The Mission Grows Livelier

Early the next morning, before dawn had broken, some people in the caravan got up to prepare breakfast for everyone.

Taiichi rose along with them. Even out in the wilderness, he could not neglect his daily training. He went alone to the nearby woods, found an open patch of ground, and began practicing Basic Taijutsu and swordsmanship.

[You practiced Advanced Taijutsu. Related comprehension increased!]

[Your skill Advanced Taijutsu improved. Experience +1]

[Congratulations, your skill Advanced Taijutsu has advanced to Lv1 (0/2000)]

[You practiced Hatake Style Kenjutsu. Related comprehension increased!]

[Your skill Hatake Style Kenjutsu improved. Experience +1]

[Congratulations, your skill Hatake Style Kenjutsu has reached Lv10, maximum level. Skill comprehended: Blade Momentum]

[Blade Momentum: Focus your spirit into the blade and combine it with your own sword intent to pressure the enemy, causing fear, hesitation, and sluggishness. In severe cases, it can trap them in an illusion. Cannot be directly improved. Its power is determined by swordsmanship level and Yin-nature Chakra Nature Transformation.]

[Congratulations. Combining your insights, your Hatake Style Kenjutsu has been deduced into Advanced Swordsmanship Lv0 (0/1000)]

As the notifications continued to appear, two crucial components of Taiichi's combat strength finally advanced. This improvement was clearly far greater than the previous ones. A flood of memories surged forth and gradually settled into every part of his body.

It was as though Taiichi stood in a chaotic space, endlessly training in taijutsu and swordsmanship until he had fully absorbed every memory.

At this point, at least in terms of taijutsu and swordsmanship techniques, Taiichi could initially rival a Jonin.

"Taiichi, training?" Saori, who had just gotten up, saw Taiichi returning and greeted him. But she immediately noticed something strange and stared at him again and again.

Embarrassed by her stare, Taiichi asked in confusion, "Saori, what's wrong? Is there something on my face?" As he spoke, he touched his clean face.

"Oh—no." Snapping back to her senses, Saori hurriedly lowered her head, awkwardly poking her fingers together. "It's just that... you seem to have changed a lot overnight, Taiichi. Even your eyes are different."

Taiichi understood somewhat after hearing that. It was probably because his body had not fully adjusted to the breakthrough yet. "I gained a little insight while practicing with my sword. It'll be fine after some time."

"Really? Taiichi, you're amazing."

After that small interlude, the caravan gradually came alive as time passed, like a giant python that had been coiled up in rest. It stretched out its body, and after everyone finished breakfast, it continued along yesterday's route.

Captain Yamaguchi and Yohei were both amazed when they saw Taiichi. However, only Captain Yamaguchi knew that Taiichi's breakthrough was likely no small one; otherwise, even his temperament would not have become so much sharper.

Day after day passed. By the fourth day, even Yohei had grown bored. Traveling the same road every day had long worn away the enthusiasm he had felt when leaving the village. Even the jokes of their companions could no longer catch his attention.

Compared to Yohei, Taiichi was much better off after learning Shadow Clone. Every day, he created a Shadow Clone to stand watch while he either practiced Nature Transformation himself or tried using the Blade Momentum he had just learned. His days were quite fulfilling.

Saori, meanwhile, had begun riding in Mrs. Ishihara's carriage. Ever since the two had spoken on the first day, Mrs. Ishihara would occasionally bring Little Ishihara over to chat with Saori, and the two women gradually became more familiar with each other.

By the fourth day, the group finally left the borders of the Land of Fire and entered the Land of Rivers.

"We'll enter the Land of Rivers today. Everyone, stay sharp and remain vigilant. This place won't be as peaceful as the Land of Fire," Captain Yamaguchi warned.

"Yes!" x3

The caravan officially entered the Land of Rivers that afternoon. Taiichi could clearly sense that the guards, who had been somewhat lax before, had all become alert. The number of people patrolling back and forth had more than doubled.

This made Taiichi put aside his training and stand guard over the surroundings alongside his Shadow Clone.

Sure enough, before long, the caravan was hit by a surprise attack.

At the rear of the convoy, more than a dozen ragged bandits rushed forward in a chaotic swarm, waving battered samurai swords.

They had no organization and no formation. This motley crew failed to even break through the guards' defenses before leaving behind seven or eight corpses and fleeing in panic.

Yohei was the first to spot the attack, but he had not rushed forward. Instead, he now stood off to the side in a daze.

"How is it? Are you okay?" Taiichi's voice came from behind Yohei. He walked over to Yohei's side and looked at his pale face.

"First time seeing someone killed?"

"Yeah. I'm like this even though I didn't kill anyone myself. Taiichi, am I useless?" Yohei asked dejectedly.

It was the first time Taiichi had seen Yohei with such an expression. Yohei was usually always grinning foolishly. It seemed this had truly hit him hard.

"Everyone is different. I believe this little difficulty won't defeat you," Taiichi encouraged him.

"Yeah, I'll definitely be fine." Yohei's emotions came quickly and went quickly.

"Say, if Saori saw that, do you think she'd be scared silly? She usually looks so timid." Yohei wore that same mischievous grin again.

Taiichi looked at Yohei as if he were an idiot, leaving Yohei at a loss.

Only when Taiichi gestured did Yohei look toward the distant battlefield—a young girl was handling the corpses together with the others, occasionally poking this corpse or kicking that one. It was Saori.

Off to one side, Captain Yamaguchi watched from not far away. Noticing Taiichi's gaze, the two exchanged a look. Then, with two puffs, they both vanished. It turned out they were both Shadow Clones.

Yohei, left where he was, was clearly dealt an even heavier blow. After a long silence, he stepped forward as well, joining Saori in cleaning up the corpses and getting used to killing.

The memories sent back by the Shadow Clone made Taiichi smile faintly. He could imagine Yohei's devastated expression, so he decided not to stay there and watch him make a fool of himself.

Half an hour later, the reorganized caravan continued onward.

But it was as if all their good fortune had been used up over the previous few days. Over the next day, the caravan was attacked four more times in succession.

Although none of the attacks caused any deaths among the caravan, injuries were unavoidable. The atmosphere throughout the caravan grew increasingly heavy.

At that moment, in the middle of the caravan.

"Captain, something feels off. Is this frequency of attacks normal?" Taiichi's Shadow Clone came over to ask about the situation.

"It isn't normal. The frequency is far too high. Even bandits wouldn't be clustered together so densely. Go notify Yohei and tell him to stay vigilant," Captain Yamaguchi said, voicing his doubts as well.

"Yes." After answering, Taiichi headed toward the rear of the convoy to tell Yohei to remain on guard.

The only benefit of these frequent attacks was that they tempered Yohei and Saori's courage. During the later assaults, the two could already head into battle and kill enemies calmly.

What surprised everyone was that Saori, usually so timid and shy, became extraordinarily fierce once she fought an enemy.

Her Kunai strikes were all deadly, while her Lightning Style was domineering and blazing. Afterward, even Taiichi and Yohei spoke more quietly whenever they talked to Saori.

That only made Saori more embarrassed, and her two little fingers poked together even faster.

This continued for more than a day. Just as everyone began to relax, believing the attacks would remain this harmless, the real surprise attack was about to arrive.