First Kill!

"Void, you have a new mission." Just as Uchiha Shunichi thought he was still merely a spectator, Tenzō seemed to sense something and spoke to him.

"Yeah. What mission?" Uchiha Shunichi's expression remained calm.

"The details will be explained when we get there." Tenzō did not elaborate.

Moreover, Tenzō would not be leading this mission. It was Gekko Hayate instead. Uchiha Shunichi did not particularly care about the change.

"Void, let's go. This mission..." Gekko Hayate looked somewhat frail, yet Uchiha Shunichi could sense a trace of danger from him.

If not for his body, this guy's achievements should have been even greater. Thinking of how he himself had been a few years ago, Uchiha Shunichi felt a rare flicker of sympathy.

"Drink this. It should ease your condition somewhat." Uchiha Shunichi took out a vial from his chest and handed it to Gekko Hayate.

Gekko Hayate looked at it and drank it without hesitation. Whether that was trust or stupidity, his actions nevertheless made Uchiha Shunichi think more favorably of him.

"After this mission is over, I'll give you a prescription. It can strengthen a weak body. A few years ago, mine was even worse than yours." Uchiha Shunichi spoke as they walked.

Gekko Hayate was usually rather quiet, but there was something different about his gaze now. After drinking the potion, he could clearly feel the changes in his body.

"What... kind of potion is this?" Gekko Hayate asked eagerly. His weak body had always left him helpless, yet now it was actually improving?

Uchiha Shunichi said, "It only eases the symptoms. It can't truly solve the problem."

"Thank you..." Gekko Hayate fell silent for a moment before speaking.

The two continued onward until they reached a villa. Only then did Gekko Hayate speak again. "This mission has two objectives. First, eliminate all of Zabuza's subordinates. Second, deal with the forces Gato has left here."

Uchiha Shunichi did not know whether it was just his imagination, but he felt that Gekko Hayate's attitude toward him had become noticeably friendlier.

Once Uchiha Shunichi learned the mission objectives, he understood Konoha's intentions. Gato was destined to fall, but the power and money under his command could not simply be wasted.

Originally, Uchiha Shunichi had thought Root would handle this sort of work. But on second thought, Root was, at least outwardly, merely a branch of the Anbu.

The Anbu had never been honorable ninjas.

"Kill them all?" Uchiha Shunichi asked, confirming the mission.

If he did not count the man who had committed suicide earlier, then Uchiha Shunichi was about to kill someone for the first time.

"Yes. You'll handle the killing, and make sure none of them escape." Gekko Hayate nodded.

Then, as if asking out of concern, he added, "This should be your first mission. Will that be a problem?"

"It's fine. I'll take care of them." Uchiha Shunichi replied calmly.

Ever since coming to this world, Uchiha Shunichi had cast aside the kindness of his past. Other than his own bottom line, everything was permitted!

Drawing the long blade at his waist, Uchiha Shunichi walked straight into the villa without a word.

Watching Uchiha Shunichi act so openly, Gekko Hayate had no intention of stopping him.

"Who's there!" Two guards stood at the villa entrance. They were rogue ninjas Gato had hired at great expense.

"We've never met, but running into me is your bad luck."

Uchiha Shunichi's eyes emitted an eerie red glow. He did not use any Dōjutsu, yet the sheer pressure of the Mangekyō Sharingan left the two guards unable to move.

He raised his hand... and swung his blade...

Like training targets, the blade fell mercilessly. Only two corpses remained on the ground.

At the same time, the guards and hired ninjas inside noticed the commotion outside. The instant they opened the door, Uchiha Shunichi's Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu killed two of them outright.

Fire Release... had never seemed to kill anyone in the original Hokage story. But in reality, the number of ninjas who died to Fire Release in the Shinobi World was among the highest.

A mob of rabble rushed toward him, much like the samurai of old. They were clearly ninjas, yet very few of them used Ninjutsu.

For the overwhelming majority of rogue ninjas, Ninjutsu was an extremely extravagant thing. Only defectors from the various hidden villages could use all kinds of powerful Ninjutsu.

Though he was at an absolute disadvantage in numbers, Uchiha Shunichi felt the thrill of slaughter. He also understood why the Uchiha Clan had such confidence in the Sharingan.

Before the Sharingan, these ordinary ninjas were merely lambs awaiting slaughter. Uchiha Shunichi had not even used any powerful Dōjutsu, and the Genjutsu he used was only the simplest kind, yet no one could break free.

The only ones who gave Uchiha Shunichi some trouble were Zabuza's subordinates. As ninjas of the Hidden Mist, they did possess some strength and combat experience.

However, before Uchiha Shunichi and Gekko Hayate working together, even they were utterly outmatched.

The battle ended quickly. Aside from the corpses strewn across the ground, Uchiha Shunichi did not feel the slightest fatigue.

"Phew... phew... Now I see why you entered the Anbu at such a young age. Your strength is already no less than that of a Jonin." Gekko Hayate was slightly out of breath. He had thought this would be a mission to guide a newcomer, but he had ended up holding him back.

Uchiha Shunichi picked up a scrap of cloth from the ground, wiped the blade in his hand, and sheathed it.

The sword was covered in blood and had even suffered some minor damage. Uchiha Shunichi was rather dissatisfied with that. He had spent a great deal of money on this blade.

"My body is still weak. It can't sustain the Sharingan for long." Hearing Gekko Hayate's words, Uchiha Shunichi spoke slowly.

In truth, he was not that weak. He simply did not want to reveal his strength while Sarutobi Hiruzen was still in power.

"...You're already very strong. At your age, you should have only just graduated from the Ninja Academy!" As he said this, Gekko Hayate suddenly froze, abruptly realizing that Uchiha Shunichi was only a newly graduated student.

Without realizing it, Gekko Hayate had overlooked Uchiha Shunichi's age.

Uchiha Shunichi said nothing. He found a relatively clean chair and sat down, then took out a High-Concentration Nutrient Solution from his clothes and drank it.

"I'll leave the rest to you. I need to rest for a while."