A few days later.
Tsunade's home.
The members of Team Four had already gathered.
Fully geared and ready to depart, Kurenai felt a bit nervous. She looked at Tsunade and asked, "Tsunade-sensei, what is our mission this time? Do we need to leave the Village?"
She had never left Konoha in all her years growing up.
She felt a sense of anticipation about leaving the Village, but also some nervousness.
"Yes."
Tsunade nodded and briefly explained the mission. "I accepted a mission to exterminate bandits. The location is within the Land of Fire, so we need to leave the Village. However, it is only a C-Rank Mission, so it will not be difficult for you."
The Ninja World was not peaceful.
Years of constant warfare had naturally given rise to many bandits and outlaws who plagued various regions.
They occupied mountains and survived by plundering resources from small Villages and countries.
There were not only bandits, but even organized criminal groups.
Some small Villages and countries that suffered under these bandits were powerless to resist and could only spend money to hire outside help.
Ninjas were, in essence, a type of mercenary.
Hearing this, Seiryū showed interest. "Bandits? Are they strong? Are there any Ninjas among them?"
He was also quite curious about his first mission outside the Village.
Having been in this world for over three years, his range of activity had been limited to Konoha.
He had long wanted to go out and see the world.
"There shouldn't be."
Tsunade waved her hand. "According to the intelligence, there are only about a hundred bandits. It is impossible for such a small bandit group to have Ninjas. Otherwise, the mission reward would not be just thirty thousand ryō."
The reward for a C-Rank Mission usually ranged from ten thousand to fifty thousand ryō.
It could also be considered a way to judge the mission's difficulty.
A hundred bandits sounded like a lot, but if they were just ordinary people, even a newly graduated Genin would not find it too difficult to eliminate them.
Genin also possessed decent combat power, far beyond what ordinary people could handle.
Tsunade crossed her arms and said, "This mission is to let you three Genin see blood and experience real combat firsthand."
Letting the three youngsters see blood and experience real combat was the true purpose of this mission.
A Ninja who had never seen blood could not be considered a true Ninja.
Real combat was not like the exercises in the Ninja Academy's practical classes. It required staining one's hands with blood and adapting to the feeling of killing an enemy.
Kurenai and Shizune looked solemn.
They naturally understood what Tsunade meant by seeing blood.
Killing.
They would have to personally take human lives.
Before this, the most they had ever killed were chickens or fish.
Killing a person was truly a first-time experience, and it was impossible not to feel nervous.
However, after becoming Ninjas, they had already prepared themselves mentally.
Seiryū's expression also became serious. "Then let's head out."
He had not killed anyone either.
He had not even killed a chicken, at most helping Kurenai kill a few fish.
His heart was still warm.
It was not as cold as the knife of a fishmonger at the market.
Regarding killing, Seiryū did not know if he would be able to go through with it when the time came.
After all, he was essentially a kind and honest person.
It would be very hard to adapt.
Tsunade looked at the three serious-faced youngsters, nodded, and waved her hand. "Then let's set off."
Swish swish swish.
The group moved, leaping toward Konoha's main gate, quickly leaving the Village and heading in one direction.
One day later.
Outside a valley.
Tsunade looked at the three youngsters who were ready to act and warned them solemnly, "I will not intervene in this mission. If you cannot even handle a mere hundred bandits, then I suggest you stop being Ninjas."
This mission was for the three of them, and she did not plan to interfere.
If they could not even resolve such a small matter, they should not become Ninjas in the future. This profession would not suit them.
"Yes, we guarantee the mission's completion."
Seiryū's expression was solemn and serious.
About to kill someone, he did not know if he could perform well.
He hoped he would not embarrass himself, or it would be humiliating.
As a dignified transmigrator, if he started vomiting just from killing someone, he would truly disgrace his predecessors.
"Yes, we guarantee the mission's completion."
Kurenai and Shizune spoke in unison, their expressions equally serious.
Tsunade waved her hand and gave the order. "Very well, begin the operation."
Swish swish swish.
Receiving the order, the three of them flickered and charged toward the bandit camp not far away.
Soon, screams began to ring out from within the camp.
Listening to the commotion and screams, Tsunade muttered to herself, "Only through blood can one grow. A new round of war is brewing. If you do not want to die in war, grow up as quickly as possible, kids."
The Ninja Academy changing from a six-year system to a three-year system was a measure taken by Konoha's higher-ups to prepare for the coming war.
Konoha needed to replenish its vital forces.
Only during times of war would the Academy change from six years to three years.
War was a heavy word. Having experienced the Second Great Ninja War, she naturally knew its horrors.
No single person could change such a great trend. No one had that ability. To survive in the grinder of war, one could only rely on oneself.
"Hmm? It's over already? Nothing went wrong, right?"
The commotion in the camp suddenly subsided, and Tsunade was stunned.
Looking at the time, only a few minutes had passed.
Her heart tightened. Could something have happened?
Worried, Tsunade tapped her foot and rushed toward the camp.
She was extremely fast and arrived in less than ten seconds.
Scanning the scene, Tsunade froze.
The camp ahead was filled with corpses piled like small hills. Blood stained the ground, and severed limbs were scattered everywhere.
A thick smell of blood filled the air.
If her hemophobia had not been cured, she would have felt her body go weak at this sight.
Ahead.
Before the pile of corpses, an excited laugh came from Seiryū. "Heh, hehehe, too weak? It seems a bit unsatisfying."
Seiryū's clothes were soaked in blood. He slowly pulled his ninja sword from a corpse's heart, and blood splashed out.
The smile on his face carried excitement, bloodlust, violence, madness, and cruelty.
He looked like a madman who craved slaughter and still wanted more.
Just now.
When his first strike pierced a bandit's heart and blood splashed onto his face, Seiryū did not feel fear. His hands did not shake, and he did not want to vomit.
Instead, he felt a strange excitement.
The spray of blood as the ninja sword cut through flesh, Shakkahō blasting bodies apart, lightning scorching enemies, Rasengan grinding an arm into pulp.
All of it made Seiryū feel extremely satisfied and excited.
He seemed to adapt to killing very quickly.
In just a few minutes, no one remained alive in the camp except Kurenai and Shizune.
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
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