Team Choza ran through the forest surrounding Konoha towards the place where the bandits had last been spotted.
Choza ran at the back as he kept a close eye on the three genin ahead of him.
"Be on alert," Choza said, "Even if we are still near Konoha and inside the Land of Fire, this is the time of war. There could be enemy shinobi lying in wait for a suitable target. Do not let the lack of action make you careless. Stay sharp at all times."
The three genin nodded without slowing down. 'And I guess that the clan heir of the Akimichi clan is a suitable target,' Shunsui thought. 'Not that I think anyone less than an S-rank shinobi can take down Choza. The guy is a monster.'
After two months of training and sometimes sparring with his sensei, Shunsui had a much clearer picture of just how powerful Choza truly was.
The man could expand his body to giant size. Shunsui remembered from the anime that Choza had even wrestled with the Gedo Statue during the Fourth Great Shinobi War. That was no small feat.
Choza could maintain his giant form much longer than his son Choji would in the future. The jonin was built like a walking fortress. Anyone who thought they could ambush him would have a very bad day.
Choza's voice continued as they ran. He used the time to teach them important lessons. "I know none of you, or even me, is a sensor. So the question is how do we find if someone is lying in wait to ambush us or if we are walking into a trap."
He did not wait for an answer. "Look for signs. A broken branch that does not match the wind direction. A mark on the tree bark that looks fresh. Anything that says shinobi have been here recently. Look for things that should not be there. A water puddle when it has not rained in days. An animal species that does not belong in this part of the forest. The surroundings having turned too quiet, with no birds singing or insects buzzing. And most importantly, always trust your gut feeling and instincts. It has saved my life more times than I can count."
Choza kept talking while they moved. "Your eyes and ears are your best tools when you cannot sense chakra. Learn to read the environment like a book. If the air feels wrong or your stomach tightens for no reason, stop and check. Never ignore that feeling. Many shinobi have died because they told themselves it was nothing."
While none of the genin knew the body flicker jutsu yet, they were still fast.
Shunsui contemplated the mission as they ran. 'Bandit extermination sounds like a generic task. But I know the real purpose behind giving these missions to newly minted genin like us. It is to make us experience life-and-death combat and the feeling of taking a life.'
In a safe environment, with their sensei nearby, they could learn what it felt like without dying. Here, if someone puked their guts out after their first kill, Choza could protect them.
If someone hesitated in the middle of a fight, their sensei was still free to step in and save them. But later, when they faced real enemies and Choza was busy fighting his own battles, they would not have that luxury. They could not afford to flinch or hesitate then. That was what this mission was primarily for, at least to Shunsui's understanding.
Choza suddenly asked a question that surprised everyone. "So do you want yourselves to deal with the bandits or do you want me to deal with them?"
Guy opened his mouth, ready to shout something about the power of youth shining through. But Choza beat him to it. "Before you say yes, remember these bandits have done countless crimes against the Land of Fire and Konoha. The punishment for that is death. They have rogue shinobi with them too. Those need to be executed, and they will not hesitate to kill you."
"I am asking you this because back in the day I was a... well, a softy," Choza continued. "My jonin sensei did not give me this choice. I could not eat for two days after that first experience. I promised myself I would give this choice to my own children as well as my students."
Shunsui was more shocked by the fact that Choza had managed to stay hungry for two whole days than he was a softy. In the time he had spent with his sensei, he had never seen the man go without eating something for even two hours straight. Even now, while running through the forest, Choza was quietly chewing on a dango skewer he had pulled from somewhere.
Shunsui spoke first. "I will deal with it, sensei."
He had already made up his mind long before the question was asked. For some reason, even though he came from a much more peaceful world like Earth, he was not hesitant about the idea of killing. The thought did not make him sick. It did not scare him. It was simply part of the job in this life.
He was not worried about Genma either. The boy came from a shinobi clan. They would have taught him about this reality from a young age.
Genma gave a firm nod. "Count on us, sensei."
Shunsui was more worried about Guy. The boy was a softy at heart, maybe even bigger than his sensei had been.
Guy stayed thoughtful for a long second. He hesitated, then spoke up honestly. "I do not think that I would be able to do it."
Shunsui was impressed. He had expected Guy to say something loud about how the power of youth would overcome any obstacle. But it seemed Guy knew himself well enough to admit his limits. He had the courage to step back even when his two teammates had already agreed.
Choza smiled gently. "I understand. You can still fight them, Guy. It will give you valuable combat experience. I will deal with the killing for you."
Guy smiled back, relief clear on his face. "Thank you, sensei."
Genma suddenly raised a hand. "I think we are near the bandits."
He pointed ahead. Rough markings were carved into several tree trunks. Fresh footprints disturbed the dirt path. The faint but unmistakable smell of human urine was in the air.
Choza nodded. "Nice sighting, Genma. Get ready, you three."
The team slowed their pace. Their hands moved toward weapons.
-------Author Notes---------
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