First Blood

Second update!

Wu Yue's contract was signed successfully. He'll be releasing four chapters today! If you're enjoying the story, Wu Yue humbly asks for some tips!

While you're at it, please click, recommend, and bookmark!

Many thanks~

"Ugh. I'd better not go pick a fight with Kushina Uzumaki!"

With Kushina Uzumaki's cold expression appearing in his mind, Uchiha Yue let out a deep sigh and decided to keep all his questions to himself.

After all, Uchiha Yue and Kushina Uzumaki had a very distant relationship. Even if he really asked her something, there was a good chance she wouldn't answer. What was more, she might take the opportunity to mock him. Though Uchiha Yue was unwilling to make an issue of it for Minato Namikaze's sake, Kushina Uzumaki might still start an argument.

If he wanted to complete all the missions in peace, Uchiha Yue figured it was best not to provoke Kushina Uzumaki.

Then, as Uchiha Yue shifted his gaze to the mission list, a note of approval appeared in his eyes.

It had to be said that Kushina Uzumaki, a Konoha jonin, was quite capable. At least, the missions she'd taken on would greatly benefit Uchiha Yue and Hatake Kakashi's growth. The two of them had graduated from the Ninja Academy only recently. Their theoretical knowledge was extensive; what they lacked was actual combat experience.

Most of the missions Kushina Uzumaki had taken were combat missions, and the opponents they would face were well suited to Uchiha Yue and Hatake Kakashi's training. That was why Minato Namikaze had made a point of telling Uchiha Yue that Kushina Uzumaki had a reason for accepting these C-rank missions. She hadn't taken them just to give him a hard time.

However, as Uchiha Yue's gaze fell on the first mission he had to complete, his pupils suddenly contracted.

The first mission on the list was to wipe out the Gale Bandit Group!

"The Gale Bandit Group..."

Uchiha Yue stared at the mission details, his expression grave as he murmured the name.

It seemed Minato Namikaze had heard him. He came over to Uchiha Yue's side and said with a smile, "You noticed, Yue! That's right. Our first mission is to wipe out the Gale Bandit Group. Don't feel pressured when we carry it out. Even if those guys are strong, Kushina and I will be there!"

"Mm, I know."

As Minato Namikaze spoke, Uchiha Yue smiled at him, then recalled what he knew about the Gale Bandit Group.

Clearly, they weren't easy opponents—that was why Uchiha Yue took the mission so seriously. Still, just as Minato Namikaze had said, with two jonin, Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, there was no need for Uchiha Yue and Hatake Kakashi to worry. As long as they performed as they normally did, they would be safe.

But Uchiha Yue hadn't taken these C-rank missions to accompany Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki on a sightseeing trip.

He had taken them to improve his strength. So whenever he studied a mission, he assessed its difficulty based on his own abilities. The first mission he had to complete was undoubtedly very difficult, which was why his expression had been so grave.

The Gale Bandit Group was a notorious bandit organization in the Land of Fire. It was said that an entire ninja squad had been wiped out by them.

The Second Shinobi World War had ended only recently, and even the gangs of bandits in the Land of Fire were rampant. The Gale Bandit Group was one of the strongest among them, and its members were no weaker than ordinary Genin. So if Uchiha Yue and Hatake Kakashi had to rely on just themselves, they wouldn't stand a chance of completing the mission, even if wiping out the Gale Bandit Group was only a C-rank assignment.

Yet as Uchiha Yue recalled the information about the group, his grave expression gave way to a fierce fighting spirit!

That was right. No matter how strong the Gale Bandit Group was, Uchiha Yue saw them as nothing more than stepping-stones on his path to becoming stronger!

And as that fighting spirit filled his eyes, he had already come up with a plan to deal with them.

If possible, Uchiha Yue hoped to wipe out the Gale Bandit Group without Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki stepping in.

Only then could he truly test his strength and see where he stood!

Night fell. Before long, Uchiha Yue and the others arrived at the Gale Bandit Group's base, where the bandits had gathered.

It was clear that the group members were very confident in their own strength. Ordinary bandits committed crimes on the move, afraid that Konoha's ninja might come to wipe them out. But the Gale Bandit Group had set up its base right in the Land of Fire. They clearly weren't afraid of Konoha's ninja. After all, the group had successfully defeated Konoha shinobi before, and that victory had given them the confidence to put down roots in the Land of Fire.

The Gale Bandit Group's members were gathered within four hundred meters of them. Uchiha Yue gripped a kunai tightly in his right hand, ready for battle.

Hatake Kakashi was just as eager to fight. He had also just learned that their enemy was the infamous Gale Bandit Group, and, like Uchiha Yue, he was prepared for battle.

But before the fighting began, Minato Namikaze still had a few things to say, so Uchiha Yue and Hatake Kakashi waited patiently. The most relaxed of them all was Kushina Uzumaki. Confident in her abilities, she didn't think even the Gale Bandit Group could hurt her. So while Minato Namikaze laid out their strategy, Kushina Uzumaki sat nearby with her eyes closed, resting.

Seeing that Kushina Uzumaki was ignoring him, Minato Namikaze smiled awkwardly. Then he said to Uchiha Yue and Hatake Kakashi, "Yue, Kakashi, your mission is to take out the Gale Bandit Group's lookouts. I don't think you'll have any trouble with your abilities. But remember one thing: don't venture deep into enemy territory. It could be dangerous, understand?"

At Minato Namikaze's words, Uchiha Yue nodded solemnly, while Hatake Kakashi gave a careless reply.

Seeing Hatake Kakashi's nonchalant attitude, Minato Namikaze frowned slightly, his opinion of the boy dropping further. Still, he didn't want to undermine Hatake Kakashi's confidence just before the mission began, so he waved to the two of them, telling them to get ready to move out.

And then...

Once Uchiha Yue and Hatake Kakashi were ready, they split up to take out the Gale Bandit Group's lookouts.

Suppressing every trace of his presence and extending his spiritual energy into the surrounding area, Uchiha Yue proceeded very carefully from the moment the mission began. He knew his own abilities well.

He quietly approached one of the Gale Bandit Group's lookouts. The man hadn't noticed him, but Uchiha Yue still didn't attack right away.

As it turned out, Uchiha Yue had made the right choice. The Gale Bandit Group member in front of him was only bait. Two other members were concealed nearby; they were the real targets Uchiha Yue needed to eliminate.

Once he had located all three targets, Uchiha Yue quietly took three kunai from his ninja pouch.

Then, without the slightest hesitation, he threw the kunai at the three members of the Gale Bandit Group. Thanks to his skill at throwing kunai, he didn't miss. The weapons flew straight into the throats of all three men!

"Thud..."

As the three members of the Gale Bandit Group fell, Uchiha Yue's hands began to tremble slightly.

This was the first time Uchiha Yue had killed someone since arriving in the ninja world...

So it was only natural that the act stirred something inside him.

But after Uchiha Yue took a deep breath, his hands stopped trembling.

Clearly, Uchiha Yue had just undergone one of the most important transformations of his life—and taken his first true step into the ninja world!