Yakushi Nonō won, and there was never any doubt about it. Even though the one-eyed bandit leader was a warrior capable of cutting down a hundred men, a top-tier fighter no ordinary person could hope to defeat, he still couldn't withstand more than a few moves against the strongest force in this world—the ninja. www W COM
After a few clashes, the kusarigama he swung was cut apart by the sharp Chakra Scalpel. When the one-eyed bandit leader prepared to counterattack, Yakushi Nonō's right hand, Chakra Scalpel gathered around it, was already at his throat!
The whole scene fell silent.
The bandits swallowed nervously, their eyes nearly bulging out of their heads. Their leader, whom they had thought so powerful, hadn't lasted ten moves against this female ninja. Looking at the severed kusarigama, not one of them believed their necks were harder than steel.
"Let's go—"
The one-eyed leader gave Yakushi Nonō a long look, then turned and left.
The bandits said nothing. Like defeated roosters, they followed their leader in a large, disorderly procession out of the village and toward the distant mountains. They hurried along with stumbling steps, and not one of them dared look back.
"Thank you so much, Lady Ninja. Our village is poor and can't afford a hefty ninja fee, but we can still gather half of it... Would that be all right...?"
The white-haired, wrinkled old village chief came tottering over to Yakushi Nonō, leaning on a wooden cane. He spoke cautiously.
Samurai already had the power of life and death over others. Ninjas, whose status was higher than that of samurai, wielded even greater power and strength. The ninjas of the hidden villages were bound by rules, so they didn't kill people indiscriminately in peacetime. But some rogue ninjas, who had no such restraints, were hardly any less dangerous to ordinary people than bandits.
The power and authority of ninjas had left a deep impression on every commoner!
Sato Hideaka gazed at Yakushi Nonō with burning eyes. Ninjas represented strength, and the ability to control one's own fate. In his previous life, cancer had robbed him of that control. He absolutely wouldn't let that happen again in this life...
"I just happened to be passing through. I didn't take on a mission, so according to the rules of the hidden village, you don't need to pay me."
Yakushi Nonō smiled brightly, like sunshine. The dark, oppressive Root hadn't been able to extinguish her true nature. Perhaps she had always been a gentle yet resilient person.
"Th-then we couldn't possibly let you leave empty-handed. We have some wild boar meat here. It isn't worth much, but we hope you'll accept it as a small token of our gratitude."
While Yakushi Nonō was talking with the village chief, a man stepped out from among the young villagers who had resisted the bandits. He pushed his way past the people in front of him and hurried over to Sato Hideaka, asking excitedly,
"Hideaka, what are you doing here? You're not hurt, are you?"
"Uncle Eisuke, I'm not hurt. Big Sister Nonō saved me." Sato Hideaka pointed at Yakushi Nonō and replied excitedly with an "innocent" smile.
Yoda Eisuke bowed twice to Nonō, deeply grateful. "Thank you so much... Hideaka lost his parents when he was very young. They entrusted him to me, but I'm useless and haven't taken good care of him."
"Is Hideaka an orphan?"
Yakushi Nonō's gaze toward Hideaka shifted, and she asked without thinking.
Yoda Eisuke nodded. "Yes. There isn't a single adult in the boy's household, and he can't look after himself. We have farmwork to take care of, too. Sigh... I've failed his poor, deceased parents."
"..."
The village still had to tally each family's property losses, and, most importantly, treat the injured. Some of the wounds from the steel blades were deep enough to expose bone. Yakushi Nonō used the Cactus Technique to heal the villagers who were only lightly injured—
As for those who were more seriously hurt, Yakushi Nonō had already used hemostatic techniques and the Cactus Technique to stop their wounds from worsening. She then bandaged them with medical wraps. She said they should recover within half a month.
After she finished, the village chief tried to persuade Yakushi Nonō to stay for dinner as thanks, but she declined, saying she still had a mission.
Just as Yakushi Nonō reached the village entrance and prepared to leave, Sato Hideaka, who had been waiting there for a long time, grabbed her clothes. He looked up at her with hopeful, shining eyes.
Yakushi Nonō crouched down and put both hands on Sato Hideaka's shoulders, meeting his gaze. "What's wrong, Hideaka? Don't want Big Sister to leave? I'll come visit you when I get the chance..."
"Big Sister Nonō, could you take me away from here? I want to learn ninjutsu and become a ninja. Then I'll be able to protect everyone. I talked to Uncle Eisuke just now, and he agreed, too."
"Is that so?"
Yakushi Nonō looked at Yoda Eisuke, who was standing beside Sato Hideaka. Yoda Eisuke nodded. "Yes. This boy is very stubborn. I know it's a lot to ask, but I still hope you'll take him as your student!"
Seeing the hope in their faces, Yakushi Nonō smiled warmly again and nodded. "All right. I started an orphanage near Konoha. There'll be lots of playmates Hideaka's age there. If you want to go, you'll have to be a good boy and listen to Big Sister, okay?"
"Mm-hmm..."
At last, Sato Hideaka had gotten the chance to become a ninja. He nodded excitedly and vigorously.
After a reluctant farewell to Yoda Eisuke, Sato Hideaka took Yakushi Nonō's hand, and the two set off toward Konoha. The setting sun shone on them, casting two shadows on the ground, one tall and one short...
After traveling for two days, the pair had endured plenty of hardship, but sharing it had brought them close. They ate and rested together, and Sato Hideaka felt deeply grateful to Yakushi Nonō...
On the first day of their journey, Yakushi Nonō had washed the grime off Sato Hideaka. She was surprised to discover that he had a face as lovely as a girl's, with natural, gentle, clear features. His big blue eyes were especially striking, like precious gems.
All in all, in Yakushi Nonō's eyes, the pretty Hideaka was as adorable as a little girl.
Everyone loved beautiful things, and Yakushi Nonō naturally felt a special fondness for Sato Hideaka, whose delicate features were so feminine. So even when they slept, she usually insisted on sharing a bed, despite Hideaka's strong objections.
The orphanage stood at the edge of a forest. It was a large, Japanese-style wooden building with no other structures nearby. Though it wasn't exactly bustling, it had a quiet, elegant charm.
Children of various ages, from five, six, and seven up to twelve, were playing outside the orphanage. The moment they saw Yakushi Nonō, they all came running over, hopping excitedly as they called out,
"Ah, it's Big Sister Principal... Big Sister Principal is back!"
"Big Sister Principal... Where have you been? Mai missed you so much..."
"Big Sister Nonō, Big Sister Nonō! Tell us about all the fun things you did out there..."