Following the vague markings on the map, Kagura hurried along a winding, uneven path.
With every step, he instinctively glanced back over his shoulder, unable to shake the feeling that countless unseen eyes were watching him from the darkness.
The sensation tightened his nerves like a bowstring drawn to its limit.
Even in the stillness of the night, the pounding of his heart sounded deafening.
By the time Kagura reached the town marked on his mission briefing, the sky was completely dark.
Scattered lanterns flickered weakly along the streets. From time to time, the slurred laughter and curses of drunken men drifted through the air, adding an unsettling edge to the night.
Moving silently through narrow alleyways, Kagura gradually approached the designated mansion.
The surroundings were more complicated than he had expected.
Tall walls loomed over the property, and guards patrolled back and forth at the entrance. The rhythm of their footsteps and occasional conversation disrupted the silence.
Hidden within deep shadows, Kagura observed their patrol routes carefully, memorizing every pattern.
To gather more intelligence, he slipped into a local tavern.
Choosing an inconspicuous corner seat, he ordered the cheapest drink and feigned indifference.
Around him, patrons spoke loudly of trivial matters. Kagura listened intently, filtering every word for clues about the merchant.
Finally, at a nearby table, several men began speaking in hushed tones.
"Have you heard? That merchant's been acting strange lately," a bearded man muttered. "Meeting with shady figures in the middle of the night. Who knows what he's plotting."
Another, tall and thin, scoffed. "He's no good. Uses his money to seize farmland. Ruined plenty of families. Just recently, the Matsushita family's daughter was taken by force. Still missing."
After several hours of patient observation, Kagura had a clear understanding of the estate's layout and the guards' shift rotations.
He decided to strike at midnight.
That would be when vigilance was lowest—and darkness deepest.
Midnight arrived.
Kagura inhaled slowly, suppressing his fear, and slipped from his hiding place.
He vaulted over the high wall without making a sound upon landing.
The estate was silent, save for the occasional bark of a dog.
He crossed the courtyard lightly, careful that even his footsteps would not betray him.
At last, he stood before the merchant's door.
His hand rested on the handle—
And paused.
After a long breath, he pushed it open.
Inside, the merchant sat at a desk, illuminated by the dim flicker of a candle, studying something intently.
Hearing the door, he looked up sharply.
Terror flooded his face.
"W-Who are you?" he stammered.
Kagura did not answer.
He drew a kunai and advanced swiftly.
The merchant suddenly bolted for the door.
Kagura reacted instantly, lunging forward and seizing the man's arm, forcing him down.
He raised the kunai—
But his arm trembled.
He was only ten years old.
And Root had assigned him a killing mission as his first task.
Only an organization like Root would demand such a thing.
Gritting his teeth, Kagura steeled himself and drove the kunai downward.
At the last moment, the merchant twisted desperately. The blade missed the vital point and sank into his shoulder instead.
The man screamed and thrashed violently, grabbing a candlestick from the desk and hurling it at Kagura.
Kagura sidestepped and charged again.
They grappled in the cramped room, furniture crashing loudly against the walls.
"Tonight is your last night!" Kagura shouted, forcing resolve into his voice.
With a sweeping kick, he knocked the merchant to the floor and pinned him down.
He raised the kunai once more.
The merchant's face twisted in horror. "Don't kill me! I have money—I'll give you as much as you want!"
Kagura did not respond.
He plunged the kunai into the man's chest.
Blood splattered across his face.
The warmth and sticky texture triggered a violent wave of nausea.
The merchant's eyes widened, the light within them fading until nothing remained.
Silence.
Kagura remained kneeling, staring blankly at his bloodstained hands.
His mind was empty.
Suddenly, he retched, bracing himself against the wall as bile rose uncontrollably.
He had never imagined killing someone would feel like this.
The image replayed in his mind—the scream, the blood, the terror in those dying eyes.
But before he could recover—
Footsteps.
Urgent and chaotic.
The patrol guards had heard the commotion and were rushing toward the room.
Kagura's heart seized.
Ignoring the nausea and fear, he fled.
Under the moonlight, his small figure darted between walls and trees, moving as fast as he could.
He ran and ran—
Until his legs gave out.
Collapsing onto the ground, he gasped for air, chest heaving violently.
He did not notice the figure dressed in black watching him from a distance.
The masked Root operative observed him silently.
Seeing Kagura's shaken state, the man gave a faint, almost imperceptible shake of his head before turning away.
Though the target had been eliminated—
The noise Kagura caused would need to be handled.
After an unknown stretch of time, Kagura finally forced himself to return.
Back at Root headquarters, he reported mission completion to Danzō.
Danzō regarded him with an unreadable gaze and said only:
"Well done. This is your first step toward growth."
Kagura looked at him, emotions churning within.
He did not know whether what he had done was right.
Nor did he know what future missions awaited him.
That night, lying on his bed, Kagura stared at the ceiling.
The merchant's terrified eyes and final scream replayed endlessly in his mind.
He knew—
From this moment onward—
He could never return to being the naïve child he once was.
This was only the beginning of his long and brutal journey as a shinobi.
The road ahead was vast, filled with danger and uncertainty.
And he would have to walk it alone in the darkness—
Searching for his own dawn.
Even if that light seemed impossibly distant.