Moonlit Slaughter

Beneath the pale moonlight.

Sosuke stood alone in the street, his shadow stretching long behind him.

He stood perfectly still. The deep blue mask concealed his expression, so the village bandits had no way of knowing what he looked like.

A crowd had begun to gather in the street before him, roused by the drunken man's earlier shouting.

Every one of them carried a weapon—woodcutting axes, swords, Kunai. They glared angrily at the figure standing motionless in the street.

"Hey! He's all alone. Let's rush him and chop him into mincemeat!" someone whispered.

"Are you crazy? He's a ninja! You know what that means, right? I say we'd better hurry and get the boss and the others. I heard they've killed ninjas before!" a sharper fellow retorted.

"Why bother the boss with something like this? So what if he's a ninja? He's only one man. What do we have to fear with all these brothers here? We need a few brave, ruthless men. Come on, follow me!"

One of the bandits could no longer bear the mounting tension. He called over several hard-faced companions and prepared to charge, ready to hack Sosuke into mincemeat.

A breeze drifted through the street, passing over the crowd like the breath of a Death God. The bandits shivered to the bone and glanced uneasily at one another. This night was destined to be anything but peaceful.

"He's just a ninja! Kill him!" a burly man shouted, charging forward.

"Kill him! The boss is offering a huge reward! Get him!" A few more rushed in right behind him.

The bandits at the back saw what was happening and caught the fever too. They'd already forgotten the bone-chilling breeze; all they could think about was killing this so-called ninja who'd come straight to them!

"Kill him!" "Kill him!" ...

As a raging mob surged toward him, a faint smile played beneath Sosuke's mask. His gaze drifted over the bandits closing in from the front, back, and both sides.

Now this is a little more interesting... isn't it?

Suddenly!

A thin man leapt forward, raising a long blade high before bringing it straight down on Sosuke, who still stood where he was.

The onrushing bandits watched as their opponent did nothing, as if he were too scared to move, faced with the direct, crushing strike.

Got him! He's dead for sure!

The crowd pressing in behind them stared in astonishment. Had they really killed the ninja that easily?

Even the tall, thin man who'd led the attack thought so. A thrilled smile spread across his face. Killing a ninja was bound to earn him a huge reward from the boss! Just imagining all that treasure made him grin.

But then a sudden chill at his throat brought his dream to an end!

Just as the blade was about to fall on Sosuke's head, a slender hand caught it gently. His thumb and four fingers rested lightly on either side of the blade, holding it perfectly still.

He stepped forward, fingers lightly pinching the tip of the blade. It traced a beautiful arc through the air, like a withered leaf drifting down, and swept across the tall man's neck.

Blood sprayed like fireworks, scattering like flecks of snow across the ground. A tiny drop landed on the corner of Sosuke's white Shinigami Robe, leaving behind a blossom like fallen cherry petals.

Sosuke paid none of it any mind. As if he'd stepped on an ant, he simply continued forward.

So this is what killing feels like? No... they were just people without an ounce of mercy. And there are plenty more who deserve to die tonight...

Alone, he pressed forward against the tide of bandits surging toward him!

The sight of Sosuke killing the tall man had already filled the bandits with fear.

But now they had no way out! They could only grit their teeth, charge ahead, and kill the bastard!

"Kill him!" "Kill him!" ...

A cacophony of curses and shouts rose and fell through the crowd.

A figure in white surged into their midst, standing out sharply against the chaos!

"Pfft!"

A Kunai whistled through the air. Sosuke tilted his head aside, and it killed a bandit behind him instead!

In that instant!

Two bandits swung their woodcutting axes horizontally at Sosuke from either side. If they hit, they would gut him.

Faced with an attack from both sides, Sosuke brought his Hakuda to the utmost limit!

He sprang into the air, deftly leaping over them. As he spun, his hand landed on an axe once more, and he gave it a slight push.

The axe flew from the bandit's grip, spinning through the crowd as it reaped one life after another.

Blood ran across the street.

The crowd attacked in a relentless crush, but nothing could halt Sosuke's advance.

Sosuke shifted and pressed forward, striking with his shoulders, elbows, fists, and knees. Against his superb Hakuda, the bandits couldn't withstand even a single exchange!

More and more bandits fell in the street.

The survivors stared in terror as Sosuke slaughtered his way through the crowd.

But Sosuke himself felt little. His opponents were far too weak—even drawing his blade for them would have been an honor they didn't deserve!

The intense Taijutsu was making his body somewhat tired.

But his opponents were nothing more than a rabble. No matter how many of them there were, they couldn't burden him in the slightest!

Just then!

On a nearby rooftop, Shimura Kazumi followed the noise and arrived.

When she saw Sosuke alone in the street, surrounded by over a hundred bandits, she couldn't help cursing under her breath.

That stupid brat. He's stirred up this many people! How can he make such a simple mission so troublesome?

But when she saw Sosuke moving unhindered through the mass of bandits, she was stunned. The complaint she'd been about to make died on her lips.

That brat! Where did he learn such powerful Taijutsu?!

Sosuke moved as if he'd anticipated every attack. Amid the bandits' dense, brutal assault, each of his dodges missed by mere centimeters!

A hair's breadth could mean the difference between success and failure!

That single centimeter was the line between life and death.

Sosuke swayed as if dancing on the edge of death, shifting through the bandits without the slightest strain!

The sight left Shimura Kazumi astonished. At his age!

Sosuke's skill was beyond what anyone could describe as mere genius!

Just then!

Real ninjas hiding among the bandits arrived from elsewhere!

Led by their leader, they had been about to withdraw, but when they saw Sosuke standing alone in the street, they began to reconsider.

They too were astonished by Sosuke's Taijutsu!

But judging by his build, they could tell he was still a young ninja. No matter how strong a kid was, there had to be a limit!

Fighting off more than a hundred people must have nearly drained all his strength!

The moment his movements faltered—

That would be the perfect time to kill him!

That way, Konoha wouldn't be able to investigate anything.

So thought the ninja leader!