Konoha is a village built in the midst of a large association of forests, mountains, and hills, surrounded by a circle of ten-meter walls; most of which is created personally by the Shodaime. There are many sections across the villages that belong to certain people or groups, but one thing they have in common is that they are built above ground. Even the most alienated structures like the Torture and Interrogation Facility and the ANBU Headquarters, are still visible from the ground.
But underneath the striving markets, luscious trees, and thousands of residents of the village, lay an underground secret that even Konoha itself is unaware of. Tunnels carefully carved across the dirt and bedrock spiral under the village as if a colony of giant ants had created a nest. Each room is held up by a couple of wooden pillars placed strategically over the entire nest-like structure. The ceilings and the floors are lined with sheets of metal, creating a forlorn glow in the immense darkness of the rooms by the lowly lit torches hanging in the corners.
The entire place is one giant and complex bunker that was somehow created right under the Hokage's nose. One could only think who could have done such a thing and that person is currently sitting in a separate room; an office-like space that almost resembles the structure of the Hokage's, only instead of light shining through the open windows behind the desk, an earthen; almost eldritch glow emanated from the chthonic flames in the cressets behind.
Sitting behind an ebony wooden desk is a frail-looking old man, palming his cane beside his seat. Wrinkles crinkled along his skin despite the lack of expression on the man's face. White bandages are wrapped across his forehead and his right eye, allowing the barest of his dark locks to protrude on the top of his head. Building up his image of a weak-looking elderly man, he has his right arm sealed under the black robe that covers him like a cocoon.
Despite his appearance, this man was once a contender for the Hokage's seat years ago and a few would still consider him one. The proof of his experience as a shinobi is displayed all over his body; permanent scars that would horrify most Genins and Chunins, including the x-shaped one on his chin. Once a hot-headed and driven shinobi in his younger years, Danzo Shimura now embodies everything a shinobi must be; cold, calculating, and most importantly, a lack of empathy for anyone who stands in the way of the mission.
A single tap of his cane, with the assistance of chakra, reverberated across the room, bouncing along the walls until it rang throughout the entire bunker. Upon his call, three shadows blurred in front of the man and knelt on their knees with their heads lowered. These shinobi wore carbon black cloaks with their hoods up that concealed most of their body. Similar to ANBU members, they wore white, porcelain masks, only these were entirely blank except for the hollow eyeholes drilled onto their vizards and the printed character drawn along the surface:
根
ROOT; a secret organization created for the sole purpose of strengthening Konoha by any means necessary. Along with their leader, Danzo Shimura, they consider themselves the unsung soldiers of the village. The number of skeletons buried by this hidden force could rival the number of deaths during the Third Shinobi War. If the ANBU works in the shadows, ROOT revels in it; they breathe and live in it so much that eternal darkness will be a paradise.
They did not speak unless spoken to by their leader, who gazed at them with cold, inky-black eyes. He rose from his seat and as each step echoed around the room, the old hawk grew closer until he stood right in front of three agents. "Report." came his steely voice as if it was carved in stone.
"The subject has been growing exponentially in power. As of right now, his skills can be ranked at High-Genin level, and at the rate of his growth, he will reach Mid-Chunin Level by the time of the Chunin Exam. However, he has yet to awaken his kekkei genkai." the first agent, whose voice sounded masculine and raspy, responded in the same monotonous voice as every other shinobi in ROOT.
"The subject continues his path as an avenger, refusing to form bonds with anyone. However, he seems to hold a minuscule amount of respect for his sensei, as well as rivalry with our intelligence agent. He spends most of his time alone in his house, training." the second agent spoke out next, her voice silky and feminine.
"The subject seems to hold animosity towards me and any form of attempts of friendship have been shut down. Our relationship has not yet reached the mission's parameters and our only connection is as sparring partners." the last agent replied, whose smaller frame compared to the other two agents vibrated in nervous energy. His voice had a tint of frustration in them; so small and insignificant that the other agents missed it, but not Danzo.
Without even speaking, the other two agents disappeared in a blur while the last figure stayed behind upon seeing his leader—master, staring at him with cold, unflinching eyes. While he may seem calm and composed, the agent is anything but. Sweat dripped from under his mask as the room around him felt heavier. The air around him thickened, almost as if he was swimming underwater. He didn't have to look to know that his master is disappointed in him; the pressure around him told him enough.
"Danzo-sama, I—"
"Remove your mask."
Said boy flinched at the cold dismissal of his response, before hesitantly sliding the mask off his face to reveal a head of short black hair and a pair of coal-black eyes. Sai stared up at his master, trying desperately to hide his trembling body under his cloak, to no success. A single second passed when Danzo met the pale boy's eyes before the young agent broke his gaze and lowered his head in shame.
"What is troubling you, Sai?" the old warhawk asked, but each word felt like a dangerous blade hanging over Sai.
Gulping slightly, the boy slightly raised his head to meet his master's waist. "I… have not been able to interact with the Uchiha for three weeks due to the team placement. My team's sensei has been keeping an eye on me, preventing me from leaving my base of operations. I apologize for the lack of progress, Danzo-sama." Sai reported reverently, practically hanging his head lower than his knee.
A gelid silence enveloped the room; even the crackling fires of the cressets faded in the background as the pale boy eventually prepared himself for his punishment. What he didn't expect was a low chuckle to cut through the tension.
"There's nothing to apologize for, Sai. The circumstances weren't in your favor. It is best if you think up a new strategy to approach the Uchiha." Danzo's response elicited a silent choke from Sai, whose eyes nearly popped out of his sockets.
He quickly schooled his features and quietly nodded his head. "As you wish, Danzo-sama." He replied absentmindedly.
The warhawk then slid his cane up to the front and placed both his hands on top of it. "Tell me, Sai. How is your time on your Genin team?"
Sai's head nearly whiplashed when his neck rose from his lowered position. "S- sir?" He sputtered out, entirely confused at the sudden interest. When his master stared at him expectantly, the boy frantically thought of a quick answer in his head. "It has been… going well, Danzo-sama. Naruto Namikaze proved to be an efficient teacher and an even better lecturer. I have… learned new things under his guidance. My teammates seemed to be improving as well and my experience with them has been… enlightening." Sai left all unnecessary details behind for the sake of shortening his report, though a small voice in his head whispered otherwise.
Danzo hummed. "It's good that you enjoy yourself." He mused, receiving yet another surprised look from his agent. "Don't worry too much about the Uchiha and continue your progress."
Eyebrows furrowed, Sai carefully addressed yet another problem. "But what about Naruto Namikaze, Danzo-sama? He is aware of my status yet he has not taken action."
"Namikaze remains to be a thorn in our plans. However, I doubt he will strike soon. Despite that, we cannot ignore the threat he possesses. Keep a careful eye on him and report anything useful." the warhawk ordered stonily. "Dismissed."
Without a second thought, Sai slipped his mask back on and disappeared from the room. Danzo's lone eye followed the boy's trail before shifting away once he was finally gone. Slow clattering rang across the office as his wooden sandals struck the smooth concrete at each step. A sigh escaped his lips when he lowered himself to his seat with a small smile tugging the corners of his lips.
"Soon…"
"Sakura? Why…" Naruto stared at the pile in front of him with a twitch in his eye.
The day had just struck noon yet Naruto could already feel a headache coming and they haven't finished the mission yet. They had gathered around right in front of the village gates for the mission briefing, but the Jonin decided that he needed to inspect their kit first before they move on. Naruto had already explained what they were supposed to bring in this mission and truthfully, he didn't list that much except for the essentials like rations, tents, weapons, and extra clothing. If they do bring something else, it has to be relevant to the mission.
So why are there two sets of books about medicinal herbs and the human anatomy sitting comfortably in the middle of her essentials?
Sakura scratched her head nervously. "Well, I thought that I might as well study during the trip," she explained; though when Naruto continued to pierce her with his stare, she buckled under the pressure. "Or maybe I should've left it back at home?"
