When Yōkō returned to the Tsurugetsu Izakaya, he found New Year's decorations already put up in the house.
The New Year was approaching. Next year would be Konoha Year 42.
After spending some time with Kyōi and the child, Yōkō waited until they were asleep and went to the front izakaya.
Even someone as cruel as Danzo allowed Yakushi Nonō to return to the village for a month or two each year to care for the orphanage.
Since the spy network was transferred to Gibbon, Yakushi Nonō hadn't returned to the village once.
They say a new official applies three measures, but you're too new; your measures aren't finished yet.
Yōkō opened the Right Scroll and asked Yakushi Nonō where she was.
Soon, Yakushi Nonō replied that she was in the Land of Rivers capital, investigating the details of Mitokado Homura's death for the Anbu.
What was there to investigate? Yōkō was the one who killed him. Giving a few hints would probably be enough for Nonō to close the case.
The two discussed via the scroll, and Yōkō decided he would deal with Gibbon.
Gibbon had gone too far. Yakushi Nonō was his Little Seven; she couldn't keep suffering under him.
The next day, Yōkō went to the orphanage, left 100,000 Ryo for Kurumi, enough for the orphanage to have a good New Year.
After nightfall, Yōkō entered Orochimaru's laboratory with a scroll.
The head-swapped man and woman were dead, their heads and bodies separated. Orochimaru had dissected their skulls, searching for something in their brains.
Orochimaru turned his head, his surgical gloves covered in blood, put down the tweezers, and looked at the scroll in Yōkō's hand.
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed, his vertical pupils full of mockery.
Yōkō understood the look: Yellow Dog would even sell his father's forbidden technique for power.
Yōkō said, "Lord Orochimaru, your talent is truly exceptional. To have independently comprehended the Five Elements Unrivalled Attack fills me with admiration."
"Oh?" Orochimaru smiled. "So you're saying it wasn't Yellow Dog who gave me the forbidden technique scroll?"
"How could Lord Yellow Dog possibly give you the Sarutobi clan's ultimate forbidden technique? This technique can give a five-nature user a terrifying trump card." Yōkō said:
"Mastering five natures is difficult, but with a long enough life, one can grind it out slowly, like Sarutobi Hinotama."
"With five natures, combined with the Five Elements Unrivalled Attack, a ninja can possess destructive power comparable to a Tailed Beast Ball."
"Lord Yellow Dog would absolutely never admit he gave away a forbidden technique like the Five Elements Unrivalled Attack."
"Absolutely never. No matter who asks, in any situation, he will not admit it."
Yōkō threw the forbidden technique scroll to Orochimaru and then left.
Orochimaru caught the scroll, opened it, glanced over it, and his eyes grew even brighter.
Yes, it was the Five Elements Unrivalled Attack scroll. Especially the part about the conflict of the five chakra natures. Practicing according to the scroll made it indeed possible.
Orochimaru's problem was that his survivability was maxed out, but his offensive power always fell a bit short.
With the Five Elements Unrivalled Attack, he could patch that weakness and reach the peak of conventional ninja power.
This was a forbidden technique comparable to a Tailed Beast Ball...
Orochimaru stored the scroll safely and formed a hand sign.
Half a minute later, three subordinates arrived at Orochimaru's side.
"Spread the word. I am not interested in the external affairs Advisor position."
The three subordinates looked at each other but didn't ask further, going to carry out Lord Orochimaru's order.
The next day, Orochimaru's close associates spread the news: Orochimaru would not become the external affairs Advisor.
The external affairs Advisor position now had only one candidate left: Yellow Dog.
When Hippo learned of Orochimaru's withdrawal, he came to the Deputy Commander's office, excitedly saying:
"Lord Fox! With Orochimaru out, Lord Yellow Dog is about to become a Konoha senior leader!"
Yōkō said, "The rumors we had you spread were just a form of expression."
"Major decisions in Konoha have nothing to do with ordinary villagers or even ninja clans."
