An Encounter in the Wild

The Land of Hot Springs.

One of the many small countries in the Shinobi World, it has always been a loyal subordinate of the Land of Fire, serving as the front line against the mountain barbarians of the northern Cloud Ninja.

Therefore, the Land of Hot Springs and the Land of Fire have a very close relationship. The Land of Hot Springs its own ninja Yugakure. However, the nobles of the Land of Hot Springs clearly do not have much confidence in their own ninja village. They may entrust some ordinary small tasks to the Soup Ninja, but for important tasks, the nobles still trust the Konoha Ninja more.

For example, protecting one's own safety.

"Master Ninja, we have entered the territory of the Land of Hot Springs."

A guard in black stood in front of the carriage and respectfully reported.

"Just keep going, I'm watching!"

Katsuki waved her hand and put away the scroll on her lap. The caravan was not moving fast. It took them a full ten days to finally leave the land of the Land of Fire and set foot on the territory of the Land of Hot Springs.

In this foreign land, having merely crossed a mountain, the scenery before my eyes has undergone astonishing changes. The dense forests have vanished, and only three or four sparse groves of trees remain on the boundless plains. A straight road cuts through the overgrown fields, stretching into the distance.

"Ugh, we've only just started, why are we here already?" Katsuki patted her forehead. "Hey, you guys in black, watch out, we've got some work to do."

The black-clad guards first looked up at Katsuki blankly, then reacted instantly, drawing their swords and warily surveying the overgrown wilderness.

The guards were all from the Land of Hot Springs. They knew very well how the bandits in their country operated. The waist-high weeds in the wilderness were the best cover for the bandits. They would hide in the weeds on both sides of the road and rush out to rob people when they passed by. This whole process had never changed.

"Hateful!"

A strange noise came from the weeds.

Clearly, the guards' vigilant posture rendered the ambush pointless, and the possibility of a sneak attack had been nipped in the bud. The bandits cried out in frustration.

The grass swayed, and figures emerged one after another.

Wearing tattered clothes and carrying short knives and axes, the bandits varied in height and build, and within seconds, hundreds of them completely blocked the way.

"Listen up, we only want money. Leave your carriages behind and we'll let you go. Otherwise, none of you will leave!" a skinny bandit shouted, brandishing his long knife menacingly and staring wide-eyed at the caravan's guards.

Clearly, these bandits didn't want to start fighting right away. It would be best if they could avoid robbing the carriage, provided that the guards around it didn't seem easy to deal with. If they weren't fewer than a third of the number of guards, these bandits might not have dared to make a move.

"Ninja-sama!"

The head of the guards at the front looked at Katsuki.

"Hmm... Do I have to do it myself? This is such a hassle." Katsuki complained. The black-clad guards were much more elite than this disorganized band of bandits, but the difference in numbers narrowed the gap in strength. Even if they could win, they would pay a considerable price.

Therefore, we still need to go to Katsuki, since they have already been paid.

"Lightning bolt gun".

A silver-white thunder javelin was hurled, piercing the skinny thief's chest, knocking over a dozen men behind him, and then pinning him to the ground.

No one saw clearly what happened; in the blink of an eye, they saw the skinny thief fall, a javelin crackling with lightning embedded in his chest, his eyes wide open, glaring angrily, and he died without ever realizing what had happened.

"Ninja?"

"A ninja? Run!"

"Run! The enemy is a ninja!!"

The bandits fled into the wilderness like a flock of frightened sheep, pushing and shoving each other, showing no brotherhood whatsoever, only desperately trying to escape. They were willing to drag down those in front of them if necessary. The chaos lasted for two or three seconds, and seven or eight more unrecognizable corpses lay on the ground. The remaining bandits then disappeared into the vast wilderness.

A gentle breeze blew by, causing the grass to sway and the stench of blood to fill the air.

The title of ninja is so effective; even a Genin can possess overwhelming power against a group of ordinary people.

It was also because Katsuki wasn't wearing a vest; he was dressed in all black casual clothes, even his Forehead Protector was tucked away, which misled the bandits. Otherwise, unless they were incredibly reckless, most people with brains wouldn't dare to challenge the ninjas. Of course, if the mountain stronghold was starving, no matter who you are, they would still take action.

The guards quickly moved forward to clear the road, and the corpses were thrown directly into the wilderness. There was no need to wait until nightfall; the wild animals in the wilderness would lick the fallen feast clean, leaving no trace.

The caravan began to move forward again. Katsuki sat in the carriage and began to doze off. Accustomed to the fierce battles on the battlefield, such a leisurely mission made him drowsy.

Until an incredibly powerful Chakra surge suddenly appeared in the wilderness.

Who is it?

Katsuki suddenly opened her eyes, squinted, and looked into the distance. Her eyesight instantly became extremely sharp, and her gaze passed over the dense, undulating grass, where she saw a figure slowly walking towards her.

He didn't recognize the middle-aged man in the black robe, and there was nothing on him that could identify him, but... there was a strange sense of déjà Chakra.

"Shadow Clone Technique"

He raised his hand and released a Shadow Clone, which quickly rushed into the wilderness.

"Master Ninja, what's wrong?" the guard leader asked, looking over.

"It's alright, let's keep going."

"······"

Although he didn't believe it at all, the guard leader didn't intend to ask any more questions. There were many eccentric characters among the ninjas, and angering them would have dire consequences.

The Shadow Clone darted swiftly through the waist-high grass, soon spotting the man in black robes. Their eyes met, and the clone was immediately startled. Those round eyes were so unique; no wonder the Chakra seemed familiar...

"Nagato?"

The clone slowed its pace, not approaching rashly, and tentatively asked a question.

"Um."

He responded listlessly, still displaying his usual gloomy and silent temperament.

"······"

The clone stood there speechlessly, unsure of what to do next.

However, the other party soon realized that they couldn't remain silent any longer.

"Um... my main body, Yahiko, Konan are all in the town ahead. We'll find a chance to talk when we get there."

After finishing his dry remarks, the man in black robes turned and left, leaving Katsuki's clone dumbfounded as it watched his departing figure.

"What the hell is this?!"

After grumbling, the clone consciously formed Hand Seals, released the spell, and vanished in a wisp of white smoke.

Meanwhile, Katsuki, sitting atop the carriage, twitched the corner of his eye at just the right moment.