Chương 55: Chapter 50: Killing Is A Job.
Author Note: Nothing of importance, just enjoy the chapter, and if you have any questions, make sure to comment!
And like always, remember if you want to read up to 18-22 chapters ahead go to https://www.patreón.com/cornbringer
I'm currently updating the novel 2-8 chapters a day in patreeeeon. On chapter 69 so far, though by the end of today it will be chapter 71-74
Discord invite: https://discord.gg/XHduApz
Enjoy you sexy bastards.
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[Arata Takeshi - POV]
We had been on the road for a day and a few hours now, the sun climbing steadily higher in the sky. The mission was simple: escort Mr. Suzuki, his employees, and his merchandise safely to Hachō Village.
Our sensei, Mr. Yamato, led the way, scanning the path ahead for any signs of traps, bandits, or enemy shinobi. It made sense, seeing as he was the most experienced of us all. Shisui was on the right, Itachi on the left, and I was at the back due to my status as a sensor. My role was to keep an eye on everything from behind and on anything we couldn't see.
Being a sensor had its perks; I could feel the chakra signatures around us, ensuring there were no unexpected surprises.
Mr. Suzuki, our client, rode in the lead cart, occasionally glancing back to check on his merchandise and employees who were riding the other carts. His trust in our abilities was clear, but I could sense the underlying worry in his chakra.
I wasn't entirely sure why he was worried. Even the weakest of shinobi could deal with a bandit, not that we had seen any bandits yet. I hadn't even felt them yet; the road had been clean for the most part so far, with the only chakra around belonging to animals and such.
Speaking of the road… The road to Hachō Village was, well… rather long and boring, bordered by dense forests on either side. Not everything was bad though; the trees provided a decent level of shade, making the journey somewhat pleasant despite the lack of anything substantial to do.
I didn't have a lack of entertainment though. Despite having yet to find the first bandit, I was having some fun here and there, all thanks to Shisui annoying Itachi every few minutes. Like right now.
Shisui said from his side, trying to engage Itachi in conversation for the eleventh time so far. "You know, Itachi, I was thinking about the name for my landscaping company. And here's what I have, 'Shisui's Supreme Shrubbery'. What do you think?"
Itachi's response was a non-committal grunt, his eyes focused on the trees to our left. He was exhausted from dealing with Shisui's antics all on his own. "I don't care."
"Aw, come on! You could be my first customer. I'll even give you a discount," Shisui teased, his grin wide. "1% off."
The reason why Shisui wasn't alternating between bothering me and Itachi was that my role in the mission required no distractions. Knowing that, our wonderful sensei ordered Shisui not to bother me.
Mr. Yamato glanced back at us, well… mostly at Shisui, his expression unreadable. "Stay alert," he reminded us, his voice carrying over the sounds of the carts and the forest. "We don't know what we might encounter on this road."
"Yes, sensei," we replied in unison.
Focusing back on the road, I extended my senses, searching for any disturbances or changes in the vicinity. So far, everything was the same as always. I adjusted my position slightly, my eyes scanning the rear of our procession. The road behind us stretched out empty, nothing but dirt and trees.
I suppose our first C-ranked mission will go without a hitch. It's still better than painting houses. Besides, there's always the next missi— what do we have here… it seems I might see some action after all.
Just as I was about to accept the fact this mission was going to be as exciting as watching grass grow, a shift in the atmosphere caught my attention. A faint ripple in the chakra flow, like a stone disturbing the still surface of a pond. It was subtle, barely noticeable, but it was there, a few miles ahead of us.
"Sensei," I called out, a faint smile on my face.
"What is it, Takeshi?" Mr. Yamato asked as he turned around, his gaze meeting mine.
"I felt a large group of chakra signatures a few miles ahead of us, none of them shinobi," I replied, tilting my head as I made some mental calculations to determine how soon we would reach them. "We should reach them in about five hours, maybe less if we keep this pace."
A thin line etched itself between Yamato's brows. "Understood. Keep me updated on their movements. Shisui, Itachi, keep your eyes open."
"Yes, sensei," we echoed once more.
Returning my attention to the chakra signatures ahead, I started memorizing their positions and movements as I began to build a mental map of the area in my mind. Each new feeling added another piece to the puzzle, another layer to the detailed image I was constructing.
I could feel at least forty people in that group so far.
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[Five Hours Later]
Just as I had calculated, we encountered the group of bandits five hours after I noticed their presence from afar. They were blocking the road ahead. All forty of them, each armed with various weapons, looked eager to use them. The leader, a tall man with a scar running down the side of his face, stepped forward, a wicked grin spreading across his lips.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" he sneered, his eyes gleaming with malice. "A bunch of kids, a single shinobi, and a merchant. Looks like we hit the jackpot, boys!"
Well, for one, I'm insulted by that statement. Just because I'm a bit shorter than other shinobi doesn't mean I'm not one. I'm also insulted by the fact that he thinks he hit the lottery with us… even if my team was useless, a single Jonin is capable of leveling an entire army of civilians without breaking a sweat.
Mr. Yamato stepped forward, his expression calm but his eyes sharp. "Move aside. We have no business with you. Interfere, and we will be forced to deal with you, with extreme prejudice."
Basically, our sensei was telling the bandits to either move out of the way or die. Too bad they don't seem to have two brain cells to share amongst the group.
The bandit leader laughed, a harsh, grating sound. "I don't think so. Hand over the goods, and maybe we'll let you live."
Oh dear, life was chasing this poor idiot, but he seems to be faster. Oh well… he was given his choice and made his grave. Now all that is left is waiting for our sensei to give the signal.
"Team," Mr. Yamato said, his voice steady. "Let's take them down quickly and efficiently."
And there are our orders. Time to execute them… the orders, I mean, though I suppose it applies both ways.
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The encounter with the bandits ended in less than a minute. It wasn't fun or educational, it was just a simple execution of a possible threat to our client. I killed twelve bandits and ended up beheading the leader of the group, which, funny enough, was the first one to die—a poetic ending if you ask me, considering he had the option to just walk away, saving his life and the lives of his subordinates.
But alas, intelligence was a hard commodity to come by. And well, chances were those guys hadn't picked their career path due to their outstanding genius.
Anyways, now that the bandits were gone, their bodies nurturing the wildlife in the forest, the road was completely clear. All that was left to do was escort our client to his destination, and mission complete.
As for our client, he seemed… a bit disturbed by the events that had just unfolded. I suppose seeing a group of kids slaughter such a large group of bandits would be unsettling to an average civilian. His pale, sweaty face couldn't hide his discomfort as he pushed his horse around the carnage splayed across our path, his eyes darting anxiously to each of us in turn. I could see him wrestling with the realization that had just hit him like a kunai to the chest—we were not mere children or simple bodyguards; we were deadly shinobi trained to kill without hesitation.
Our sensei, Yamato, seemed to realize his discomfort as well, before he shot him a stern look. "If you're uncomfortable with the sight of blood, I suggest you look away," he said, his voice harsh and unyielding. "And remember, they wanted to kill you for your money, just like they had done before with many merchants. They would've offered you the same amount of mercy we offered them."
A nice way of saying, they had to die, one way or another. If we hadn't killed them and had instead decided to just beat them up, they simply would've killed the next merchant on the road, this time making sure it was one without shinobi to protect them.
The man seemed to shrink under his gaze, a panicked nod all he could offer.
I wonder what perturbs him the most. The sight of blood? The lifeless bodies? The immense power shinobi have compared to ordinary individuals? Or maybe it's our youth that bothers him the most?
Oh well, I suppose either way it doesn't matter, after all, I don't really care.
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