Chapter 1: Konoha Anbu, Arc of the Full Moon |
Konohagakure.
An Anbu wearing a Fox Mask hid in the woods at the corner of the street, staking out a distant izakaya.
What rotten luck. He had transmigrated into the body of an Anbu Chunin, a civilian ninja named Yako.
According to their intelligence, an Iwa Ninja spy might be inside that izakaya.
As the night deepened into the early hours of the morning, the Anbu squad leader flickered into existence behind Yako.
"Fox, the izakaya has fewer people this late at night. Take off your mask and Anbu Vest, disguise yourself as a civilian, and head inside to gather intelligence."
The captain addressed him by the codename associated with his chosen mask.
Yako took off his mask, stripped off his Anbu Vest, and unfastened his ninja tool pouch, keeping only a single kunai hidden on his person.
If he found any intelligence, great.
His death would serve as the intelligence itself.
Yako held out his hand to the squad leader.
The squad leader asked in confusion, "Hmm? What do you mean?"
"I don't have money for drinks. Shouldn't you reimburse me? To fish for intelligence, shouldn't I order the most expensive alcohol to draw the spy's attention?"
Reluctantly, the squad leader pulled a wallet from his ninja tool pouch and handed over a stack of cash.
Yako pocketed the money, then reached out his hand once more.
The squad leader pulled out another stack of cash. "Don't push it. This isn't exactly a suicide mission."
'Not exactly a suicide mission? So there's still a chance I die?'
With heavy steps, Yako walked into the izakaya. A pungent mixture of strong liquor, cheap perfume, and stale sweat immediately washed over him.
Following the scent of the perfume and avoiding the stench of the alcohol, Yako made his way to a corner table.
"Get me your most expensive sake!"
The owner of the izakaya was a beautiful, voluptuous young woman. The moment she heard someone order her priciest sake, she instantly perked up.
Carrying the liquor, her eyes filled with flirtatious charm, the proprietress sidled up to Yako.
Bending over and revealing a teasing flash of cleavage, she placed the sake cup on the table in front of him.
She was plump, but there was no jiggle. Beneath that soft fat likely hid solid muscle—the unmistakable mark of physical training.
Yako's nerves were taut; to him, everything screamed danger.
The proprietress's voice was soft and sickeningly sweet.
"Lord Ninja, have you returned victorious from the front lines? Allow me to recommend some entertaining diversions to wash away the fatigue of your missions."
Yako downed the entire bottle of sake in one gulp.
The sake in this world had a low alcohol content, tasting like cheap liquor watered down with plain water. Yako feigned drunkenness, acting as if the alcohol had already gone to his head.
"Diversions? Do you have any idea what I went through out there on the front lines? What kind of diversion could possibly help me relax?"
"A private room!" the proprietress said excitedly. "We have private rooms on the second floor!"
"A private room? This izakaya has been around for a while. Are those wooden floors soundproof? If we start shaking things up upstairs, won't all these people down here end up eating our dust?"
"Hehehe." The proprietress covered her mouth and giggled. "Lord Ninja, why don't we head straight to the backyard then? We have private rooms back there too, and you won't have to worry about any shaking."
"The backyard sounds good. I like the backyard. How could the second floor of this rotting wooden shack possibly satisfy me?"
Taking the initiative, the proprietress placed Yako's hand on her slender waist, pressed her chest against his ribs, and led him toward the back.
As they pushed past the curtain and stepped into the backyard, the surrounding light instantly dimmed.
She pressed herself even closer against him.
Being sandwiched by such softness felt incredible.
If only he weren't in the Anbu. He could have spent all the money he earned from missions enjoying himself at this izakaya.
After entering a side room in the backyard, the proprietress firmly shut the door.
"Lord Ninja, do you prefer Yin Release or Yang Release?"
"I didn't learn much of real value at the ninja academy. What's the difference between this Yin Release and Yang Release?"
"My Yin Release and Yang Release depend entirely on who is on top. Do you understand?"
"On top? Who's on top? Oh, I get it."