Naruto simply sighed and turned his attention towards Hinata's gear, to which he's unsurprised at how she diligently followed the list. But he couldn't help but sweatdrop at how elegant and high-class they are, like the triple-stacked bento box or the white silk tent with golden embroidery. He wouldn't doubt the possibility that her kunai are made from carbon steel. The thought of it alone brought pain to Gama-chan's cotton heart.
However, in the midst of all the expensive materials, a spherical container with a brown outer cover and string attached to the sides lay almost invisibly. It was only through inspecting her weapons did he notice them sticking out from her neatly folded clothes.
"Hinata, may I ask what is that?" Naruto pointed towards the container.
The lavender-haired girl meeped and quickly snatched up the brown container, holding it close to her chest as if it was a closely-guarded secret. "U- um, it's a healing cream that… I- I developed." She shyly stuttered out.
Naruto's eyes widened in surprise. But before he could comment how amazed he was, someone beat him to it; rather quickly and excitedly actually.
Sakura appeared in front of Hinata so fast that Naruto had to rub his eyes and question whether or not she had just used his dad's jutsu. "No way! Can I see? What type of herbs did you use? How effective is it? What are its limitations? Does it only heal bruises or cuts and wounds as well?"
The poor heiress quickly became a victim of Sakura's fanatic curiosity, something that had developed after she returned from her week-long training with Takumi. Naruto didn't know if this newfound interest would be good for her because instead of thinking of her crush 24/7, she continuously recites the Four Medical Oaths. The blond feared that he might've created another Tsunade and he isn't sure whether or not he should be glad about it.
Deciding to leave the two girls alone, he shifted his attention to the last member of the team, who had already arranged his gear across the ground in an organized manner. From an outside point, Naruto could see that every piece of equipment looked pristine but obviously old, judging by the few marks on the kunai and tent.
"Good job, Sai. But don't bring that many weapons next time." the blond remarked as he peered at the multiple swords with different lengths of blades lined with his equipment. He even had an entire pouch full of paper bombs that he's not sure are registered—is that a poison kit?! He isn't surprised anymore.
After a couple more minutes of minor bickering and inspecting, Naruto called his students for the mission briefing. "Alright, our mission is a camp clearing from Laxon Village. A group of bandits coming from that village joined up with a missing-nin from Iwa, Asahi Yamamoto. Recently, they went on a sacking spree and left four small villages with their resources. They have also been known for kidnappings, murders, arson, and rapes. We have reason to suspect that they also hold a family hostage in their camp. As of right now, our intel informed us that they had settled to the west, near the borders of the country."
This left the Genins appalled, with the exception of Sai, who listened to the mission details in grim silence. To Sakura and Hinata, this was but a mere glimpse of the true horrors of the real world. These weren't even shinobi, but normal bandits who had done these atrocious things. If these kinds of people exist within the civilian population, what more if shinobi were the ones responsible.
Naruto observed the expressions on their faces. Both girls were rightfully fearful, especially when he mentioned rape, which is sadly one of the more prominent dangers of being a kunoichi. The paleness of their skin almost reached the point of the color of Hinata's eyes. At least the academy did one thing right and that is to teach kunoichi that their careers would be much harder than regular shinobi. Sai kept a calm demeanor, but even he couldn't stop the frown from forming on his face—something that brought a slight joy in Naruto's heart that he could somehow show some empathy.
"N- Naruto-sensei? Shouldn't more experienced shinobi take this mission?" The lavender-haired heiress asked.
"Normally, this would be a B-rank but Asahi's reputation as a failed Chunin didn't warrant him any threat. Plus, there are only around twenty bandits in his group, and the only reason they accomplish so much crime is by targeting vulnerable villages with no shinobi stationed around. Besides, you have your super-strong sensei here to beat him up!" the blond proudly flexed his muscles, much to his students' ire.
This allowed the tension to fade away for a short moment before Sakura raised another question. "What are we supposed to do exactly? Do we capture them and take them back to the village?"
Sakura's question made Naruto falter. Of course, he had expected such a question to come up but it nonetheless, took him off guard. But just as he was about to explain, a monotonous voice chipped in.
"No. According to the mission details, our orders are to retrieve the stolen resources, rescue any hostages if there are, and eliminate the Yamamoto Bandits. In other words, we are to kill them." Sai answered. Unaware of the distraught he just caused, he continued. "The shinobi rules state that cremating the bodies will be the most effective way of disposing of them. Taking the head of the leader will also earn us a bounty from the Bingo Book."
By the time he finished, the color had already drained from both Sakura's and Hinata's faces. "I- is that true, Naruto-sensei?" the pink-haired girl asked.
Naruto pursed his lips, a grim expression overtook his face. "Yes, but I'm not forcing you to participate. However, I won't hide you away from it either. Some day, if you do consider continuing your career as a shinobi after this mission, you will be forced to take a life—whether it's through a life and death situation or a mission given to you, I want you to be prepared for that day."
This was the topic he had been dreading but he can't avoid it any longer. This is the reason why he requested a mission like this in the first place; a small dose of reality and maybe his last test to them before becoming a true Genin in his eyes. Some might call him a fool for exposing freshly-graduated Genins to such a horrific thing, but Naruto disagrees. Death will always be a part of a shinobi's life and if they can't handle it, then they will be better off quitting rather than hesitating and getting themselves killed.
"If you don't think you can handle it, then I suggest you sit this mission out and we'll discuss this back at the village." Naruto took a glance at the three Genins; Sai's face remained blank throughout the minute, but even he could single out a hint of apprehension in his eyes. Hinata is obviously distraught, her kind and timid nature proving to be a disadvantage for her right now. Just as he expected, Sakura seemed the most uncomfortable with the situation.
Out of everyone on the team, Sakura is who he's most worried about. Being born from a civilian family with no shinobi experience whatsoever, she's been raised ignorant and naive to the real world, more so than others. It's more than likely that she's been taught that shinobi are these honorable soldiers, protecting the village and saving people. If she still wants to become a kunoichi, then it's about time she takes those rose-tinted glasses off and sees the world for its real self.
Naruto remained his eyes on his students. "Nobody? This will be your last chance," he warned. When no one came forward, the blond took that as an answer. "Alright, we're leaving now. Are you all ready?"
"Hai!" they chorused, though some of them were less enthusiastic to answer.
The blond forced himself to ignore it for now. "I trust that you remember how to tree-hop?" Thankfully, they nodded—Naruto didn't know what he would do to the academy if those damn instructors neglected to teach them how to perform the Leaf shinobi's way to travel. After showing the official seal of the Hokage to gatekeepers that they were heading for a mission, they were off in a blur and they immediately took to the tree's branches.
Naruto had to slow himself down a bit to match the Genins' pace, especially for Sakura who still has the weakest chakra reserves and stamina in the entire group. But it won't take them too long to reach their destination. Plus, it's a joy to see the awe on his students' faces, albeit there is a bit of trepidation hinted at as well—which is completely justified. Naruto remembered his first mission and the missions after that. It was such a refreshing feeling to leave the village and see the outside world for himself rather than through texts in a book.
Unfortunately, just like his first B-rank mission, their trip home will be much more different. Unlike them, however, he didn't have a reliable sensei to protect him. He remembered it like it was yesterday. It was a simple escort mission, although a lot more important than the usual, with two other Chunins to a small village. At first, the trip had been nothing but pleasant. He learned a lot from the two Chunins, less about jutsus and chakra, and more about how their lives were. It was the first time he allowed himself to relax after just a year since his parents' death.
But that's when all hell broke loose.
A known missing-nin from Konoha emerged out of nowhere and intercepted them. No demands, boasts, nor even any words at all. He leaped at them like a demon in the hunt. What's worse is that Naruto and the two Chunins are no match for missing-nin, who had been known to be a powerful Jonin and that had been before he defected from Konoha. While Naruto could take pride that he had fought and survived an encounter with Madara Uchiha, there's a difference between someone not taking you seriously and someone who's actively trying to kill you.
