Ryuu jumped from tree to tree through the dense forest, sunlight, where it pierced the heavy canopy, dappled the forest floor in shifting patterns of light and shadow. Izumi Uchiha moved with silent grace on his right, her Sharingan already a subtle crimson beneath her lowered lashes, constantly scanning.
Kazama Renji was on his left, his movements quick, almost jittery, kunai already in hand. Genma was just ahead of them, a deceptively casual figure who nevertheless covered ground with an unnerving, silent speed.
The weight of his pack, the cool metal of his Konoha forehead protector against his bandages, and the persistent, dull ache in his limbs were constant reminders of his new reality.
Genin. Shinobi. This was their first C-Rank mission since… since Kenta.
The objective was to locate and eliminate a group of bandits who had been preying on small logging camps near the Fire Country's western border. Intelligence suggested around ten to fifteen individuals, likely ronin or deserters, moderately armed but not known to possess shinobi-level skills. A step up from weeding, certainly. A step back into the bloodbath.
"Izumi," Genma's voice was a low, not breaking his rhythm, "any sign of their main trail? Intel said they favor the old trapper paths."
"Several faint trails converging two klicks northwest, Sensei," Izumi replied, her own voice hushed, professional. "Signs of recent passage, heavy foot traffic. No obvious traps sighted yet."
"Renji," Genma's attention shifted, "once we're closer, you'll scout the perimeter of their likely encampment. Quick, silent, report back. Don't engage, no matter what you see. Got it?"
Renji's hand tightened on his kunai. "Hai, Sensei." His eagerness was a sharp, almost painful thing, a stark contrast to the haunted look that sometimes shadowed his eyes when he thought no one was watching.
He had lost his own team, this mission was as much a test for him as it was for Ryuu and Izumi.
"Ryuu," Genma continued, his gaze flicking back momentarily, though Ryuu knew the Jonin was perfectly aware of his position and status without looking. "Maintain sensory sweep. Focus on active chakra signatures, concealed positions. We don't expect high-level shinobi, but deserters can be unpredictable. Report anything, anything, that feels off."
"Understood, Sensei," Ryuu kept his reply short. His senses were already extended to their maximum. The thrum of animal life, the rustle of leaves in the slight breeze, the chakra signatures of his team. Beyond them, the forest was a tapestry of faint, natural energies. He filtered, sorted, searched for the discordance of human chakra where it shouldn't be.
They moved for another hour, the terrain growing rockier, the forest thinning slightly as they approached a series of low hills. Izumi signaled a halt from her forward position, then melted back to Genma.
"Camp identified, Sensei. Looks like a small, abandoned logging outpost. Roughly twelve individuals visible. Minimal perimeter security, two apathetic lookouts."
Genma nodded. "Standard. Renji, your scout. Give us a layout, numbers, armament if you can. Ryuu, extend your senses, try to confirm Renji's visual, and pick up anything he might miss – hidden individuals, chakra levels."
Renji gave a curt nod and, with a burst of wind-enhanced speed that ruffled the leaves, vanished into the undergrowth. Ryuu closed his eyes, focusing. He could feel Renji's signature moving swiftly, circling the target area.
Deeper within that circle, he picked up the dull, untrained chakra signatures of the bandits. Twelve, yes, maybe thirteen. One felt slightly stronger than the others, but still nothing a seasoned Chunin couldn't handle. Their energies were… base. No refined control, just the raw thrum of life. He felt the anxiety of the two lookouts, the boredom of others, the low anger of the one with the slightly stronger signature.
Renji returned in less than ten minutes, his breathing a little quick. "Thirteen confirmed, Sensei. Poorly armed – mostly swords, a few rusty spears. One carries a larger blade, seems to be the leader. Camp is in a small clearing, a couple of dilapidated huts. Main approach is clear, but the undergrowth around is thick."
"Ryuu?" Genma prompted.
"Thirteen signatures," Ryuu confirmed. "The leader's chakra is marginally more potent, but unrefined. No concealed individuals detected within a hundred-meter radius of the camp. No traps apparent beyond simple tripwires near the huts."
Genma chewed on his senbon thoughtfully. "Alright. Simple plan. Izumi, you and Renji will handle the lookouts. Silent takedowns. Use the wind to your advantage, Renji, for a swift approach. Izumi, Sharingan for precision. Once they're down, we converge. Ryuu, you're with me. We'll breach from the south. Izumi, Renji, you take the north and east flanks once the lookouts are clear, create a pincer. We overwhelm them before they can organize a proper defense. Prioritize disabling the leader. Questions?"
There were none. The plan was straightforward.
Izumi and Renji exchanged a quick glance, a silent acknowledgment, then disappeared into the forest. Ryuu watched their chakra signatures move, Renji a swift, cutting line, Izumi a more deliberate, ghost-like presence.
He felt the brief chakra spike as Renji's kunai likely found its mark, followed almost instantly by Izumi's almost imperceptible pulse of chakra as she, too, neutralized her target.
"Now," Genma said, and they moved.
Ryuu followed Genma, sticking to the shadows, his feet making no sound on the soft earth.
As they neared the clearing, he could hear the bandits – rough laughter, a muttered argument. The scent of woodsmoke and poorly cooked meat hung in the air.
Genma didn't wait. He exploded from the treeline, a blur of motion. Two kunai, thrown with impossible speed and precision, thudded into the chests of the two bandits nearest the fire before they could even react.
