Chương 20: Arrival
Upon returning home, Rui sat upright for a while, mentally preparing for tomorrow's mission. After a moment, he got up to start packing his equipment. Although there was still time before departure, preparing early would help avoid any last-minute rush, allowing him to spot and fix any gaps in his gear.
Rui grabbed his ninja tool bag and methodically filled it. He packed six kunai, fifteen shuriken, a roll of steel wire, five explosive tags, a jar of trauma ointment, two rolls of bandages, three detoxification pills, and a pack of military ration pills. As for other essentials, such as maps, Furukawa would take care of those, so there was no need to worry.
Once his gear was sorted, Rui shifted his focus back to his training. With no mission for the rest of the day, he had time to complete his practice early and reserve his chakra for the next day's mission. Even though suppressing bandits seemed like a straightforward task, leaving the village during wartime was a risk he couldn't take lightly.
Rui was well aware of the dangers posed by enemy ninjas infiltrating the Land of Fire. Their primary objectives might be to disrupt logistics, assassinate key figures, and gather intelligence, but encountering one could quickly turn deadly. Even though Furukawa was a jounin, being ambushed or outnumbered was always a possibility.
Despite the odds being in their favor, Rui knew better than to rely on luck. His strength wouldn't increase overnight, and his Sharingan wouldn't awaken just because he wanted it to. All he could do was prepare his equipment and ensure his chakra reserves were full for tomorrow's mission. That's why he needed to finish his training today and conserve chakra for what was to come.
With that in mind, Rui closed his eyes and began refining his chakra, focusing inward as the minutes passed. The room gradually fell silent, save for the sound of his steady breathing.
---
The next morning, just before ten o'clock, Rui arrived at Konoha's gate. From a distance, he saw Ryosuke and Mizutani Shizuko waiting, both fully armed but looking less spirited than they had the day before.
Ryosuke forced a smile as Rui approached, yawning and muttering, "Why are you here so early today?"
Rui ignored the question and instead asked, "Judging by the two of you, did you not sleep well last night?"
Mizutani Shizuko, with dark circles under her eyes, lowered her head in embarrassment. Ryosuke, looking equally tired, replied nonchalantly, "No, it's nothing."
It was clear they didn't want to admit their nervousness, especially when Rui appeared so composed and even more energetic than usual. His calm demeanor made them feel self-conscious.
Just as they stood there with their own thoughts, Furukawa suddenly appeared before them, signaling it was time to begin their mission.
"Teacher!" ×3
Rui and the others greeted Furukawa in unison.
"Um." Furukawa nodded, his sharp gaze briefly scanning the three of them, noting their condition. He didn't say much and simply asked, "Is all your equipment ready?"
"Yes!" they replied together.
"Good. Let's head out," Furukawa said, immediately dashing towards the village's outskirts. Rui and the others quickly followed.
The journey was quiet. Ryosuke and Mizutani Shizuko, still a bit anxious, slowly calmed down as they traveled in silence.
---
Hours passed, and the sky began to darken.
They stopped a few hundred meters from Xiaoheishan, the bandits' stronghold. Despite not moving at top speed, the continuous travel had exhausted them—especially Ryosuke and Mizutani Shizuko, who were nearly spent. Mizutani Shizuko, in particular, looked as if she would collapse if not for sheer willpower keeping her upright.
Furukawa showed no signs of fatigue, being a jounin, and Rui, while breathing slightly heavier, managed to hold up well due to his enhanced physique and chakra reserves.
Ryosuke, though faring better than Mizutani Shizuko, was still too worn out to fight effectively without some rest.
Fortunately, Furukawa wasn't pushing them to attack immediately. After they stopped, he observed their state and said, "Rest for now. We'll begin the mission in two hours."
Ryosuke and Mizutani Shizuko immediately sat down, each pulling out a soldier's food pill, chewing it down quickly, and then closing their eyes to rest.
Rui, though he also took a soldier's food pill, didn't rest. Instead, he climbed up into the treetops, took out a monocular telescope, and began scanning the direction of Xiaoheishan.
He had purchased the telescope earlier in the morning, knowing he had no advanced detection ninjutsu to rely on, and this would be his best option for surveillance. He wasn't taking any chances, especially given that Furukawa had said earlier that once they arrived, he would no longer provide any guidance or assistance. The mission was entirely up to them now.
Rui's careful observation revealed that the bandits seemed oblivious to their approach. They remained stationed on the mountain, showing no signs of preparing for battle.
'What if they got word of us arriving?' Rui thought. 'Maybe Furukawa leaked the information to raise the difficulty...'
Though Rui didn't entirely trust that Furukawa wouldn't do something to challenge them, he was relieved when he realized that no such leak had occurred. In reality, Furukawa wasn't that extreme.
Furukawa watched Rui from a distance, noting his student's cautiousness. A small, amused smile tugged at the corner of his usually stoic face.
'Does he really think I'd go that far?' Furukawa thought to himself. 'Am I that crazy?'
Though he pushed his students hard, he wasn't reckless. He respected Rui's cautious nature and admired his diligence. Being methodical, focused, and cautious were essential traits for survival on the battlefield. While Ryosuke and Mizutani Shizuko were both skilled, Rui's attitude made him stand out.
Furukawa knew that in the harsh reality of the battlefield, raw strength alone wasn't enough to ensure survival. Even a jounin's life could be snuffed out in an instant. Caution, preparation, and adaptability were the keys to staying alive.
'If anyone can survive the war, it'll be him,' Furukawa thought, casting another glance at Rui, who remained focused on observing the bandits' camp.
Sighing, Furukawa shifted his attention back to the distant horizon, where he envisioned the fierce battles raging on the frontlines, where ninja from every village fought for survival in the brutal war. "I just hope… they can all survive," he muttered softly before disappearing into the treetops to continue his own silent watch.
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