"Two or three people in the Hokage's office decide Konoha's major affairs."
"Orochimaru seemed very close to the Advisor position on the surface, but in reality, he was far from it."
"Lord Yellow Dog seemed to have fell a bit short, but in reality, it was already destined for him."
"Let me emphasize again: everything we did was done behind Lord Yellow Dog's back. Do not speak to Lord Yellow Dog about any of this. He is completely unaware."
Hippo nodded repeatedly, indicating he understood.
His loyalty was unquestionable, but his ability was far inferior to Lord Fox's. His skills were only suited for being a squad leader.
A few days later, Yōkō was summoned to the basement of the Hokage Building.
Seeing Fox enter, Yellow Dog stood up: "Come on, Fox, come with me to see the Hokage!"
"For some reason, Orochimaru withdrew from the competition. Now I'm the only candidate for Advisor."
"After several days of hesitation, the Hokage has finally relented."
"Let's go see the Hokage together. You can discuss the Anbu's future arrangements with him and alleviate his concerns."
Yōkō saw the burning intensity in Yellow Dog's eyes through his mask's eyeholes and thought, Yellow Dog is hooked.
Good, being hooked is good. I was afraid you wouldn't leave the village.
The two went upstairs and entered the Hokage's office.
Seeing Yellow Dog and Fox enter, Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed and exhaled a cloud of thick smoke.
He held his pipe, frowning in thought.
After a long while, Sarutobi Hiruzen said, "Yellow Dog, have you thought this through? Are you sure you want to be the external affairs Advisor?"
For several consecutive days, Yellow Dog had been persuading him, wanting to advance further and become the external affairs advisor.
Yellow Dog firmly removed his mask, revealing a lean face.
This was the first time Yōkō had seen Yellow Dog's appearance. He bore some resemblance to Sarutobi Hiruzen, but was younger and had more sharpness.
Removing the mask signified Yellow Dog's readiness to bid farewell to his past few years in the Anbu.
Hadn't he risked his life on Anbu missions all these years precisely for this moment?
Yellow Dog said, "Lord Hokage, the Guardian Ninja of the various Daimyō are panicked. The Daimyō of the smaller countries are beginning to doubt Konoha's strength."
"Lord Torifu has been idle for too long and cannot return."
"Orochimaru is obsessed with experiments and has no interest in the complexity and time-consuming external affairs tasks."
"Others either lack the requisite strength or the status."
"As for me, Lord Hokage, I have also mastered a forbidden technique. I believe I am fully capable of becoming the external affairs Advisor."
Yōkō's heart jolted. When did Yellow Dog master a forbidden technique?
It seemed Yellow Dog hadn't been idle during his year or two as Commander.
He hadn't died at Yellow Dog's hands before, so he wasn't that afraid, but he wondered what forbidden technique Yellow Dog had mastered.
Judging by Yellow Dog's performance, his strength was far greater than Asuma's in the original story.
In his normal state, relying on taijutsu and Fire Release, Yellow Dog was an Elite Jōnin. If he had mastered a forbidden technique, his strength would be at the Kage level.
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at his son's resolute expression and asked:
"Being an external affairs advisor is dangerous, very dangerous. Uchiha Madara, Sarutobi Kanenosuke, and the Mangekyō-wielding Tobi—any one of them possesses fearsome strength."
Sarutobi Hiruzen gestured towards Fox with his chin. "Fox is skilled in defensive secret techniques and has mastered Wood Release. In battles where he can survive, even if you've mastered a forbidden technique, you might not necessarily live. What do you think?"
Yellow Dog didn't hesitate in the slightest. He said:
"Lord Hokage, the opportunity to become a senior Advisor is extremely rare, so rare it might not appear for over a decade."
"This is the best opportunity, and the only one."
The implication was that the other Advisors wouldn't vacate their positions easily.
Utatane Koharu handled internal affairs. By not leaving the village, she avoided danger. She could hold her internal affairs Advisor position until she died.
