Twenty minutes later, at the Konoha Village gate.
Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade arrived on time.
“Hey! A C-rank mission! Finally, it’s not pulling weeds or finding cats!”
Jiraiya looked eager, his arms crossed over his chest, his toes tapping impatiently on the ground.
“Idiot, don’t be careless.
C-rank missions aren’t that simple. There might be danger.”
Tsunade stood beside him, hands on her hips, her brows slightly furrowed, her expression quite serious.
Orochimaru appeared much calmer. He carefully checked his Ninja tool pouch, confirming the number of kunai, shuriken, explosive tags, and some backup medicines.
After all, he wasn’t short on money now, so it was better to prepare more of these things, just in case.
“This C-rank mission’s objective is to clear out a group of bandits in the mountain forest near the Land of Fire’s border.”
Hiruzen Sarutobi said, handing the mission scroll to Orochimaru. Among the three, Orochimaru was the most mature, currently acting as the Captain of the three-person team.
Orochimaru reached out and took it, quickly scanning the information on it:
Location, known bandit count (approximately fifteen), leader’s features (possibly a wandering samurai?), client (the Village chief of a nearby Village).
“This group of bandits has been very active recently, not only plundering valuables but even starting to harm people, causing great suffering to nearby Villages.”
“Remember, this is your team’s first C-rank mission, and it’s a true test of your independent combat abilities.
From now on, the mission’s command, decision-making, and execution are entirely your responsibility.
“Unless an extreme life-threatening situation arises, I will not interfere.”
Hiruzen Sarutobi continued, his tone a bit more serious, and he specifically glanced at Jiraiya.
“Mere bandits! Watch me resolve them all in a flash!”
Jiraiya immediately straightened his back, responding with considerable confidence.
“Anyone can talk big.”
Tsunade glared at him, huffing unhappily.
“My Lord, what is the specific strength of these bandits? Are there any Ninja among them?”
Orochimaru closed the scroll, handed it back to Hiruzen Sarutobi, and asked.
“Intelligence shows that most are just ordinary rogues, but the leader might have some martial arts skill. As for whether there are Ninja… that’s currently unknown.
This is also part of what you need to scout and determine.
Remember, every mission has variables. Underestimating the enemy is a Ninja’s greatest taboo.”
Hiruzen Sarutobi said earnestly.
“Don’t worry, My Lord!
With me, Jiraiya My Lord, no enemy is a match for us!”
Jiraiya thumped his chest, interrupting again.
“Jiraiya, you said you would resolve them all. So, are you prepared to take another’s life?”
Orochimaru glared at Jiraiya, his calm tone like a bucket of cold water poured over him.
The air seemed to freeze for a moment…
“Of… of course! The day I put on my forehead protector and became a Ninja, I already had that resolve!”
Hearing this, Jiraiya shed his frivolous demeanor and said seriously.
His parents died protecting the Village, so since he embarked on this path, he naturally had such resolve.
Tsunade looked at Jiraiya with some surprise, not expecting this guy to have such a side to him.
Orochimaru nodded, saying nothing more.
Some things, only by experiencing them firsthand, can one truly understand their weight.
Empty talk of resolve is meaningless.
“Alright, let’s go.”
Finally, Hiruzen Sarutobi extinguished his pipe and spoke.
Just like that, the four figures swiftly left Konoha Village, speeding towards the mission location.
Two days later, in the evening.
The group of four stopped on a hidden hillside. Not far ahead, a crude fortress built into the mountain appeared in their view.
The fortress was constructed from thick logs, appearing quite rustic.
They could see several figures moving back and forth on the fortress walls, likely the bandit Sentinels.
Wreaths of cooking smoke rose from inside the fortress, and indistinct shouts and crude laughter could be heard.
“Next, it’s up to you.”
Hiruzen Sarutobi whispered, then stepped back a few paces, found a large tree, and sat down against it, looking ready to watch a show.
“Heh heh~ Watch me!”
Jiraiya rubbed his hands together, lowering his voice excitedly.
As he spoke, he was about to stand up and charge directly into the fortress.
“Bang!”
