"Sasuke has reached point A."
"Naruto has reached point C!!!"
On the walkie-talkie channel, both Naruto and Sasuke sent ready signals.
Kakashi tapped his earpiece, hiding among the trees, watching Sakura walking towards the bandits' ambush point.
For Team 7's first mission outside the village, they were lucky enough to encounter a group of ambushing bandits.
So, the Jonin Instructor Kakashi-sensei decided to hold a lively and interesting outdoor practical lesson for his students.
And then...
As bait, Sakura was thus sacrificed. After all, how many people could imagine a girl like this being able to tear tigers and leopards apart with her bare hands?
-Her hair is even pink!
"Hey, boss! She's here!"
In the bushes, the bandits holding swords showed excited expressions.
After all, such a pretty woman wasn't common.
'Maybe after the boss had his fill, we could get some scraps too.'
'Today was really a good day!'
"Ah!"
A clear scream rang out, perking up the many bandits.
Amid the crackling of branches being trampled in the bushes, bandits filled with ferocity and madness swarmed out.
But then all the bandits froze because they saw the previously lovely-looking girl yawning lazily next to the trap.
So nonchalant, as if silently laughing at them.
Then, reaching out, she placed the forehead protector engraved with a spiral kunai pattern on her head.
'Oh no...'
The bandits' pupils instantly contracted, and they subconsciously took a step back.
Unfortunately, it was too late!
Two figures charged forth with grim Chakra. Loud booms spread as a rain of kunai instantly pierced through many bandits.
Sasuke's immature Observation Haki locked onto the weapons the bandits were swinging at him from all directions. He flitted through the crowd like a nimble butterfly.
Simultaneously, his kunai slit the bandits' throats without the slightest hesitation, causing crimson colors to bloom amidst the trees.
However, when sticky blood flowed from the corpses with glazed eyes, turning the dry ground muddy-
Naruto, who had been fighting with proficient Taijutsu, was splashed with blood on his face and suddenly seemed dazed.
Coincidentally, the bandit leader seized this opportunity and the large cleaver went straight to his head without any hesitation.
"Damn Ninja brat, die!"
The gleaming blade slashed out, whistling as it tore through the air, roaring loudly!
Clang!
A pale arm blocked the path of the blade. After the collision, a clear metallic chime rang out!
The blade, unable to withstand the force, snapped. The broken half spun through the air before embedding itself in the blood-soaked ground.
"How is this possible! This is a metal blade!"
The bandit leader's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets, the broken blade in his hand trembling uncontrollably.
"Taijutsu, it's amazing, right!"
Sakura smiled at him and delivered a swift kick to the groin, making every man present shudder.
The bandit leader covered his crotch and fell to his knees.
"You're so ruthless~"
Seeing the fight end, Kakashi, who had been with Shibuki, walked over from a distance.
"Naruto, go finish him off!"
Sakura pulled out a kunai marked with a cherry blossom pattern and handed it to Naruto.
At that moment, Naruto had no spare mind to notice what Sakura had given him. His brain echoed with 'finish him off... finish him off...'
"How can this be? He's already been defeated by us. Shouldn't we..."
"Naruto!" Sakura interrupted him. "This is an enemy!"
"You're not scared to do it, are you, coward-kun!"
Sasuke roughly guessed Sakura's intention and helped by provoking Naruto.
As expected, Naruto's love for Sasuke surpassed that for Sakura.
Upon hearing Sasuke's words, he immediately became noisy, rolling up his sleeves and stepping forward.
"Kill him then! He's just an enemy! I won't lose to you, you lecherous Sasuke!"
Nearby, Sasuke, who had initially tried to help out of goodwill, had a vein appearing on his forehead and snorted coldly.
Standing before the bandit leader, Naruto looked at this adult who was taller than him.
The tip of the kunai finally began to shake as it approached the other person.
"This is an enemy... this is an enemy..."