Shimura Danzo was powerful and exceptionally cautious. Now that he had mastered Wood Release, he was even harder to kill.
The Advisor position might not have a vacancy for another ten years.
Yellow Dog's age and experience were currently insufficient, but he couldn't wait any longer.
Sarutobi Hiruzen asked, "If you become the external affairs Advisor, what will happen to the Anbu?"
"Lord Hokage, please rest assured!" Yōkō spoke up at this moment:
"After Lord Yellow Dog becomes Advisor, I will still report everything to him and seek his instructions, managing the Anbu's daily affairs properly for him.""For major missions, Lord Yellow Dog will still be the primary decision-maker!"
"As for Lord Yellow Dog's safety, the Anbu can dispatch an elite protection squad to guard him."
Yōkō thought, Just watch whether I protect him or not. I'll definitely bring Yellow Dog back to you in one piece.
Hearing Fox's stance, Sarutobi Hiruzen lowered his head again to calculate whether pushing Yellow Dog to a high position was ultimately good or bad.
A few minutes later, Sarutobi Hiruzen let out a long sigh, as if having made a decision.
"Sarutobi Shinnosuke..." Sarutobi Hiruzen used his son's real name, not his Anbu codename, Yellow Dog.
A look of joy appeared on Yellow Dog's face. His father agreed.
"Since you are so determined to be the external affairs Advisor, and you have mastered a forbidden technique..."
BANG!
The Hokage's office door was violently thrown open.
Yōkō's scalp tightened. This method, this force... undoubtedly Danzo.
Damn Danzo, ruining things again!
Yōkō turned his head and was started to find he had misjudged.
The person storming in anger was actually Sarutobi Hiruzen's wife, Sarutobi Biwako.
"I disagree with my son becoming any Advisor! Don't you two make decisions behind my back!"
Seeing the situation, Yōkō quickly rushed over to close the office door, stood by the door, and watched the family of three argue.
"Mother!" Sarutobi Shinnosuke said. "This is such a rare opportunity; I can't miss it!"
Sarutobi Biwako said, "I just came from Utatane Koharu's place! I just came from Utatane Koharu's place!"
She said it twice, very agitated.
"The bodies of Mitokado Koshi and Mitokado Nozomi were sent back to Konoha. Utatane Koharu is preparing their bodies for burial."
"They can't even be called bodies! They're two pulpy stains!"
"What's cruel is that the pulp still retains some outline of the two. Never mind Utatane Koharu, even I could tell at a glance which stain was Mitokado Koshi and which was Mitokado Nozomi!"
"How pitiful that couple was!"
"Sarutobi Hiruzen! You incompetent fool! Can't deal with the rogue ninja yourself, so you send your son instead?"
"Why don't you go to the Land of Rain? Why don't you go to the Land of Grass? Why don't you go to the Land of Rivers?"
"If you had killed Uchiha Madara, would there be so much trouble?"
Seeing Sarutobi Biwako starting to berate the Hokage, Yōkō opened the door a crack and slipped out.
The following conversation wasn't for his ears.
Standing in the corridor, Yōkō signaled everyone to stay away and not approach the Hokage's office.
Receiving the order from the Anbu Deputy Commander, the Hokage's assistants and visiting ninja all backed away.
Yōkō leaned against the wall, listening to the fierce argument inside the office, wondering if his plan was about to fail.
After over ten minutes, the office door opened.
Yōkō saw Sarutobi Biwako, still as furious as a mother tiger, and also saw... Sarutobi Shinnosuke, wearing the Yellow Dog mask.
Yōkō sighed inwardly.
He had given away the Five Elements Unrivalled Attack but failed to create an opportunity to assassinate Yellow Dog.
A woman with long hair and short vision, ruining my grand plan.
Then he reconsidered. He couldn't have worked for nothing. If one plan failed, he'd devise another. Settling for the next best thing, he could push Hatake Sakumo for the position.
***
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(Chapter End)