NOVEL NEXT Chapter 14: Chapter 14
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A pesky burden.
"Uchiha Mikoto!"
"What's with that look?"
"What does a C-rank mission have to do with me?"
"That was assigned by Lord Hokage. Are you implying dissatisfaction with his decision?"
Tetsuya Fujiwara bristled once again!
Ever since encountering Uchiha Mikoto, his pride as a man had been stomped on more times than he could count.
"Ahem!"
"Mikoto, Tetsuya is your teammate, just like Muto. You should be a bit more... gentle with your attitude."
"Otherwise, it'll be hard for you to find a boyfriend in the future."
With a sigh, Yuhi Shin's hand unconsciously landed on Tetsuya's head, as if he were resting it on a convenient armrest.
"Hmph!"
"Men? Boring creatures. I have no need for them!"
Though still sharp with her words, Uchiha Mikoto refrained from crushing Tetsuya's fragile dignity this time.
"Alright! Since you all know the mission details, let's meet at the village gate in one hour!"
"You three—especially you, Tetsuya!"
"This mission is fundamentally different from the D-rank ones you've done before."
"Bloodshed, killing... are inevitable!"
"Prepare yourselves mentally!"
"Teacher Shin! I understand."
"Well, see you in an hour."
As Yuhi Shin, Uchiha Mikoto, and Aburame Muto left one after another, Tetsuya's eyes flickered, and in a swift movement, he vanished from the training ground.
---
"A C-rank mission, huh?"
Back at home, when Tanaka Jirou learned about the level of Tetsuya's upcoming mission, he seemed to relax a bit, though there was still a trace of worry in his eyes.
"Uncle Jirou, don't worry!"
"This mission is led by Teacher Shin personally! And my teammates are reliable people!"
"Nothing will go wrong."
Secrecy is one of a ninja's most basic principles.
Tanaka Jirou had no idea what they would be facing, and wild speculation would only deepen his concern.
"The Yuhi clan's reputation is one you can trust."
"Tetsuya, do your best!"
"And remember, there are many people here... waiting for you."
"I know, Uncle Jirou."
Feeling the firm hand resting on his shoulder, Tetsuya's gaze grew distant.
Tanaka Jirou was right.
Here, in this village, there were people...
Waiting for him.
The bonds he shared with the Fujiwara, Tanaka, and Uesugi clans were undeniable.
Bonds of blood.
Bonds of family.
And bonds of trust.
---
The Eastern Region of the Land of Fire.
In a small town known as Sakura Town, cherry blossoms fell year-round, painting the streets in a sea of pink petals.
The town wasn't large—four streets running north to south, with a population of just five to six hundred people.
In ordinary times, during the cherry blossom season, the town would attract visitors from afar, and the residents could make a bit of money from tourism.
But in the ninja world, peaceful and remote places were always vulnerable to the flames of war and the stain of blood.
In the past two months, Sakura Town had been plagued by a group of bandits who seemed to appear out of nowhere.
They took everything—money, food, women, children—anything that caught their eyes.
Nothing was spared.
---
"We've arrived!"
After a day and night of travel, Yuhi Shin, Tetsuya, Mikoto, and Muto finally reached Sakura Town.
"Mikoto, Muto! You two gather information about the bandits and familiarize yourselves with the town's surroundings."
"Tetsuya, you're coming with me. We'll meet with the client."
"Learning how to communicate efficiently with a client is a crucial skill for a ninja."
Sakura Town was far more desolate than the four of them had anticipated.
Everywhere they looked, the few townspeople out and about had gaunt, yellowed faces, etched with worry and fear.
Shops were tightly shuttered, the streets eerily quiet.
It seemed that only the ancient cherry blossom trees, standing as silent witnesses, remembered the town's former prosperity.
---
Murano Jihei.
The town chief of Sakura Town and the one who had placed the mission request.
Once, he had been the wealthiest man in town.
But that was before the bandits showed up and changed everything.
"Master Jihei! The Konoha ninja have arrived!"
With a frail old servant leading the way, Yūhi Shin and Tetsuya were brought before Murano Jihei.
Unlike the rest of the townspeople, Murano Jihei's complexion was surprisingly rosy.
Despite the town suffering constant raids, it seemed the chief's lifestyle remained relatively comfortable.
"Mr. Murano, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Jonin Yūhi Shin from Konoha, and this is my student. We'll be handling your request to eliminate the bandits."
"A Jonin?"
"How reassuring!"
"I'll leave it to you two to deal with the bandits!"
Tetsuya couldn't help but feel uneasy.
Was it just his imagination, or had there been a strange, fleeting smile on Murano Jihei's face?
Almost as if he were scheming something.
"Don't worry, Mr. Murano! We'll take care of it. But before we begin, we'll need to know everything you can tell us—how many bandits there are, their hideout location, any hostages they might have, and so on."
"Everything? Very well, I'll tell you everything I know!"
Murano Jihei furrowed his brows, seemingly lost in thought for a few seconds, before finally nodding firmly.
---
"Teacher Shin! Something tells me Murano Jihei wasn't being completely honest."
"My gut says that old man is hiding something!"
At the outskirts of the town, Tetsuya leaned against a cherry blossom tree, gazing at the scattered petals before looking toward Yūhi Shin with concern.
The ninja world...
Could it be that some grand force, like the Will of Heaven, was already conspiring against him?
Or perhaps the Sage of Six Paths, that ancient figure from legend, had noticed he didn't belong here.
Had he, a traveler from another world, triggered a cosmic trap just after leaving his beginner village?
Thanks to everything he had read in his past life, Tetsuya was now mildly paranoid.
"Well, well! Tetsuya, your instincts are sharp!"
"Murano Jihei is definitely hiding something."
"But that doesn't matter. In the face of absolute power, any tricks or schemes are just paper tigers!"
"As long as he can pay the C-rank mission fee, that's all we need to worry about."
Although Yuhi Shin had shown great courtesy toward Murano Jihei earlier, it was clear that, deep down, the proud Jonin held little respect for the town chief.
Just as Tetsuya was about to ask another question—
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