"Gorilla, first demonstrate the chakra application of the Cross Seal."
Gorilla stepped forward and wove three quick signs, triggering the release. Instantly, a visible surge of chakra swirled around his hands.
Flower Deer and the others were stunned. Gorilla hadn't molded any energy; the chakra had appeared instantaneously from the seal. Without a second's delay, Gorilla executed five consecutive Earth Style: Earth Flow Spears!
The attacks were relentless, as if he were racing to use the energy before it could dissipate. After the fifth technique, Gorilla stood calmly. He wasn't panting; he showed no signs of the typical exhaustion that followed such a barrage.
"This is the Cross Seal," Yagami said. "It provides an immediate boost to your combat readiness."
Flower Deer adjusted his mask, his mind racing with tactical possibilities. "Captain, if we all master this, we can open every engagement with five consecutive high-level jutsu. We could suppress any enemy squad before they even find their footing."
"Or use it as a trump card," White Sheep added. "A sudden burst of full-power chakra when the enemy thinks you're depleted. That's a death sentence for them."
"Exactly," Yagami nodded. "It's essentially free chakra gifted to you in the heat of battle. Whether you use it to seize the initiative or save it for a final blow, the choice is yours. From now on, every one of you is a ninja with a hidden ace."
White Sheep hesitated. "Captain... what about the Hippo and Yak squads?"
"Loyalty has its circles," Yagami replied coldly.
"I require no exam from you, but for them, there will be trials. Without sufficient merit and performance that satisfies me, I will not grant them a seal of this importance. Furthermore, once you master this, you are forbidden from disclosing its nature to anyone—even fellow Leaf ninja. I trust you without reservation; I expect you not to betray that trust. A trump card is only effective as long as the enemy doesn't know it exists."
The core eight—White Sheep, Gorilla, Ox, Brown Bear, Fallow Deer, Leaf Monkey, Pintail, and Antelope—nodded solemnly. They were the "Old Guard" from Yagami's days as a medium-squad leader.
The Hippo and Yak squads were leftovers from the Yellow Dog era, still periodically receiving direct orders from the Vice Minister through Yagami.
Maintaining the bond between a captain and his subordinates required more than just shared danger. It required shared growth. By giving them the Cross Seal, Yagami wasn't just giving them power; he was giving them a reason to be unshakably loyal.
The Cross Seal was currently inferior to Tsunade's Yin Seal, but Yagami planned to iterate. He would upgrade it, refine it, and eventually allow his subordinates to fight above their weight class.
Eight Special Jonin who could briefly output the power of eight Elite Jonin? That was a force that would make the entire ninja world hesitate.
To survive in this world, you needed a faction. You needed brothers who could fight. It's easy to crush an individual with political or physical pressure, but crushing a unified, high-powered elite unit is a logistical nightmare. These eight would be the foundation of his future power base.
One by one, Yagami engraved the Cross Seal onto their hands.
"The seal is stable," Yagami instructed. "But if you feel any fluctuations or leakage, come to me immediately for reinforcement."
He chose not to use the Cursed Tongue Seal on them. His observations suggested they were loyal, and the Cross Seal acted as a subtle form of control anyway. Once they became reliant on the extra chakra, they would depend on Yagami to maintain the seals.
"And once you've reached your natural limit," Yagami added, "there is the Limit Stimulation Training to push your ceiling higher."
The revelation left them speechless. The seal was more than a battery; it was a key to their future potential. Yagami pulled off his fingerless gloves, revealing the identical Cross Seal on his own hand. Most ninja wore gloves to protect their skin from wire-trap friction; they served as the perfect cover.
...
The moon returned to its full, silver glory.
During a border sweep, Yagami met Yakushi Nono in a misty valley. This time, she wore the form of a plump, middle-aged woman.
"Root has filled its vacancies," she reported. "Four new recruits have been given the masks and codenames of F, G, H, and I. With a full roster, Danzo is reconnecting with his global intelligence networks. D—the veteran—is currently at the border of the Land of Earth with the recruit H, meeting with a Stone spy master."
"You're currently stationed in the Land of Lightning," Yagami noted. "Who is the Root contact for the Cloud?"
Nono paused. "My contact there cannot
have an "accident'' I won't have Danzo's suspicions falling on me."
Yagami didn't push. "Fine. Give me D's specific location."
She named a small town in the Land of Earth but added a caveat: "Intelligence takes time to travel. I can't guarantee he's still there. He may have finished the hand-off and be on his way back to the village."
Yagami suppressed the urge to hunt D down. Orochimaru and the Lynx Division were still hunting Uzumaki remnants; he couldn't afford a distraction that might expose Yuka.
"If the location is uncertain, keep tracking him," Yagami said. "Now, tell me—do you know the movement patterns of the Cloud main camp?"
"I am currently a low-level Cloud scout," Nono said. "They are incredibly paranoid. In the month I've been on the front, I've only entered the main camp twice. Usually, my squad finds hidden caves to rest in. I have a general guess as to their location, but I won't swear to it. You'll have to vet the intel yourself."
She seemed wary, likely remembering Yagami's fury over the "miscalculated" numbers in the Land of Iron.
"I will verify it carefully this time," Yagami said. Then he looked at her closely. "Why are you so eager for me to kill D? You're quite keen on having me do your dirty work."