บท 44: Chapter 44: Darkness of The Ninja World
Two days had elapsed when a trio of individuals finally reached the outskirts of Hakusen village. Although the hot springs in the Land of Fire couldn't compete with the fame of those in the Land of Hot Water, Hakusen's underground waters remained a hidden gem, not widely recognized across the Land of Fire.
Despite its relatively lower profile, Hakusen village drew visitors from nearby settlements eager to immerse themselves in the soothing hot springs. Some sought not only relaxation but also a taste of the local traditions and industries that added unique charm to this quaint village.
The trio came to a halt approximately five miles outside the village. Tatsuma and Minato intended to delve into their next course of action when they realized that Jiraiya had vanished. In the distance, on the road leading to Hakusen village, a swaggering, middle-aged man with a lecherous smile made his way forward.
Despite the stark dissimilarity to Jiraiya's appearance, the two companions, having spent two days together, were unequivocally convinced that this man was none other than Jiraiya!
Grumbling about their less-than-ideal encounter with their team leader Jonin, Tatsuma and Minato found themselves with no alternative but to proceed with their strategic discussion. The outcome of their deliberation proved to be rather straightforward.
Initiate with an external reconnaissance, proceed to infiltration for intelligence gathering, and culminate with decisive action. However, given the inaugural nature of their collaborative mission, a collective decision was made to exercise caution at every stage.
Following a concise deliberation, the duo embarked on a reconnaissance mission outside the village. Initially, everything appeared unremarkable, but as the evening shadows crept in, they hesitated upon reaching a cemetery on the outskirts.
Sensing an anomaly not far off, both swiftly masked their presence and advanced toward the commotion to discreetly observe.
Behind a tombstone, a group of ronin wielding knives had apprehended a thirteen or fourteen-year-old boy. His hands and feet were tightly bound, a gag silenced his cries, and he sobbed incessantly. The surrounding ronin reveled in hearty laughter.
"I thought it was some ninja attempting to assassinate Boss Nasu. Turns out, it's you, Murata Yue, you little brat. What's this? Did your sister's milk make you grow a backbone recently? Ahahaha!"
Upon hearing the ronin audaciously mention his sister, Murata Yue, who had been sobbing, felt a surge of rage. Disregarding his restraints, he lunged towards the ronin.
"Pfft!"
However, what awaited him was a knife thrust into his shoulder. Murata Yue instantly crumpled to the ground, curled up, and twitching sporadically.
Not far away, Minato, witnessing the grim scene, swiftly drew a kunai from his hand. Yet, Tatsuma restrained him with a firm grip. Perplexed and anxious, Minato looked at Tatsuma, who was now gritting his teeth, and said, "There's no saving him. Don't do anything unnecessary."
"Huh?"
Minato's confusion deepened. Observing Murata Yue, he noted that the frequency of his convulsions was gradually diminishing. The nearby ronin, oblivious to the severity, continued their assault, causing Murata Yue to roll over repeatedly.
However, Murata Yue's blood was swiftly pooling, staining his upper garment a deep red. It dawned on Minato – Murata Yue had been struck in the artery by that earlier knife. Given their lack of knowledge in Medical Ninjutsu, even immediate intervention wouldn't have spared him.
"He's dead? How did he die so quickly?"
At that moment, the ronin also discerned that something was amiss with Murata Yue. One of them bent down to inspect Murata Yue's condition. After a while, he shakily turned to the ronin who had inflicted the fatal wound and stated:
"Brother Yusuke, this kid's gone."
The ronin known as Yusuke was momentarily taken aback by the news, but soon a more twisted smile crept onto his face. He remarked, "If he's dead, he's dead. But, as the perpetrators, we've got to offer some compensation."
"Compensation?"
"Yeah, he bit the dust just like that. Does his sister have the funds to bury him? Tonight, we'll pay a visit to his sister, throw in a little extra money when we tip her, let her head home with a smile. When she discovers her little brother's demise, we can chalk it up as a charitable act. Hahaha."
Yusuke's grin, against the backdrop of the darkening graveyard, took on a particularly malevolent quality. Not far away, Minato's hand, firmly held by Tatsuma, struggled to break free.
However, Tatsuma applied even more force, subduing Minato's attempts and preventing any impulsive actions. Minato could only watch helplessly as the ronin dragged Murata Yue's lifeless body towards the village.
!
"Tatsuma, why are you stopping me?"
As the ronin departed, Minato inquired somberly from Tatsuma, who had just released his grip, "Are you going to kill them?"
"I'll make sure they pay."
"That's why I can't let you loose. Remember, our main objective is capturing the rogue ninja Nasu, and only then addressing his accomplices."
Tatsuma met Minato's gaze with a stern expression. Minato, still perplexed and slightly uncertain, questioned, "Why? Are we supposed to let these killers off the hook in the name of mission success?"
"No, I want to take them down just as badly. But if we strike now, it might give our main target, Nasu—the true mastermind behind these horrors—an opportunity to escape. He could unleash a tragedy elsewhere. Capturing him takes precedence over dealing with these few culprits at the moment. If we were unaware of Nasu's existence, I'd fully support your intervention, even if it meant eliminating them. But not now. Do you get it?"
Tatsuma, grappling with his own anger, found it challenging to contain his emotions. Minato stayed quiet for a moment, then regained some composure and nodded, saying, "I understand, Tatsuma. What's our next move?"
"We need to trail their movements, gather intel on the rogue ninja named Nasu. These individuals barely meet the standards of true ninjas. Even if we allow them to slip away for three days, we can still catch up. But Nasu is a different story."
Taking a deep breath, Tatsuma reiterated, "We are ninjas. Killing is our fate, but it's never our objective. It's a means to achieve results. Keep that in mind."
"I understand."
Minato nodded, and sensing that he had reined in his emotions, Tatsuma nodded in return. They swiftly moved forward, maintaining their presence hidden, tracing the same path as the ronin from earlier.
Although this was their first mission outside, as representatives of the Academy's prodigies, the art of stealth was not difficult for them. While not as advanced as later characters like Orochimaru, who could disguise themselves and approach the Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen without being noticed, dealing with these few ronin was relatively straightforward.
Under the vigilant gaze of Tatsuma and Minato, Yusuke and his companions initially brought Murata Yue to a somewhat dilapidated house, presumably Murata Yue's residence. Inside, there lay a farewell letter personally written by Murata Yue. However, upon the arrival of Yusuke and the others, the letter remained unopened. Spotting the letter, Yusuke and his cohorts decided to unveil its contents.
They gathered around, heads close together, whispering and struggling to decipher the characters Murata Yue had written. After considerable effort, they finally managed to read it and callously tossed the letter aside, laughing carelessly.
Later, they exchanged hushed words amongst themselves before entering another room, clearly belonging to a woman. Inside, they discovered an array of provocative garments, and without hesitation, they began adorning Murata Yue with them. Once their unconventional makeover was complete, they indulged in a bath within Murata Yue's residence, cleansing away any lingering traces of blood, and departing with laughter in tow.
Tatsuma and Minato closely observed the entire sequence of events. Tatsuma noted the gradual dissipation of anger on Minato's face. It wasn't that his anger had vanished; rather, it transformed into an icy, merciless calmness reminiscent of a hunter relentlessly pursuing their prey.
"Tatsuma, I'll entrust all command decisions to you. I'm wary that I might make the most serious errors."
"With me overseeing, you won't."
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