The Tragedy of a Border Village

Kushina hurried along in front, her cheeks flushed red from the collision.

The two tiny nostrils on her nose were especially noticeable.

It was utterly embarrassing.

Kushina kept her head down as she followed behind Jiraiya.

Minato Namikaze scratched his cheek and followed behind Kushina.

Jin trailed along at the very back.

They crossed empty wilderness, passed over single-log bridges spanning lakes, and climbed steep mountain peaks.

After three days, they finally arrived near the border. Before they even reached it, however, they spotted a village in the distance.

The moment he saw the village,

Jiraiya frowned and made a hand signal.

The others quickly took cover.

The closer they got to the border, the more tense the three of them became.

Even the smile had vanished from Jiraiya's face.

The four hid behind a boulder and looked toward the distant village.

The sun had already set, yet not a wisp of cooking smoke rose from the village.

Then,

Jiraiya's nose twitched.

They were downwind, and with the increasingly sharp five senses granted by Basic Inner Cultivation, they could smell something drifting over from the distant village.

"The smell of blood."

Something had clearly happened in that village. That was why Jiraiya had told the three of them to hide.

Jiraiya said nothing, merely flashing hand signals at them.

This was no time to fool around like they did back in the village.

To avoid being discovered by any potential enemies, everything was done in silence.

The three understood the signals and nodded.

Only then did Jiraiya dash out, leaning forward as he shot toward the village entrance like an arrow.

Kushina remained where she was.

Jin and Minato Namikaze circled around in another direction, advancing quickly.

Jiraiya needed to enter the village first and investigate the situation.

Minato Namikaze and Jin needed to scout outward with the village as their center.

Kushina's task was to provide support if a battle broke out.

Jiraiya rushed into the village without causing the slightest disturbance. The entire place was devoid of any sign of life.

There was only the overpowering stench of blood and a scene straight out of hell.

He stepped on roads drenched in blood, looking at corpses and severed limbs scattered across the ground. Through broken doorways, he could see even more dead inside.

Before long, Minato Namikaze and Jin, having finished their reconnaissance, also entered the village.

The two shook their heads at Jiraiya at the same time.

There was nothing unusual in the surrounding area.

Kushina was the last to enter the village.

"What... is this?!"

Looking at the severed hands and feet, as well as the corpses sliced apart by blades,

Kushina's pupils trembled. Covering her mouth, she ran to a corner of the village and began to vomit.

Though she had killed Ninja before, the enemy Ninja had completely vanished beneath a single Tailed Beast Bomb. Kushina had never truly felt it.

This was the first time she had seen such horrific corpses. She could not suppress her body's instinctive reaction.

Minato Namikaze's face also turned several shades paler, and the smile he always wore vanished. His situation was much the same as Kushina's. He had not even truly killed an enemy before; he was simply not as overwhelmed as she was.

Jiraiya could not help glancing at Uchiha Jin.

Uchiha Jin's reaction made him uneasy.

Jin's expression did not change in the slightest. He still wore that somewhat flippant look as he used a kunai to probe the wounds on the corpses.

"Kunai, Shuriken, and some blade wounds. There's no damage from any Ninjutsu."

Uchiha really were a bunch of freaks.

Jiraiya muttered to himself.

There were not many Genin seeing such a gruesome scene for the first time who could remain as calm as Jin, much less investigate the traces.

That was the kind of thing only experienced Ninja would do.

Jin had no idea Jiraiya was criticizing him internally. He turned and entered one of the villagers' homes.

After searching inside, he came back out.

"A large amount of valuables was taken from the village."

Jin emerged and relayed the information from inside to Jiraiya.

Jiraiya shook his head regretfully. There was no way to tell who had done it.

This was not merely an issue involving Iwagakure Ninja. Long Ninja Village, Kusagakure, and even Sunagakure might have come here to plunder.

Not to mention the Rogue Ninja scattered everywhere.

Life was hard for villages on the border.

Only then did Kushina start to feel a little better, though she no longer had her initial boundless energy.

Minato Namikaze sighed and was about to gather the bodies.

"Wait, Minato!" Jiraiya hurriedly stopped him.

Minato Namikaze halted, looking at Jiraiya in confusion.

Jiraiya looked at Minato Namikaze seriously. "Never turn over anyone's corpse on a battlefield."

No one knew whether there might be an Explosive Tag hidden beneath a body.

Even Jin had only slightly moved some clothing. He had focused more on the wounds and had not moved the corpses.

Minato Namikaze sighed and stood up.

"War really is cruel."

"This doesn't even count as war yet."

Jin rejected Minato Namikaze's statement. It was still that damn so-called time of peace; the situation had merely grown tense.

Yet no fewer people were dying. The ones suffering most were these civilians.

Most Ninja did not consider civilians from other countries to be people at all.

A faint sound rang out.

The three of them looked toward the village well at the same time.

Kushina followed the others' gazes.

