When Darkness Falls, Close Your Eyes

"Up ahead is your first mission: eliminate the bandits. Wipe them all out—leave no one alive," Uchiha Ming said calmly. "What? Can't bring yourselves to do it? Whenever you have doubts, repeat the mission to yourselves, tighten your grip on your blades, and begin your lives as ninja." With that, Uchiha Ming vanished.

Taking a deep breath, Uchiha Retsu was the first to enter the nameless mountain. Uchiha Yo and Uchiha En exchanged a glance, then followed Uchiha Retsu into the moonlit darkness.

In the silent night, the chirping of insects and the soft sounds of bodies falling could not stir the slightest ripple. The outer sentries had already been slaughtered. As they gradually made their way deeper inside, they found several small mud huts. After setting a few traps around them, Uchiha Retsu gestured for the other two to continue. Uchiha Yo gently lifted a door curtain and activated his Sharingan. He cast genjutsu on everyone sleeping inside, men and women alike, then silently finished them off. On the other side, Uchiha En observed through a window before slipping into the hut, harvesting one living life after another with shuriken. From the moment he finished setting the traps and gave the signal to begin, Uchiha Retsu had remained prone atop the roof of the last hut, watching the others.

The huts were cleared one by one, without a sound. At that moment, a faint smell of blood gradually drifted through the air. Only two huts remained. Uchiha Yo signaled Uchiha Retsu, asking whether he wanted to try his hand. Uchiha Retsu nodded and charged straight into the last hut, while Uchiha En quickly darted into the other. Catching his breath, Uchiha Yo searched the surroundings and every hut, but found no hidden passages or secret rooms. By the time he stepped outside, the other two had already finished clearing their respective huts. After dismantling the traps around the area, the three silently left the small mountain. No one spoke, each burdened with their own thoughts. When they returned to the place where they had separated earlier, Uchiha Ming was waiting for them. He looked quietly at his disciples. "You did very well—far better than I expected. There were old people and children among that bandit group, yet none of you hesitated. You killed every last one of them. Such decisiveness is rare at your age. Aside from a few minor flaws: Yo, when you entered the hut, you did not first check for traps inside. En, when you went in afterward, your attacks were fast, but there was a high chance you could have awakened the people next door. Remember, Yo used genjutsu before killing them precisely to prevent them from waking suddenly. Killing intent can be sensed. Retsu, your earlier performance was excellent, but charging into that final hut was somewhat reckless. This was only because the bandits I chose for your first mission were weak. If there had been even one jonin or several chunin among them, you would not have completed it. Still, it was your first time, and you did quite well. Don't let it weigh on your minds. Violence and killing will always accompany a ninja's existence. When facing an enemy, you cannot show even the slightest mercy, or you and your comrades will be placed in danger—even killed. Look at the people beside you. Would you be willing to let him die because of a moment of mercy or a mistake of yours? As for whether those people were guilty, let them sort right from wrong with the God of Death. We are ninja. When carrying out a mission, the mission comes first." "Sensei, if completing the mission would cost your companion their life, would you abandon the mission or abandon your companion?" Uchiha Yo asked. Uchiha Ming glanced at him. "I would abandon the mission. We are different from other ninja. We are Uchiha. Most of those who work alongside us are our clansmen. A hundred missions are not worth even one living Uchiha. People are the foundation of a clan. With people, there is a family; with families, there is a clan. If the ninja on the team is not a clansman, then it depends on my mood at the time." Uchiha Yo had not expected Uchiha Ming's answer, but it was a very Uchiha answer. The interests of the Uchiha Clan stood above all else, and every Uchiha was the clan's treasure. How could such a united family produce someone like Shisui, who then led Itachi astray as well? Hiruzen Sarutobi was truly skilled at brainwashing! Who knew how many generations the Will of Fire had brainwashed, how many talented descendants it had brainwashed to death? Those who played politics were never pushovers.

"Alright, rest for the night. We continue our journey tomorrow." Seeing that everyone had sunk into their own thoughts, Uchiha Ming simply found a place for them to rest.