Naruto : I Got "Return by Death" Kind Of Cheat

"It's me, Fox."

Hearing that familiar voice behind him, Yako relaxed.

He didn't turn around, just lowered his head and spoke softly as if to himself:

"Yuuka, Princess Kushina has already been taken into the care of Clan Head Senju Rinkoku. You don't need to worry about her safety.

The Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Scroll is also in his possession now.

The Anbu have intel that the Mist-nin are plotting to steal the scroll left by the Uzumaki Elder.

The Land of Waves is too close to both the Land of Fire and the Land of Water—it's too dangerous. You all need to go. Leave as soon as you can.

Head north. It may not be truly safe anywhere, but nowhere is as dangerous as the Land of Waves right now."

Behind him, silence lingered.

Then Yuuka asked slowly, "Fox… what role did Konoha's Anbu play in the annihilation of the Uzumaki Clan?"

Yako fell into a long silence as well.

He didn't know how to explain it. The destruction of this tragic shinobi clan was immensely complex.

After Second Hokage Tobirama Senju died, Konoha weakened. The Uzumaki Clan sought ways to protect themselves, attempting to seal the Three-Tails—creating a conflict with Konoha's choice of Jinchūriki for the Nine-Tails. Eventually, it led to the three great ninja villages setting their sights on the Uzumaki's downfall.

Sympathy was one thing, but Yako wasn't about to ignite chaos here and now.

"It's not confirmed yet. I'm still investigating," he answered.

Yuuka tossed him a scroll and said:

"Fox, this is my summoning scroll. It contains the contract seal and the Summoning Technique.

I want to share the Longspear Egret summoning contract with you, so we can communicate through them."

Yako caught the scroll and carefully stashed it away.

Later, he could have a Longspear Egret deliver the scroll back to Yuuka.

He couldn't summon the bird publicly—it would attract attention. But learning two sealing techniques, Contract Seal and Summoning, was a worthwhile gain.

Strangely enough, his investment in Yuuka had paid off unexpectedly well.

"Yuuka, don't try to contact Princess Kushina for now. She's going to be heavily surveilled. Anyone who gets close to her will be noticed by the Anbu," Yako warned.

"Go. Soon, enemies will be swarming Uzuno Country."

"Take care, Fox."

"Take care, Yuuka."

Faint rustling leaves were all that answered him.

Among the daimyo's personal guard in Uzuno Country were several Uzumaki shinobi. If they chose to flee, they'd have their own channels. Besides, the Yatagarasu could carry several away.

Before long, another squad approached—it was Captain Ox's unit.

They split into groups and entered the forest from different directions.

Black Ape, missing an arm and weakened, walked in the rear with Yako.

Inside the woods, a brief but intense skirmish erupted.

Both sides seemed to agree silently: no large-scale ninjutsu, only taijutsu.

Captain Hippo's squad killed the Mist-nin and captured a team leader.

Faint groans drifted through the trees as Captain Hippo personally interrogated the captured Mist-nin.

Half an hour later, Hippo wiped blood from his hands with a leaf and gathered the unit leaders:

"Interrogation went well. The Mist-nin located a key figure—the leader of the daimyo's guardian shinobi.

The Uzumaki survivors who fled to Uzuno Country are relying on this captain for protection.

That guardian leader is a Jonin of the Uzumaki Clan. There were already many Uzumaki in Kyoto Y; they've gone into hiding.

The guardian captain must die. That's the only way we can force them to surrender the sealing scroll."

Many of the Land of Waves' missions had previously gone to Uzushio. Konoha had long resented that.

Some Uzumaki shinobi, especially married couples from the clan, had long-term posts in Uzuno Country—they'd settled there.

Captain Hippo continued:

"Eight Uzumaki kunoichi escaped Uzushio. According to intelligence extracted from the village, there were 48 other Uzumaki shinobi either residing in the Land of Waves or on missions here at the time of the attack.

That makes 56 in total. Mist-nin killed three. That means up to 53 remain.

Our mission is to locate the guardian captain before the Mist does."

How pitiful. Uzushio shared everything with Konoha. Konoha knew exactly how many were in the Land of Waves—down to the single digits.

They didn't even realize they'd been sold out.

Captain Black Ape spoke up:

"Hippo, I think our priority now is cutting off the Land of Waves' support for the Uzumaki.

We should meet the daimyo directly. Offer to take over their protection in exchange for abandoning the Uzumaki."

Hippo's eyes lit up, then hesitated:

"But these kinds of high-level negotiations usually require Lord Mitokado Homura, one of our foreign affairs advisors. Would the daimyo even listen to us?"

Black Ape said:

"We don't need the daimyo's full agreement. We just need to make the Uzumaki's destruction clear to him—get him to stop backing their guardian captain.

The daimyo has twelve personal guards; eight are Uzumaki, the remaining four are Konoha shinobi.

Those four, plus our forces, are enough to shift the daimyo's allegiance toward Konoha.

With the Uzumaki gone, we cannot let the Land of Waves' mission allocations fall to Kirigakure."

Hippo nodded repeatedly.

The two captains made their decision—Black Ape would go to the daimyo's castle alone to persuade him.

He brought only Yako with him. Outside the castle, they met the Konoha-aligned guardian shinobi.

"Yamanaka Karui Jonin, I'm Anbu Captain Black Ape. I'm here to ask about the Uzumaki guardian shinobi."

Karui, with pale golden hair, replied:

"It's a real tragedy. The Uzumaki Clan was such a strong ninja clan—and now wiped out under a joint strike from the Mist and the Cloud.

Konoha received the news too late. By the time we reached the borders, they were already gone.

The eight Uzumaki among the daimyo's guards have lost their will to fight. They're frequently absent.

At first, they requested leave. Then they just disappeared entirely.

The daimyo's been frustrated—he's spoken to me about it twice already. I've informed the village. We'll be replacing them soon with new guardian shinobi.

Let them return to Konoha. The intelligence says Princess Uzumaki is in the village now. Let them rebuild slowly—maybe the Uzumaki will become a minor clan in Konoha."

Yako thought to himself, Konoha's regular shinobi have no idea what the Anbu are really doing.

The Uzumaki would never become a "minor clan" in Konoha. What the higher-ups wanted was for Kushina Uzumaki to become a loyal, obedient Jinchūriki.

Mito Uzumaki was one thing—she was the wife of the First Hokage.

But the Nine-Tails' host couldn't have ties to any other ninja clan. Not if the village was to feel truly safe.

Black Ape didn't comment on Karui's take. Instead, he said:

"After the clan's fall, Anbu received intel that the Uzumaki are plotting revenge.

They're still officially Konoha's allies—but if they act, the Land of Waves might lean toward Kirigakure.

Sympathy is one thing. Mission contracts are another.

Karui Jonin, the Anbu request that the Uzumaki guardian shinobi be removed from the daimyo's service. Don't let them influence him."

Karui frowned. There was something unspoken here. The Anbu didn't seem to support the Uzumaki's vengeance.

Could it be the village didn't want the Uzumaki to retaliate?

Suddenly, Karui said, "Wait… you're… I've heard your voice before, in the clan."

"Yes, Brother Karui, it's me."

Karui looked at the fox mask on Yako's face but didn't speak Black Ape's name aloud.

"Your left arm?"

"It doesn't matter anymore."

Karui thought for a moment, then said, "I understand. I get what the Anbu are asking.

Just tell me how far you want me to go—and I'll make the arrangements."