At the gates of Konoha.
"Hokage-sama."
As Senju Mori appeared, two respectful greetings sounded simultaneously.
As the Hokage, Senju Mori naturally didn't need to register his departure from the Village like ordinary Ninja, but he still stopped and looked at the two Ninja responsible for guard duty.
The prominent Uchiha fan crest and their unique pure white Byakugan revealed their identities: an Uchiha Clan member from the Police Department and a Hyuga Clan member dispatched by the Defense Department.
Compared to Kumogakure, which Danzo had easily infiltrated, Konoha's guard work was undoubtedly much more thorough.
After all, Ninja capable of simultaneously deceiving both the Byakugan and the Sharingan, two great ocular Ninjutsu bloodlines, were few and far between even in the entire Ninja World.
Not to mention, with the help of the Uzumaki Clan, Konoha also had a massive spherical barrier covering the entire Village.
Since taking office, Senju Mori had never interfered with the specific affairs of the Uchiha Police Department, only regularly receiving work reports from Uchiha Isshin, the Uchiha Clan head and Police Department captain.
This was considered a political understanding reached between the Village's high-level and the Uchiha Clan.
Furthermore, after fighting side-by-side on the battlefield, the relationship between the Uchiha and the various clans within the Village had eased considerably, and there was no longer the confrontational atmosphere of the Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Setsuna eras.
However, healthy competition still existed.
For example, in front of Senju Mori, both guard Ninja stood ramrod straight, doing their best to display their respective clans' spirit, as if afraid of being outdone by the other.
"You've worked hard."
Senju Mori smiled and patted both of their shoulders, then led Tsunade and the other two out of the gates... As the three most talented individuals of their generation, Tsunade and the others grew at an astonishing rate, quickly mastering all the Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and kenjutsu taught by Senju Mori.
So, when Tsunade loudly complained that the simple D-rank missions were too boring, Senju Mori went with the flow and accepted a C-rank mission to clear out bandits outside the Village.
Ninja was, after all, a profession intertwined with killing. In Senju Mori's view, only through the baptism of blood and the transformation of facing death could one truly grow into a true Ninja.
Senju Mori's disciples were leaving the Village for the first time and were full of curiosity. Even Orochimaru, who usually appeared the most mature, couldn't help but frequently look around.
The outskirts of Konoha Village were a vast forest, with only one road cleared by Ninja, leading straight from the gates to the capital of the Land of Fire.
Thanks to the Land of Fire's pleasant climate and fertile land, most of the country was covered in lush vegetation, which was probably why this land was always coveted by the other four nations.
After looking around for a while, Little Tsunade suddenly leaned close to Senju Mori and said:
"Teacher, the area around our Village is clearly very peaceful. Second Hokage used to always scare me, saying that it's very dangerous outside the Village, and even within the Land of Fire, there are many bandits and rogue Ninja..."
Senju Mori smiled faintly, his gaze sweeping towards the depths of the dense forest on both sides of the road, and said meaningfully:
"Just because you don't see them doesn't mean they're not there. There might even be rogue Ninja lurking in the nearby forest."
"Second Hokage was right; even within the Land of Fire, it's not safe. Although bandits and rogue Ninja aren't as strong as Konoha Ninja, they can still threaten you as you are now."
"So, you must grow quickly. Only by mastering power can you protect yourselves and those you cherish."
"Oh—"
Tsunade deliberately drew out her reply, widening her beautiful brown eyes, and followed Senju Mori's gaze, constantly peering into the woods on both sides, but found nothing.
Orochimaru, on the other hand, subtly twitched his nose, carefully sniffing the air. Suddenly, his expression sharpened, his golden vertical pupils shifting slightly, and he covertly pulled a Kunai from his Ninja tool pouch.
His actions immediately drew everyone's attention. Even the taciturn Sakumo Hatake reached for the short sword at his back.
Senju Mori couldn't help but be amused at the sight.
"Don't be so nervous. Do you really think anyone would dare to attack me, the Hokage, within the Land of Fire?"
...Perhaps Orochimaru was overly sensitive, as the group encountered no incidents and smoothly arrived at the mission location—a camp hidden in a valley.
Everyone stood on a high slope, looking down.
In the valley, the bandit camp was built against a steep mountain wall, with a dozen dilapidated tents scattered haphazardly. Ashes of a bonfire remained in the central clearing.
A crude wooden fence symbolically enclosed an area. The only decent building was a wooden house half-embedded in the mountain, which looked like the leader's residence.
A few figures moved lazily between the tents, their weapons casually discarded, appearing completely unguarded and undisciplined.
Senju Mori did not immediately order action but quietly asked: "Before we act, tell me, what have you all seen?"
Tsunade spoke first, her tone eager:
"There are about twenty to thirty people, most of them sunbathing in the clearing. Weapons are scattered everywhere; they're incredibly lazy!"
"The biggest wooden house has someone with a sword standing in front of it. Everyone nearby seems to be afraid of him, so the leader should be inside!"
Orochimaru's golden vertical pupils contracted slightly, his voice deep and calm:
"The camp layout is scattered, but the path leading to the wooden house has relatively open views on both sides, making it difficult to approach stealthily."
"Also, behind the tents on the western edge of the camp, the ground color is subtly different from its surroundings. There might be crude pit traps or tripwires. They aren't completely defenseless, just... very amateurish."
Finally, Sakumo Hatake succinctly added: "Three confirmed visible sentries, positioned at high points in the east, south, and north directions. No hidden sentries were found. Threat level is very low."
Senju Mori nodded approvingly after hearing the three's reports.
Tsunade observed the personnel distribution and the enemy leader's location, Orochimaru analyzed the terrain and potential traps, and Sakumo accurately assessed the sentry positions and overall threat.
The answers they provided covered most of the critical information required for a surprise attack mission.
"Go," Senju Mori said calmly, "Let me see the results of your training."
The three disciples exchanged glances, their figures flashed, and they glided silently down the mountain like cheetahs. Senju Mori stood alone, his gaze following their figures, quietly waiting... Just as Senju Mori stood on the hillside, watching his disciples' retreating figures.
Suddenly, a figure appeared beside him.
"Big Brother Mori."
The newcomer was Senju Yoru of the Anbu, but he was not in Konoha Anbu attire. Instead, he wore a dark mask and was completely shrouded in a pitch-black cloak.
As soon as he approached, an extremely strong smell of blood wafted from him.
Senju Mori seemed unsurprised by his appearance, only asking softly:
"Is everything resolved?"
"Yes, everything has been taken care of," Senju Yoru replied in a low voice.
"Mm." Senju Mori's gaze remained fixed on the mountain below, but he unhurriedly instructed:
"These scumbags are a waste to keep alive. They might as well contribute to Konoha's future. Transport them back to Konoha in batches as soon as possible, secretly send them to... and hand them over to Advisor Touka. She will arrange everything properly."
"Yes!"
After a brief exchange, Senju Yoru's figure vanished from where he stood.