Chapter 45 – A Mission Growing Livelier
At dawn the next morning, before the sky had even begun to brighten, members of the caravan were already up preparing breakfast.
Taichi rose along with them. Even while traveling in the wilderness, his daily training could not be neglected. He slipped away into a nearby grove, found an open space, and began his regimen of taijutsu and kenjutsu drills.
[You practice Advanced Taijutsu. Insight increases!]
[Your skill Advanced Taijutsu has gained +1 experience.]
[Congratulations! Advanced Taijutsu has leveled up to Lv1 (0/2000).]
[You practice Hatake Kenjutsu. Insight increases!]
[Your skill Hatake Kenjutsu has gained +1 experience.]
[Congratulations! Hatake Kenjutsu has reached Lv10 (Max). You have awakened a new ability: Blade Pressure.]
Blade Pressure: By infusing will and spirit into the blade, you project killing intent that weighs down on your opponent. This pressure instills fear, hesitation, or sluggishness. In severe cases, it can induce hallucinations. Cannot be trained directly. Power depends on Kenjutsu mastery and Yin-nature chakra.
[Congratulations! Through enlightenment, Hatake Swordsmanship has evolved into Advanced Kenjutsu Lv0 (0/1000).]
Panel messages flickered one after another. At last, two pillars of Taichi's combat strength had broken through. Unlike before, this advancement was immense. A flood of memories and sensations poured into him, settling deep into his body.
It was as if he were training endlessly in a boundless void—taijutsu, swordsmanship, strike after strike—until every shred of memory was absorbed.
By the time he returned to himself, Taichi had at least reached a level where, in pure skill with fists and blade, he could already rival a jōnin.
---
"Taichi, training already?"
Saori, freshly awake, spotted him returning from the woods and greeted him. But then her eyes lingered, blinking in surprise.
Her gaze made Taichi self-conscious. "What is it, Saori? Do I have something on my face?" He rubbed his cheek out of habit.
"No, it's not that…" She quickly lowered her head, fiddling nervously with her fingers. "It just feels like… you've changed a lot overnight. Even your eyes look different."
Taichi gave a faint smile. He understood—it was the aftereffects of his breakthrough. His body hadn't fully settled yet. "I just gained some insight during training. Give it time, it'll pass."
"Is that so… Taichi, you really are amazing."
After the small interlude, the caravan slowly came alive, like a great serpent stirring from rest. Once everyone had finished breakfast, the convoy stretched itself out and resumed its crawl along the road.
Both Yamaguchi and Yōhei noticed Taichi's subtle change as well. Yōhei was simply astonished, but the captain realized that Taichi's progress must have been significant—his entire aura had grown sharper, almost predatory.
---
Days slipped by. By the fourth day, even Yōhei had lost his early excitement. The endless march wore down his enthusiasm, and even the guards' jokes failed to amuse him anymore.
Taichi, however, fared much better. With the Shadow Clone Technique, he could leave a clone to stand watch while he trained—practicing chakra nature transformation, experimenting with his newly awakened Blade Pressure. His days remained full.
Saori, meanwhile, had grown closer to Lady Ishihara. Ever since their first conversation, the merchant's wife often sought her out, bringing along young Ishihara to chat inside the carriage. Slowly, their bond deepened.
On the fourth day, the caravan finally crossed the border out of the Land of Fire and entered the Land of Rivers.
"From today, we step into the Land of Rivers," Captain Yamaguchi warned solemnly. "Stay sharp. This country is nothing like the safety of Fire."
"Yes, sir!" three voices replied in unison.
By afternoon, the convoy officially entered foreign territory. Taichi could feel the shift instantly. The guards, who had been somewhat lax before, were now tense and vigilant. Patrols doubled. Watchful eyes scanned every shadow.
Even Taichi stopped training, recalling his clone to join the perimeter watch.
And sure enough—
It wasn't long before the caravan came under sudden attack.
At the rear of the caravan, a dozen ragged bandits came charging forward, waving chipped and battered blades.
Disorganized, without formation, nothing more than a rabble. Before they could even break through the guards' defenses, seven or eight corpses already lay on the ground, and the survivors fled in panic.
It was Yōhei who first noticed the ambush, yet he didn't rush into the fray. Instead, he stood there in a daze.
"You alright?" Taichi's voice came from behind. He stepped up beside Yōhei, his eyes settling on the boy's pale face. "First time seeing someone die?"
"Yeah…" Yōhei muttered, dejected. "And it wasn't even me who killed them. Just seeing it… and I'm already like this. Taichi, am I useless?"
It was the first time Taichi had seen Yōhei like this. Usually, the boy was always cheerful, a little silly even. Clearly, this scene had shaken him badly.
"Everyone's different," Taichi said, his tone firm but encouraging. "But I believe this won't be enough to stop you."
"Mm. You're right—I'll be fine," Yōhei quickly forced himself to bounce back, his mood as fleeting as ever.
Then, with a mischievous grin creeping across his face, he added, "What do you think would've happened if Saori saw that? She's so timid—probably would've fainted on the spot, huh?"
Taichi just stared at him like he was an idiot, leaving Yōhei awkward and confused.
At Taichi's hint, Yōhei turned his eyes toward the battlefield. Not far away, a small figure was busily helping the others deal with the corpses—prodding one body here, kicking another there. It was none other than Saori.
Nearby, Captain Yamaguchi observed in silence. Catching Taichi's gaze, he gave a nod. Both men disappeared in a puff of smoke—it turned out they had only been shadow clones.
Yōhei, however, was left more shaken than ever. After a long silence, he finally joined Saori in tending to the dead, slowly accustoming himself to the presence of blood and slaughter.
The memories that returned to Taichi from his clone made him smile faintly. He could easily imagine Yōhei's devastated expression, but he chose not to watch his friend struggle.
Half an hour later, the caravan was on the move again.
But it was as though their luck had run dry. Over the course of the next day, they were attacked four more times.
No one died, but injuries were inevitable. The mounting tension weighed heavily over the entire caravan.
In the middle of the column, Taichi's shadow clone approached Captain Yamaguchi.
"Captain, something feels off. Is it normal for attacks to happen this often?"
"You're right—it isn't. Even bandits wouldn't gather in such numbers or strike this frequently. Go warn Yōhei. Tell him to stay sharp."
"Yes, sir." The clone nodded and moved toward the rear to deliver the warning.
If there was one silver lining to the relentless ambushes, it was that both Yōhei and Saori were quickly hardened by the ordeal. With each attack, they grew steadier, calmer, and more capable of holding their own in battle.
What shocked everyone most was Saori. Normally timid and shy, she transformed into someone utterly fierce once blades were drawn.
Her kunai dances were sharp and lethal, each strike aiming to kill. When she unleashed her Lightning Release, it roared with overwhelming ferocity. Even Taichi and Yōhei found themselves speaking more cautiously around her afterward.
Saori, flustered by their sudden restraint, fidgeted nervously—her fingers poking at each other even faster than usual.
And so, the days passed. But just as the caravan began to think the attacks were nothing more than minor nuisances—just enough to wound but never truly threaten—the real ambush finally loomed on the horizon.