The group of five set off early in the morning.
The air was crisp and cool as they travelled along the forest path. Sasuke and Sakura walked in front, Tazuna stayed in the middle, and Naruto took the rear. Kakashi followed behind Naruto at a lazy pace, looking as relaxed as ever.
So far, the mission had been quiet.
Too quiet.
Naruto slowed his steps until he was walking beside Kakashi.
"Sensei," Naruto said in a low voice, his eyes scanning the surroundings, "my instincts are telling me this mission isn't that simple."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow.
At the same time, Tazuna's body stiffened. Sweat formed on his forehead, and his grip on his bottle tightened slightly.
Naruto noticed it.
Kakashi noticed it too, though he did not show much reaction.
Naruto's eyes moved toward the old man, and a smirk appeared on his face.
"Don't worry, old man," he said with confidence. "We've got the strongest person in our team, and we will make sure you get back to your village safe and sound."
As he said that, Naruto closed his eyes into a crescent-shaped smile, mimicking Kakashi's usual expression.
Then he calmly returned to the rear.
Tazuna swallowed hard but said nothing.
They continued walking.
The forest remained quiet, but the air slowly began to feel heavier.
Without warning, two chains shot out from the bushes.
They wrapped around Kakashi tightly, binding his body in an instant. The attackers pulled hard, and in a spray of blood, Kakashi's body was torn apart, scattering into a red mist.
"Ahhhh!"
Sakura screamed and froze in place.
The two shinobi hidden among the trees did not waste a single second. Their next target was Naruto.
The chains rattled as they rushed toward him from both sides, aiming to bind the blond genin before he could react.
Maybe they had underestimated him.
Maybe they thought he was just a child.
Either way, they came a little too close.
Naruto did not panic.
His eyes remained calm and calculating.
At the last possible moment, he sidestepped the chains with smooth precision. Before the attackers could correct their movement, Naruto stepped forward.
In a split second, his hands shot out.
He grabbed both men by their necks, one in each hand, and lifted them off the ground.
Their legs kicked wildly in the air as they struggled to break free.
Sakura gasped, her heart racing.
'Naruto looks cool.'
Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he watched closely.
Tazuna's jaw dropped.
Naruto stared at one of the shinobi with a smug expression. Then his killing aura slowly poured out.
The shinobi's eyes met Naruto's.
In that instant, his body trembled.
The boy in front of him no longer felt like a genin.
He felt like death itself.
Like a grim reaper wearing a child's face.
The shinobi's earlier confidence disappeared completely. His face twisted in fear, and his body shook harder as Naruto's grip tightened around his throat.
Naruto then turned his gaze toward the second shinobi.
The same fear appeared in the other man's eyes.
Their bravery was gone.
Only terror remained.
"I-I... spare m—"
Crack.
Crack.
Naruto crushed both of their necks without hesitation.
The two shinobi died instantly.
For Naruto, killing like this was familiar.
In his past life, he had done it many times.
First, show the difference in power.
Then, plant fear deep into the opponent's heart.
Make them struggle without hope.
And then kill them.
'He fuck'n loves fear.'
Sasuke, Sakura, and Tazuna stood frozen.
They had expected a fight.
They had expected Naruto to defend himself.
They had not expected him to kill both enemies so easily, without even changing his expression.
There was no anger on Naruto's face.
No panic.
No guilt.
No excitement.
It was as if killing two men meant nothing to him.
Even if he killed a thousand, ten thousand, or a million, his expression would probably remain the same.
That was what made it more frightening.
He was not acting like a lunatic.
He was simply indifferent.
Sakura stared at him with wide eyes.
"N-Naruto..." she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Sasuke clenched his fists.
'Can I kill someone like him?'
He said nothing, but this question stayed in his mind.
Tazuna was pale, unable to process what had just happened in front of him.
Naruto was still holding the bodies when he raised his voice.
"You can come out now, sensei."
A moment later, Kakashi appeared in a blur and leaned casually against a nearby tree.
"Well, that was... thorough," he said.
His tone sounded light, but his visible eye was carefully observing Naruto.
More than the fight itself, Kakashi was watching Naruto's reaction.
Or rather, the lack of it.
"You were watching the whole time?" Sakura asked, her voice sharp.
Kakashi nodded.
"I wanted to see how well you would react during a real mission."
His eye shifted to Naruto.
"I have to say, Naruto, you handled that well. You didn't waste any unnecessary effort."
Naruto scoffed and dropped the bodies to the ground without care.
"They underestimated me. That was their grim mistake."
Kakashi looked toward Sasuke and Sakura.
"Good job, you two, protecting the client."
Then he crouched beside the bodies and inspected them.
"As for these two... they're chunin from the Village Hidden in the Mist. Their specialty is relentless attacks. They keep attacking no matter what, even if they have to sacrifice themselves."
Hearing that, Tazuna flinched.
Kakashi's gaze immediately turned toward him.
"Mr. Tazuna," he said, his voice calm but firm, "we need to talk."
(To Be Continued...)
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