First Mission

Early the next morning, Beichen Haotian arrived at Training Ground 5. He had thought he was already early, but two people were standing on the training ground before him.

One was an ordinary-looking boy in a white shirt, with short black hair and pale white pupils. The other wore a gray shirt, had short light-yellow hair, and a roguish grin on his face.

"Yo, the last member of Team 5 is here. Hello, I'm Wada Tsukasa, and the one beside me is Hyuga Yoichi. No need for you to introduce yourself. You're the famous Beichen Haotian from the Ninja Academy. We'll be partners from now on, so take care of us." The grinning boy spoke brightly, instantly closing the distance between the three of them.

"Mm. We'll be comrades from now on, so we should help each other." Beichen Haotian replied with a faint smile.

"You actually seem pretty easy to get along with. I saw you a few times at the Academy, and you always looked icy, like you wanted strangers to stay away." Wada Tsukasa slapped Beichen Haotian on the shoulder, beaming as though he had discovered a new continent.

"You wouldn't understand, kid. There are too many little brats at the Academy. If you don't put on a cool face, they'll bother you to no end."

"Look at Minato. Wherever that guy goes at the Academy, girls gather around to stare at him. Besides, acting like this gets rid of a lot of trouble. As for how much little girls like me, I'm not much worse than Minato. I've got it way easier, hahaha."

The two exchanged a glance and fell silent. Hyuga Yoichi smiled as well. "I didn't expect you to be this kind of person. Everyone at the Academy was fooled by you."

"Don't say that. You two will get plenty of benefits from being on my team. For one thing, when you're looking for wives in the future, I can introduce you to a whole bunch with my charm."

Even though people in the Naruto world matured early, they were still around ten years old. Mentioning that made both boys blush. After chatting for a while, the unfamiliarity between the three had already vanished.

At that moment, white smoke drifted beside them, and a man wearing a Jonin Vest and black-framed glasses appeared on the training ground.

Pushing up his glasses, the jonin said, "My name is Kitada Junichi. From now on, I'll be the guiding jonin for the three of you, and I'll lead your team. I hope you can work together, value your comrades, and trust your comrades. Only then can you live longer."

"Yes."

"Mm. The situation is tense right now, so we'll keep things simple. There's no time for you to slowly adapt. First, tell me what each of you excels at. Remember to be honest."

"I'll go first," Wada Tsukasa said.

Jonin Kitada Junichi nodded.

"I'm good at Wind Style Ninjutsu and Shuriken. My Taijutsu is decent too."

"Next."

"I don't have much to say. Like most people from the Hyuga Clan, I'm good at reconnaissance and Taijutsu."

"Next."

"I'm good with a sword. My swordsmanship is damn good, my Taijutsu is also excellent, and I know some Lightning Style Ninjutsu. I propose that whenever Sensei isn't around, I'll be the squad leader." Beichen Haotian said with a smile.

The other three faces darkened. Wasn't he a little too arrogant? He was appointing himself to a minor post?

"Hey, Haotian, you might be a genius, but you can't look down on the two of us like that." Wada Tsukasa protested indignantly.

"Then stop talking. If you can fight, don't waste your breath. Both of you come at me together. If I beat you, you won't have any objections, right?"

"Damn, that's way too arrogant. Yoichi, what do you think?"

"Beat him." Those two simple words represented Hyuga Yoichi's attitude. At an age full of youthful vigor, backing down? Impossible. Young people would never back down.

"What do you think, Sensei?" Beichen Haotian turned to ask.

"Fine. A little more time won't hurt, and getting a full understanding of your abilities will help with future missions." Kitada Junichi considered it briefly before nodding.

At his words, Hyuga Yoichi and Wada Tsukasa shifted their positions and surrounded Beichen Haotian. Beichen Haotian drew his one-meter Ninja Sword. The moment his hand gripped the blade, his aura changed abruptly. He was no longer a harmless-looking boy, but seemed to become an incomparably savage beast. The oppressive aura made cold sweat bead on their foreheads.

The guiding jonin watching from the side was deeply shocked. He had assumed it would be nothing more than a childish game, but Beichen Haotian possessed such an imposing presence. He had only seen a similar aura on one person before: Konoha White Fang.

Unable to bear Beichen Haotian's aura, Wada Tsukasa launched the first attack. Three Kunai appeared between his fingers and flew toward Beichen Haotian in a triangular formation. At the same time, Hyuga Yoichi rushed forward, veins bulging around the corners of his eyes and giving him a somewhat ferocious appearance.

Beichen Haotian ignored the Kunai flying at his back. He could not afford to take a hit from the Hyuga Clan's Gentle Fist. One strike would greatly weaken an ordinary ninja's combat power. He had to defeat them with an absolute advantage and establish his unquestionable leadership within the team. That would save him plenty of trouble on future missions.

Shave!

Beichen Haotian's body suddenly vanished from the training ground. He then appeared at Hyuga Yoichi's side and kicked out. Even though Hyuga Yoichi saw it, his body could not react in time. With a dull thud, Hyuga Yoichi was sent flying.

Then, with a flash of blade light, the three Kunai were instantly knocked away. Beichen Haotian vanished from where he stood once more. Wada Tsukasa's pupils contracted sharply as he tried to form Hand Seals for the Substitution Technique, but before he could complete the final seal, he too was kicked flying.

It sounded like a long exchange, but it all happened in an instant. The battle between the three ended in one or two breaths. Yet the jonin observing from the side felt stormy waves rise in his heart. Taijutsu body flicker... This kid's Taijutsu attainments and physical strength were truly formidable.

