In the hall, the wine in the cups was still warm.
The table was laden with chicken and duck, most of it untouched, steam still curling upward.
Yet the floor was a complete mess. Seventeen headless corpses lay sprawled across it, and the air reeked heavily of blood.
"Everything's taken care of. These missions are seriously boring... Holy shit, Katsuki, how are you already eating?" Otoha turned around and saw Katsuki sitting at the table, stuffing his face.
"Mmph..." Katsuki forced down the chicken leg in his mouth, crunching even the bone to bits. "Why not eat? No one's touched this stuff."
As he spoke, he tore apart the fat goose on the table and kept eating.
"What the hell? You just cut off seventeen heads, and you can still eat?" Otoha's mouth twitched. Damn it, how could anyone eat while sitting in a pile of corpses?
"Tch!"
Katsuki could not be bothered to answer and simply continued eating and drinking.
Over the past month, under Sakumo's guidance, Katsuki had completely changed his mindset. Killing was no longer something that burdened him. This world was simply a damned world. He lacked the ability to change it, so he could only adapt to it, because he did not want to die.
The moment one became a ninja, one had already stepped halfway through the gates of hell. If he died one day, there would be nothing strange about it.
Ninjas could resort to any means necessary to survive, but they could not fear death. The more one feared death, the faster one died. Those who feared death lacked the courage and ruthlessness to risk everything in a fight, so naturally, they would be the ones to die.
That was what Sakumo had told him. It was the way ninjas survived. Or rather, it was not limited to ninjas. In these chaotic times, those who feared no death and dared to gamble their lives often lived longer instead.
They had not always carried out missions alone. On several occasions, they had worked with other squads to surround and eliminate Rain Ninja spies. Katsuki had seen Konoha ninjas, with victory already in hand, toy with those spies. They used Wind Release to slice the unfortunate men into pieces like chickens and ducks awaiting slaughter, all while wearing teasing smiles, as though it were entertainment.
The kindness in Katsuki's heart had not been so easy to sever. Once, he had pleaded with the chunin leading the team to give those spies a quick death.
"Kid, you really are kindhearted. Unfortunately, your kindness is destined to bring you no reward." The chunin pointed at the Rain Ninja spies gasping on the ground. "Look. Their eyes hold nothing but hatred and killing intent. That is what we ninjas are—living amid the hatred of others."
In the end, the chunin had agreed to Katsuki's request and granted those poor wretches a quick death.
But those scenes had shaken Katsuki to his core. Nothing like them had existed in the memories of his previous life. Beneath all that passion lay such coldness. He cut away the last trace of naive fantasy in his heart and silently recited those two sentences once more.
If I do not kill others, others will kill me.
The change brought by his transformation of heart was immense. Killing was no longer something he needed to deliberate over. Those who should die, died. There was no need for mercy. The faint stiffness and unease were completely gone, and the short blade in his hand grew ever more nimble. For once, Sakumo did not reprimand him.
The difference between having a teacher and having none was truly enormous. After Sakumo met Katsuki and examined his training progress, he began teaching him techniques for using a blade. He had even directly procured a short sword for him. It was nothing valuable, but Sakumo had said then that once Katsuki truly became a ninja, he would give him a chakra blade.
Over the course of these missions, Katsuki had used that short sword to cut off a pile of heads. At least fifty or sixty lives had fallen by his hand.
"But it's really great. Konoha's White Fang is actually your teacher. You really kept that well hidden, kid." Otoha looked at Katsuki with open envy.
This was Konoha's White Fang. Who knew how many people had desperately wanted to become his disciple, including descendants of great clans? To the younger generation, this living legend was universally revered. Otoha was one of White Fang's most fervent admirers.
"Hah, what are you two envying me for? Who knows how many people would kill to be born into the Uchiha or Hyuga clans?" Katsuki snorted.
Hearing that, both Otoha and Tenzan showed faintly pleased smiles.
It was not that they harbored any other thoughts. Being happy when others praised their clan's bloodline limit was perfectly normal.
Neither of them dwelled much on Katsuki being White Fang's disciple. After all, what suited oneself was best. The Uchiha had their own fighting methods, and White Fang might not necessarily be able to help him develop the Sharingan. As for the Hyuga, there was even less to say—outsiders simply could not teach the Gentle Fist.
The three of them laughed and chatted amid a house full of corpses, and the atmosphere was remarkably cheerful.
They did not know that three people outside were watching them.
"These kids are really ruthless!" Jiraiya let out a breath as he looked at the blood flowing through the gap beneath the door.
"Hmph, Jiraiya, it is time you put away your naivety. Being a ninja is not charity work. We kill for a living. That boy is much cleaner about it than that little girl." Orochimaru coldly rebuked Jiraiya, a trace of regret flashing through his yellow-brown snake eyes.
Senior Sakumo had acted far too quickly. That little fellow was outstanding in both talent and aptitude, and his disposition was decisive and ruthless as well. Orochimaru had truly taken a liking to him, but unfortunately, the flower already had an owner.
Tsunade remained silent, only knitting her brows almost imperceptibly. She had not expected the little boy who seemed rather shy and hid behind Kushina to be so ruthless. He showed no timidity when killing, and he remained perfectly at ease while sitting amid this heap of corpses. He was truly... formidable!
To fulfill Hiruzen's instructions, they had spent a whole month running about after Kushina and Katsuki, to the point where their legs were nearly lame. To avoid being detected by Kushina's Mind's Eye of the Kagura and Hyuga Tenzan's Byakugan, they had gone to great lengths, even specifically learning barrier-type ninjutsu to block detection.
"Let's go. They're about to come out." Tsunade waved her hand, and all three of them vanished in an instant.
After enjoying a free meal, Katsuki wiped the grease from his mouth. He, Otoha, and Tenzan took the heads and left. They did not linger in the marketplace, instead hurrying back to the main camp to turn in their mission.
Konoha Ninja Main Camp, Merit Registration Office.
Katsuki and the others handed over the heads and completed their mission, successfully leaving a record in the merit ledger. Once the war ended, or at some later time, they would receive rewards such as money or ninjutsu.
The money was certainly tempting, but ninjutsu was what everyone truly wanted. Among the nearly ten thousand Konoha ninjas, far too few had clans or teachers. Ninjutsu was monopolized by the upper classes, and ordinary people could not obtain it at all. Only by rendering great service or participating in major battles could one be awarded ninjutsu. This was also how the major villages encouraged their ninjas to fight bravely and kill enemies.
"Katsuki, Lord Sakumo wants to see you."
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