Seeing this, Tsunade unceremoniously punched him, sending him flying, and cursed:
“Idiot! Do you want to die? We know nothing about the situation inside. If we just charge in like this, what if there are traps or ambushes?”
“Tsunade is right, a rash attack is the most foolish approach.
Don’t forget how you suffered when we were trying to get the bells…”
Orochimaru shook his head, adding.
“Alright, alright, I’ll listen to you.
So, what do we do?”
Jiraiya grimaced from Tsunade’s punch, and hearing Orochimaru’s words, though unwilling, he knew they were right, so he reluctantly scratched the back of his head.
“Ninja combat is a battle of intelligence!
What we need to do first is observe and figure out their exact numbers, weapons, equipment, and defensive deployment.
Especially to determine if there are any enemies skilled in Ninjutsu or with strong abilities.”
Orochimaru replied, Ninja combat is a battle of intelligence.
Just like Kakashi’s initial fights against Zabuza, and the strategies against Kakuzu, Hidan, and Pain.
Having intelligence and not having intelligence are two extremes, so the importance of intelligence is evident.
Tsunade nodded in agreement; Orochimaru was right.
So, the three jumped into the trees, silently lurking, observing the bandit camp below.
A moment later, they had a rough understanding of the fortress’s situation:
There were four Sentinels on the fortress walls, who seemed somewhat lax. Inside the fortress, there were about a dozen active bandits, mostly ragged, carrying crude swords and knives, looking more like a disorganized mob.
In the center of the fortress was a slightly larger wooden house with two guards at the entrance, possibly the leader’s residence.
“The numbers are similar to the intelligence, defenses are lax, and most are ordinary people.
But we can’t be careless.
I’ll infiltrate, take care of the outer Sentinels first, and scout the internal situation.
You two wait here, act as the situation dictates, and provide me with enemy movements.
If I’m exposed, create a diversion to attract their attention.”
Orochimaru analyzed in a low voice, then took out an earphone and wireless communication device from his bag and handed it to Tsunade.
“Okay.”
Tsunade’s eyes lit up when she saw it. She nodded and put on the microphone.
She didn’t expect Orochimaru to be so well-prepared…
Jiraiya, seeing this, pointed to himself, his expression clearly asking, “What about me?”
“As for Jiraiya… just act as the situation dictates…”
Orochimaru’s mouth twitched, and he casually assigned.
With that, Orochimaru’s figure merged into the shadows like a ghost.
He didn’t choose to directly scale the fortress wall but instead circled to a relatively hidden corner at the back of the fortress.
Relying on the ancestral parkour techniques of assassins from the Assassin’s Creed World, and the assistance of Chakra from this World, Orochimaru quickly climbed the outer wall of the fortress.
A lone Sentinel yawned, leaning against the parapet, completely unaware of the Shinigami’s arrival.
Orochimaru silently flipped over the wall like a civet cat, then dropped down, his hidden blade extended, precisely hitting a vital point.
There was no scream, only a muffled whimper, and the Sentinel instantly fell silent.
Orochimaru swiftly dragged the body into the shadows and hid it. The entire process was clean and efficient, without a single wasted movement.
“Hoo~”
Orochimaru took a deep breath. Perhaps because of the memories of those legendary assassins, he felt no discomfort from killing for the first time.
Without further thought, Orochimaru concealed his figure and continued to move towards his next target.
From a distant tree, Hiruzen Sarutobi observed everything, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
Such infiltration and assassination techniques were too seasoned, completely unlike a Genin who had just undertaken a C-rank mission.
And that weapon hidden in his sleeve, he had never seen it before. Did the child design it himself?
In the bushes, Jiraiya watched as Orochimaru dispatched the second and third Sentinels as easily as slicing melons and dicing vegetables, and he suddenly felt a little sour.
This guy was hogging all the glory!
“Hey, Tsunade, let’s go down and help too!”
Jiraiya whispered, and before Tsunade could answer, he leaped down from the tree.
“This idiot!”
Tsunade cursed under her breath, looking at Jiraiya’s clearly not-so-covert landing, shaking her head helplessly, but she could only quickly follow.
She couldn’t trust this impulsive guy to act alone.
As soon as Jiraiya landed, before he could even slip into the shadows, a bandit patrolling nearby spotted him.