In addition to the five basic nature transformations, certain clans with secret techniques also possessed Yin Release and Yang Release. Above even those ordinary releases lay the Six Paths Level Yin-Yang Release.
The proprietress's Yin-Yang Release was clearly anything but ordinary.
Yako practically drooled, but deep in his eyes, he remained exceptionally vigilant.
However, vigilance was completely useless.
With his meager strength, even constant vigilance wasn't enough to spot anything.
A kunai plunged into the small of Yako's back!
In the darkness, the enemy had used some incomprehensible method to slip behind him and launch a sneak attack.
He opened his mouth to scream, but the proprietress sealed his lips with her own.
Dead. The transmigrator had died just like that...
The world plunged into darkness.
Yako's pupils dilated.
In the blink of an eye, Yako woke up once more.
The system had arrived.
[Arc of the Full Moon activated!
The host only has one chance to resurrect each month. Upon death, the host will resurrect on the previous night of the full moon.
Rewarded with one lottery draw:
1. B-Rank Earth Release: Underground Projection Fish Technique (Entry Level);
2. Chunin-Level Chakra Capacity (Stackable);
3. Kunai Thrust (Mastery).
Note: If killed by the same person twice, the host will die permanently!]
He had returned to the 15th, five days ago.
Inside the Anbu's semi-basement, Yako looked up at the full moon through the high window.
Arc of the Full Moon—his golden finger.
With one resurrection opportunity per month, he could return to the previous night of the full moon.
He also had a lottery draw with three options, the contents of which were related to his death.
Faced with the three lottery options, Yako thought carefully.
Kunai Thrust (Mastery). The person who stabbed him to death was an expert with the kunai, possessing certain techniques that made their thrusts faster and more powerful.
This ability was somewhat useful, but not by much.
The stackable Chunin-Level Chakra Capacity wasn't what he desperately needed right now either.
Yako chose the Earth Release: Underground Projection Fish Technique (Entry Level).
He happened to have Earth-nature chakra, allowing him to use Earth Release.
This jutsu sounded like the perfect tool for infiltration and escape, for murder and robbery.
As the saying went, once entering the Anbu, it is as deep as the sea; if he didn't play his part and lay low, he would die fast.
Fleeing was impossible. The Anbu didn't mess around; they would hunt him down as a rogue ninja.
In an instant, Yako learned the Earth Release: Underground Projection Fish Technique.
After weaving three hand seals, Yako pressed his hand against the wall. His hand slowly vanished, sinking into the solid surface.
Under the influence of his chakra, the wall rippled as if it were the surface of a pond.
When he pulled his hand out, the wall returned to normal.
He could move rapidly through the earth without leaving a single trace on the ground.
Not bad, not bad at all. He had finally learned a ninjutsu.
[Host Status:
Chakra Capacity: Chunin-level.
Chakra Nature: Earth.
Ninjutsu: Three Basic Jutsu, Earth Release: Underground Projection Fish Technique.
Taijutsu: Basic Taijutsu (Chunin-level), Basic Kunai Throwing (Chunin-level).
Other: none]
He truly was absolute cannon fodder, through and through.
Taijutsu didn't require much chakra. With his low chakra reserves, he was a taijutsu-specialized Chunin who had trained bitterly in the basics.
At this time, Root had not yet been established. Danzo, as Hiruzen Sarutobi's absolute confidant, managed the Anbu in his stead.
A month ago, Danzo commanded the Anbu in a clash against the Third Raikage in the Land of Hot Water. They suffered disastrous casualties. Over half the Anbu perished at the hands of the Third Raikage, and Danzo fled back to Konoha all by himself.
The Anbu underwent an emergency expansion, which was how the original owner of this body had gotten in.
Suddenly, a knock sounded at the door.
The squad leader walked in.
"Fox, come with me. We're staking out an izakaya."
The captain had no idea that this was the second time Yako was hearing him say those exact words.
In silence, he packed his ninja tools.
He had already used up his death count for the month. He absolutely could not die again; if he did, even the system wouldn't be able to save him.