He remembered everything down to the most insignificant detail.
"Naruto!"
Izumo's voice barely registered in Naruto's ears as he struggled to get back up to the ground. Gravel dug against his skin as he forced himself to a sitting position. A sharp ringing noise continuously pierced the blond's hearing, a result of the recent events.
"Naruto! Can you hear me?! Are you okay?!"
This time, Naruto heard Kotetsu's voice and found himself staring at the back of his teammates, preventing him from seeing the threat they were protecting him from. It didn't take him long for the situation to sink in and before he knew it, he was already on his feet with a kunai at hand. But a sharp voice interrupted him before he could spur into action
"No! Don't do it, Naruto. This battle is out of your league. Take Akari and get out of here!" Kotetsu cried out, his face caked in grime and dirt. Izumo stood beside him with a scowl of determination carved on his face.
The blond strained his eyes towards the unconscious woman near the sidewalk. An explosion had erupted that caused the cart they were escorting to flip over, in turn, throwing the merchant's daughter out of the vehicle, as well as blowing the shinobi off the dirt. As much as Naruto wanted to protest, his presence is more of a liability rather than an asset. He hated to admit it, but he isn't strong enough to fight, especially in his state.
So with a heavy heart, he pocketed the kunai and rushed towards Akari's position while his teammates tried to take down Aoi. He had to physically stop himself from rushing to help them. After managing to sling her body on his shoulders, he began running from the battle, refusing to look back in fear of seeing his new friends dead in the dirt.
He ran; he didn't know how long or how far he had reached but his ears could no longer catch the sounds of battle. His muscles screamed. His lungs burned as the cold air passed through his throat. Each second felt like a horror film; his eyes frantically shifted around his surroundings. While the woman herself isn't that heavy, he had been carrying her for who knows how long and the adrenaline rushing in his veins is making it hard for him to think.
But all of a sudden, his instincts screamed at him to duck; so he did.
Electrics tendrils tickled the back of his neck, narrowingly missing his flesh. The whirring sound of the sword grew farther as he slid under, but he made the mistake of taking his mind off the goal. A second later, a heavy force slammed against his stomach and knocking the wind out of him. Spit and blood sputtered out of Naruto's mouth as he felt his body scraping against the dirt.
With Akari still in his arms, he forced himself back to his feet and ground himself to a halt. Sandals dug themselves in the dirt as he shot his gaze up at the missing-nin, who stood before him with a lazy but crazed smile. In his hand is the legendary Raijin no Ken, its blade crackling across the air and sending its tendrils swaying like mechanical tentacles. He bore a Konoha forehead protector, but his status as a missing-nin forced him to slash a line across the symbol of the Leaf.
Naruto growled. "Aoi Rokusho." he spat the name of the traitor like venom. Of course, he knew him. Not only was he famous for stealing a legendary weapon, but he was also responsible for the deaths of numerous Leaf shinobi. He was also responsible for the torture and disfigurement of Ibiki Morino. One cannot just forget the face of the infamous Maniac of Konoha.
The smile only grew on the man's face. "Well, look who it is. It's the Yondaime's son! How's your dear dad, by the way? Still sleeping in the dirt?" he taunted, his voice ever so slimy.
Naruto dares not to fall for this man's attempts to rile him up. One of the first lessons his father had ever instilled into him was that a shinobi must be in control of their emotions. Digging his nails against his palm to prevent himself from biting back, the anger that surged up his throat slowly died.
"What are you doing here?" He probed calmly, allowing his chakra to coil around his legs in preparation for an attack.
The only question is who will strike first.
Aoi shrugged. "No reason. Just felt like it," he replied nonchalantly, though Naruto doubted that his ambush was anything but random.
Without taking his eyes off Aoi's figure, he lowered Akari's body to the ground and leaned her against a nearby tree. It won't be good for either of them if Naruto would have to fight with her on his shoulders. It's already guaranteed that it would come to a battle but the only problem is actually winning. Aoi practically has every advantage over him. Realistically, he has no chance of ever beating the man at his state but he had already built up the habit of beating the odds.
"Rokusho! There you are!"
Naruto split his attention to his left, where a rather stocky figure leisurely walked up. Apart from the metallic rebreather mask across the lower half of his face and the shinobi headband around his clean-shaven head with four lines carved laterally on the metal plate, the man looked relatively normal. But Naruto thought otherwise; after all, he seemed to be acquainted with Aoi Rokusho and that could only spell bad news.
"Look who I found, Hiroto." the missing-nin mused to who appears to be an Amagakure shinobi, judging by the symbol on his headband. "A lone bird with its wings clipped."
The stocky man's eyes locked with Naruto's and almost immediately, a smile made its way under his mask. "And here I thought those two Leaf trash are the only problem. This is a good chance for you to prove yourself, Rokusho. Kill the son of the Yondaime Hokage and I'm sure Pain-sama will grant you a high rank."
"With pleasure!" Aoi jeered, swinging the thunder sword around threateningly.
Naruto's eyes narrowed at Hiroto's words. "Where are they?" he snarled, releasing a steady amount of killing intent.
But the stocky man simply laughed it off. "They were good, but…" he sneered as his hand slowly reached behind his back. "... not good enough."
Time seemed to slow down at that moment. It came like a winter storm, freezing everything in its path. The loud thumps of his heartbeat pounded along in his ears as if a collection of drums played around him. His muscles had frozen up; legs rooted to the ground and arms stiffening like wood. The air in his lungs left, leaving him choked up as his eyes gazed forward.
Their lifeless eyes stared back at him, peering through his very soul. He could see the shock and dread that they felt in their last moments painted across their faces. He could hear their faint laughter, the mirth in their voices as they relayed their tales as the gatekeepers of Konoha. But now, all he could hear is the patter of blood dripping from their severed head.
Murderers…
The once joyful laughter that would ring across the forest had been replaced by the maniacal jeers of their murderers.
Sinners…
Slow steps neared; the cracks of lightning spazzing across the air. The dirt crunched under the sandals that entered his vision. His voice sounded muffled, but he could make out the mocking words being spewed at him.
Weakling…
Naruto began to feel something inside his body. It was like a vexing of the soul for what he felt was not human, it was twisted and distorted but it was something strong. It burned so bad like fire lacing his veins and creeping up my spin; his skin was a sore-looking red but all he could feel was desire—desire to hate. He was intoxicated with emotion he had no intention of ever feeling, the acidity of it was residing in his stomach waiting to be spat out of his mouth like venom.
Red. Everything went red. His vision blurred as a flame curled in the pit of my stomach. His heart turned ice cold and slunk into the shadows as he allowed his emotions to take complete control. The flames in his stomach rose up to his chest and crawled through his veins, taking over the rest of his body.
Naruto's fingers coiled around the kunai he held in his hand and a second later, crimson flashed before his eyes and…
"Naruto-sensei!"
Said blond snapped out of his daze. It seems that he was lost in his memories for a while. Staring up, he was greeted by the mid-afternoon sky. Prongs of sunlight pierced through the orange-hued clouds, revealing a lavender-mixed sky. He turned towards Sakura, who looked over at him with a concerned expression.
Naruto simply waved it off. "What is it?"
"Hinata spotted some smoke about fifty meters from here. She said that it looks too small for a forest fire." she relayed. "Are you alright, sensei? You look a bit… sad." Even Hinata and Sai were looking at him, one in worry and the other inquisitive.
Naruto shook the memories out of his head. 'Now is not the time to reminisce about the past.' he said in his head before stretching his gaze up ahead where he spotted a grey column of smoke emerging from deep into the forest.
"I'll be fine. Good job, you two." he complimented, earning a pair of smiles and blushes of embarrassment. The blond then looked over to Sai. "You follow by the rear. Make sure no one is tailing us."
