some ninjutsu was much easier.
