Night had fallen. In the forest, four silhouettes stood in the gloom outside a hidden ravine.
Yamato lowered his voice and began the briefing.
"This recon is yours. I'll back you up and evaluate. Takeshi, point man —track and watch for trails. Yū, scan the ground for traps or hidden sentries. Shinichi, stay center and be ready to assist. Goal: numbers, defenses, and movement patterns."
He swept his gaze across the three young operatives and added,
"They're only bandits, but treat this like a real Ninja stronghold. Consider it… your crucible."
"Roger!"
The three nodded, locking his words away.
"Good."
Seeing them snap into focus, Yamato gave a curt nod, then—
"Execute."
The words had barely left his lips when three shadows shot forward, vanishing into the deeper dark and slipping toward the bandits' lair in the ravine. Thanks to the mediocre sentries, the approach went smoothly.
Kobayashi Takeshi showed solid tracking, picking out several faint footpaths the bandits favored.
Satō Yū's sharp eyes caught two crude alarm traps, which she carefully avoided.
Closer to the target, the air carried the faint reek of smoke and… something sour.
Creeping to the rim, they peered down by sparse moonlight and the glow of a few dying fires; both Kobayashi and Satō frowned.
Instead of a bristling camp, the place looked deserted.
Inside a rickety palisade, only five unkempt bandits lounged round a small fire, swigging something and cursing, utterly relaxed.
The tumbledown huts beyond stood black and silent.
"What gives? Just these five?"
Kobayashi muttered, puzzled.
Satō's brows knit. "Where's the rest —out raiding?"
Tejima Shinichi swept the camp again, confirming the huts and scrap piles were empty.
Both teammates looked to him; with Yamato absent, the calmest and strongest —Shinichi—was their natural lead.
He didn't hesitate.
"Change of plan —rare chance. Quick takedown, live prisoners."
The terse order snapped Kobayashi and Satō out of doubt.
Team One struck… By the fire, five bandits sat chatting.
A scar-faced one swigged rot-gut and grumbled, "Boss gets the feast while we drink wind!"
A skinny sidekick snickered, "Hang in there —when the chief's back we'll get our—"
He never finished. From the corner of his eye he saw the edge-shadow writhe.
"Huh?"
The darkness bulged, stretched, became three blurred shapes that shot forward like ghosts—blindingly fast.
"Wh—"
Agony exploded in his gut.
Kobayashi's heel-drive slammed into his stomach.
The skinny bandit flew, crashed against the palisade, folded up, and retched acid, twitching.
Scar-face opened his mouth —an axe-hand chop cracked against his neck.
Eyes bulging, he folded without a sound.
Satō's Kunai flashed, slicing two more bandits' wrists and ankles; weapons clattered as they screamed and toppled.
Shinichi met the last stunned bandit with a straight punch to the face.
The crunch of a shattered nose rang out; the man dropped, out cold.
In a blink, the fight was over.
The fire still crackled, lighting five bandits strewn across the dirt and the three figures now standing over them.
Team One, breach complete…
Yamato stepped out of the shadows, glancing at the five bandits who had been subdued with ease, a flicker of approval in his eyes.
"Well done. Under sudden conditions, your judgment was accurate and your actions decisive."
At their teacher's praise, Kobayashi Takeshi and Satō Yū both relaxed a fraction—only to be yanked back by the reality in front of them: there was still something more important to do.
"Teacher Yamato, the rest aren't at the hideout."
Tejima Shinichi reported, concise as always.
Yamato's gaze settled on the bandits —some unconscious, some groaning —and turned cold.
"Find out where the others went." He added the order, "Interrogate."
"Yes, sir!"
Kobayashi Takeshi answered at once, walked up to the skinny bandit just stirring, hauled him upright, and forced him to kneel by the campfire.
"Talk! Where are the rest of your lot?!"
Kobayashi barked, doing his best to sound ferocious.
The skinny bandit, gut aching and faced with the grim scene, was scared out of his wits; his eyes darted as he instinctively spun a lie.
"They… went deep into the hills… h-hunting; they'll be back at dawn…"
Before the words had left his mouth—
"Shhk!"
A flash of cold light!
The Kunai's edge slit the throat of the bound bandit beside him —so fast Kobayashi and Satō never even reacted.
Warm blood spurted, dark red in the firelight.
A thick, sickening stench instantly filled the air.
The slashed bandit convulsed, gurgling, eyes bulging in disbelief and terror; within seconds he slumped, lifeless.
