"Charge!" The leader bellowed.
Before the echo faded, Kurokawa lunged, then sensed something wrong. He glanced sideways: no one beside him.
He skidded to a halt and spun around. His dear boss was fleeing in the opposite direction, weaving through the trees.
At that moment, the leader displayed human selfishness in its rawest form—better you die than me, every man for himself.
"Boss?" Kurokawa stood dumbstruck, disbelief written on his face, his hand beginning to shake.
"Where are you looking?" A whisper sounded behind him.
Kurokawa's heart clenched and cold sweat burst out. He dared not turn, feeling an invisible mountain pressing down, legs nearly buckling.
'I have to strike back or I'm dead.'
In that instant survival instinct screamed. This slash would be the fastest of his life, perhaps his last.
Kurokawa slashed viciously behind him, blade flashing like lightning, a desperate gamble.
Mamoru, surprised the man could react while on the verge of collapse, swung without hesitation. The blade howled through the air.
Clang!
The clash of metal was brief and sharp.
"No way..." Kurokawa watched the broken blade spin skyward, and murmured in disbelief, his eyes losing focus.
With one cut, Kurokawa was cleaved in two, blood spilling across the ground, dyeing the earth dark red.
Mamoru glanced at the fleeing samurai leader, twisted his body, and kicked the falling half-blade.
Whoosh—
The broken blade shot like an arrow and pierced the leader's neck from behind. He stumbled a few steps and collapsed, never to rise again.
"Selling out the buddy who trusted you, and running for your life... What loyalty."
Mamoru planted the katana in the dirt, the blade glinting blood-red in the dying light.
Kurenai's voice sounded from behind, disapproving. "You went too far, why kill them all?"
Mamoru turned as the carriage rolled up. Before it halted, Kurenai leapt down, frowning as she surveyed the scattered corpses.
Mamoru asked flatly, emotionless, "Leave them to plague others?"
Kurenai sighed, softening her tone, "That's not what I meant. Even robbers don't deserve death. There are other ways to deal with criminals."
Mamoru caught her implication—learn flexibility, don't rely solely on killing.
He shook his head slightly, gaze sweeping the bodies. "These three aren't first-timers, they're repeat offenders. Who knows how many victims they claimed before we met them?"
"That may be true, but you…"
Kurenai studied Mamoru's still-childish face, words catching in her throat. She wanted to tell him his killing intent ran too deep, that she feared he'd stray too far while he was still so young.
"If we leave it alone, the consequences will be severe." Mamoru cut straight through her thoughts, voice hard and decisive. "Not everyone can afford to hire ninjas like Komatsu. If we don't remove this threat for good, anyone who passes through here could run into them. If it were only robbery it'd be one thing, but what if they start murdering travelers or worse?"
He paused, gaze sweeping over the corpses at his feet, then continued, "The moment they chose to become bandits, they staked their lives. People who kill others for money have no right to complain when they're killed in return."
"All right…" Kurenai exhaled softly, rubbing her brow.
"Your thinking's extreme, but you do have a point."
She had to admit Mamoru was right. Still, for a boy his age, his methods and mindset were far too harsh.
As a veteran of the Third Great Ninja War, Kurenai had more blood on her hands than she could count. She knew better than anyone how cruel the battlefield could be. Human life was cheaper than grass, wasn't just an empty phrase. Precisely because of that, she wanted the next generation spared from such bloodshed for as long as possible.
"If there's nothing else, I'm heading back to the wagon." Mamoru turned to leave.
"Wait!" Kurenai called after him.
"Something else?" He glanced back, brow raised in question.
"Go dig a pit and bury the bodies." Kurenai jabbed a finger toward the trees beside the road, brooking no argument.
"Huh?" Mamoru blinked. "Is that really necessary?"
"Of course it is." Kurenai planted her hands on her hips. "Corpses rot and spread disease. Leaving them in the open for travelers to see is unthinkable."
"I kill them and I bury them too?" Mamoru spread his arms in resignation, a silent complaint on the tip of his tongue—can't we split the chores?
"Who else?" Kurenai shot him a glare and climbed back into the carriage.
"D-do you need help?"
From the driver's seat, Komatsu's face was pale. He forced a weak smile, unable to meet Mamoru's eyes.
"Let the client help? You trying to get me chewed out?" Mamoru shook his head.
He swept his gaze across the area. Digging in the middle of the road would be inconsiderate, he needed a better spot. A cool forest breeze stirred the hair across his forehead.
Just as he was deciding where to start, two figures hopped down from the wagon.
"Mamoru, we'll help." Hinata said softly, voice gentle and pleasant.
Shino stood silently beside her, both holding folding shovels—no question, Shino had brought them.
"No need, you'll get your clothes dirty." Mamoru waved them off with a faint smile.
"But how long would it take you alone?" Hinata looked at him worriedly.
"Don't worry." He nodded toward her. "I'll finish quickly, go rest in the wagon."
With that, he turned and headed deeper into the woods.
Hinata and Shino exchanged glances, confusion mirrored in each other's eyes.
Reaching a secluded clearing, Mamoru stopped. He intended to use Limitless for this unusual chore.
Blue!
A blue sphere appeared above the clearing. Tremendous gravity tore the earth apart. Soil and stones whirled upward, carving a rapidly deepening hole.
With a casual wave, he flung the gathered debris aside, dirt showering everywhere with a clatter.
"Done." He murmured, nodding in satisfaction at the deep pit.
Back on the road, he lifted the corpses one by one, walked steadily into the forest, and tossed them in. Then he used Blue again to pull nearby soil and bury everything.
After finishing, he couldn't help but grumble, "Never imagined I'd use Limitless for digging graves."
...
"Buried already?" Kurenai asked as he strolled back.
"All done." Mamoru spread his hands, relaxed.
"That fast?" She frowned, eyeing his spotless hands and clothes. "You didn't just shove them under a bush, did you?"
"Didn't you hear the racket?" He gave a helpless smile, jerking a thumb toward the trees. "Ninjutsu gets the job done quickly."
"Fine." She let it drop, glanced at the darkening sky, and said, "Find a campsite nearby."
"At last, no more rations." Mamoru leapt onto the wagon with an exaggerated sigh. "My mouth's forgotten what flavor is."
The carriage rolled on along the forest path, leaving the brief episode far behind. Birds resumed their song as if nothing had happened.
(End of Chapter)
Read 50 Chapters ahead on
patreon.com/astralicity