The Age of the Shinobi

Born in the Sand Village, life was tough, but at least there was opportunity for effort and a chance to change one's destiny. In some places, however, just living a good life away from the threats of hunger and death was a luxury.

Daimaru, with his mature thinking, could somewhat handle it, but Chien and Yoru were hearing about such harsh realities in the Land of Wind for the first time.

"Find and eradicate the bandit gang, complete the mission and leave. This isn't the Sand Village; we can't afford any complications."

Ninjas are not officials of the Land of Wind; there's no need to do anything beyond the mission.

"Oh? Daimaru, I didn't expect you to have a soft spot. Don't want to kill the innocent?"

Otofū seemed genuinely interested as he waited for Daimaru's explanation.

"I'm in my fourth year as a Genin, and it's not my first time on a bandit-elimination mission. In missions to protect dignitaries, I've already killed several robbers... Soft-hearted?"

Daimaru laughed at himself, "Ask Yoru and Chien, how many kids our age haven't been bullied by me?"

The somewhat naive Yoru asked, "Then why do you want to spare the bad guys here? If it weren't for their cover, the bandit gang wouldn't have become so bold, and we wouldn't have come knocking..."

"Our mission is to take out the bandit gang. The stakeholders of the gang are none of our concern," Daimaru answered calmly.

"Yoru, you're no longer a rookie. Don't let your personal likes and dislikes interfere with the mission. Not to mention whether we could wipe them out completely, do you really want to slaughter this whole town?"

To put it bluntly, the Otofū squad's position in the Sand Village didn't align entirely with the interests of the Land of Wind, let alone potential accomplices to the bandits.

If it weren't for the mission, Otofū's squad wouldn't even bother with the bandit gang.

Massacre?

Yoru was stunned. While eliminating utterly wicked bandits was acceptable, the thought of wantonly slaughtering not-so-evil townsfolk was something even the rough-around-the-edges shinobi of the Sand rarely did.

Chien patted Yoru's shoulder, speaking amiably, "We really only have one choice: moderation is best."

"Wonderful!" Otofū applauded. "Even though the conclusion was reached for other reasons, it's not bad."

"Is there something else we don't know?"

Daimaru looked out the window. The passersby were somewhat gloomy; it was clear the town lacked vitality.

"We're just ninjas fulfilling a mission; we're not judges with the right to sentence people to death. Killing someone because they might become a bandit and do wrong is pure arrogance."

"That's a more accurate explanation!" Otofū glanced at a few suspicious vagrants outside, some of whom were stealing glances in their direction, seemingly sensing something.

"Outside of war and missions, it's best not to harm ordinary people with our ninja powers. Relying too much on force, getting used to it, we might find ourselves unable to adapt to ordinary life. We are humans first, not monsters wielding ninjutsu..."

"But what about Temari's brother Gaara..."

Chien, with her doubts, seemed to think of something but then swallowed her words.

Otofū waved his hand dismissively, as if loathing the taboo name, "That thing, he's not a ninja, just a weapon, a tool!"

At that moment, a few who seemed like scouts exchanged glances and left after a brief look their way.

"Seems our plan to flush out the snake has worked. Let's follow..."

The borderlands of the Wind and Grass countries were too complex. Continuous mountain ranges and perilous primal forests formed a barrier between the Wind, Grass, and Fire countries. At the junction of these three nations lay a famous historical site, also a strategic stronghold known as Kikyō Castle, where countless ninjas from the Sand and Leaf had met their end.

They weren't far from Kikyō Castle, closer to the heartland of the Grass Country, with too many hidden places to hide.

Some of the bandit scouts had a sense of counter-tracking, splitting up half-way and regrouping only when nearing their destination.

But such tricks were no match for the Sand Village's ninjas.

Within a few dozen miles, how could a few bandits escape under Yoru's watchful eye?

"Their stronghold is just ahead..."

Yoru's eyes were wide, her pupils dilated, seemingly focused not on what was in front of her but on a place far beyond,

"There's a bear's den that's been transformed into a maze-like fortress, full of traps..."

"Is it underground?"

"Yes!"

Yoru answered affirmatively, "I didn't spot any ninja-like bandits."

"Then they really are unfortunate."

Daimaru breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed their new squad's first mission would be smoothly accomplished.

Otofū was lurking not far away.

Under Yoru's cover, Chien dispersed hallucinogenic cactus pollen into the bandit's lair with the breeze, and soon after, under Yoru's observation, the bandit gang of less than a hundred, while still eating and drinking, collapsed to the ground.

"Dealing with amateurs is so easy!"

Daimaru exhaled. If there had been a ninja, even a lowly Genin who sensed the chakra fluctuations, Chien's illusion wouldn't have worked so smoothly.

In the underground lair, there were plenty of strapping fellows; a direct confrontation with nearly a hundred people, even if they stood still, would be enough to exhaust three Genin to death.

But now, with the power of ninjutsu, they easily annihilated the entire gang.

To be cautious, Daimaru alone snuck in and retrieved the head of the wanted bandit leader as proof of mission completion before retreating.

"There's nothing of value inside apart from some food and drink..."

It was a pity; the bandit gang was poor.

"Bury on the spot, erase the traces."

Otofū ordered.

"Understood!"

Daimaru stepped forward, hands on the ground, channeling chakra into the sand beneath.

"Earth Release: Sand Dance!"

The sand collapsed, destroying traps, burying all the bandits, who would soon die of suffocation if not from the pressure.

The quicksand spread, altering the nearby terrain, making it impossible for anyone to tell that a sizable bandit gang had ever been there.

Daimaru's Earth Release: Sand Dance was nowhere near as powerful as Gaara's Desert Funeral or Sandstorm Tomb and was only really effective at breaking traps—basically for show.

But against a group of bandits stunned by illusion, it was more than enough.

Aside from Otofū, Daimaru, Chien, and Yoru had never been on B or A-rank missions. Eliminating a bandit gang in a C-rank mission without ninja opposition was less challenging than hunting desert scorpions.