After receiving a nod from the pale boy, Naruto gestured to his students to follow him and flashed towards the ground, where he planted his position right behind a tree. The Genins followed dutifully, executing smooth maneuvers through the thick stalks and trees. Soon, their sandals quietly met the dirt and joined their sensei in his hiding space.
Placing a finger on his mouth to alarm the Genins, he gestured ahead where sounds of metal clanging and wood burning could be heard, as well as a chorus of hollers and jeers. Peering through the thick leaves and bushes revealed an open clearing in the middle of the forest with a festival-like event occurring in it. A glance at the men parading around the campfire, downing liquor, and feasting on hunted meat immediately told them that they were in the right place, if the multiple crumbling carts and piles of crates filled with food laying out in the open, weren't enough evidence.
It seems that this is their main base of operations, considering the uprooted trees piled on top of each other to form a barrier around the camp. A single bonfire is ignited in the middle of the clearing, releasing smoke and embers into the fiery sky. Pitched tents are scattered across the open area; the largest one standing in front of the bonfire with golden embroidery stitched onto the leather surface, as well as a wooden carving of a wolf placed on top. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the tent that's as big as a Hyuga's pride belonged to the leader, but they were focused on more important things or in this case, more horrific things.
Hinata had to stop herself from gasping upon seeing the starved people caged in metal boxes as if they were animals. She could see their clothes barely covering anything; dirt and mud smeared across their faces and bodies. Children, literal children, whimpered softly in their cages as they tried to reach out to who she assumed were their mothers and fathers, who did their best to comfort their kids through the bars. But their cries remain unheard and drowned out by the drunken hollers of the bandits.
The horrific sight caused a surge of anger in Sakura. Hearing the harrowing atrocities these bandits committed is one thing but actually seeing it is a different matter. The only reason why she didn't recklessly charge into the camp to save them is because of Naruto's hand gripping her shoulder. His warning gaze forced some of her anger to fade away and knocked some common sense into her.
"I know how you feel, Sakura. But a frontal assault will only cause more trouble." Naruto said, earning a slow nod from the pink-haired girl, whose eyes remained on the frail forms of the caged families. "Sai, I'm going to need you to send your snakes now. Inform me if you find anything untoward or unorthodox."
Sai immediately went to work, spreading his scroll out and pulling out his brush. The air practically shimmered at the speed of his hand drawing across the paper. Moments later, a nest of mice leaped out of his scroll and began scurrying away to follow their orders, whilst ignoring the squeaks of discomfort from the girls.
Naruto nodded in approval and turned to the rest of the team. "Alright. While Sai is doing that, let's discuss our plan of attack. Hinata, I need you—"
"Got it, sensei." came the heiress' oddly passionate response.
To their utmost surprise, the timid girl had already busted out her Byakugan and almost looked as if she was glaring at the entire camp. For the first time, Naruto can finally see the resemblance between her and Hiashi. Ever since she came back from her training with Anko, she seemed more fired up and outspoken, and the blond isn't sure if it's a good thing.
"I can count twenty-four of them, sensei. There are three guarding the hostages, six sleeping in their tents, one in that large tent, and the rest are gathered near the bonfire." Hinata reported, almost how a shinobi would do it.
Naruto had to blink himself out of his shock. A glance at the two other Genins revealed Sakura, who has no restraints with leaving her jaw on the ground, and Sai, who seems to be furiously taking notes for some reason. "E- excellent job, Hinata." the blond said, causing the lavender-haired girl to preen and blush under his praise.
"So, what's the plan, sensei?" Sakura asked.
The blond looked back at the camp. "The hostages are our main priority for now. But saving them will be difficult without taking care of the bandits. An ambush will be the most effective strategy, especially once the sun goes down." he muttered, more to himself than to the Genins. A few seconds later, called out, "Sai, are there any disturbances around the area?"
"From the information I gathered, there appear to be no signs of traps, reinforcements, nor hidden bases," Sai replied as he allowed his ink-drawn mice to scamper up to his arms and return to his scroll.
Nodding, Naruto fell into deep thought once again. "The three of you will handle the rescue of the hostages while I take care of most of the bandits. I will cause a distraction if necessary but otherwise, the mission stays silent. That way, you can have the opportunity to escape with hostages without being pursued. I'll personally take down Yamamoto. This plan will take place tonight so we have the advantage over them. Any questions?"
When the Genins shook their heads, the blond nodded. "Use this time to prepare yourselves. Once the moon and stars are out, that's when we'll strike."
The crescent moon shone over the forest, piercing through the crowns of hundreds of trees. A black curtain replaced the lavender sky, fitted with millions of sparkling dots that decorated the ceiling of the world. A mix of white and black fell over the forest, yet in the midst of everything, a single flame stood out from the rest as its embers floated above the trees, disintegrating into thin air, while its tongues flickered across the open clearing, bringing life into the party still occurring in the camp.
"Geroff me, yerr fawking ash- ashole!" Haru said, his words tumbling from his mouth in a rush of barely distinguishable syllables as he pushed one of his friends away, who was trying to drag him back to the party.
They had just returned from a successful raid. Since their boss took over their group, their motley group has been thriving. Food was no longer a scarcity, but a luxury. They could buy the best weapons and armor in-store with the number of valuables they retrieved. Sleeping in a flock-mattress fit for a daimyo, after bedding three whores and feasting on the finest boar's meat, sake, and soup a brothel could offer, could only be described as a man's paradise and yet they could experience it every day. With the people they have hostage, the villages they raided will constantly supply them with their resources.
The boss had turned their measly group of bandits into a force to reckon with. He was a shinobi and none of these insignificant villages would dare to oppose one. Within a blink of an eye, the boss could bury the entire village with a landslide. It took one demonstration for them to comply and it was a glorious sight to watch. The boss is equally feared and respected by the group. He weaved a tale of his greatness and prowess; how he was a powerful shinobi in his village but his peers grew jealous of his strength and cast him aside. To have him as a boss is truly a blessing in disguise.
Two days from now, the boss intends to strike at yet another trifling village and he has announced that they must prepare for another raid. So as per the occasion, the group must throw a party to keep the morale high and keep the men pumped for the next raid. Of course, no one questioned it and enjoyed the food, booze, and entertainment. But sometimes, they would go overboard with it.
Hajime punched his friend in the shoulder. "I always knew ya were a lightweight. What makes you think you could compete with Oda?" He laughed along with the rest.
"Oh, shat ap!" The man tried to appear sober, but the furious blush on his face betrayed him. After receiving yet another fit of laughter, he waved them away. "Fawk yous, am' gonnta sleip!"
"Alright, see ya!" came his friend's response, but Haru could barely register his words as he stumbled across the camp to reach his tent.
The man crossed over the grounds, swaying throughout the way, and finally reached his tent; a small resting place made out of leather and wolf hide. He knelt down and crawled into his tent. The sounds of his sword clashing against his belt rang as he pushed them off his cot. Without a second thought, he collapsed onto his cotton-filled bed and almost immediately traveled to dreamland. His loud bull-like snores were just one of many sounding off into the night.
But if he stayed awake for even more than a few seconds, he might've seen the shadowy figure sinking into the ground behind him or he might've even felt the earth shift under his cot. If he was sober, he might've felt the tip of a blade piercing through his chest from underneath him. But fortunately for him, he died silently and painlessly in his sleep. Blood trickled from the wound as the kunai was retracted from the body with a sickening schlick.
Blond locks rose from the dirt, followed by the rest of his body. Cerulean stared down at the corpse with a cold gaze, emitting the same temperature as a glacier. The black knife in his hand is stained with crimson liquid, dripping down and joining the rest of the blood pooling under the body. The blond's figure remained hazy, almost as if he could vanish into thin air at any second. Once his feet touched the dirt, the air around him shimmered before it died down and his body appeared visible.
Naruto glanced out of the tent, scanning for any witnesses. His eyes may not see in the dark, but he has more than enough experience spotting anything out of the ordinary in a seemingly pitch-black area with the only source of light being the moon and the bonfire burning far from the sleeping grounds. A pair of icy-blue orbs met the blond's, before disappearing after a second.
