C-rank mission

D-rank missions were low-risk assignments that required no direct combat or posed no danger to one's life. They were generally issued by Konoha's villagers or certain official departments.

The work usually included tracking down pets, picking up litter, clearing river channels, helping dig up sweet potatoes, or looking after children.

These missions were easy but time-consuming and labor-intensive, with little pay. They were mostly left to inexperienced rookie ninja fresh out of the Ninja Academy, making them the ideal choice for newcomers to gain mission experience and learn to work as a team. In the language of online gaming novels, they were starter-village quests.

But for rookies eager to make their mark, these missions were far too boring to inspire any enthusiasm. After more than a month of D-rank missions, even the usually energetic Kaori Ikemoto had wilted like a frostbitten plant, becoming listless.

After completing yet another D-rank mission, Kaori Ikemoto could no longer bear the situation. Together with Kazuhiko Uchiha and Yū Inuzuka, she approached Captain Tōma and asked to take on more challenging missions.

Perhaps Captain Tōma could no longer stand Kaori Ikemoto's wheedling, or perhaps he felt that Kazuhiko Uchiha and the others had accumulated enough experience. After putting them off several times, he finally agreed.

Soon, Captain Tōma returned from Konoha's mission office with a C-rank mission.

"Our assignment is to wipe out a bandit stronghold in the Urabe Mountains. It should take about three to five days."

Captain Tōma explained the mission to the three of them, then ordered, "You have half an hour to prepare. After that, meet at the village gate, and we'll set out."

"Yes, Captain."

Kazuhiko Uchiha and the other two answered, then went their separate ways to prepare for the mission ahead.

Kazuhiko Uchiha had little to prepare. He merely made a token effort to replenish his ninja tools and some food that was easy to store and carry. After all, he had his storage space, stocked with a large quantity of supplies he had prepared long ago. There was no need to worry about provisions.

Half an hour later, they gathered at the Konoha Gate. After Captain Tōma presented their authorization to leave the village on a mission, the group sped south.

Their destination, the Urabe Mountains, lay along the southwestern border of the Land of Fire. It was one of the shortcuts favored by small-time merchants traveling through the border region. Recently, a band of roaming bandits had entered the Land of Fire, occupied the area, and plundered several merchants' goods.

To secure the trade route's future safety, the merchants had pooled their money and posted a mission in Konoha to eliminate the bandits.

The Urabe Mountains were a day's journey from Konoha, so Captain Tōma began teaching Kazuhiko Uchiha and the other two some lessons about missions as they traveled.

"First, until you return to Konoha and report the mission's completion, you're still on duty. Stay alert at all times and be ready for enemies who might appear at any moment."

"Second, during a mission, every target is an enemy, regardless of age or sex. Your mercy will only endanger you and your teammates."

"Third, the only people you can trust during a mission are your teammates. Whether it's your employer or anyone else, circumstances may cause them to switch sides."

As a veteran ninja, Captain Tōma had distilled these valuable lessons from more than twenty years of missions. They greatly benefited the three rookies and gave them a deeper understanding of the real shinobi world.

Facing the killing that lay ahead, the three newcomers in Tōma's Team felt both nervous and excited. Even Kazuhiko Uchiha's feelings grew complicated. Beneath his nerves and excitement, he also felt a faint unease.

Although he had resolved upon arriving in this world to bid farewell to his past self and live as a ninja in this perilous world, when the moment came to confront something that went against the values of his previous life, a trace of hesitation still arose within him.

Fortunately, he still had a day to adjust his mindset. He believed that when he truly faced that moment, he would make his final choice.

It was nearly evening when Tōma's Team reached Ōgi Village near the Urabe Mountains and found the merchants who had issued the mission. After gathering some basic information from them, the team immediately headed into the Urabe Mountains to personally scout the bandit gang known as the Hundred Blades Group.

On a mountain path deep in the forest, a three-man bandit patrol walked along, chatting and laughing. A moment later, two short figures appeared behind two of the bandits, each knocking his target unconscious with a chop of the hand.

The remaining bandit went pale with shock. He was about to open his mouth and shout when an overwhelming wave of drowsiness washed over him. Unable to resist it, he lost consciousness and collapsed.

Whoosh, whoosh!

With two more rushes of air, Captain Tōma and Kaori Ikemoto appeared on the mountain path as well.

"Intelligence is crucial to a mission. Each of you will now interrogate one bandit, then report what you learn to me."

Captain Tōma pointed to the three bandits on the ground, leaving the interrogation to the rookies.

Without a word, Kazuhiko Uchiha dragged one bandit behind a nearby tree. After tying him up, he slapped him awake.

Feeling the pain on his face as he regained consciousness, the bandit immediately shouted without restraint, "Ow! Which bastard dared hit me?"

Slap.

Kazuhiko Uchiha slapped the bandit again, cutting off his howling. He drew his sword and laid it against the bandit's neck, staring at him coldly as he threatened, "Shut up if you don't want to die. From now on, I ask, and you answer. If you dare hide even the slightest detail, you'll never speak again. Understood?"

"Spare me, Lord Ninja! I'll answer honestly!" Realizing his predicament, the bandit immediately lost his nerve and nodded desperately, hoping Kazuhiko Uchiha would spare his life.

After withdrawing his sword, Kazuhiko Uchiha stared into the bandit's eyes and asked in a low voice, "Where is the Hundred Blades Group's hideout? How many of you are there? Are there any ninja among you?"

The instant Kazuhiko Uchiha finished speaking, the bandit hurried to tell him everything he knew. "Lord Ninja, there are 132 of us in the Hundred Blades Group. Our stronghold is in a valley to the northeast. We have no ninja. Our boss is a samurai."

Generally, clients posted missions at ranks appropriate to the work involved. Only under unusual circumstances would they deliberately conceal information and post a mission whose rank did not match its actual difficulty.

Such deception could easily endanger the team carrying out the mission. If the losses were severe, the ninja village that accepted the mission might even send Anbu Ninja to hunt down the client as a warning to prevent similar incidents.

Thus, the absence of ninja among the bandits was fairly consistent with this mission's rank.

Out of caution, Kazuhiko Uchiha did not immediately believe the bandit's words. After asking a long series of questions, he abruptly changed tack and checked again. "Are there really no ninja in the stronghold?"

"There really aren't, Lord Ninja! Otherwise, the Black Blade Bandits in the Land of Rivers wouldn't have driven us out of the Falling Rock Mountains." The bandit's answer was consistent with his earlier response, making the information highly credible.

Having provided the information Kazuhiko Uchiha wanted, the bandit had outlived his usefulness.

Looking at the bandit's pleading eyes, Kazuhiko Uchiha could not help feeling a stir of emotion. At the thought of ending this man's life, his body began to tremble slightly beyond his control.

After taking several deep breaths, Kazuhiko Uchiha finally made his decision. With a flick of his right hand, a kunai plunged precisely into the bandit's throat.

Looking at the bandit's corpse, its eyes still wide open in death, Kazuhiko Uchiha stopped trembling. His transformation complete, only one thought remained in his mind.

From this day forward, I am no longer the ordinary person I was in my previous life. I am Kazuhiko Uchiha, and I will do everything in my power to take control of my own fate.