A faint noise came from within the well, its rim marked by the scars of time. If one did not listen carefully, they might mistake it for the sound of insects.

Jiraiya walked to the well, took out a kunai, and placed its sharp end over the opening. Using the reflected light, he saw the figure of a young girl inside.

"She's a civilian."

Only then did Jiraiya lean over and look inside.

The girl in the well had submerged her entire body in the water, only sticking her head out to breathe. The instant she saw someone peering down from above, she ducked back under. But when she saw Jiraiya's forehead protector through the clear water, she surfaced again.

She stretched out a hand.

"Save me!"

Jiraiya's hair rapidly lengthened, wrapping around the girl and lifting her out.

Once she reached the ground, the girl was soaked through. Curled up beside the well, she shivered uncontrollably.

Staying in well water was no easy thing, especially in such cold weather.

They gathered a pile of firewood and ignited it with Fire Release. As the flames rose, the girl gradually felt better.

After the girl had rested for a while,

Jiraiya finally spoke.

"What happened here?"

The girl looked up at Jiraiya, fear filling her eyes.

"Three Iwagakure Ninja suddenly attacked the village. They killed everyone they saw."

Thinking of their brutality, the girl trembled even harder, her voice choked with tears.

"Why did Konoha only send people now?"

Jiraiya could only answer heavily.

"I'm sorry."

All he could do was apologize. Even if Konoha Ninja had truly been here, they might not have been able to protect the village.

Killing enemies was far more important than protecting this village.

They were merely Ninja, not the Daimyo's soldiers. They would not risk their lives for another village.

"I want revenge!" The girl looked at them. Though her eyes were blurred with tears, blazing flames reflected in her pupils, carrying bone-deep hatred.

"If you want revenge, prepare two hundred thousand ryo and post a mission in Konoha," Jin said coldly from the side.

"I don't have money." The girl lowered her head. Even when the village still existed, they could not have scraped together two hundred thousand ryo.

"Then I'm afraid there's nothing we can do."

The other three showed sympathy, but none of them stopped Jin.

It was cruel, but it was the truth.

"You shouldn't..."

"We have no responsibility to selflessly devote ourselves to everyone in the Land of Fire. Ninja act for payment."

Jin interrupted the girl before she could try to guilt them.

"If I decide that you are interfering with our mission,"

"I'll kill you."

Jin showed neither killing intent nor bloodlust. He was merely stating it flatly, yet the girl felt that even the fire before her could no longer warm her.

"Please, as long as you help me get revenge, I'll do anything."

The girl could only beg in a lowly voice.

Jin wanted to say more, but Minato Namikaze and Kushina grabbed him together, stopping him from continuing.

Jin did not care. All three turned their eyes toward Jiraiya.

"I'm sorry." Jiraiya apologized once again.

They could not do anything for the girl.

Under the firelight, the girl's face seemed twisted.

The three said nothing more and simply left in silence.

Their mission came first. None of the three were the kind to act on impulse, so they could not set aside time specifically to escort the girl. Even Kushina, who had a bit of a temper, did not say anything.

She understood what mattered.

They could not escort the girl somewhere safe, much less take her to an outpost. The border outposts were all hidden, and even Ninja would not find them easily.

Taking the girl there risked exposing it.

At a time like this, they could not afford even the slightest exposure.

They leaped through the forest.

"You're far too heartless, Uchiha Jin."

For once, Kushina seriously used Jin's full name. Her expression was more solemn than ever. She truly understood what mattered, and she understood the choice they had to make.

But the girl's experience could not help reminding her of the past. Her own clan had been reduced to just her as well.

"Kushina, not letting emotions rule you is one of the Ninja rules."

Though Minato Namikaze also did not agree with Jin's words, he did not think Jin had done anything wrong.

"Shut up!" Kushina sharply cut Minato Namikaze off.

All three of them stopped.

Kushina looked at Jin, waiting for his answer.

Jiraiya stood at the highest point, watching his students argue without choosing to intervene.

Jin rubbed his chin with an indifferent look, making Kushina's anger flare up. But this time, she did not explode. She simply waited for his answer.

After considering for a moment, Jin slowly spoke.

"Ninja are tools by nature. They do not need emotions or thought. They are the most tragic product of an era pushed forward by history."

"Uzumaki Kushina... are you truly qualified to be a Ninja?"

Jin answered Kushina with a question instead.

"Ninja are not what you say they are!!"

"But that's the truth!"

"Absolutely not!! I'll prove it to you!!"

Kushina absolutely refused to accept Uchiha Jin's view. How could Ninja be nothing but tragic tools? That was not the path of Ninja she believed in.

"But that is what Ninja are."

Jin smiled as he looked at Kushina.

Minato Namikaze silently watched Jin. It was the first time he had seen Jin smile so falsely, a smile filled with malice.

Boom!!

Kushina punched a tree, and the tremendous force snapped it in half.

Thanks to Lord Xianzhan and Lord Danganronpa for the monthly tickets.