A sudden influx of memories entered his head, where the details rearranged themselves for him to understand. "Ten down, another ten to go." He murmured to himself before his body deconstructed into a cluster of winds and practically rushed out of the tent, without anyone knowing of the murder he had just committed.
Meanwhile, in the corner of the camp, eleven civilians are sitting in their cages with a single bowl of vegetable soup that is barely filled in half. The soft cries of the kids filled the air as the adults could only quietly reassure them from afar. The women held what remained of their garments close to their bodies, covering their breasts and privates. The men silently sat in their prison, either plotting revenge on the bandits or praying for a miracle to happen.
Three of the Yamamoto bandits are stationed by the cages with the intention of guarding them. However, due to the continuous parties, the effort they put into their jobs grew lax. Most of their time was spent drinking and playing shogi, and the only time they would care for the prisoners is when it was time to feed them, and even then they refuse to provide them with proper meals. As a result, the people caged are left suffering quietly in their prisons.
"P- please, can you spare some food for the children!" one of the women cried out, only for her a baton to slam against her cage.
The rattling noise caused yelps and squeals from the prisoners, but the guard ignored them and walked back to where he came from. "Shut up! If you keep yapping in there, we'll let your little shits starve!" the bandit sneered from his seat. After they fell silent, he huffed and turned his attention back to the game. "Alright, Kosuke. It's your turn."
However, said man isn't focusing on the game but rather on the starving prisoners. His face was pulled to a frown, eyebrows furrowed and his lips pressed together. "Is this right, Soma?" came his disturbingly soft voice.
Soma arched an eyebrow. "What is? The game? Well, it looks to me that you're fucking destroying me right now and I guess it looks right." he replied sarcastically, earning a chuckle from the third guard.
But much to their surprise, Kosuke whirled at them with a glare. "I'm talking about all of this. The raids, the parties, everything! Don't you feel anything when you see them locked up?" He cried out incredulously.
His shogi opponent trained his eyes on the defeated forms of the prisoners. Maybe if it was before he had the taste of luxury and pleasure, he might've felt sorry for the poor bastards. However, a few lives are worth the comfortable life he now experiences and he refuses to let some starving kids take it away from him. "This is our leverage, Kosuke. Without them, our control over those villages will wither. They could call one of those shinobi from the hidden village. Granted, the boss could probably take them but it would cause too much trouble." He replied, much to the lanky man's utter disgust.
"I didn't sign up for this. I joined this group to provide for my family, not kidnap children." Kosuke growled, slamming his hands onto the table and causing their third friend to jump up in alarm. With a red-filled face, he intensified his glare at his shogi partner.
Soma's face contorted into a sneer. "Don't act all high and mighty, you little shit. You were there with us yesterday when we raided that village. You were in that brothel with us, a drink in your hand and a whore on your cock. Without the boss, we would still be that insignificant group a year ago, robbing traveling merchants and scraping the bottom of the barrel for food. So don't sit there like you're any different than us!" He barked, nearly flipping the chair over when he rose from his seat.
Kosuke rose to the man's challenge, his hand clutching the handle of his sword that was hanging by his hip. "I am different than you. I joined this group to provide for my family. What about you? I remember you saying how you wanted a change in your life after your rough childhood. Is this the change that you want; kidnapping innocents and making hundreds of children have worse childhood than yours!?"
"Better me than them. I rose from the dirt and if they're strong enough, they would do the same!" Soma growled, his frustration seeping into his voice. Kosuke just kept staring into his ever-angrier eyes. Another vessel was about to burst. "If you like the prisoners so much, then why don't you fucking join them!"
The hit came a lot quicker than Soma had expected. Shogi pieces flew across the air, the table flipping to its front at the force of the punch. It was a stern blow to the shoulder, just missing his collarbone and grazing his chin. Soma wasn't floored, but his legs were growing more and more unsteady, and his vision turned red. Coupled with the alcohol running through his veins, his emotions are at an all-time high—which could also be a reason for Kosuke's outburst.
But before they could go at it, a pair of hands grabbed them by their collars and shoved them away from each other. The two roughly hit the dirt, jagged rocks scraping against their skin but both were too drunk to care. The third guard, Jin, took turns holding a stern stare at the two bickering bandits.
"Calm the fuck down, you two. I'll personally cut you both down if you start trying to kill each other." He said, his hand hovering over his blade as a threat. Fortunately for them, they both decided to stay down. It's a known fact that Jin is the most competent swordsman in the group, especially since he is a former samurai that left Tetsu no Kuni.
"What about you, Jin? Do you enjoy how fucked up this is?" Kosuke chuckled humorlessly, his words slowly slurring as the booze finally started to hit him. "I always thought you samurai were honorable but here you are, your hands just as stained as the criminals you used to cut down—"
"And I left that life years ago." Jin's raspy voice interjected. "But I still remember what I was taught. So if you want to keep that snappy little mouth of yours, you better keep that shut."
A snarl left Kosuke's lips but he turned his head away. Nearly stumbling forward as he stood up, the lanky man dusted his clothes off and sent a withering glare at Soma, who silently picked up the shogi pieces off the ground.
"I'll be taking a piss." He rasped as he trudged deeper into the forest.
"I hope your dick chokes on your own piss." Soma spat, but Kosuke had already left.
His boots stomped into the dirt, stepping on the thousands of dead leaves on the ground with an audible crunch. The sound of his grumbles joined the chirping birds and howling wind. "Fucking asshole. The next raid, his ass will be left behind." He muttered to himself as he finally found the perfect spot.
Unzipping his pants and placing his sword against the trunk of the tree, he began relieving himself. Unfortunately, the trickling sound of his urination buried the muffled rattles behind him. The lanky man even had the nerve to whistle quietly as the threat behind him quickly slithered across the leaves and before Kosuke could even realize it, something slick and elongated began wrapping itself around his legs.
"What th—" a glance down revealed snakes; inky-black snakes with empty eyes, contorting across his legs and trapping him in his place. He tried his best to shake them off whilst his member was still hanging out. "These fucking snakes! I'll make sure to shed both of you for tomorrow's stew— aughk!"
A split second was all it took. One moment, he was cursing the snakes and the next, the air in his body was suddenly cut off. Flesh slowly tore open and crimson liquid spilled out like a hole in an inflatable pool. Kosuke tried to scream, but all that came out was a gargle. His hands jumped to his neck, trying to rip whatever was trying to choke him. But all his efforts were useless. Blood began entering his lungs and he found it harder to breathe with each passing second.
His knees were the first to give out, finding themselves against the dirt, followed by the rest of his body. Crimson-stained hands remained on his neck as he lay on the ground with a stream of blood flowing out of his slitted throat. A blinding light flashed before his eyes and when it died down, he saw himself with his family; his beautiful wife beside him as they watched their twin children struggle to walk towards them. It was his life before the village chief demanded an increase in taxes, forcing them into poverty. It was the last moment in his life where he felt true peace and happiness before it was all snuffed away.
Kosuke died in the middle of the Chinju Forest, alone and full of regrets. Throughout all of this, Sai stood beside the lifeless body with a tanto blade dripping in blood, watching the entire scene unfold with a frown on his face. This might not be the first he had killed, but this is the first time he personally watched someone die. The total despair and agony that slowly faded in his eyes somewhat brought a haunting feeling to Sai's heart. It felt suffocating, heavy; a painful throb he can't get rid off—the boy didn't like it. But why can't he take his eyes off of the body, who almost seems to be staring right through him with his lifeless eyes?
Maybe it's because he has been watching him from the beginning; watching him feel regret and shame for his actions. It was supposed to be a simple kill, just like every other kill he did. But why did it feel... wrong?
Sai decided to forget about the empty feeling for now. Maybe he could consult his sensei about this. But for now, he should focus on the mission. "I wonder how they're doing…" he mused to himself.