After silently repeating it four or five times, Naruto closed his eyes and thrust the kunai forcefully, successfully stabbing through the other's thigh.
Squelch!
"Ahhhh!!!"
The man on the ground woke up in pain. The double agony from his crotch and thigh made his face turn red, his eyes bloodshot.
"Sorry, sorry! I'll put you out of your misery now!"
Naruto pulled the kunai out and stabbed again.
"Ugh!!!"
Another blow accurately avoided the vital wound. The bandit leader didn't even have the strength to curse anymore. He lay on the ground, twitching.
"Ah, my bad!"
Squelch!
"Erk!"
"It will be done soon!"
Squelch!
"Wuuuh!"
…
After stabbing the other person seventeen times in a row with the kunai, the bandit leader, with two tear tracks washed clean by tears, finally fell still.
It was just unclear whether he was killed by Naruto or simply died of rage.
Naruto, whose face was stained with blood but looked very pale, walked back, causing Sasuke, Shibuki, and Kakashi to simultaneously take a step back.
"Sakura..."
"Hmm, well done. But remember, next time, don't torture the enemy."
Even as a pirate, Sakura had never tortured enemies like this during her time drifting at sea.
'Speaking of which, does this kid Naruto have some talent for the Torture and Interrogation Force? The techniques he developed later were also like that, each one more torturous than the last...'
Pulling out a clean tissue, she wiped the blood off the pitiful little golden retriever's face, and the group set off again.
The group traveled in stops and starts along the way. Kakashi also had to teach Naruto basic Chakra Control.
Thus, the journey to Takigakure was lengthened, taking half again as long as originally planned.
Passing through the southeastern forest and crossing the border of the Land of Fire, standing atop tall trees and looking into the distance, they could already see the outermost coastline.
It also meant Team 7 was about to reach the destination of their escort mission… Takigakure.
Rustle-
Among the trees, a crow flapped its wings and flew into the sky.
Shibuki, who was walking at the back of the group, was startled. He instantly ducked his head and hid behind Sakura.
"Leader of Takigakure, you need to stand tall! This won't do~"
Crossing her arms over her chest, Sakura swept her emerald-green eyes, which seemed to see right through people, over the man before her.
"I never wanted to be the leader anyway!!!"
Shibuki, mustering his courage, stood up and yelled at Sakura.
"You bastard, how dare you yell at Sakura!"
Naruto raised his fist and pounced. The entire forest immediately became became noisy.
…
Meanwhile, on the giant trees above Takigakure.
A group of Missing-nins had gathered, crouching before a man wearing a Takigakure's forehead protector on his shoulder.
"Suien-sama, are you sure we can really get in like this?"
A Ninja wearing a Kirigakure's forehead protector stood with his hands on his hips, his skeptical gaze constantly sweeping over the middle-aged man crouching on the tree.
After all, it was pretty strange for a former Takigakure's Jonin to now say he would lead them into Takigakure.
"Don't underestimate me. I am, after all, a Jonin from Takigakure."
The man called Suien opened his eyes, sweeping his gaze over the many Missing-nins before him.
Another female Kirigakure's Ninja spoke up, "Then why did you choose to become a Missing-nin?"
"Heh, it's all because of this village's shitty system of hereditary succession!"
Suien said this calmly in front of everyone, his gaze as deep and unfathomable as a pond, making it impossible to guess his thoughts.
"Keh heh heh~"
A Ninja with his arms crossed, his face full of ferociousness, laughed.
"Kirisame, don't kill too many people."
Suien looked up and instructed him, finally turning his gaze to the outermost area.
There stood a group of arrogant people wearing fan-patterned robes, their blood-red eyes glaring.
A cold aura spread among them, as if they disdained further communication with those present.
"As for our Uchiha friends, once I take you into the Ninja Village, the deal is done. After that, we won't interfere with each other!"
Itachi stepped out from among the red-eyed group and agreed to Suien's terms.
"Then, operation begin!"