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"Satoshi! This is our first C-Rank Mission. The success and safety of our mission are in your hands!" Uchiha Honō said without batting an eye, adding for emphasis, in case the fool didn't believe him: "If there are any powerful enemies that Fuyu Shirou and I can't handle, it will all depend on you!"
As he spoke, he used his Big Eyes (a term for expressive eyes) to stare unblinkingly at Satoshi.
This was Honō's summary of the most effective way to deal with Satoshi. In the past, whenever there was something or a request, just by staring at Satoshi like this, the 'fool' would always agree to his demands.
Of course, this time was no exception. Just being stared at by Honō for less than three breaths, Satoshi gave in and agreed to this 'reasonable' request.
Fuyu Shirou, who was watching from the side, couldn't help but want to comment.
How could he be so 'weak'! If he's like this now, what will happen after they get married?
He would be submissive and never have a day of his own!
"Fuyu Shirou! Once Satoshi takes care of the sentries at the gate, we will storm the bandit stronghold and use the Secret Weapon you provided to deal with the people inside!"
Having secured Uchiha Satoshi, Honō turned to Fuyu Shirou and said.
Compared to the unreliable Satoshi, Fuyu Shirou was undoubtedly much more reliable. Unfortunately, this guy was too smart and hard to deceive!
He might even turn the tables and trap you, which was quite annoying!
"Hey! Hey! Everything will go according to Honō's plan. There's no problem on my end."
"You, be serious! This isn't one of those D-Rank Missions! You don't need me to explain the importance, do you?"
Honō seemed dissatisfied with Fuyu Shirou's attitude, or perhaps he was just releasing his pre-mission tension and anxiety.
"Relax! They're just ordinary people without chakra!"
"With our strength, we can easily complete this mission."
"What if something unexpected happens? What if there's a Chunin or even a Jōnin among the enemies?"
The girl's mood didn't improve because of Fuyu Shirou's reassurance. Instead, more unconsidered problems popped up, making her even more anxious.
Fuyu Shirou had no good solution for this.
This was something every ninja had to go through. Leading a mission for the first time, you could show off in front of your teammates.
But the pressure that came with it made this eight-year-old kid particularly restless.
"Calm down, Honō! Don't forget, Teacher Shigemasa is still nearby. If anything unexpected happens, he will definitely handle it~"
With no other options, Fuyu Shirou had to bring up their teacher, hoping to calm Honō's nervousness.
"Teacher Shigemasa? Are you sure he's still nearby?" The girl looked around uncertainly, seeing nothing, she turned to Fuyu Shirou and asked, "I haven't seen the teacher since this afternoon. He might have already left!"
This was one of the reasons she was so tense. If Teacher Shigemasa were around, she wouldn't be so anxious.
"He's definitely here!"
"He's just observing us from a place we can't see!"
"If anything unexpected happens, he will be the first to jump in!"
Although Fuyu Shirou hadn't seen their teacher either, based on his life experience, he was sure that Teacher Shigemasa was somewhere nearby, observing their every move.
There was no doubt about it!
"It's about time! Let's get moving!"
Seeing that his teammate's mood had eased a bit, he looked up at the sky. If they delayed any longer, it would get lighter.
It wouldn't fit their planned action, so Fuyu Shirou reminded them.
Honō looked at Satoshi beside her and Fuyu Shirou next to him, then nodded.
She led the way, heading towards the back of the bandit stronghold, leaving the main gate to Uchiha Satoshi.
Fuyu Shirou didn't waste any words and moved towards the side of the bandit stronghold.
All they had to do was follow the pre-planned actions, and there would be no unexpected issues.
Under the light of the waning moon and the stars, the three small figures cautiously crept towards the small fort on the hill.
With a powerful leap from his legs, he easily reached the top of the wooden fence, which was less than three meters high.
He didn't even use chakra; just his physical strength was enough for Fuyu Shirou to silently cross this small obstacle.
Not to mention Fuyu Shirou, most Ninja Academy students who could skillfully use chakra could ignore its existence.
He infiltrated the bandit stronghold and scanned the front gate and the back. There was no movement from either side.
Especially at the main gate, the person on night duty had disappeared without a trace.
[It seems Satoshi and Honō are doing well too! I need to speed up!]
He was relatively confident about Honō's side, but he was worried about Satoshi's side. If something went wrong there, their plan would be ruined.
He steadied himself and moved towards the assigned thatched cottages, not making a sound.
[There are five heartbeats, and their breathing is very steady. They must be deeply asleep!]
This was why Fuyu Shirou suggested launching the attack at this time.
Between four and five in the morning was when people slept the deepest. As the temporary leader, Honō didn't hesitate and adopted the plan, and now the results were evident!
He reached into his Ninja Tool Pouch and pulled out a small glass bottle, holding it in his hand.
He carefully unscrewed the bottle and placed it by the open window.
A faint herbal scent slowly spread out.
Fuyu Shirou had obtained these from Uchiha Mika's Pharmaceutical Research Center.
The drug was made from some common herbal medicines and had a simple effect: it could render ordinary people unconscious upon inhalation.
For chakra users, the effect was limited.
Most ninjas would immediately hold their breath upon smelling something strange, and even if they accidentally inhaled a little, their strong physiques would allow them to resist the effects.
Unless they were in a high-concentration environment for a long time, inhaling large amounts, it would be largely ineffective.
The only advantage was that the longer the drug was inhaled, the longer the unconsciousness lasted.
And there were no side effects. The antidote was even simpler: a basin of cold water.
Fuyu Shirou had specifically brought it along, hoping it would be useful for this mission.
(End of Chapter)