Sakura's hands refused to stop shaking.
It's already been fifteen minutes since the operation has launched and they have yet to take action. One of them had already broken off from the group, but there are still two more guarding the hostages. Despite them being normal bandits, Sakura couldn't help but feel nervous. This is her first real combat experience and it won't be like the Genin test with her sensei. One wrong move could result in the loss of her life.
Right now, she's hiding in a tree together with Hinata, the thick leaves managing to conceal their presence but not enough to block their vision. From what they can see, there's no way to reach the cages without first taking down the guards, much to their dismay. Sai decided to venture out on his own to survey the area so no one would interrupt them, which turned out to be unfortunate for the two girls since their best fighter is missing.
However, they can't let their sensei down. Naruto entrusted them with this mission and after everything he's done for them, it'll be an insult to fail this task. Sakura has grown a lot from that skinny, pink-haired fangirl nearly two months ago. It'll be a complete waste of everything she has learned for the past fifty days if she dies in her first mission and she's not willing for that to happen.
"Hinata, are you ready?" Sakura asked the heiress, who responded with a hesitant nod. With a soft inhale, her hands rose to her chest level, and her dainty fingers formed into a hand seal. One by one, her hands gingerly switched from seal to seal, allowing her chakra to flow across her body. After finally stopping on the last hand seal, her lips parted for her words.
"Magen: Hinote Engan no Jutsu."
With that, their battle has started. Sakura turned to Hinata, their eyes locking and conveying their feelings of apprehensiveness. "Good luck…" she said as she began to make preparations for the fight. They may not be that close, but their bond as teammates will only strengthen as time goes by.
"Y- you too…" Hinata replied, before leaping off from her branch to find her target.
Meanwhile, the two bandits guarding the prisoners went back to their own business. Jin, being the most dutiful one out of the three, kept a silent eye on the people as he sharpened the blade of his katana against a grinding stone. Soma had rearranged the shogi board and is now playing by himself. His initial anger is now doused, but the frustration towards his partner is still brimming over the pot.
But then all of a sudden, a sharp wisp of air blew past Soma's cheek. A thin cut appeared on his flesh, almost unnoticeable but the bandit was quick to feel it. Alarms immediately rang in his head. His hand fell on his sword that was leaning against the table. The blade sang as it was unsheathed from its scabbard, revealing a sword longer and thicker than the katana. Its straight edge and cruciform hilt definitely stood out, but it was waved awkwardly and inexperiencedly by the muscular Soma.
Upon seeing his fellow guard react, Jin slowly rose from his seat with a cautious eye. "What's the matter?" he questioned.
"I felt something," he replied, eyes shifting from left to right to find out what it was. But all he saw is a tiny glint being reflected by the moonlight.
Cautiously, he approached it. Each step was measured; sword ready at hand to swing at anything that comes close. He's almost sure that it's nothing serious, but he can't be too sure. After finally reaching the shiny object, he moved closer to examine it and found himself staring at a needle-like blade embedded deep into the dirt.
"Is this… a senbon?" The moment he spoke, he felt a scorching heat rise around him.
It was a spark that started it. One insignificant spark and suddenly, tendrils of red, orange, and yellow burst forth from the ground. He didn't have time to react. With a mighty roar, the flames spiraled upwards and swallowed Soma's entire body. He flailed around, throwing his sword and armor that he could take off, to the floor, batting the flames like swarms of wasps that came at him at once.
Thousands of thorns punctured his skin. His skin, muscles, and bones feel like melting into a disgusting mush of burnt flesh. The air he breathe was no longer air, but ashen smoke and the stench of his own flesh burning. All he could do is scream, and even that felt painful. A hoarse, gargling noise rang across the little section of the forest, a stark contrast from what one would expect from a muscular figure such as himself.
During all this, Jin watched in horror and disarray. From his perspective, Soma just suddenly started screaming out of nowhere, flailing around and practically tearing his clothes from his body. The pain in his shrill screams was so agonizingly real that he would've thought the man was dying if it weren't for the fact that he could see him right now.
"Soma! What's wrong with you?!" he cried out.
The only reason he could think of is that he was having a mental breakdown, but even that sounds highly unlikely. After a few seconds more of screaming and thrashing around, Soma's body stood terrifyingly still; almost as if he was frozen. The next second, the man's knees buckled first before falling face-first into the dirt. No words, no sound; other than his erratic and ragged breathing that reassured Jin of his life.
But before he could approach him, his senses tingled. Years of experience under the teachings of a samurai master constantly reminded him to always trust his instincts and he followed. He allowed his body to take over and as he felt the entire world around him shift, a loud clang alerted him of a threat. Boots dug against the dirt, allowing the distribution of force to travel across his body and into his arms, before deflecting whatever was coming for his head.
A soft thunk caused Jin to turn his gaze to the ground. "Shinobi…" he whispered upon seeing the infamous kunai that these hidden villages' soldiers own.
He prepared for another attack. Jin had yet encountered a shinobi during his time as a samurai but the number of stories and vicious tales about their incredible, destructive feats were enough to put him on the edge. A soft snap of a branch drew his attention toward the direction of the prisoners. At first, he was confused.
But his instincts screamed at him once again and for the second time this night, he might've barely avoided a near-death experience. He turned to face his opponent but to his immense shock, he was faced with a short, meek child, who appears to be blind, judging by how pale and cloudy her eyes are. Due to this wild revelation, his guard immediately went down.
Which proved to be a mistake.
Her hands looked and struck like lightning. The first strike was to his stomach, causing his core to contract so much that his body hunched over. The next was to his shoulder. A numbing, ice-like pain traveled down to his arm and allowed his sword to drop uselessly to the ground. It felt paralyzing, yet he couldn't help but let out an agonizing scream.
What followed could only be described as a flurry of shots. Elbows, knees, chest, wrists; every strike was a roaring tiger biting into his body. He thought there might've even been multiple kicks that followed through but he's too disoriented to think about it. Her eyes, ones he had first assumed to be visionless, now bore bulging veins across her temples and the moonlight struck perfectly across her pupils, revealing a glare of determination that was supported by the river-like flow of her arms, leaping towards him and striking as vicious as a snake.
His last thoughts before the darkness overtook him were about the lavender-haired child that overwhelmingly beat him to the ground. 'How graceful. A fair defeat, indeed.' a faint chuckle left his lips before crumpling into a heap on the dirt.
Hinata released a breath she didn't know she was holding. The entire fight—one-sided beatdown—had her sweating bullets. It's her first real fight against an enemy and what's more, is that her actual life was on the line. Despite the fact that she's standing victoriously over her opponent's unconscious and bruised body, she felt that she could've lost at any time.
But she didn't…
A sudden flare of joy and pride burned in her heart. After all those years of being belittled, cursed at, and beaten down to the wooden floor by her own family, she had finally scored a win—against a real enemy at that. Hinata stared at her hands, which before were shaking out of nervousness and fear, is now trembling in excitement and adrenaline. She couldn't believe she had done it; she had won!
During the fight, all she could think about are Anko-sama's words. "When you fight, I want you to imagine your worst enemy in front of you or maybe even the most terrible person you know. Imagine them hurting your precious people. Would you allow that? Are you going to let that person touch them? No! Beat them to the ground! Kick their balls! Twist their nipples—whatever! Because I won't let anyone touch my friends and family; will you?"
It may sound brash and vulgar, but that was what motivated Hinata to fight. The thought of her new friends being hurt brought a wave of unnatural anger from her heart and before she knew it, she was swinging. The only thing that scared her was the fact that the person she envision to replace her opponent… was her own father.
"Damn, Hinata! Are you sure he's still alive?"
Hinata turned to see a wide-eyed Sakura staring at the crumpled heap that used to be Jin. "Y- yes! I- I just disrupted the flow of his chakra by disabling his tenketsu points." he stuttered, her timid self once again coming out. "What about you, Sakura-san. How did you…"
"I knocked him out with a few senbon to the carotid arteries." The pink-haired girl replied with a frown. "It was tough. He was moving too much but I eventually got it."