"Attack!" one of the bandits, the leader with the larger blade, roared, scrambling to his feet.
Izumi and Renji burst from the opposite side of the clearing. Renji was a whirlwind, his kunai flashing, augmented by "Fūton: Reppūshō" (Wind Release: Gale Palm), small, controlled bursts of wind to enhance his strikes or throw opponents off balance. Izumi moved with deadly grace, her Sharingan already tracking multiple opponents, her Taijutsu completely overwhelming her opponents.
Ryuu found himself facing two bandits who had turned towards Genma's initial assault.
They were surprised, but recovering, their eyes wide with a mixture of fear and fury. They were bigger than him, armed with rusty short swords. He sidestepped the first clumsy lunge, the blade whistling past his ear. His heart hammered. This was real. Kenta's shocked face flashed in his mind. No hesitation.
He channeled chakra to his feet, a trick Kasumi had drilled into him for enhanced agility, and ducked under the second bandit's wild swing. He needed to create an opening, support Genma.
Dragon → Tiger → Hare
"Suiton: Mizurappa!" (Water Release: Wild Water Wave!)
It was a C-rank jutsu, one Kasumi had taught him for utility – dousing fires, creating diversions. He spewed a sudden, high-pressure jet of water directly into the face of the closest bandit. The man yelped, stumbling back, momentarily blinded.
The second bandit charged, sword raised. Ryuu was already moving, forming different seals.
Tiger → Ox → Dog → Hare → Snake
"Fūton: Daitoppa!" (Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!)
A powerful gust of wind, not large enough to be truly devastating at his level, but enough. It slammed into the charging bandit, throwing him off balance, forcing him to halt his attack to regain his footing.
It bought only seconds, but it was enough for Genma. Their sensei, having already dispatched another bandit, appeared beside Ryuu in a flicker, a senbon lancing out to strike the water-blinded bandit in the neck, dropping him instantly. Another senbon disabled the wind-staggered one before he could recover.
"Good initiative, Yuki," Genma said, his voice calm amidst the chaos, "but watch your reserves on those." He was already moving again, intercepting the bandit leader who was now charging towards Renji.
Renji was fighting with a desperate ferocity, his wind-enhanced attacks fast and cutting, but his defense was still weak. He'd taken a shallow cut on his arm.
Ryuu took a breath. The initial shock was fading, replaced by a cold, analytical focus. He still felt the lingering sickness from Kenta's mission, the fear of a repeat, but the act of using his jutsu, of it working, had pushed some of that down. He scanned the remaining bandits. Four left. Genma was engaging the leader. Izumi was handling two. Renji was struggling with one who seemed more experienced than the others.
Renji was over-extending, leaving himself open. Ryuu saw the bandit feint, then shift, aiming a blow that Renji, caught mid-strike, wouldn't be able to dodge.
Ryuu moved. No time for jutsu. He grabbed a handful of loose dirt and stones, infusing it with a tiny bit of chakra and flung it at the bandit's face.
It was a child's trick, but the sudden spray of grit made the bandit flinch, his attack wavering for a crucial instant. Renji, startled, capitalized, a wind-slashed kunai strike disabling the man's weapon arm.
The fight was over quickly after that. Genma subdued the leader with a series of precise strikes that left him groaning on the ground but alive. Izumi had already taken care of her portion, while Renji, with a final, furious shout, knocked out the bandit Ryuu had distracted.
Silence descended on the clearing, broken only by the ragged breathing of the Genin and the groans of the captured bandits. Ryuu looked around. Bodies lay scattered. None of his team were seriously injured. He felt a wave of exhaustion, the chakra drain from even those simple jutsu significant. His hands were trembling slightly. He had fought. He had used his abilities. And no one had died on his team.
He looked at the downed bandits. The sight didn't fill him with triumph, only a dull, hollow ache. This was the job. This was what it meant to be a shinobi.
Genma walked over to Ryuu, Izumi, and Renji. His expression was unreadable.
"Report," he said, his voice flat.
Izumi spoke first. "Two hostiles disabled, Sensei. No critical injuries."
Renji, panting, nodded. "One disabled. Took a minor cut."
Ryuu simply stated, "Supported Sensei and Kazama-san. Two bandits disabled through my distraction or initial engagement. No injuries."
Genma surveyed them, his gaze lingering on each of them.
"Kazama, your aggression is an asset, your control is a liability. You left yourself open multiple times. Fix it."
"Uchiha, your precision is excellent. Your awareness is good. But you rely too much on direct confrontation. Look for broader tactical advantages."
He turned to Ryuu. "Yuki. Your jutsu usage was… surprisingly effective. The water and wind combination was tactically sound for a support role. Your improvisation with the dirt was… unexpected. But you hesitated after your initial jutsu. You froze. In a real fight, that hesitation gets you or your teammates killed. Remember Kenta."
Ryuu flinched internally at the name but kept his face impassive. He knew Genma was right.
"However," Genma continued, a very faint, almost imperceptible note of something that might have been approval entering his tone, "you functioned as a team. You covered each other, mostly. You adapted, somewhat. No one panicked catastrophically."
He gestured to the subdued bandits. "Secure the prisoners. We search the camp for any intel, then we deliver these maggots to the nearest logging outpost with a Konoha-affiliated guard. Then we go home."
"Hai, Sensei!"
The three shouted in unison.