“Who’s there?!”
The bandit shouted, raising the long blade in his hand.
“Discovered? Then I’ll deal with you first!”
Jiraiya reacted quickly, immediately assuming an attacking stance, ready to strike first.
However, just as he was about to charge, the ground beneath his feet suddenly undulated without warning, followed by several muffled thuds, and several sharp Earth Release spikes violently shot out from underground, aiming directly for his feet and calves!
“Earth Release?!”
Jiraiya’s heart jumped, and he instantly realized the opponent had a Ninja!
He hurriedly leaped backward, narrowly avoiding the Earth Release spikes’ attack, but his figure was completely exposed to the sight of more bandits.
“Enemy attack! Ninja invasion!”
The bandits’ shouts and gongs instantly echoed throughout the entire mountain stronghold.
“What an incorrigible idiot!”
Tsunade landed beside Jiraiya, her expression grave as she looked at the rapidly surrounding bandits and the hidden threat in the shadows, preparing for battle.
In the corner’s shadow, Orochimaru heard the commotion, stopped his assassination steps, and his eyes narrowed slightly.
He had heard Tsunade explain the situation over the radio; the opponent actually had a Ninja who knew how to use Earth Release.
He did not immediately reveal himself, deciding to observe the situation first.
Over a dozen bandits swarmed around, surrounding Jiraiya and Tsunade in the center.
“Heh heh, two Konoha brats?
You’ve got guts, daring to trespass into our stronghold!”
Leading them was a burly, bald man with a scarred face, who sneered as he looked at the two.
“Hmph! A bunch of bandits, daring to be so arrogant!
Let me show you the powerful Ninjutsu I just learned! Fire Release: Great Fireball!”
Jiraiya forced himself to remain calm, quickly forming hand signs.
He took a deep breath and violently exhaled forward!
However… the anticipated raging Fire Release dragon did not appear; only a small, faint flicker of flame, like a candle in the wind, flickered a few times before extinguishing with a puff.
The air instantly fell silent.
“Pfft ha ha ha…
Is that all you’ve got? Still calling it a Fire Release dragon? I’d say it’s a tiny bug spitting fire!”
After a brief silence, the bandits erupted into deafening laughter.
Jiraiya’s face instantly turned crimson, wishing he could find a hole to crawl into.
Damn it! It wasn’t like this during practice!
And just as the bandits were laughing uncontrollably, their attention drawn by Jiraiya, Tsunade’s gaze sharply swept through the crowd, quickly locking onto a man standing at the back of the group.
This man had a distinct knife scar on his face, and on his arm, a forehead protector with a scratched-out mark was faintly visible—this was the mark of a rogue Ninja.
The Earth Release Ninjutsu just now was most likely cast by him!
“Found you!”
Tsunade let out a low growl, her feet suddenly pushing off the ground, and her body shot out like a cannonball!
“Oh no! Stop her!”
The bald man panicked slightly at the sight and hurriedly gave the order.
Two nearby bandits swung their hatchets, attempting to block her.
But Tsunade was incredibly fast; facing the obstructing enemies, she didn’t even dodge, directly throwing a punch!
Through the Senju Clan’s secret taijutsu, Chakra instantly erupted, and her fist, imbued with “Strength of a Hundred,” brought with it a whistling wind as it accurately smashed into the chests of the two bandits.
“Bang! Bang!”
Two muffled thuds accompanied by the sound of bones shattering; the two bandits flew backward like broken kites, spitting blood, instantly losing their combat ability.
Tsunade did not stop, and in the blink of an eye, she charged in front of the scar-faced man, her punch, imbued with terrifying power, striking directly at his chest!
“Boom!”
The scar-faced man didn’t even have time to react before he was punched so hard that his body arched, and he flew backward, crashing into the wall, sliding to the ground, his life unknown.
Too easy…
A hint of surprise flashed through Tsunade’s mind.
This scar-faced man didn’t even use a substitution jutsu or any decent defense.
Just as she was wondering, an unexpected turn of events occurred!
One of the skinny, inconspicuous bandits, who had been knocked down by her punch and appeared unconscious, suddenly had a sharp glint in his eyes and abruptly reached out to grab Tsunade’s ankle!
