"Is this the place?"
The group of four came to a stop at the foot of a towering mountain that marked the border of the Land of Fire. The air here was colder, thinner, and carried a faint metallic tang—the kind that seemed to seep into your bones and whisper that this place had seen death before. According to the mission briefing, a band of ruthless criminals had taken up residence here. No one knew exactly when they'd arrived, but they had been preying upon nearby villages for months, leaving a trail of missing people. Eventually, the disappearances had led to a grim discovery—these mountains hid a nest of bandits.
From where they stood, the crude settlement was visible. A jagged wooden fence surrounded a scattering of thatched huts, smoke curling lazily from a few chimneys. The smell of unwashed bodies and rotting food drifted down to them, carried on the wind.
Akido Jiro's brows furrowed as he scanned the camp.
"There are quite a few houses," he observed. "Looks like there's a lot of people here."
Yamamoto Kawa followed his gaze, his tone tight with unease.
"Hmm… And they've got lookouts posted. Patrols, too. Just how many people are there?"
Sarutobi Muraki stepped forward, his voice calm but cold.
"This mission is yours to carry out. I'll stay back and observe from the shadows. You can use whatever approach you like—but remember, the goal is to exterminate the bandits. Kill them all. And rescue any hostages they're holding."
The finality in his words left no room for hesitation.
"Yes, sir!" the three answered in unison.
They huddled together for a quick strategy discussion. Given the size of the camp, a head-on attack would be risky. In the end, they decided to infiltrate quietly, eliminating guards one by one. If they were discovered, they would switch to direct combat.
The plan set, they split up—Yuhi, Akido Jiro, and Yamamoto Kawa each taking a different direction, moving silently like shadows toward the perimeter.
---
Yuhi's path led her to a lookout tower where a single guard leaned lazily against the railing, chewing on something and staring into the distance. She appeared before him in an instant, her sudden presence startling him. His mouth opened to shout—but before a sound escaped, Yuhi's Sharingan spun to life, casting him into a genjutsu. His pupils dilated, his expression going slack.
With the lookout under her control, Yuhi descended quietly toward another guard stationed below. His back was to her, his posture relaxed, utterly unaware of the danger behind him. Yuhi's hand tightened on her kunai, but for a brief moment, she hesitated. The killing stroke hung in the air.
It's already come to this… what's there to hesitate about? she thought. In this world, killing is as normal as breathing.
Her expression hardened. She reached into her pouch and pulled out a length of bandage inscribed with delicate Divine Ink talismans. Feigning a casual toss, she manipulated the fabric with subtle chakra control, making it whip around the guard's mouth before he could cry out. In one swift motion, her kunai sliced across his throat.
Warm blood splattered onto the dirt, darkening it. The man collapsed soundlessly.
Yuhi allowed herself a single sigh before her hands formed seals. With a puff of smoke, a perfect clone appeared, followed by a flicker of transformation. She took on the dead bandit's form and continued deeper into the camp.
---
From a distant ridge, Sarutobi Muraki's clone observed her movements. His hand stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"Interesting… She manipulated the bandage like a puppeteer's strings. That's no ordinary technique."
---
Inside the camp, a pair of drunken voices caught Yuhi's attention.
"Hm? Rat, why are you here?" one slurred. "Thinking about that woman we grabbed earlier? Don't worry… it'll be your turn soon, heh heh…"
Yuhi moved behind him without a word. A quick twist—crack!—and the man's neck bent at an unnatural angle. She caught his falling body, lowering it soundlessly to the ground.
From the nearest hut came muffled sobs and low, predatory laughter. Yuhi's eyes narrowed. She pushed the door open without ceremony.
Inside, a naked man looked up, annoyance flickering across his features. "What the—" He didn't finish. Yuhi's genjutsu seized his mind, his gaze going glassy.
On the bed lay a young woman, covered in bruises and cuts, her breaths shallow. The sight made Yuhi's stomach knot. She had despised such acts even in her past life as a man; now, as a woman, the rage burned hotter.
Fearing the woman might scream, Yuhi slipped her into a hypnotic state as well. She stepped up to the man, her voice low.
"Consider yourself lucky. If no one were watching, you wouldn't die this quickly."
Her hands moved with precision. Another neck snapped.
---
A shout rang out outside. "Help! There's an enemy!" The camp erupted into chaos—clanging weapons, pounding footsteps, frantic cries.
Yuhi drew her sword, abandoning stealth. The blade flashed, cutting down the first bandit who charged her. She moved with ruthless efficiency, each strike clean and final. The stench of blood grew thicker with every swing.
Nearby, Yamamoto Kawa fought with increasing desperation. His sword arm trembled, and his face had gone pale. He began throwing shuriken instead, but his aim faltered. Several bandits he should have killed outright were left writhing on the ground, forcing him to finish them off up close—a task that clearly rattled him further.
Yuhi dispatched another attacker, severing his arm before driving her sword through his chest. His eyes met hers, burning with hatred for a moment before going lifeless.
The tide turned quickly. Most of the bandits lay dead; Akido Jiro pursued the few who tried to flee. Yuhi spotted the lookout she had earlier ensnared in genjutsu and ended him with a kunai to the head. His body toppled from the platform, hitting the ground with a dull thud.
---
Sarutobi Muraki stepped into view, his expression unreadable.
"Kawa," he called sharply. "Do you realize your mistake?"
Kawa lowered his head, voice trembling.
"Yes… I thought killing would be easy. But I hesitated…"
Muraki's gaze hardened.
"This is what it means to be a ninja—obey orders, complete the mission, and bear what ordinary people cannot. Killing is routine for us. If hesitation leads to failure, it endangers not only you but your comrades."
Kawa's shoulders sagged in shame. "Yes, Teacher. I'll adapt next time."
Muraki's tone softened slightly.
"It's your first time. Learn from it."
He turned to all three. "The bandits are gone. Well done. Now, bring out the hostages. They'll be collected shortly."
---
One by one, they led the surviving women from their captivity. Their eyes were vacant, their steps unsteady. The team settled them into one of the huts.
Akido Jiro's face was pale.
"Teacher… what about the bodies?"
"Lay them in a row," Muraki instructed. "The villagers will identify them."
Yuhi's expression tightened. "Teacher, you should've told us earlier. Some of mine… aren't exactly in one piece."
Both Jiro and Kawa turned to look—and immediately regretted it. Some corpses had been cleaved clean through; others were mangled beyond recognition. Jiro's stomach churned as he realized he had crushed several underfoot during the fight.
They set to work anyway, grim-faced. Yuhi tried to rope the two men into helping her with the worst of her kills, but they studiously ignored her, pretending to be busy. With a sigh, she dragged the bodies herself. One particularly grisly case spilled blood, entrails, and foul-smelling waste onto the ground.
Yuhi gagged, barely holding it in. Jiro and Kawa weren't so lucky—they turned away and vomited.
Muraki didn't so much as glance at them.
With the help of a clone, Yuhi eventually finished the gruesome task. After the villagers confirmed the identities, she stacked the corpses and set them alight with a burst of Fire Release. The flames roared, consuming the remains, and the acrid smoke drifted into the grey sky.
---
The journey back to the village was silent. All three trailed behind Muraki, their expressions grim. Jiro and Kawa kept a noticeable distance from Yuhi.
She finally broke the quiet, voice tinged with annoyance.
"Seriously? You call yourselves men? I'm a woman, and even I can handle it. How are you going to survive as ninja if you can't stomach this?"
Neither responded.
Yuhi rolled her eyes and quickened her pace, already knowing this mission's images would haunt them for a long time.
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