Stepping onto the land beyond Konoha's gates, Naraku took a deep breath. A sense of freedom, like a bird soaring high or a fish leaping in the vast sea, bloomed from his heart.
But he suppressed the unusual feeling, only showing the expectant expression a child should have, curiously observing his surroundings as he advanced.
"First time out of the Village, Naraku-kun?"
A boisterous, enthusiastic voice rang out, making his ears ache.
Naraku smiled at the thick-browed middle-aged man in the green jumpsuit beside him, maintaining the respectful attitude a junior should have towards a senior, not slighting him just because the other party looked like an eccentric.
"Yes, Dai-senpai."
"A hot-blooded youth's first mission out of the Village, hahahaha, it sounds so youthful!"
Might Duy laughed heartily, as if no one else was around.
Among the four-person group, only Naraku took it as normal; Kakashi and the Chunin leading the team both had black lines on their faces, completely flustered by Might Duy's strange personality.
"Speaking of which, my Guy was also your classmate before. He's still in school now, but you've all graduated. It's truly so youthful!"
"Yes... yes, it is."
Although he didn't understand what was so youthful about graduating early, Naraku still cooperatively chimed in, preventing the scene from becoming Might Duy's monologue.
No other reason: this was the fierce man who, by himself, had single-handedly slaughtered the Hidden Mist Village's Seven Ninja Swordsmen until only three remained—Might Duy, Might Guy's father.
Such a powerful and upright individual, even if he was just a despised Genin now, would one day shine brightly before the entire world.
It was just this ending... Naraku regretfully pursed his lips, then remembered Sakumo Hatake's somewhat absurd departure, and his good mood from leaving the Village instantly vanished by more than half.
It wasn't that he hadn't thought about changing Sakumo's fate, but at that time, he would only be an expendable Chunin to Konoha, powerless to resist. Could he truly stop that public opinion crisis?
But no matter what, becoming stronger was definitely not wrong.
He must quickly accumulate Popularity Points. Only with strength could he have the chance to change these regrettable outcomes.
Naraku was only momentarily lost, then his gaze became resolute.
"What are you spacing out about?"
Kakashi nudged Naraku's arm and asked in a low voice.
"Just thinking about something," Naraku quickly found an excuse and whispered into Kakashi's ear, "Classmate Guy doesn't seem as exaggerated as Dai-senpai."
"Hmm, indeed."
Kakashi recalled Might Guy from school; the latter was very serious and diligent in his studies and training, but not as outgoing as Might Duy, dressing normally and plainly, and not speaking much.
The group continued their journey in a lukewarm atmosphere, arriving at the mission location in less than a day: a small mountain range called "Yunjian" in the northern part of the Land of Fire.
At the foot of the mountains were several villages, one of which, being larger and conveniently located with a higher population, was on the verge of developing into a town.
Not long ago, a group of bandits set their sights on this place, building a stronghold halfway up the mountain and engaging in robbery and other evil deeds, causing widespread complaints among the villagers.
If they had only sought wealth, it would have been one thing; villagers could have paid for peace. But recently, the bandits had started injuring and killing people. If they didn't find a way to hire someone to eliminate them, it would likely lead to the destruction of households and the massacre of the village sooner or later.
So, several village heads pooled their money and sent someone to Konoha to post a mission, requesting Ninja to be dispatched for their eradication.
The largest village was responsible for hosting Naraku and his group. The old village head explained the situation to the Chunin captain and promised to provide a certificate of completion after the mission, so the Ninja could report back.
The captain, being the most experienced, had already gone up the mountain to investigate the situation, leaving Naraku, Kakashi, and Might Duy, the three Genin, to rest and recuperate in the village.
Kakashi, after all, was on such a mission for the first time, so it was impossible for him not to be nervous at all. However, he controlled it very well; only Naraku noticed that he had already checked his ninja tool pouch for the third time.