“Heh… who told you that someone wearing a rogue Ninja’s forehead protector must be a Ninja?”
The skinny man’s lips curled into a strange smile, and a dazzling blue electric light instantly erupted from his palm!
“Zzzzzzt—!”
“Lightning Release!”
Tsunade’s pupils constricted; a strong electric current instantly spread throughout her body, and the intense numbness stiffened her, causing her to instantly lose control of her muscles, nearly making her fall to the ground.
“Tsunade!”
Jiraiya was shocked at the sight and hurriedly rushed forward to help.
“Get lost, brat!”
The skinny man didn’t even look at Jiraiya, striking him hard in the abdomen with a back elbow.
Jiraiya felt a huge force, as if his internal organs had shifted; he grunted, was directly sent flying, and fell to the ground, unable to get up for a moment.
“Tsk tsk tsk, is this what Konoha’s Genin are like? They’re getting worse and worse, can’t even see through such a small disguise.”
The skinny man stood up, brushed the dust off his body, and looked disdainfully at the immobile Tsunade and the struggling Jiraiya, mocking them.
“Is that so?”
Just as the skinny man was gloating, a cold voice abruptly came from the ground beneath his feet.
“What?!”
The skinny man’s heart jumped, and he looked down.
He saw the ground suddenly collapse, and a pair of arms shot out, gripping his ankles like iron clamps, pulling him down forcefully!
“Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu!”
The skinny man was caught off guard, his body instantly lost balance, and he was forcibly dragged underground, followed by a sharp blade piercing from below his chin.
Only his head remained exposed, his face filled with horror and disbelief, already lifeless.
These guys are really cunning…
Orochimaru emerged from the ground, shaking the blood off his sleeve blade, feeling a little emotional.
An ordinary bandit actually knew how to find a substitute…
“Are you alright?”
Orochimaru then looked at Tsunade, who was shaking as she stood up, and asked.
“I’m fine! Damn it, I was careless!”
Tsunade rubbed her still numb shoulder, spat, and a hint of displeasure was on her face.
“Let’s deal with the rest first.”
Orochimaru nodded, his gaze sweeping over the bandits who were stunned by the sudden turn of events.
Having lost their two Ninja leaders, the remaining bandits immediately fell into disarray, their morale plummeting.
Facing Orochimaru and Tsunade, they were simply no match.
A moment later, the battle ended, and there was not a single standing bandit left in the stronghold besides the three of them.
The strong smell of blood permeated the air, and the lingering glow of the setting sun cast upon the blood-stained ground, reflecting a scene of chaos.
Jiraiya stood to the side, looking at the scattered corpses on the ground, and then at Orochimaru and Tsunade, who were stained with the enemy’s blood, his face burning.
In this mission, not only did he not help at all, but he almost harmed Tsunade, and in the end, it was Orochimaru who saved the day…
Looking at Orochimaru’s back, Jiraiya clenched his fists, feeling a bit unwilling.
Just then, Hiruzen Sarutobi’s figure suddenly appeared, his gaze sweeping across the battlefield, finally landing on the three of them.
“The mission is complete.”
“I’ve seen all your performances.”
“Jiraiya, you have courage, but as a Ninja, impulsiveness is a major taboo.
Intelligence and strategy are equally important; you should have deeply experienced this time.”
He first looked at Jiraiya, his tone a bit sterner.
Jiraiya glanced at Orochimaru next to him and nodded vigorously; he had indeed experienced it.
“Tsunade, your strength is very powerful, but enemies are not necessarily as simple as they appear on the surface.
Sometimes, the most fatal threat is hidden beneath the weakest disguise.”
Hiruzen Sarutobi then looked at Tsunade.
Tsunade clenched her fists tightly, admitting her mistake.
Finally, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Orochimaru, his eyes filled with admiration:
“Orochimaru, you are very calm and good at utilizing intelligence and the environment.
Your adaptability and methods were key to turning this mission from danger to safety.”
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the three of them again,
“Overall, for your first time performing this kind of mission, you all did well.”
“To celebrate your first successful completion of a C-rank mission, I’ve decided to teach you a new Ninjutsu…”