Seeing Fox enter the tent, Yellow Dog said with a pleased tone, "Copper Fox, you're back."
"Copper Fox? Aren't I Fox? Are you changing my mask?"
Yellow Dog actually laughed from behind his mask:
"Haha, Fox, the Suna-nin Frontline Headquarters specifically issued an order about you, warning Suna-nin to be extremely careful when encountering a Konoha Anbu wearing a fox mask.
That order refers to you as 'Copper Fox', the Anbu ninja with the absolute defense secret technique."
Yōkō said: "Battalion Commander, my understanding of ninjutsu has deepened, and I developed a secret technique on my own. I didn't expect it to leave such a deep impression on the Suna-nin."
Yellow Dog nodded and said:
"Many shinobi create their own ninjutsu. Often, self-created techniques become a shinobi's most suitable and powerful trump card.
Your kind of secret technique has never appeared in the shinobi world before; it's the first time the Anbu has recorded it.
Well done, Fox."
Yōkō's strength was growing steadily. Many abilities granted by the system could be explained as self-created or imitated.
The Anbu would review its members' strength, analyzing through ninjutsu and other intelligence whether they had connections to enemy villages or hostile forces.
In the future, this rule would constrain Yōkō less and less.
Rules bind the weak, because rules are made by the strong.
Yellow Dog said:
"Fox, congratulations on completing your 4th S-rank mission.
You performed excellently in the Saba Port raid mission.
First, you contributed the glider flight tool, providing the technical possibility for the raid.
Second, in the rearguard mission, you performed outstandingly, almost single-handedly holding back an entire Suna-nin battalion.
Finally, the Suna-nin headquarters issued an order concerning you, requiring all Suna-nin to be cautious of your formidable physical defense ability when encountering you.
Headquarters comprehensively evaluated this and considers you the second most meritorious contributor to the raid mission."
Yōkō asked: "Second? Then who is the first?"
"Of course, it's Lord Nara Rokaku, who devised the plan and commanded the raid force deep on the front lines."
Yōkō thought to himself, how could he be so foolish? Of course, the credit goes to the leadership, that goes without saying.
Yellow Dog continued:
"However, Clan Head Akimichi Yamashiro was severely injured for the mission, losing an arm. Lord Nara Rokaku ceded the top merit to Clan Head Akimichi Yamashiro.
By the way, let me remind you of a precaution.
Your absolute defense secret technique has become your signature ability. During assassination missions, similar to assassinating disobedient Fire Country nobles, you absolutely must not use it.
Even if you die during the mission, you cannot use your secret technique. Otherwise, the Daimyō would know the Hokage sent someone to assassinate the noble."
"Mm, I understand."
The Daimyō is the nominal highest leader of the Land of Fire. Konoha, nominally, highly respects the Daimyō and the nobles.
However, the Anbu doesn't necessarily respect the Daimyō.
Yōkō could feel that after he gained a title, regardless of how it sounded, Battalion Commander Yellow Dog's attitude towards him had noticeably improved.
In the shinobi world, strength comes first.
Afterwards, he returned to the squadron's tent area.
The three squad leaders, Purple Cat, White Goat, and Flower Deer, gathered around him.
Purple Cat asked excitedly, "Captain! The Suna-nin are calling you Copper Fox, why?"
Yōkō said, "In future battles, you don't need to worry about me. I created a secret technique that can ignore physical attacks."
Having said that, Yōkō formed the hand seals for Shadow Clone.
"Flower Deer, give the shadow clone three kunai."
After taking the kunai, the shadow clone jumped back and threw the three kunai at Yōkō with all its might.
The three kunai were extremely fast, showing no mercy, and struck Yōkō's neck.
The skin on his neck instantly turned a dull red-copper color.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
After three clear, sharp sounds, the kunai bounced away.
Flower Deer picked up the kunai nearest to her and was astonished to find the blade tip of the kunai had actually chipped off.
With this level of defensive ability, wouldn't he be invincible in close-quarters taijutsu combat?
No wonder the Suna-nin call Captain Fox 'Copper Fox'; it really is like the copper in 'hard as copper and iron'.
