NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 43: Destroy the Bandit
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A few days later…
Under the meticulous surveillance of a Hyūga ninja's Byakugan, Shikaku Nara and the two teams he commanded tracked the bandits who had robbed goods belonging to the vice president of the Fire Country's State Chamber of Commerce. They found the culprits holed up in a small, wooded area near a remote village in the northwest of the Land of Fire.
The bandits—a group of about forty—were hiding near the village's outskirts. It should have been a straightforward mission to eliminate them, given the strength of the assembled shinobi. However, the presence of dozens of innocent villagers complicated matters.
Shikaku crouched among the trees, his sharp eyes scanning the terrain. "They haven't detected us yet. It looks like they're resting," he said in his usual calm tone. The Hyūga ninja beside him nodded, their Byakugan still active, carefully tracking the bandits' movements.
According to their reconnaissance, the group included three individuals with chakra signatures, albeit weak ones. While they appeared to have received basic training—likely from the rogue Kumo-nin leading the bandits—they were still at best genin-level in skill. The true threat was the former Kumo-nin, an elite shinobi who could complicate their plans.
"We need to prioritize the safety of the villagers," Yūhi Shinku, his crimson eyes narrowing, said quietly. "If we neutralize the Kumo-nin and their strongest fighters first, we can avoid unnecessary casualties."
Shikaku nodded, already strategizing. "Shinku and I will handle the main force and take down the Kumo-nin. The Hyūga ninja will assist by securing the villagers' location. The rest of you," he turned to Itachi and the other genin, "will protect the villagers and clean up the stragglers."
The young genin stood in a loose semicircle, their expressions a mix of determination and nervous energy. Itachi Uchiha, as composed as ever, scanned his teammates' faces. He could see subtle hesitation—an unspoken fear of the reality they were about to face.
"Remember this," Shikaku said, his voice low but firm. "We're ninjas. This is what we do. Let's move."
With that, Shikaku and Shinku disappeared into the shadows, their forms blurring with the speed of seasoned jonin. The Hyūga ninja followed moments later, leaving Itachi to address his team.
Itachi stepped forward, his black eyes sharp and commanding. "Listen carefully," he began, his voice steady. "If any of you hesitate or hold back, it could cost lives—innocent villagers' lives or even our own. You have to fight with resolve. This isn't training."
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Itachi said no more and darted into the shadows, moving with precision and speed. His retreating figure was a blur, leaving the others momentarily stunned.
Hattori Shinichi gritted his teeth, turning to the group. "Itachi's right. We've chosen to become ninja. There's no turning back now."
Izumi nodded reluctantly, glancing at her kunai. Her fingers trembled slightly as she tightened her grip. "Let's do what we have to."
Driven by the unyielding duty of their profession, the team followed Shikaku's plan, swiftly entering the village under cover of the growing dusk.
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The bandit guards stationed around the village were scattered, their positions leaving large gaps. They hadn't expected to be discovered, let alone attacked.
Itachi approached one of them from behind, his footsteps soundless. The man was leaning against a fence, lazily scanning the surroundings. He had no time to react when Itachi's hand clamped down on his throat.
Crack.
The snap of bone echoed softly in the night air. The bandit's body went limp, his lifeless form sagging against Itachi, who gently lowered him to the ground to avoid making noise. His expression was calm, almost detached, as he wiped his hands on the bandit's tattered cloak.
In other parts of the village, Shikaku, Yūhi Shinku, and the Hyūga ninja were also eliminating the scattered guards. Their movements were precise and silent, leaving no chance for alarm to spread.
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Itachi's eyes flicked toward a small house. Through the cracked window, he could see several villagers huddled inside, trembling in fear. Three bandits stood over them, laughing and trading crude jokes.
Moving like a shadow, Itachi slipped through the door. He was on them before they could register his presence.
The first bandit fell silently, his throat slit in a single, fluid motion. The second turned, only to meet the same fate as blood sprayed across the wooden floor. The third managed a grunt of surprise before Itachi's kunai buried itself in his chest.
"Stay quiet," Itachi whispered to the villagers, his Sharingan spinning faintly as he scanned the area for any remaining threats.
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Outside, the Kumo-nin elite suddenly burst from a nearby house, his movements a blur of lightning-fast speed. The air crackled as he prepared a jutsu, but Shinku was already in position.
Swish!
The rogue Kumo-nin stopped abruptly, his body seizing. Shinku stood nearby, his hands poised in a final seal. "You've already lost," Shinku said coldly as the Kumo-nin fell into a deep genjutsu, his expression frozen in terror.
Elsewhere, Shikaku faced another of the chakra-wielding bandits. With practiced ease, he sidestepped a desperate strike and drove his kunai into the man's chest. "Pointless," he muttered, letting the body drop.
The Hyūga ninja, meanwhile, dispatched another with a swift series of Gentle Fist strikes, leaving the bandit crumpled on the ground.
When Shikaku turned toward the last enemy, he froze. Itachi was already there, his kunai slicing cleanly across the man's throat. Blood sprayed in an arc, splattering across Itachi's pale cheek.
For a moment, Itachi's body trembled. His dark eyes flickered, and then they turned a vivid red. The three tomoe of his Sharingan spun into focus, their glow cutting through the gloom.
Shikaku raised an eyebrow, his sharp mind quickly piecing things together. He's awakened his Sharingan… at his age?
Before Shikaku could say more, the remaining bandits, alerted by the commotion, charged out of the houses. Their yells shattered the tense silence as they rushed forward, weapons drawn.
"What are you waiting for?" Shikaku barked at the younger shinobi. "Take them out!"
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The genin hesitated for only a moment before scattering to face the incoming enemies. They fought with all their training, but killing was a far cry from practice. Their movements were clumsy compared to their mentors, their attacks hesitant.
Kudo Shinichi drove his kunai into a bandit's side, but the man was still alive, clawing at him with desperate strength. Panic flared in Shinichi's eyes until he drove the blade deeper, ending the struggle.
Izumi froze, her kunai trembling in her grip as a bandit knelt before her. "Please, don't kill me!" he begged, tears streaming down his face.
Shikaku's voice cut through the scene, sharp and unyielding. "Finish him! A shinobi hesitates, and people die."
The words struck like a hammer. Izumi's mind raced, remembering Itachi's warning earlier. Her hesitation vanished as instinct took over.
The bandit lunged, a sharp stone in his hand, but Izumi reacted first. Her kunai slashed across his throat, hot blood spraying her face. She stood frozen as the man collapsed, her tears mixing with the crimson streaks on her cheeks.
Nearby, another genin roared in anger, plunging his weapon into an opponent's chest. The cries of battle faded as the last bandit fell.
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The air grew still, the pungent scent of blood hanging heavy over the village. Corpses littered the ground, staining the earth in dark red.
Shikaku wiped his kunai on a fallen bandit's cloak, his expression unreadable. "Mission complete," he said softly. Then, glancing at the younger shinobi, he added, "Remember this feeling. This is what it means to be a ninja."
Itachi said nothing, his Sharingan fading as he looked toward Izumi, who stood silently among the carnage. He didn't comfort her. This was a burden she, like him, would have to carry alone.
The village fell silent, save for the soft cries of rescued villagers and the whispers of the wind.
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