"You lost." Beichen Haotian sheathed his sword and spoke calmly. As a Great Swordmaster, defeating two inexperienced rookies was hardly something to be happy about.

The two were not like Obito, Naruto, or Kiba Inuzuka, who would keep shouting after losing. A loss was a loss, and they accepted it cleanly.

"Alright, your spar is over. Follow your agreement. Wada, if you hadn't tried to form Hand Seals at the end and had fought with Kunai instead, you might have had a chance." Kitada Junichi spoke, offering Wada Tsukasa some guidance in passing.

"Let's go. We're heading out on a mission. I've already accepted it, and the mission location isn't far from Konoha."

"Sensei, what mission is it?" Beichen Haotian asked.

"A small mission, meant to help you get used to things. We're just wiping out a bandit gang. Their leader is a Rogue Chunin, and he's even weaker than an ordinary Chunin. I'll hold him off first. Once you've eliminated the bandits, the three of you will join forces and fight him. Remember not to let your guard down."

"Yes." The three nodded in agreement.

It was their first time leaving Konoha, and the three were excited for a while before quickly sinking into the tedium of travel.

The four arrived at a mountain with an excellent location, adjoining three small towns. It was overgrown with thorny brush and littered with jagged rocks, while its mountain paths were narrow. For ordinary town guard units, it was extremely difficult to clear out.

The four strode straight up the mountain, casually killing several bandits along the way. Beichen Haotian did all the killing, nearly making the two rookies vomit. Fortunately, ninjas adapted quickly, and they should fare much better in a real fight.

How could an ordinary bandit stronghold stop ninjas? With a single leap, the four reached the gate. The jonin merely watched while the three of them acted.

There were four bandits on the gate. After Beichen Haotian killed two by himself, he jumped into the stronghold. In the One Piece World, Beichen Haotian had killed far too many people and was long used to it. As a Great Swordmaster, a single slash could leave severed limbs everywhere and blood flowing like rivers. This was nothing!

The commotion at the gate naturally alerted the bandits inside. Several dozen rushed toward the three, while Kitada Junichi intercepted the Rogue Ninja.

Wind Style: Wind Blade Technique.

Wada Tsukasa rapidly formed Hand Seals, and transparent wind blades tore through the air toward the bandits. Several bandits cried out miserably as their bodies were nearly cut in two, blood pouring out in streams. The ones who had not yet died crawled across the ground, wailing as they reached for their own bodies. This horrifying scene immediately terrified the bandits, as well as Hyuga Yoichi and Wada Tsukasa himself.

"What are you standing around for? Get in there! Any bandits sent against us on missions deserve what they get!" Beichen Haotian roared before charging into the bandit crowd.

Like a tiger entering a pack of wolves, Beichen Haotian wielded his one-meter Tang Saber to the fullest. Every strike drew blood. As his ruthless yet exquisite swordsmanship unfolded, a grim, murderous aura enveloped him. Blade light flashed, and how could these bandits, only slightly stronger than ordinary civilians, possibly stop him? Ninjas and non-ninjas belonged to entirely different worlds. Even without Shave, his own speed made it difficult for the bandits to even touch him.

After Beichen Haotian's reminder, the two finally came to their senses, but he had already killed four bandits. They then joined the slaughter. Wada Tsukasa used Kunai, Shuriken, and the Substitution Technique in coordination, fighting with ease. Hyuga Yoichi activated his Byakugan, gaining nearly three hundred and sixty degrees of vision. Combined with the Gentle Fist, one punch either killed an enemy or robbed them of their ability to fight.

Several dozen bandits were all knocked to the ground by the three in less than a quarter of an hour. Wada Tsukasa was the most bedraggled, his body covered in blood, though it was all the bandits' blood. Hyuga Yoichi used the Gentle Fist Style and did not get a drop on himself. Beichen Haotian was likewise spotless. That was simply the technique of killing.

Seeing all his subordinates dead or wounded, the Rogue Ninja desperately tried to escape. But how could he possibly flee from a Konoha jonin? The gap was simply too vast. Even risking his life would not help.

"Alright, you three go. He's already used up quite a bit of Chakra. If you still can't take him down like this, go back to the Ninja Academy and start over." With a leap, Kitada Junichi withdrew from the battle and spoke calmly.

The three immediately rushed forward. First, they used Kunai and Shuriken to suppress him and prevent him from forming Hand Seals. Then Beichen Haotian and Hyuga Yoichi closed in, while Wada Tsukasa used Shuriken and Kunai for sneak attacks. Wada Tsukasa was not allowed into close combat because his Taijutsu had not yet reached the Chunin level.

As for Beichen Haotian, there was no need to say more. He was confident that, even without Chakra, his swordsmanship would not be inferior to any Taijutsu expert. Hyuga Yoichi, as a ninja of the Hyuga Clan, was a natural Taijutsu ninja, and his level already rivaled that of a Chunin.

Under the three's cooperation, the Rogue Ninja had no chance to form Hand Seals and was relentlessly pinned down. After holding out for the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Beichen Haotian caught an opening and slashed him across the shoulder, leaving a wound deep enough to expose bone. Hyuga Yoichi followed with a palm strike, and Wada Tsukasa added a Kunai. He died on the spot.

Their first mission was completed perfectly, easily and without the slightest pressure. To be honest, Beichen Haotian had not even fought enough yet! The other two were not so relaxed. They were only ten years old, after all, and once the battle ended, they were exhausted.