Yōkō said to his three squad leaders:
"We destroyed the Suna-nin's maritime supplies. Without iron ore, the Suna-nin can only fight using their stockpiled weapons.
The Suna-nin will probably organize a counterattack. During breaks between missions, every squad must focus on training."
After assigning training tasks to the three squads, Yōkō himself began organizing new taijutsu suitable for himself.
Absolute Defense: Copper Light, besides providing physical defense, also made his fists exceptionally hard.
If someone blocked his fist with their forearm, it would be like using a dead branch to block a ninja sword.
If the force was sufficient, a single punch could shatter an enemy's bones.
Besides his fists, Yōkō's knife-hand strikes were also very powerful. A chop with the side of his palm was something ordinary shinobi simply couldn't withstand.
Outside the camp, Yōkō found a place with many large boulders and began training his taijutsu.
Wherever his fists and feet landed, the large boulders shattered one after another.
After spending a week roughly familiarizing himself with the force application patterns and summarizing efficient taijutsu moves, he named this taijutsu style 'Bone-Crushing Copper Light'.
As the name implies, it's taijutsu aimed at shattering the enemy's bones.
Besides establishing the taijutsu system, there was also ninjutsu resistance testing.
Yōkō found several members of his squadron with different chakra natures.
Wind Release ninjutsu posed the least threat to Absolute Defense: Copper Light.
Whether wind blades, tornadoes, or pressure-based wind techniques, none could harm Yōkō.
Earth Release ninjutsu: Piercing types were completely ineffective. For impact types, he needed to carefully dissipate the shock force.
The impact force of rocks would transmit through the skin, affecting internal organs and bones.
He would need to find ways to increase the strength of his internal organs and bones in the future.
Fire Release ninjutsu: Flames couldn't burn the skin, but the high temperature made Yōkō very uncomfortable.
When encountering Fire Release, it's better to focus on evasion. After all, Fire Release rarely kills anyone outright.
Water Release ninjutsu: Water Release techniques are mostly impact-based. What needed caution was the impact force, and the inability to move if trapped by a Water Release technique.
Lightning Release ninjutsu: Yōkō didn't spar with squad members for this.
He wouldn't expose his weakness to his squad members.
Just like how Kakashi's Lightning Cutter could pierce through Kakuzu's Earth Release: Earth Spear, Lightning Release could also disrupt the integrity of Copper Light, causing a drop in defense.
He needed to be extra careful when facing Lightning Release users.
Among the sparring partners, there were two Yōkō didn't recognize.
During his absence, the three squads had also been continuously carrying out missions.
Each squad could suffer casualties during missions, leading to personnel changes.
Purple Cat was not only a squad leader but also acted as Yōkō's half-assistant, helping Yōkō assign and record missions, and collect mission reports.
For Anbu ninja, dedicated training time was a luxury. After only a week of training, Yōkō received a new mission.
Battalion Commander Yellow Dog said:
"Fox, the Suna-nin collected the bodies and tools of the rearguard battalion at Saba Port, which included gliders.
Intelligence ninja report that the Suna-nin are reverse-engineering the gliders.
The Jonin in charge of the Equipment Division, Nara Umeka, went to investigate the Suna-nin's replication progress.
A frontline squad received Nara Umeka's distress signal. Nara Umeka is very important; you are responsible for rescuing her."
"Alright, I understand." Yōkō asked:
"Captain, sending us Anbu on this kind of rescue mission... does it come with an attached execution task?
Is there something wrong with that Nara Umeka? Do I need to find a remote spot halfway and kill her?"
Yellow Dog coughed repeatedly and hurriedly said, "Don't be presumptuous. It's not an execution, it's a real rescue, a mandatory rescue. Nara Umeka is very important to the Nara clan, which is why we're dispatching Anbu elites to rescue her."
Yōkō felt somewhat disappointed inwardly. So it's not an execution. It seems it's just using public resources for private ends, sending Anbu ninja to work for the Nara clan.
"Fox, go see Commander-in-Chief Nara Rokaku. He will brief you on the mission details."
***
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(Chapter End)