Naraku was also quite unsettled. Combining his past and present lives, it had been a long time, yet this was his first time going to a battlefield, and he felt uncertain.
Might Duy was heartily clearing the food from the table. Catching sight of their restless demeanor out of the corner of his eye, he picked up a cup and took a few gulps of tea, swallowing the mouthful of food.
"Naraku-kun, Kakashi-kun," Might Duy called them to look over. Now serious, he looked like a steady and reliable senior. "You've just come out of school; you probably haven't seen bandits before."
"Yes."
Naraku answered honestly.
"Although I'm still a Genin just like you, I've been through many things, and I can teach you some experiences, you know!"
Might Duy couldn't maintain his serious and stern expression. Instead, he gave a confident and sunny toothy grin, raising his thumb, then began to speak endlessly about what to pay attention to when facing bandits.
For example, where bandit traps are usually placed, how to identify the leader by their clothing and appearance, how to coordinate with teammates to intercept if bandits scatter and flee... all of it was practical information that past Ninja had gained through experience, even their lives, and Might Duy shared it all with Naraku and Kakashi without reservation.
By the time Might Duy finished speaking, it was already very late, and the captain also happened to return, bringing specific intelligence about the enemy.
"This group of bandits numbers about forty, with no Ninja, which matches the intelligence. There are about fifteen sentries on the mountain; their positions have been scouted. Here's the map... We'll begin our operation promptly at 3 AM."
The captain showed no prejudice towards his team members due to Naraku and Kakashi's young age or Might Duy's eccentric personality and attire. He began to strategize as he would with ordinary Ninja.
"...Is that clear to everyone?"
"Yes."
The three team members responded seriously.
"Then, go to your respective positions and await orders now."
...
Deep night.
Naraku arrived at his designated position and glanced at his pocket watch. There was still over an hour until the operation.
Bored, he had the System open the forum, planning to browse posts to pass the time.
Although his scenes were absent from the most recent updated episodes, fortunately, "Naraku Uchiha's" popularity hadn't significantly dropped, and the various major contributors continued to maintain a steady output, making outstanding contributions to his stable popularity.
He read a few fanfics with relish when the System's alarm rang in his ear. Looking again, there were only ten minutes left until the operation time.
Naraku closed the System panel and focused intently on the direction of the bandit stronghold.
According to the captain's plan, as soon as 3 AM arrived, the group would simultaneously infiltrate from different directions, eliminating the bandits as quickly as possible and ensuring no one escaped.
Time passed by second by second, and it quickly reached exactly 3 AM.
Naraku drew his tantō. The previously smooth and bright blade had been treated long ago to prevent reflection under the moonlight, appearing black and mottled, like a dry, decaying branch.
But soon, the bandits standing before Naraku witnessed how terrifying this "branch" was.
They saw nothing, yet the next second, footsteps and the sound of a weapon slicing through the air rang out beside them, followed by a sharp pain in their throats and chests. Their vision rapidly darkened, and they met death in helplessness.
After eliminating several enemies in a row, there were no more bandits nearby. Naraku shook the blood off his tantō. The blood that had been boiling from combat and killing gradually cooled down. Only then did he feel a hint of discomfort, tilting his head back to take a deep breath, then slowly exhaling.
In this absurd and barbaric Ninja world, to survive as a member of the Uchiha, he had no other choice.
Naraku didn't dwell on it for too long, quickly returning to his calm and rational demeanor. He casually twirled his sword and returned it to its sheath.
He had never considered himself a good person, nor had he crossed over to save the world. The responsibility of a savior could be borne by whoever wanted it.
Just trying to ensure the lives of those he cared about in the future already consumed all his thoughts.
Naraku looked around, confirmed that this area was clear, and began to move towards the center of the bandit stronghold.
His position and Kakashi's were not far apart, and they soon met.
Kakashi also looked unfazed, having likely adjusted his emotions long ago, and even had the presence of mind to ask if things had gone smoothly on Naraku's side.