"W- well done, Sakura-san."
Sakura's cheeks pinked. "It's not that impressive. I wasn't the one who turned one of them into a grape."
The heiress returned the blush. "D- don't say it like that! I was—look out!" Hinata cried out before she tackled the pink-haired girl out of the way of the incoming blade.
The two fell on top of each other, but their attention was drawn to the man who had his sword buried deep into the dirt. Bloodshot eyes narrowed at the girls' forms. The remains of the senbon used on him are still sticking out from the back of his neck, some broken and some almost too deep into his flesh.
"You fucking little shits. I'll kill ya!" Soma cried out. He yanked the sword from the dirt, breaking off a chunk off the ground, and charged toward the girls with a wild look in his eyes.
Sakura moved first, leaping out of the way while Hinata followed. The blade, once again, hit the ground they were just lying on a few seconds ago. It seems that the genjutsu that Sakura placed on him, coupled with the liquor running through his veins made him even clumsier and clunkier than before... The phantom burns still stung his skin, but the rage boiling in him broke through that.
"Argh!" Soma yelled out a battle cry as he once again attempts to cut the Genins down.
Sadly for the bandit, they were quicker. Hinata dodged his swings with ease and struck a palm at his chest, throwing him off balance. A kick was launched from his left, hitting him right in the abdomen. Soma stumbled across the clearing, his shoulder heaving as he panted. Eyes trained toward the forms of both Sakura and Hinata, who challenged his gaze with a glare of their own.
It was an attack on his pride. How humiliating has one had to be beaten by two kids? No, he won't let them take his life away. They dare to drag him back down to the slums; where the only food to eat is the leftovers of dogs and the only place to sleep is the canals. They don't know how much he lost to finally stand on top or to survive from the hellhole that was once called home. He won't allow it… under any means necessary.
"If I can't kill you…" the tone of his voice alarmed the Genins. There was a hint of desperation; a wretched will to win at all cost and it was dangerous. "... then I'll take them."
Without any warning, the man turned around and dashed away. It was only when they noticed that he was heading for the cages that they burst into action. A growing horror lit up in their hearts as Soma recklessly charged toward the prisoners. His sword was raised forward with the intent to ram the blade right through a crying child.
Sakura cried out, "NO!" Her hand was stretched out to grab onto him. Fingers barely brushed the surface of his tunic but then, everything went wrong.
Soma spun around and caught her by the neck. A gasp left her lips as the bandit held the Genin by her shoulders and placed the edge of his blade dangerously close to her throat. "Don't. Take. Another. Step!" he warned, his arm enclosed around the slim form of the pink-haired girl. All she could do was whimper in fear.
Paling faster than a thrown kunai, Hinata slid to a halt. "Sakura…" she gasped.
"Okay, this is what we're going to do. I'm going to bring you to the boss, where you most likely be thrown into the cages just like those fucking peasants." Soma said, an almost psychotic tone creeping into his voice. "But maybe if I'm lucky, he'll allow me to let Arthuro here taste your blood." The man gestured to his sword, earning a gulp from the two girls.
"D- don't, Hinata!" Sakura cried out. As much as she tried to put some strength into her voice, the helpless tone betrayed that. A tear ran down her cheek. "Don't l- let him—"
"Shut up, you bitch!" Soma growled out and pressed his sword against her skin, cutting a thin line across her neck. Sakura let out a yelp of pain, thrashing her feet around to get away but it was futile.
Hinata's fists clenched as the panic rose even more. She wanted nothing more than to leap in and save her teammate but from her position, she won't reach her in time. Her hands trembled in anxiety at each passing second. The air thickened around them and Hinata felt like she was breathing in water. Each plan she thought of would only result in failure. But just before she felt all hope is lost, a black figure emerged from the cages.
"One more word out of you and I'll—"
All Soma heard was a tiny gasp from the lavender-haired girl before the feeling of icy, cold metal tore through his neck. It was quick, almost painless. The legs stumbled first before his body followed by collapsing to the ground. The grip on his sword remained until he fell to the dirt. Sakura immediately followed, falling to her knees and her neck finally free. The head flew past the body with a still image of fear and shock plaster across his face and landed right in front of Hinata, who did her best to hold her scream.
Sai landed silently, fresh blood dripping from his tanto. "Are you alright?" he asked Sakura, only to receive silence.
Due to her being near Soma when he was cut down, more than a few drops of blood splattered across her face. Crimson stained her cherry-pink hair, making the color similar to her qipao dress. The only blood that belonged to her is the one lightly dripping down from the shallow slit across her throat. Her body was frozen still and the only part moving is her hands clutching her neck. That is until she slowly turned and her eyes fell on Soma's dead body.
"H- he's dead…" she stuttered out, eyes remaining on the headless corpse of the late bandit.
The pale boy followed her gaze and tilted his head. "Yes. I assume that with his head detached from his body, he will no longer live," he replied, oblivious to her current feelings
That's when he heard a muffled sniffle. To his immense shock, a drop ran down the pink-haired girl's cheek. Once that first tear broke free, the rest followed in an unbroken stream. Sakura bent forward where she sat on the ground and pressing her palms to the dirt, she began to cry with the force of a person vomiting on all fours. A guttural cry escaped her lips as more tears fell to water the grass, a mixture of fear, frustration, and relief hinted in her voice.
Sai stood there with wide eyes, confused about what to do until someone rushed past him. It was Hinata, who immediately wrapped the weeping girl into a tight hug. The heiress' pale eyes were glassy as well, but out of relief for the safety of her teammate. Sakura pressed herself against the lavender-haired girl's chest and continued to release her bottle emotions.
Awkwardly standing in front of them, the socially inept Sai looked anywhere but to the weeping duo; a feeling of uncomfortableness creeping into him. His eyes locked with one of the prisoners in their cells, who were all watching the scene with pity and concern. It was an older woman, her face abundant with wrinkles but there was a slight twinkle in her eyes.
"Don't be shy, boy. Join them," she said with an uneven smile.
He didn't know what compelled him to listen but the next thing he knew, he was kneeling along with his teammates and searching for a way to hug them. To the prisoners, it looked pitiful and maybe a bit amusing. To think that their saviors are children, albeit shinobi-trained, but children nonetheless. It's terrible that such young kids are exposed to such tragedy and death but they can't say anything about it. Unless someone decided to change how the world works, there will always be a darkness lurking around the corner.
Sai eventually found his courage to hesitantly encircle his arms around the two, only for Sakura to jump from Hinata's hug and capture the pale boy with one of her own. The two fell to the ground, with him being on the bottom as she pressed her face against his slender chest, her tears staining the fabric of his shirt. Just as he was about to remove her, he heard her whispering something.
"Thank you…" was what he heard— continuously from her lips as her cries reverted to sniffles.
A tiny part of Sai's heart, one that was thought to be nonexistent, throbbed painfully. It was what made him return the hug he received, which in turn only tightened Sakura's. His eyes met Hinata's pale ones, which were swirling with amusement and joy. As much as he refused to admit it, he felt his cold, emotionless heart soften and feelings he can't understand rose from the crack.
But sadly, every heartfelt moment has to come to an end.
"Please help me, Hinata-san. I think she fell asleep."
Asahi Yamamoto let out a sigh of contentment as he crossed his arms under his head and allowed his body to relax in his bed after an exciting session. Lying right beside him, naked as the day she was born that's only covered by a blanket, was a voluptuous, blonde woman he had picked up during their trip back to the camp. Torches burned with a golden flame, bathing both of their bodies with a heavenly light. A round table sat just a few feet away from him; an assortment of food that he wasn't able to eat after his scrumptious dinner, sat there without a care.
This is the life he deserves. Not as a measly grunt thrown into battle whenever the Tsuchikage wants. If only those who laughed at him back at the academy could see him down; bathing in riches and bedding as many whores he wants. To think that he once dreamed about becoming Tsuchikage.
