"Everything in this world has a purpose. On the surface, this gang of bandits seems to have a clear goal: seizing the mines on Fujiwara Mountain. But they have no way to smelt the ore, nor any way to transport it out. It's nothing but useless rock, and they're risking their lives to make an enemy of the Uchiha Clan for it. Tell me... are there really bandits this stupid in the world?" Shin rested his chin on his hand, the corners of his mouth lifting in an inscrutable smile.
Uchiha Tadashi was at a loss for words. He realized that this child wasn't just a monstrous talent in terms of strength; his intelligence was far beyond ordinary as well.
At least, Tadashi hadn't noticed anything wrong with this gang of bandits all this time. Now that Shin had pointed it out, and he thought about it carefully, the bandits really didn't seem interested in the ore. They merely ambushed the transport caravans and blocked the trade routes, showing little concern for the minerals themselves.
"So what are these bandits after?"
Uchiha Tadashi now truly put himself in a much lower position. At first, he'd shown respect because of Shin's demonstrated strength and Three-Tomoe Sharingan. Now he was completely awed by him, in both strength and intellect.
"When something unusual happens, there's always something behind it. No one goes looking for death, especially a bunch of desperadoes. They value their lives more than ordinary people, and they're smarter than most people give them credit for..."
Shin narrowed his eyes. Whenever he was thinking about something crucial, he unconsciously made that expression.
"Someone's fishing." Shin spoke softly.
"What?"
"What a classic ploy to draw the snake out of its hole. Heh, now I'm curious to meet the person pulling the strings behind these bandits." Shin looked at the map, a flicker of excitement in his eyes. He was more interested in this mission now.
"My lord, are you saying someone is behind these bandits?" Uchiha Tadashi exclaimed, unable to believe it. This place wasn't far from the Uchiha Clan Compound. Who would dare scheme here? It was practically like pulling a tooth from a tiger's mouth.
Shin chuckled and didn't answer. Instead, he said, "It's getting dark. Perfect time for killing and arson. Go out and scout around. I expect those bandits will start moving once they hear I've arrived. If you spot them, don't come straight back to report to me. Go!"
He gave the orders naturally, without a hint of condescension, as if he were instructing his own subordinates.
Uchiha Tadashi and the other four Genin exchanged glances, but none of them thought anything of it. That was simply how the world worked: the strong commanded the weak. It was only natural.
"Oh, and remember to carry that idiot who passed out outside. Seeing his face is giving me a headache." As they stood to leave, Shin added one last instruction.
Once everyone had left, the room fell quiet. Shin opened the door to the inner room, lay down on the bed, and closed his eyes in thought.
After a while, he stepped outside and rolled up the long robe unique to the Uchiha Clan, exposing both arms. Two scrolls were tightly wrapped around them. They were Ninja Tool Sealing Scrolls, which used a special Sealing Technique to store things like Kunai and shuriken. They were very convenient to use.
They were the same kind of scroll as the one Senju Hashirama would carry in a later era, and the ones Tenten would use decades later. The only difference was that his was a custom-made miniature version, capable of storing only small ninja tools like Kunai and shuriken. Anything bigger wouldn't fit.
He suddenly flicked his right hand, and countless Kunai inscribed with markings appeared out of nowhere, scattering around him. Some landed in the grass, while others embedded themselves in tree trunks. Once he'd finished setting everything up, he returned to the house. After a moment's thought, he placed another Kunai inside, then quietly waited for the others to return.
He'd always believed that it was better to be safe than sorry. The more he prepared in advance, the better his chances of surviving in this world.
He didn't have to wait long before Uchiha Tadashi and the others returned. Tadashi reported at once, "They've appeared, over by the Raw Stone Cave. About thirty of them..."
Shin stood up. "Point out the Raw Stone Cave on the map!"
Uchiha Tadashi pointed to a spot on the map. Shin committed it to memory. "Wait here for me!"
Before the words had left his mouth, he turned into a black shadow and shot away, leaping off a tree trunk before disappearing into the night.
Guided by his memory, Shin sped toward the Raw Stone Cave. At his speed, he arrived in no time. Taking cover behind a tree trunk, he watched the cave. The night was too dark to see much, so he activated his Sharingan.
A faint smell of blood drifted from the mine. Amid the noise, three dozen bandits guarded two carts of rough ore as they hauled them out of the mine, hitched them to horses, and headed into the distance.
Shin watched in silence without intervening. So they really are targeting me? These bandits never attacked the mines before, yet they pull this stunt as soon as I arrive. They're acting far too hastily. And that ore hasn't even been sorted; a third of it is just ordinary rock. If they were after the ore, they'd be incredibly incompetent. Still, this works out nicely. Let's see who's plotting against me.
Knowing something was wrong, Shin still followed the bandits from a distance. He had already placed Flying Thunder God markings nearby. As long as he stayed within ten miles, he was confident he could get away under any circumstances.
The cart rattled along a bumpy mountain trail. After about an hour, it reached the outskirts of a stockade. The timber around the perimeter still held moisture, so it was clear the stockade had only recently been built.
The bandits entered the stockade and carelessly dumped the ore on the ground. No one came to deal with it.
"Ding! Mission issued: eliminate the bandits and draw out the mastermind. Success reward: 1,000 points. Failure: deduct the corresponding number of points. If you lack sufficient points, you will be erased!"
The system's voice suddenly sounded in his ear. Shin curled his lip and cursed under his breath. "What a meddlesome system." He'd wanted to observe for a while longer, but he didn't have any spare points to lose. He had no choice but to act now.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
He opened with the Uchiha Clan's classic signature technique, sending a huge ball of fire hurtling toward the thirty-some bandits.
Boom!
All the bandits were caught in the blast except for the two leaders, who leaped out of the way at the last possible moment.
"Enemy attack! We're under attack! Somebody, help... Ah..."
Shin pulled the Kunai from the man's back and said coolly, "You'd be better off thinking about how to save your own life than wasting time calling for help."
A crowd came rushing out. Shin estimated there were a little over a hundred people. They charged out holding rusty steel blades, most of them dressed in ragged clothes.
Shin couldn't help but look surprised. "They're real bandits?"
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