Wiping Out the Bandits

The Ying Yue Squad finally arrived at the village where their mission target was located.

Hatake Sakumo led Ying Yue, Yamanaka Chinatsu, and Hyuga Ayane into a dense forest on the outskirts of the village. From a high vantage point, they observed the situation below.

Several dozen bandits were scattered around the village. They wore a motley assortment of clothes and carried various weapons. They didn't seem particularly strong, but they greatly outnumbered the team and appeared extremely ferocious.

Sakumo frowned slightly as he watched them carefully. After confirming that the bandits had no trace of ninja chakra and were mostly ordinary thugs, he silently decided to use this opportunity to train the Ying Yue Squad's combat abilities and have them deal with the bandits on their own.

"Ying Yue, these bandits aren't very strong, but there are a lot of them," Sakumo said quietly. "I've decided not to step in. The three of you will handle them yourselves. Plan your tactics carefully and show me how well you work together."

Uchiha Ying Yue nodded to show he understood. Though he felt a little nervous, he was even more excited. This was the squad's first real battle, and Ying Yue's first time facing actual enemies. The bandits not only looted villages but also brutally abused the villagers. Their crimes were unforgivable.

With Sakumo's tacit approval, Ying Yue quickly came up with a plan.

Considering how numerous the bandits were, Ying Yue decided that a direct frontal assault might put his teammates in danger. Instead, he would split up the enemy forces.

"Chinatsu, use your Mind Body Switch Technique to take control of the bandits on the outskirts first. Try to make them attack one another and sow confusion," Ying Yue instructed. "Ayane, use your Byakugan to survey the surroundings and find the best attack route. Keep Chinatsu safe as well."

Chinatsu and Ayane nodded in agreement. They understood that Ying Yue's plan was meant to minimize the risks while gradually weakening the enemy.

"I'll launch a surprise attack from higher ground. I'll use Fire Release to strike the heart of their forces, then move into the fray and use Taijutsu and Wood Release to take care of the rest." A hint of cold killing intent showed in Ying Yue's eyes as he continued.

Once the plan was set, the Ying Yue Squad quickly split up. Chinatsu took cover on the outskirts, ready to use her Mind Body Switch Technique, while Ayane used her Byakugan to track the enemy's movements.

Uchiha Ying Yue chose a commanding position from which to launch his first deadly attack.

As Chinatsu's Mind Body Switch Technique successfully took control of several bandits, a sudden burst of fighting broke out among them. While they were in disarray, Ying Yue struck without hesitation.

Ying Yue quickly formed the Hand Seals and unleashed a powerful Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique at the heart of the bandit force. The blazing flames swallowed several bandits in an instant, and their screams followed.

Immediately afterward, Ying Yue used the Wood Release: Wood Clone Technique, creating several clones that attacked the bandits from different directions.

However, when Ying Yue first drove the Kunai in his hand into a bandit's chest and felt the cold, jarring resistance, his heart lurched. Blood splattered across his face as the bandit let out a final, harrowing scream. The violent impact left Ying Yue's arm trembling slightly.

It was the first time Ying Yue had ever killed someone with his own hands.

Though Ying Yue knew the bandits were guilty of terrible crimes and deserved to die, as a soul who had come from a peaceful era, he was still deeply shaken by the killing.

A surge of complicated emotions welled up inside Ying Yue. He felt sick and dizzy, but forced himself to calm down.

Ying Yue knew that this was an unavoidable reality in the Ninja World. He had to adapt and overcome this psychological hurdle as quickly as possible.

This is for the villagers... and for my teammates, too. Ying Yue repeated to himself, trying to steady his emotions.

As Ying Yue forced down his turmoil, a sudden, sharp pain flared in his Sharingan. Countless blurry images seemed to fill his vision. Then he felt his ocular power surge violently. His Two-Tomoe Sharingan, which had nearly reached its limit, finally broke through and evolved into a Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

With the awakening of the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, Ying Yue's eyesight, reaction speed, and ability to perceive movement all improved instantly. The bandits' movements appeared exceptionally slow and clear to him. He could accurately predict every enemy's next move and respond in the best possible way.

Clutching his Kunai, Ying Yue threw himself back into the fight. His movements grew faster and more precise, as if some extraordinary fighting instinct had awakened within him. Every attack struck a vital point.

At that moment, the Ninja World Dance King's abilities also reached their full potential. Ying Yue darted through the bandits like a black bolt of lightning, leaving them falling in his wake.

At the same time, Ayane and Chinatsu worked together seamlessly.

Ayane used her Byakugan to guide Ying Yue with precision, helping him avoid possible traps and ambushes, while Chinatsu disrupted and weakened the enemy's fighting ability with her Mind Body Switch Technique.

In the end, with his teammates' help, Ying Yue successfully wiped out all the bandits.

The bandits' bodies lay strewn across the blood-soaked battlefield, and the air was thick with the stench of blood.

After the battle, Uchiha Ying Yue and his teammates quickly freed the villagers who had been held captive. The villagers had been imprisoned by the bandits for a long time. They were all dressed in rags and looked haggard.

When they saw the Ying Yue Squad arrive, their eyes filled with gratitude and hope.

"Thank you, ninjas of Konoha!" an elderly villager said excitedly. "You saved the lives of everyone in our village!"

Uchiha Ying Yue smiled faintly and nodded, but his mind kept returning to the battle. Though he had successfully wiped out all the bandits and protected the villagers, he felt a heaviness unlike anything he'd ever known.

It was the first time Ying Yue had truly faced the brutal reality of the Ninja World—killing and bloodshed.

Though Ying Yue understood that such things were commonplace in the world of ninjas, he still needed time to adjust and come to terms with it.

On the way back, Hatake Sakumo noticed Ying Yue's troubled expression.

He walked over to Ying Yue and said softly, "Ying Yue, this was your first time facing a battle to the death. It must have been hard, right?"

Ying Yue nodded, a complicated look in his eyes. "Yes, Teacher Sakumo... I know those bandits deserved what they got, but when I ended their lives with my own hands, the shock was still beyond words."

Sakumo patted Ying Yue on the shoulder, his voice full of understanding. "This is the world of ninjas. Every ninja feels something similar the first time they kill, but that doesn't mean you've lost your humanity. On the contrary, it proves you still have a precious kindness in your heart. What's important is learning to find a balance through it all."

Uchiha Ying Yue took a deep breath and nodded to show he understood.

As a ninja, Ying Yue had to learn how to survive in this cruel world while keeping his kindness and sense of justice.

"I understand, Teacher Sakumo." Ying Yue's gaze gradually grew firm.