CH_3.32 (091)

CH_3.32 (091)

Sneaking into a small village was in many ways more challenging than sneaking into a larger settlement like Miya Lake town with a walking patrol and shinobi guards.

Because of the village's size, the community was close-knit where everyone knew everyone, which made blending into the crowd impossible as the chances of getting recognized were 100%— even the use of Transformation Jutsu to disguise as a resident wasn't feasible if someone called out for a conversation.

In such a case, the only way to gather intel without having an inside man was to not be seen at all.

Takuma stood in the shadow of two buildings, looking at a group of people sitting around a table outside on the tavern's porch, drinking booze in the middle of the day, having a loud and rowdy conversation. The people passing by kept their eyes straight ahead without sparing a glance at the group— not even when they blew up in loud laughter.

Humans didn't work like that. Unexpected sounds and sights attracted attention, even if it was for a split second. Every person walked past the tavern like they had stiff necks— it was clear they were consciously not looking at the people. There was a scent of fear in the air.

The group looked like any other resident, but Takuma could tell from that observation that they were special in some way, and with the knowledge about the bandit presence in the village, he was sure they were the bandits. He noted their faces and stealthily made his way to a spot where he could pick up their voices.

"... I like the priest's daughter better."

"Bullshit, you can't compare her to the blacksmith's wife. She curves just at the right places..."

"I bet she's a dead lay."

"It'd take actual experience to convince me... and who knows, the blacksmith might not be able to pay up, and compensate in other ways."

Takuma had no interest in their perverse conversations, but he made a mental note to make it painful for these guys when the hunt started.

A short jockey arrived on the street, trotting on his horse. Takuma stepped deeper into the shadow as the horse neighed and stopped in front of the tavern. The man spoke to the group, "The boss wants to see the protection fees gathered in the office. Be there on the dot at five in the evening. No delays."

Takuma's eyes shined. That was usable information.

As the horse trotted away, Takuma thought to follow it, but a peek at his strapless wristwatch told him it was time to regroup. He followed the horse with his eyes for a moment before disappearing from his hiding spot.

———

.

When Takuma arrived, everyone but Aburame Susumu was present. He silently stood by his team without needing to be told would start when the final member came.

However, time passed, but Susumu didn't come back.

"Should we go take a look?" Iruka asked Raiden.

Raiden took out a small glass vial the size of half a thumb from his person. Inside the transparent vial was a small bug that Raiden released. The bug spread its wings, fluttered above their heads, and flew around in circles for a few seconds before buzzing down back into the vial.

"He's not in danger," said Raiden, putting the vial back into his pouch. "Let's discuss without him."

Iruka nodded, "We will go first.... The report holds true— the bandits have taken over the village. They're armed with weapons and black powder. I couldn't spot any shinobi presence among them, but we can't discount the possibility— don't let your guard down." Iruka continued to give more details about the bandits.

"They're planning to meet five in the evening to pool the protection fees they extort from the villagers," Takuma said after Iruka was done.

"From the horse rider?" Raiden commented; it seemed he had also spotted the man going around the town.

"... you can't even do simple things! Useless! Fuck out of my sight!"

Raiden couldn't see any sympathy in the eyes of the other men. On the contrary, they even looked to be enjoying the scene of seeing their comrade getting chewed out.

'Undisciplined swine, all of them,' thought Raiden as he closed the door behind him.

It was then the man who had been cursing noticed Raiden.

"Who the fuck are you?!" he yelled.

Raiden had no reason to answer the rude question, so he crossed his arms and stood there silently and observed the men to conceive the plan on how to clear them out as fast as possible, even though he wasn't the one who was going to do that.

Three men nearest to Raiden drew their swords and dagger as they approached him, but before they could touch him, each found a kunai sticking out from a part of their body. Raiden frowned when a drop of blood stained his shoe.

He looked up as his team descended into the hall. Raiden looked at the man who had been cursing a few moments before, who he guessed was the leader. Raiden saw a flash of understanding pass the eyes as he gawked wide-eyed at his team.

Everyone had changed out of their shinobi uniform before exiting the Land of Fire. Walking around another country in the shinobi uniform was inviting trouble, and they didn't want any. But even without the uniform and headband, it was easy to figure they were shinobi. The kunai itself was a weapon that only shinobi used.

"Shinobi!"

What followed couldn't even be called a brawl for how one-sided it was.

Raiden observed the six genin running through thirty-one grown men like it was child's play— which it was.

He followed his students, and they were doing well. They incapacitated swiftly and placed kunai cuts with the precision he expected from them. His eyes also went to Iruka's team, and they were faring as well— it would be embarrassing if they did.

"Hmm?"

Raiden caught Takuma and noticed that out of all of them, he was the only one not using a kunai or any weapon. The boy clobbered the men with his fists. Raiden thought it to be inefficient, but his eyes naturally followed the boy, and he couldn't help but notice that each strike was placed where it would hurt the most without hitting any vitals. The boy was collected as he dodged sword strikes and countered, showing experience in his moves.

The leader tried to run out of the back, but Takuma jumped over the table, grabbed the chair the man had been sitting on a few moments before, and threw it for the leader's head, knocking him out before he could escape the hall.

It took barely two minutes before the fight was over.

"Good work," Iruka walked inside from the back exit. "Tie them up while we inform the villagers."

Iruka walked out, and Raiden followed after him. He wanted to ask the boy why he didn't use the kunai, but it didn't matter— perhaps the boy wasn't fond of kunai.

The cover-up mission was over, not they simply just needed to get past the niceties before they got onto the real mission.

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