Night fell.
Liuyun followed Orochimaru and his disciple to an unfamiliar mountainous region.
Their destination was not far from Konoha, but the three of them were not traveling quickly. Liuyun felt as though they were deliberately waiting for nightfall.
"Ninja cannot avoid fighting and killing others. Tonight's mission is to wipe out a bandit stronghold..."
Pointing at a brightly lit mountain fortress, Orochimaru plainly explained the mission.
"!!!"
Liuyun was rather shaken. He had not expected... Orochimaru to bring him out tonight to see bloodshed!
"Nawaki, you will carry out tonight's mission alone. Make sure to uproot them completely and leave no survivors."
Orochimaru only had Nawaki carry out the mission alone and showed no intention of forcing Liuyun.
"Yes, Orochimaru-sensei!"
Nawaki nodded respectfully, with little nervousness in his eyes.
He had actually already undergone the trial of blood and had killed someone once before. Receiving another killing mission no longer made him overly nervous.
Any qualified ninja had to undergo the test of bloodshed.
Ninja were synonymous with 'assassins.' Assassins were killers who could not see the light of day. In the Shinobi World, no ninja's hands could remain unstained by blood.
On a moonless, windy night made for murder, Nawaki used the cover of dark clouds to quietly deal with the sentries and hidden guards outside the stronghold.
His blade rose and fell, his killing movements clean and efficient. Before long, under Orochimaru and Liuyun's watchful eyes, he slipped into the mountain fortress.
"Follow me."
After jumping down from the tree, Orochimaru beckoned to Liuyun, who was hiding in the shadows, then strode toward the stronghold first.
Liuyun emerged from the grass and hurried after Orochimaru.
When he arrived at the gates of the stronghold, the crimson covering the ground immediately made his heart jolt.
Bandits and vicious