The dense forest in the southern part of the Land of Fire, twenty kilometers from the southern base.
Several figures streaked between towering trees, swift as lightning.
Aside from its shinobi, the most striking feature of the Naruto world was its lush vegetation, which was nearly perfect.
Trees dozens of meters tall were everywhere. Standing atop one, a person looked no different from a tiny bird.
That was why this planet had developed Chakra, the force of life, to a degree that astonished even the Otsutsuki.
"Lord Kyosuke!"
"I know."
They exchanged a few discreet hand signals. The group seemed calm, but they were already on guard.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
A hail of Shuriken came out of nowhere. This was already the seventh attack since they had set out.
As one of the Uchiha Three Geniuses, Kyosuke had a hefty bounty on his head, naturally attracting the interest of many hunters.
However, they had badly underestimated the boy's strength—and that of the guards at his side.
Before he left, Madara had quietly given him a gift.
After learning that Kyosuke had been appointed Unit Captain, the Dance King had worried that he might struggle to command respect. So he had simply selected his two best guards and assigned them to Kyosuke.
The man was named Uchiha Izumi, and his strength had reached the peak of elite Chunin.
He excelled at Fire Release Ninjutsu and was also formidable in close combat.
The woman was named Uchiha Maya, and she had only just advanced to the elite Chunin ranks.
She excelled at Genjutsu and Medical Ninjutsu, and was also quite good at taking care of people.
Madara-sama had given him a truly generous gift.
With their help, even if no one else was willing to join him, Kyosuke could still hold on to his title as Unit Captain.
In the forest, three pairs of Sharingan activated at once, easily dodging the dense volley of Shuriken.
Bringing his hands together, Uchiha Izumi opened his mouth and spewed a scorching blaze.
Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!
The powerful Fire Release Ninjutsu immediately forced the hidden enemies into the open.
Seizing his chance, Kyosuke drew his short blade and sent several Shuriken flying with a backhand, forcing his foes onto the defensive.
By the time they reacted, his blade was already at their throats.
Blood sprayed as Kyosuke killed one enemy in a single strike.
"Did they really think they could take my head with skills like that?" The boy glanced at the paltry points he had earned and shook his head with a sigh.
Compared to an elite Jonin, these rogue Genin really were worth next to nothing.
Still, even a small payout was points. If he could earn them, he wasn't going to waste the opportunity.
With the frugal mindset of a thrifty homemaker, Kyosuke turned and charged at the second enemy.
His blade fell, and another 40 points went straight into his account.
His swordsmanship was good, and his Two Tomoe Sharingan let him read a Genin's movements perfectly.
In his fights now, Kyosuke either killed his opponent instantly or found himself in a desperate struggle.
A few worthless bounty hunters like these weren't enough to push him into a hard-fought battle.
Before long, the sudden skirmish was over. Kyosuke had killed three men and earned a little over 120 points.
"The attacks are getting more frequent," Maya remarked.
"Maybe they're afraid we'll slip away," Uchiha Izumi said coldly. "A bunch of fools. Lord Kyosuke killed an elite Jonin from the Nara Clan. They're no match for him."
"People will die for money." Kyosuke shook his head and resumed the journey to the southern legion.
Everyone outside was talking about his remarkable feat of cutting down two elite Jonin.
In truth, only Kyosuke knew how much of the story was exaggerated.
The elite Jonin from the Yamanaka Clan had been killed by a freak accident caused by his clan's secret technique.
As for the Nara Clan, the man's dying counterattack had nearly taken both Kyosuke and Madara with him.
With his Two Tomoe Sharingan and Body Flicker Technique, Kyosuke could currently take on an elite Chunin-level opponent, provided he was willing to pay any price.
Against an elite Jonin, even escaping would be a pipe dream.
Outsiders could be ignorant of the truth, but he had to know his own limits.
Fortunately, Kyosuke had never been the blindly arrogant sort.
He had already made up his mind. Once his squad reached the southern legion, he would immediately start carrying out missions at a furious pace.
He would build up merit and rake in points, then find a way to recruit subordinates once he was strong enough.
Uchiha Tajima had played dirty with him. Kyosuke would show him what it meant to try to steal a chicken and end up losing the rice used to lure it.
The following afternoon, the squad finally reached its base after hurrying all the way there.
After their identities were checked, the three entered the military camp without trouble.
"You two go get some rest." As Unit Captain, Kyosuke had the authority to set aside a camp area of his own.
The other shinobi all shared a tent, while they could sleep however they liked.
Once his subordinates had left, Kyosuke straightened his clothes and headed alone to the southern legion commander's tent.
But halfway there, several clan members suddenly blocked his path.
"Legion Commander-sama is in a meeting." The man's voice wasn't loud, but it still drew the attention of a number of people.
Kyosuke frowned slightly and patiently took out his proof of appointment.
As a newly appointed Unit Captain, he had the right to meet Uchiha Rei at any time.
He had just returned to the camp, so it was understandable that someone might not recognize him.
"Hm?" The man frowned and examined the document closely. Just as he thought the matter would end there, the man abruptly flung the appointment document back at him.
"I told you, Lord Rei is in a meeting. I don't care who you are."
The man's attitude was truly arrogant. Kyosuke might have been young, but his rank as Unit Captain was indisputable.
His actions already amounted to insulting a superior.
"My appointment couldn't have gone unnoticed by the legion."
"Uchiha Rei is cunning. He must see through Tajima's vile intentions."
"In other words, this man is clearly targeting me."
He was one of Uchiha Tajima's men!
Having figured that out, Kyosuke's gaze gradually grew calm.
Under the surrounding gazes—some sympathetic, others mocking—he slowly began forming hand seals.
"What's he doing?"
"No way. Is he planning to attack someone in camp?!"
"Does he have a death wish?!"
"What should we do? Should we stop him?"
"Are you stupid? Can't you see what's going on?"
His actions sent the crowd into an uproar.
The most shocked person of all was the man standing in front of Kyosuke.
He really was one of Uchiha Tajima's men, but today's actions had been entirely his own idea.
The clan head wanted to stifle Kyosuke's advancement, so as a subordinate, he naturally had to find a way to make that happen.
In the man's view, humiliating Kyosuke in public would undermine his confidence and, at the same time, crush his standing.
It was the perfect two-for-one.
But he had never imagined that an eight-year-old boy would attack him in front of everyone.
"Insulting a superior is punishable by death!"
In the Naruto world, the chain of command was clear.
Especially during the Warring States Period, insulting a superior was grounds for killing the offender on the spot.
And that was exactly what Kyosuke was doing.
The hand seals ended, and the Shisui Style Body Flicker Technique activated in an instant.
A streak of light flashed. In the blink of an eye, Kyosuke appeared behind the man.
"You—" Clutching his gushing neck, the man collapsed to the ground, his face filled with regret.
The entire crowd fell silent!
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