Wearing their passes, the three walked into the tavern. Their unfamiliar masks and physiques quickly drew the attention of most of the ninja inside. Whispers began to circulate.
"Newbies? Which three unlucky bastards died this time?"
The ninja who frequented the tavern were mostly Genin abandoned by their villages, or rogue ninja. Their code of conduct was simple: don't stir up trouble. So, no one approached Naruto's squad to strike up a conversation. Soon, they averted their gazes and resumed chatting about what they had done the previous day, which family's women they had defiled. For civilians, these ninja, unbound by village constraints, were the most dangerous.
When out of money, they'd take on some commissions or plunder some civilians; every day they had beautiful women to accompany them. For them, such a life was far more carefree than life in a ninja village.
"That woman yesterday tasted really good..."
"A few days ago, I went to Blackpond Town. It's quite prosperous over there. Got a lot of silver notes from a civilian's house. But the hired ninja there had some skill; almost got caught. You guys better be careful."
This kind of intelligence tavern was a place where stench and scum congregated. This was Rock Lee's first time being so close to the decay of the ninja world. His hands, hidden beneath his cloak, clenched tightly, veins bulging. In contrast, Naruto and Aburame Neri were remarkably calm. The difference in their composure was immediately apparent.
There were at least a dozen, perhaps twenty, ninja in the tavern. Based on their intelligence, they quickly identified a rogue ninja from the Land of Snow. That was their target. However, this ninja was still drinking unhurriedly, showing no intention of leaving. Naruto had neither the energy nor the time to wait around aimlessly. Under everyone's puzzled gazes, he stood up. With a flick of his wrist, a sword gleaming with blue light suddenly appeared in his hand.
Gasps filled the air. It was well known that weapons were forbidden inside the tavern. But after the initial shock, the ninja all remained seated, looking at Naruto with schadenfreude. They inwardly exclaimed, 'Where did this kid who doesn't know the rules come from, daring to cause trouble here?'
For the tavern to have survived this long, it naturally had its methods. Many ninja had tried to stir up trouble in the past, but without exception, they had all become dust before the tavern's entrance. Ordinary Chunin or Genin who came here had to lie low, even if they were dragons. As for Jonin? Why would a perfectly good Jonin come to such a godforsaken place?
Since Naruto was cloaked, they couldn't discern his age, merely taking him for a down-on-his-luck, deranged middle-aged ninja. The tavern's bartender had already secretly sent a message. Soon, the tavern's security measures would activate, and powerful ninja would take Naruto away, kill him, and hang his body from the rafters as an example to others. It had been too long since this intelligence tavern had seen blood. Even the bartender was itching for some action.
"Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu." The longsword in Naruto's hand abruptly dissolved into shattered mirror fragments that melted into the air. Vision rippled, and it was as if nothing had happened.
"Kyoka Suigetsu, a Kekkei Genkai that can affect people's sight. Naruto has developed this Kekkei Genkai significantly, able to directly control others' visual perception," Aburame Neri observed everything quietly, her slender, jade-like little finger tapping on the tabletop. "However, this Kekkei Genkai's control is limited. Does Naruto intend to kill everyone except the one from the Land of Snow? The strong smell of blood alone would expose him. Could it be that his Kyoka Suigetsu has developed to the point where it can affect the sense of smell?"
"This kind of Kekkei Genkai definitely wouldn't affect a jonin like me much. I truly want to peer into the secrets of Naruto's body. To be valued by Lord Danzo, his body must be full of mysteries." A few of her 'cute' insects crawled out and disappeared across the table.
"This is Naruto's first Root mission; he's a bit too eager to show off. Although this intelligence tavern is in a remote location, it's not a place a mere Chunin like Naruto can provoke. If I'm not mistaken, I'll likely have to clean up the mess afterwards."
"He acts very mature, but his actions are actually childish. What an adorable little boy." Aburame Neri licked her lips. Clearly, she still held some disdain for Naruto. She had witnessed too many "specially recruited" geniuses brought in by Danzo; though their talent was good, they ultimately ended up as subpar products.
Rock Lee, on the side, watched with composure. He had absolute trust in Naruto. He believed Naruto never acted without a plan.
"Excuse me, could you do me a favor?" Naruto said with a gentle smile. "Could I trouble you all to go die?"
In an instant, the glint of a blade flashed through the tavern, and countless sprays of blood filled the air. Naruto moved like an elegant dancer, flitting between the ninjas' seats.
"He's already started a massacre? Newbies really can't keep their cool. Looks like he's in for a rough time later," Aburame Neri shook her head disdainfully, a touch more scorn in her eyes. Her small hands hidden in her sleeves stirred, and countless insects spread out. 'Looks like I'll still need to clean up after him.' She half-rose from her seat.
Danzo had his reasons for assigning Aburame Neri to Naruto's squad. Firstly, Neri was cold, ruthless, and loyal to Root, making her an excellent monitor for Naruto. Secondly, Neri enjoyed research; perhaps through her, the secrets of Naruto's Kekkei Genkai could be studied. Thirdly, Neri's support abilities were quite good, making her a suitable teammate for Naruto. Neri understood Danzo's intentions precisely, which was why she had given Naruto so much leeway.
She looked at Naruto. He wore a refined smile, a longsword in his hand, which he wielded with grace. The blade reflected a beautiful, cold light. But the scene that unfolded next shocked Aburame Neri to her core, sending a chill down her spine.
The other ninja in the tavern seemed oblivious, even continuing their loud conversations:
"Been here almost a year, right? Finally see a greenhorn making trouble."
"Sigh, this kid's such a waste. Went down just like that."
"The tavern's enforcers are still tough stuff. Probably close to jonin level, I reckon."
In the world these ninja perceived, it was as if Naruto had already been defeated.
"This Kekkei Genkai... it can control others' vision on such a large scale, in such a multifaceted way?" Aburame Neri's eyes widened. She realized she had still underestimated this Kekkei Genkai! No wonder Lord Danzo paid so much attention to Uzumaki Naruto, even wanting him to become the leader of Root! No wonder he had her accompany him, giving Uzumaki Naruto enough freedom to act!
"This kid really couldn't take a hit! Got himself killed just like that. I thought he had some skills, gurgle..." At that moment, a ninja was still talking bombastically, but before he could finish his sentence, his throat was slit.
The next scene shocked Aburame Neri even more. She saw all those ninja, smiling, crane their necks forward to accept death. Meanwhile, their target, the rogue ninja from the Land of Snow, stood up and walked towards the exit.
"You two, follow him closely. I'll be right there," Naruto's voice was incredibly calm.