The Survival Exercise Begins

The basic format of the survival exercise was for the participating students to operate independently in three-person squads, each responsible for patrolling an area with a five-kilometer radius. Meanwhile, Konoha teachers who were Chunin would act as the "invaders."

"That's it, then. The exercise begins now. Everyone, head out!"

After announcing the start of the mission, the teachers in charge of each class went their separate ways, and the remaining students likewise headed toward their assigned areas.

"Are those guys... really going to take things that far?" Shunren frowned deeply, his eyes fixed on the forest that "Feimu" had entered.

The rookie students, who had never left the village, had no actual combat experience, and weren't even Genin, were now scattered in every direction. For certain people, catching them would be as easy as turning over a hand. And because the students were so far apart, if anything unexpected happened, they wouldn't even be able to call out to warn one another!

The academy couldn't have failed to consider this entirely. They simply thought that, since this was within the Land of Fire, with ninja forces stationed year-round along the border and Konoha teachers who were Chunin keeping watch, no ninja from an enemy nation would infiltrate the area. But no one would have imagined that the enemy they faced wouldn't come from an enemy nation, but...

Shunren shook his head inwardly. Possessing the mind of an adult, he knew full well that the real world held far too much darkness beyond what you or I could imagine. Even a world that called itself a civilized society was like that, let alone this ninja world that exalted extreme force.

Shunren couldn't change any of that darkness, nor did he have the power to. With no heaven-defying protagonist's halo or cheat, only the sword he had created with his spirit and will, protecting himself already took everything he had. How could he have the leisure to worry about whether others lived or died?

At that thought, Shunren couldn't help looking at Kurenai and Shizune beside him and asking himself whether, when real danger came, he would truly abandon them without hesitation.

If they were men, I'd definitely sell them out without a second thought, wouldn't I?

How utterly undisguised my selfish desires are!

Shunren mocked himself.

That was precisely why he wasn't a protagonist and would never become a hero, merely an ordinary mortal drifting with the current.

Shunren sighed softly. "Let's go."

"Yeah. If I remember right, the area our team is responsible for is East Twelve..." Kurenai looked a little relaxed, because farther east was closer to the interior of the Land of Fire, making it less likely that anything unexpected would happen during the exercise.

"No, we're going west."

"Huh? But the mission the teacher assigned us... and wait!" Kurenai looked west, toward a mountain peak where tents could dimly be seen at the summit, and continued, "But isn't that where the troops are stationed?"

Shunren offered no explanation. Under his firm insistence, the other two reluctantly agreed to his decision, but demanded that he give them a reasonable explanation afterward.

"Halt! Who goes there?" When Shunren's group approached the mountain, a young man came striding down toward them with a shout.

They have a sensory-type ninja? He spotted us from this far away. They really are on high alert. Shunren paused, raised a hand to show he meant no harm, and said with a smile, "Sorry, we're students from the Konoha Ninja Academy. We ran into a little trouble during the exercise, so we came to ask the troops for help."

With that, Shunren exposed his shoulder, revealing the bandages tightly wrapped around it.

The man didn't immediately believe Shunren. Instead, he first formed a seal with one hand and used some kind of sensory technique to examine the three of them for Chakra, making sure they weren't enemies disguised with the Transformation Technique.

"Come with me. Hmph, students these days really are delicate." He looked them over, making no attempt to hide the contempt in his eyes.

Kurenai and Shizune both looked embarrassed.

"Yes, sorry for the trouble, senior." Shunren followed him without betraying any emotion.

When they reached the top of the mountain, the first thing they saw was a large flaming Gunbai emblem in front of the tents. It was the Uchiha Clan's crest.

As it turned out, the troops stationed here to guard the border were all members of the Uchiha Clan, about thirty or so in total.

"Captain Fushan, a few brats have come..." The young man briefly reported the situation to his superior.

The Uchiha in the tent all turned their curious gazes on Shunren and the other two.

Shunren, too, briefly swept his gaze over each of them.

He didn't spot anyone he "knew." They were all young, and only Fushan, who looked like their leader, seemed somewhat like the Uchiha Fugaku he remembered. Both wore stiff, stern expressions and had slightly protruding jawbones.

"Is that so?" Fushan said impassively. "Hezi, take them away for treatment."

"Yes, Captain," replied a young woman named Hezi. Judging by her neat attire, she was probably the medical-nin in this unit.

"Come with Auntie, you three adorable little ones~" Hezi said gently, her face full of maternal affection that gave off a warm feeling.

"Sorry for the trouble, Auntie Hezi," Shunren said gratefully.

The disciplined military tent, filled with a grim air, felt oppressive, but Hezi's appearance greatly eased the tense atmosphere.

Shizune seemed to feel an indescribable sense of closeness to Hezi, a medical-nin. She smiled and said, "Honestly, Shunren, Sister Hezi is obviously so young. How can you call her Auntie?"

Hezi smiled faintly as she undid Shunren's bandages. "Oh my~ what a sweet tongue you have, child. Auntie is already a mother, so I'm not a big sister anymore~"

"Huh? You're already married, Sister Hezi? And you've even had a child? You really can't tell at all," Shizune said in surprise.

Shunren, however, had noticed that long ago. With the experience he had gained in his previous life, he could still tell a maiden from a married woman.

"Oh! This... is quite a deep wound, isn't it? It must hurt terribly, right?" Once she had undone the bandages, Hezi could tell the extent of Shunren's injury at a glance. Although it hadn't struck a vital point, a wound that penetrated the muscle tissue would cause a great deal of pain. For a child of eight or nine, it was already impressive not to be crying for his parents. How had he managed to keep himself under control until now?

"Honestly, how did you get hurt this badly?" Hezi asked, puzzled.

"Ah, I accidentally fell and set off a trap I'd laid myself." Shunren scratched his head sheepishly. He couldn't help thinking that, luckily, thanks to Shizune's treatment, the wound had healed considerably. Hezi could only tell that it had been caused by a sharp object; she hadn't recognized the marks left by the Shuriken.