Daichi took a deep breath and continued, "Among these bandits, including the leader, there are several ninjas with decent strength. Especially their leader, the man known as Shichikon."
"Shichikon..." Mamoru slowly repeated the name, feeling that something was odd, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
Daichi nodded with certainty. "That's right, Shichikon. It's said he has seven scars on his face, so he gave himself that nickname."
After saying this, he subconsciously touched his own cheek.
Mamoru grumbled to himself, 'What a freak, giving himself a nickname. My nickname Ninja school number one dragon is something I can't even get rid of if I wanted to.'
"But there are only about twenty of us, and the other side has over a hundred people. Not to mention they have ninjas. Are we really going to be okay?" A nervous voice suddenly cut in.
Teruhito had approached at some point, his round face full of worry. He had been eavesdropping on their conversation from the side.
Yoko, who was also paying close attention to the conversation, quietly drew closer. Teruhito had just asked the very question she was worried about, so she could only wait anxiously for the answer.
Mamoru glanced at the two of them.
From the question Teruhito asked, it was obvious that they had no combat experience above the level of a Genin.
A normal Genin only has a few more basic Ninjutsu than an ordinary samurai and doesn't hold much of an advantage. Only at the Chunin stage do they gradually master Ninjutsu that can influence the course of a battle.
As for Special Jonin, they are special talents with unique skills and development in certain areas.
Regarding Jonin, their abilities in all aspects must reach a certain standard.
From this, it was clear that ordinary bandits, who were even inferior to Genin, weren't even counted as combat units.
The opponent this Konoha team truly had to face were the ninjas mixed in with the group of bandits.
A trace of contempt flashed across Daichi's face. "Our real opponents are the ninjas hidden among the bandits. As for those ordinary bandits, even if they outnumber us five, ten, or even twenty times, they don't pose any threat."
Just as Daichi said, in the face of a ninja, no amount of ordinary people would matter. Once a crowd gathers, it actually allows Chunin and higher-level ninjas to let loose. Those powerful, wide-range Ninjutsu can cause devastating effects in a dense crowd.
Imagine a Great Fireball Technique, which would normally find hitting an agile enemy difficult, exploding in a crowd.
No one really thinks a Great Fireball can't hit a slow-moving ordinary person, right?
However, this analysis did not dispel Teruhito and Yoko's worries. Instead, it made their expressions even heavier.
Daichi saw all of this, but he had no intention of offering any comfort. His mission for this trip was simply to lead these Genin and ensure they didn't cause any trouble.
As for their psychological burden? He wasn't kind-hearted enough to solve every little problem for them.
In stark contrast to these two was Mamoru. From beginning to end, his expression remained calm, his eyes showing no ripples, making it impossible to guess what the boy was thinking.
—
Deep in Muomu Mountain, the trees were lush.
In a clearing cleverly hidden by thick bushes, a dozen figures were either standing or crouching, discussing something in low voices.
Sunlight filtered through the layers of leaves, casting mottled shadows on their green ninja vests.
"This is the heart of Muomu Mountain." Miki said softly, carefully taking a neatly folded map from the lining of his ninja vest.
He knelt on one knee, spreading the map on the ground covered with dry leaves, and pointed his finger at several prominent red circles on the map.
His fingertip lightly traced across the paper. "The Intelligence Squad gave this to me. According to the Intelligence Squad's analysis, the locations marked by these red circles are very likely the strongholds where the bandits are hiding."
"So the Intelligence Squad was prepared." Yuya crouched down and scrutinized the map intently, then pointed to one of the red circles. "In that case, I'll be responsible for scouting this area alone."
Miki nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping across the team members' faces. After a moment of deliberation, he made the deployment.
"Ryota and Shun from Team Two, each of you take two people and be responsible for the remaining two marked points. Any problems?"
"No problem." Ryota responded immediately.
"Leave it to me." Shun answered just as succinctly, nodding to the two team members beside him.
Miki slowly stood up, watching the departing reconnaissance teams with a grave expression, his voice low and powerful. "Remember, once you find any trace of the enemy, do not act rashly."
He paused to ensure everyone heard him clearly and continued, "You must return and report immediately. Is that understood?"
"Yes."
Afterward, except for the vice-captain, the team members quickly split into two groups and soon disappeared into the dense jungle.
While Miki was arranging the reconnaissance tasks, Mamoru was lazily leaning against a thick cedar tree, standing in the deep shade and letting out a long yawn.
His nonchalant gaze swept over the crowd gathering nearby, watching Miki methodically assign scouting duties.
If he were responsible for scouting, given the area of Muomu Mountain, his Six Eyes could precisely lock onto the enemy's stronghold within three seconds.
But he wasn't going to look for trouble. Since the Genin were only here to go through the motions this time, he was happy to take it easy. Following the team until the mission ended and getting paid—why not?
"Mamoru, what should we do next?"
Teruhito moved his round body over to Mamoru, sat down on the grass with a thud, and asked with a miserable face.
His short, stubby fingers were unconsciously plucking at the grass.
"What else can we do? Just wait and see." Mamoru replied lazily, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Sigh... I wish I had a mindset as good as yours." Teruhito picked up a leaf from the ground, twirled it between his fingertips, and sighed.
"Mamoru, you're so strong, why didn't the captain let you join the combat squad?" Yoko walked over with light steps and stopped beside Mamoru.
She tilted her head, her large eyes staring straight at Mamoru's face, a faint smile on her lips.
Mamoru couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, his lips curling slightly as he replied indirectly, "An adult's reserve."
Yoko blinked in confusion, her slender eyebrows furrowing slightly. "What does that mean?"
Teruhito chimed in, even putting the stem of the leaf in his mouth and striking a profound pose, "It means they'd rather take a few more risks than lose face by asking a kid for help."
He deliberately straightened his back, trying to make himself look more imposing.
Mamoru watched his pretentious display with amusement, thinking, 'So he likes showing off in front of Yoko that much? It seems this kid really has a thing for this girl.'
"That's more or less it." Mamoru nodded, his tone carrying a hint of teasing.
As soon as he finished speaking, Teruhito felt vindicated. He tilted his head to the side and gave Yoko what he thought was a handsome wink. His chubby cheeks turned slightly red with pride.
Witnessing this scene, Yoko couldn't help but shiver. She rubbed her arms repeatedly, trying to calm the goosebumps.
She curled her lip in disgust. "You fat pig, are you trying to gross me out to death?"
Her undisguised disgust hit Teruhito like a heavy blow. He immediately hung his head in dejection, his chubby fingers unconsciously drawing circles on the grass, his whole body shrouded in an atmosphere of disappointment.
(End of Chapter)
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