Kobayashi and Satō froze solid.
Kobayashi, closest to the corpse, felt the blood hit his face and his stomach churned.
Satō clamped a hand over her mouth, barely keeping herself from vomiting.
This was the first time she had seen death so close.
The splattered blood still seemed warm, the sound and sight replaying in her mind.
Tejima Shinichi, as if he hadn't noticed his teammates or teacher, flicked the blood from his Kunai and looked back at the terrified bandit.
"Say it again —where are the others?"
The bandit's mind snapped at the sight of his comrade and at Shinichi's eyes; he shrieked, sobbing.
"I'll talk! Don't kill me! The Chief… he split us —most of the men —two groups, off to nearby Ishikawa Village and Kasahara Village to 'collect grain'! Tonight! Only us few left to guard the hideout! It's true! Spare me!"
Tejima's gaze stayed icy as he pressed on.
"Any Ninja among them? Numbers? Gear?"
"N-no Ninja!" the bandit shook his head frantically. "Just drifters and thugs like us… eleven with the Chief, nine with the Second Boss… normal blades, a couple of worn bows, I swear! That's everything!"
Shinichi rose, satisfied the man had no more to hide, and turned to Yamato.
"Teacher, intel confirmed."
The campfire crackled, lighting the cooling corpse on the ground.
Yamato studied Shinichi's calm profile, inwardly stirred.
First interrogation and execution, yet so composed —this mindset was extraordinary.
He shifted his gaze to the three subordinates and posed the question.
"Intel's clear: the bandits split into two raiding parties. We have two choices. One, set an ambush here and wipe them when they return. Two, strike out, split our forces, and destroy them before they do more harm."
He paused, then added.
"Option one is safer but uncertain —they might get word and flee. Option two is proactive and faster, yet requires splitting up and carries risk. Your call?"
Shinichi answered almost instantly: "Pursue separately. Higher efficiency, and it keeps them from harming villagers."
Kobayashi and Satō exchanged glances; the villagers' fear and hopes, plus the bandits' crimes, made the choice clear. After a brief hesitation they both nodded.
"We agree with Shinichi," Satō said for them. "We have to stop them quickly."
"And," Kobayashi added, "per intel they're just ordinary thugs, no Ninja —careful, and the risk is manageable."
Yamato looked at the three who had reached consensus so quickly, approval flashing in his eyes.
After weighing enemy and friendly strength, picking the most efficient plan —this was the mark of a qualified Ninja.
"All right. We split up." He decided. "Shinichi, solo team —pursue the Chief's larger group, eleven men. Takeshi, Yū, pair up —go after the Second Boss's nine. I'll stay central, ready to support either side."
His gaze swept the four remaining captives, tone turning cold.
"As for these… handle them. Remember: mercy to the enemy is irresponsibility toward yourself and the mission."
The words struck Kobayashi and Satō like a hammer.
They knew what "handle" meant.
The skinny bandit yowled like a stepped-on cat, snot and tears flying. "No! Don't kill me! I told you everything! Please! I'll never do it again!"
The shrill plea echoed through the quiet hollow.
Kobayashi and Satō tightened their grips on their Kunai, struggling. They were Ninja, but executing helpless prisoners felt different from battle.
Shinichi gave them a glance and said nothing more.
He stepped forward; under the skinny bandit's despairing stare, his Kunai swept cleanly across the man's throat.
The begging stopped abruptly.
"The other three are yours."
Shinichi flicked the blood away, sheathed his Kunai, and walked off with that calm remark.
Kobayashi and Satō looked at the fresh corpse, then at each other, drew a long breath, and steadied their eyes.
Without further hesitation they stepped to the three unconscious bandits.
Hands rose, Kunai fell.
Not as fluid or decisive as Shinichi, but with the resolve Ninja must have.
The metallic stench of blood grew heavier in the air.
Yamato watched it all in silence.
Seeing his two young subordinates overcome their mental hurdle and pass this brutal rite of Ninja life, he nodded inwardly.
The process had been hesitant, but the result was acceptable.
Shinichi's composure impressed him again.
Shinichi, noting how quickly the pair adjusted, gave a flicker of approval as well —strength could be trained, but indecision was fatal in their world, unlike Uzumaki Naruto, who behaved like a blockhead… "Clean the site. We move in five."
Yamato's voice broke the stillness.
"Yes, sir!"
The three replied in unison, moving swiftly.