What a fool he was.
Asahi grabbed a pipe from his table and using a small katon jutsu, lit it up. A gunmetal-gray smoke wisped out his lips as if he was a dragon. He ran his hands through his slick, silver hair with a victorious smirk. "If only my younger self could see me now." he mused to himself, regarding the copious amount of ryo bills stacked just right beside his bed.
The woman lying next to him suddenly wrapped an arm around his waist and let out a moan. That was all Asahi needed before a lustful grin took over his face. The man then pressed his mouth against her neck, placing light kisses that earned him a giggle from the woman. Without wasting a second, he captured her lips and snaked his tongue into her oral canal. Lustful moans filled the tent as the two continued their sexual endeavor.
But before Asahi could make another move, a guttural scream of agony rang from outside. The man immediately jumped from his bed in alarm while his partner covered her exposed breasts with the blanket and frantically looked around in fear. Asahi narrowed his eyes before rushing to put on some clothes.
"Don't worry, Yuma-chan. It's probably just one of the boys burning themselves from the bonfire." He reassured the woman as he shoved his legs into his pants, though he wasn't sure if even he believed his words, and judging from the panic remaining on her face, she didn't either.
Asahi didn't have time to console his partner. After putting on his flak jacket, he rushed out of the tent with the assumption of finding his men partying like normal but to his dread, they weren't. The scene that greeted him outside could only be described as a nightmare. While he did find his men, they weren't in the state he left them. At first, a small but hopeful part of him thought that they were all knocked out drunk. But a close inspection revealed that most of them are lying in the pool of their own blood.
The bonfire glowed hauntingly across the camp. Bodies—everywhere he looked, there were bodies. A few were stacked on top of each other. Some have their heads twisted into a position one can't recover. One was even lying on top of the burning wood, charred metal and cloth falling in long strands to the floor as they melted into thick, ink-black streaks. Burning flesh replaced the smell of the bonfire and booze, and tasted bitter on the tongue.
A glance to the right revealed his second-in-command, Ichigo, sitting on a stool that he would always use as he guards Asahi's tent. He met his gaze and waited for his glazed-over eyes to move. They didn't. At that, his breath hitched. His eyes wandered down his face and stopped at his throat. A crimson grin smiled back at him. The slash across his throat seemed to have more life than her listless gaping mouth.
He swallowed and slowly began to survey the rest of Ichigo's body. The blood had cascaded like a waterfall down the front of his body and gathered in a small pool. Now that he looked, his arms and legs were bent at awkward angles as though he was a marionette that had been carelessly dropped. A stainless sword stood right next to him, giving him the idea that whoever did this killed them all before they could even notice. But who…
"Ahh, you're finally here." a disembodied voice echoed out, sending shivers down Asahi's spine.
The man shook his head around. "Wh- where are you?!" he demanded, but his shrill voice shattered his bravado.
"Right here…" the same voice whispered dangerously close to his ear.
Instincts took over and Asahi leaped as far away as possible. Once he landed, he finally got himself a look at the person who murdered his entire group, which should've sparked a churning rage within him but all he felt was a creeping anxiety. The man was tall, at least taller than him. With blond hair that burned brighter than the bonfire and cerulean eyes that could freeze a desert, to call him intimidating is an understatement. Around his neck is a shinobi headband with the Leaf's insignia engraved on it. His hands were shoved into his pockets in a lax manner and he knew enough shinobi back in the village to not underestimate his lazy stance. He bore no weapons, but Asahi felt that he wouldn't need one.
"Surrender peacefully, Asahi Yamamoto. If you do, I will grant you a quick and painless death." He said monotonously, his voice channeling an echo that resembled almost a death reaper's
Deep inside his heart, he knew that this was a losing battle. He grew too arrogant and picked more than he could chew. But the stubborn part of him won out and as his answer, his hands came together to form a hand seal.
"Never, leaf trash!" Asahi sneered as his hands sped into a blur to form the strongest jutsu in his arsenal.
Naruto sighed. "Leaf trash… how original." He mused to himself, undeterred by the missing-nin's preparation.
Asahi finally stopped on the last seal. "Doton: Doryūdan no Jutsu!" he cried.
The earth beneath them started to rumble. Rocks began to roll across the camp and diverge into a single spot in front of Asahi. All of a sudden, the ground erupted as a large and elongated figure emerged. Dijon yellow glowed from underneath the smoke, followed by an earth-shattering roar that rocked the entire camp. What appeared was a dragon that resembled the Suiryūdan no Jutsu, only instead of it being made out of water, it was made out of the earth's natural resources.
Entire rocks and dirt made up the entire dragon. Its scales looked carved by a master sculptor with individual scales perfectly created to form the entire body of the creature. Daisies and dandelions popped up across the head, just right beside its razor-sharp teeth that seemed to be made out of quartz. It stood more than fifteen meters above the ground, reaching the heights of the tallest trees in the forest. Its soft growls were eerie but nonetheless bone-chilling to hear. Even Asahi himself couldn't help but gulp at the sheer size of the monster.
Despite all this, a deadpan expression remained on Naruto's face. "Once again, I'm starting to think you Iwa shinobi copy more jutsu than the Uchiha." He remarked boredly.
Asahi's face burned red with humiliation. "Shut up!" He growled before sending a mental message to the dragon.
Once receiving it, its eyes trained on the lax form of Naruto. With a mighty roar that left the stars shaking, its earthen body sprung into action. With its jaw open wide and its teeth ready to tear him into strips, Asahi was sure that this could take care of the assassin. Maybe once he deals with the Leaf shinobi, he would lay low for a while before building his group back up from the ground.
Meanwhile, Naruto simply raised an eyebrow at the incoming force of destruction. Ever so slowly, he raised his hand into the air and curled his fingers. The blond summoned his chakra and all of a sudden, blue and white energy began to spiral across his palm with a mystical whir. Converging in a single point, the wisps of chakra continue to contort and rotate, manipulating themselves into a spherical shape. Roars of power, stronger than even the dragon, emerged from the chakra sphere as it finally completed its form.
As the dragon grew closer, Naruto cried out, "Rasengan!" and slammed the jutsu right across the earthen beast's snout.
The sphere ground itself against the stone dragon like a meat grinder, shattering through quartz and blasting through rock minerals. The head was practically ripped and crushed into powder. The body began to crumble apart, cracks ringing across the camp before each scale began to slip and shatter into a thousand pieces. The immense force that the chakra sphere emitted blew the entire dragon apart, which caused the user to fall pathetically on his ass.
The sheer panic on his face as Naruto started to walk toward him. He would've run if it weren't for the fact that he had wasted his entire chakra reserves to pull off that jutsu; the jutsu that was easily dismantled by the man that stood over him, staring down at him as if he was a bug bowing before the feet of a god. He ignored the millions of rubble around him and crawled across to meet the blond halfway.
Almost immediately, he threw himself at his feet. "P- please! Spare me! I- I have an entire arsenal of jutsu! They're in my tent! You can have them!" Asahi cried out desperately. If his group could see him now, they would turn away from him in disgust. But it didn't matter. This is his life he's bargaining for. "Y- you want women? I- I can get you one! I already have a whore waiting for you in my tent! Sh- she hasn't been touched yet!"
Naruto remained stoic. "Oh?" He arched an eyebrow.
A flare of hope rose in Asahi's heart. "Yes! You can have her! As well as all of my money! Everything is in my tent! Just allow me to show you—"
'Huh?'
'Is that… my body?'
Those were the last thoughts that ran through Asahi's head before his life faded and his head dropped to the ground, which was followed by his body slumping forward and creating a stream of blood to pour from where it was severed. Naruto sealed his weapon back to his wrist and grabbed the missing-nin's head by the hair. The last expression on his face was one of hope, ironic for a man like him. The blond then took out a scroll and sealed the head inside, and just like that, the Yamamoto Bandits have been eliminated.