Shirakawa Village lay quietly beside the trade route in the gathering dusk. Neat wooden fences embraced the settlement, and the heavy village gate stood open. Several villagers sat chatting on stone stumps beside the entrance, initially paying no mind to the approaching figures. But upon recognizing the Konoha symbols on their forehead protectors and uniforms, their expressions immediately grew serious. The leading man hurried forward with a respectful bow: "Honored sirs visiting our village—how may we assist you?"
Shuji's calm gaze swept over the group as he drew out a scroll and slowly unfurled it. "Konoha ninja, dispatched on orders of the River Country daimyō." His voice was measured but carried an official tone. The villagers' faces tensed as they exchanged glances; the leader immediately stepped back without another word.
Itachi keenly observed Shuji's demeanor—completely different from his easy-going manner at the Koizumi Town restaurant. Without betraying his thoughts, he maintained a composure matching Shuji's, quietly watching.
"Where is the village chief now?" Shuji asked directly.
"At... at home," a villager quickly replied, pointing the way.
They entered the village. Though night had just fallen, Shirakawa Village already glowed with scattered lights. Paper windows cast warm light outlining the buildings' silhouettes in carefully maintained comfort. The grand inn at the village center was particularly striking—its upturned eaves and decorative brackets clearly visible in the lamplight—yet its entrance was rather deserted, creating a subtle contrast with the other buildings' warm glow.
Walking along the village path, Itachi could feel hidden gazes from behind window frames and fences. He maintained an outwardly relaxed but inwardly alert state, keeping watch with his peripheral vision. Shuji walked steadily toward the chief's residence.
A white-haired, slightly stooped elder already waited in the glow of the entrance lantern. Seeing the two approach, he hurried forward several steps, respectfully leading them inside. After host and guests settled in the simple hall, the old man carefully spoke: "This humble one is Shirakawa Kisuke, village chief. May I ask what matter brings you honored sirs here to investigate?" His calloused hands unconsciously clasped together.
"I would think the village chief should have some expectation." Shuji leaned forward slightly, eyes fixed on the elder's face with a faint, cool smile. "Regarding the bandits troubling the trade routes, your village surely isn't unfamiliar with this matter."
"This... this..." Shirakawa Kisuke's forehead glistened with fine perspiration in the oil lamp's glow. "Officials did come asking... but this humble one truly..."
"Oh?" Shuji's fingertip tapped the table lightly, producing a clear sound. "Then let me ask differently. Are all registered villagers of Shirakawa Village currently present in the village?"
"Natural—" Shirakawa Kisuke began to speak.
"Senior." Itachi's clear, youthful voice cut through the brief silence. "When entering the village, I noticed several houses with darkened windows, appearing uninhabited."
The old chief's body tensed imperceptibly as he hurried to explain: "There are a few families... who left to seek livelihoods elsewhere..."
Shuji's gaze slowly swept over the room's furnishings—not luxurious, but clearly made with quality materials and fine craftsmanship. His tone remained calm: "From what I observe, your village lives quite prosperously." He paused meaningfully. "With such a stable and comfortable homeland, young people choosing to leave home would be quite uncommon, wouldn't it?"
"Yes... yes." Shirakawa Kisuke dabbed his forehead with his sleeve. "It's just that the trade route is busy, with merchants often lodging at our village inn." He struggled to maintain an even tone. "Young people see the outside world and their hearts... inevitably grow restless."
"Those bandits must have significantly impacted your village's livelihood." Shuji's gaze seemed to penetrate the paper windows toward the silent inn. "Such a fine establishment, yet now it stands empty."
The old man lowered his gaze, his voice growing heavy: "Precisely so. Therefore, this humble one prays day and night for your honored selves to remove this scourge from the trade routes."
Shuji suddenly withdrew his invisible pressure, his tone becoming peaceful: "In that case, does the village chief have any clues to offer? Our goals in this matter are aligned." He studied the elder's eyes. "Any minor detail might prove valuable."
"Yes, yes, but... this humble one truly knows nothing useful..." Shirakawa Kisuke's voice carried helplessness.
Hearing this, Shuji showed no reaction, merely asking routine questions about village population and recent outsiders before rising to leave: "We'll lodge at the village inn. Please inform us immediately if you discover anything."
In the inn room, steady lamplight filled the space. Itachi carefully confirmed the doors and windows were secure and surroundings quiet before turning to Shuji: "Senior, did you discover something suspicious with the village chief?"
Shuji had resumed his usual gentle demeanor, sitting on the tatami with a slight smile as he asked in return: "What does Itachi think?"
The eight-year-old genin pondered briefly before answering clearly: "Senior believes the bandits are connected to this village, and that the village leadership knows about it—possibly even participating. This explains why you changed your attitude at the village entrance and with the chief."
"Since you made that judgment, why not enter the village acting oblivious, instead of first displaying a stern attitude?" Shuji looked at him with interest. "Wouldn't low-key investigation more easily reveal clues?"
This was precisely Itachi's lingering doubt.
At the Koizumi Town restaurant, Shuji had analyzed two possibilities: bandits lingering for important items, or being locals themselves. Now it seemed he favored the latter.
"Initially displaying a difficult attitude serves as groundwork," Shuji explained. "Being too accommodating sometimes invites unnecessary probing and trouble. After entering the village, the villagers' attention toward us—far exceeding that shown ordinary merchants—itself conveyed information. This village has such a luxurious inn, suggesting frequent visitors. A village accustomed to hosting travelers from all directions shouldn't react so tensely to unfamiliar ninja."
"Therefore, I decided to pressure the chief somewhat, showing we possessed some information. If our attitude were too gentle, given that chief's experience, he might very well use more diplomatic means to deflect completely, revealing no flaws." He paused. "From his reactions, those young people who left the village, and the bandits' appearance—the village can hardly completely distance itself from these connections."
Itachi nodded thoughtfully. These observation and judgment details weren't taught at the ninja academy.
"So, how does Senior plan to proceed next?" he asked.
Rather than answering directly, Shuji looked at him: "If Itachi were leading, what would you do?"
The young Uchiha considered seriously before replying: "If it were me, I'd try using genjutsu on the village chief to obtain more concrete intelligence—like the bandits' possible hideout. Once I had their location, I could proceed to eliminate them."
"Excellent tactical thinking." Shuji nodded approvingly, then shifted direction. "After using genjutsu, what situations might we face?" He raised a finger. "First, the chief truly doesn't know core details, limiting what genjutsu reveals; second, the bandits are hiding somewhere in the village; third, they're lurking in forests outside the village."
"The latter two situations are particularly complex." Shuji sat straighter, his gaze calm. "Without concrete evidence, and when they haven't actively shown hostility, those so-called 'bandits' might just be ordinary neighbors or relatives in the villagers' eyes. As the mission brief emphasized, even the River Country's pursuit teams couldn't determine their specific appearances. This means even if we find the target location, we'll likely see people who look like ordinary villagers working from dawn to dusk."
He studied Itachi's clear eyes, which already showed depth beyond his years: "At that point, how would you proceed? Direct action could very likely provoke strong reactions from local villagers. Without ironclad evidence, people tend to believe and protect those familiar to them. How they might question, argue, or even obstruct us—all unpredictable variables."
The room fell silent except for the oil lamp's occasional soft crackling. The young Uchiha genius frowned slightly, sinking into deep thought. This dilemma involving human hearts and rules clearly exceeded his past experience of purely force-based mission execution. The lamplight cast his contemplative profile on the wall, stretching it long.
Chapters in advance there: patreon.com/Thaniel_a_goodchild