Life's Missions

" Left. "

Shin made a handsign, signifying enemy position.

" Understood. "

The back to back hand signs of Neji and Tenten indicated their understanding as well.

They couldn't communicate normally right now, they were in enemy territory.

' It's the third c rank mission we did this month. They think we are ready. '

Shin thought as he saw his two teammates sneak in, they weren't doing d rank missions anymore, and frequency of c rank was increasing.

This only happens when you are being prepared for the Chunin exams.

* Swish *

" Wha- "

Shin saw Tenten rush behind a bald bandit, and cut his head off in one stroke of her tanto.

As the other enemy saw her and was about to scream, a kunai appeared in her hands with a puff of smoke, which she threw straight at his head.

* Stab *

Killing him without a sound.

Giving a handsign signifying okay, she immediately started hiding the bodies.

Neji meanwhile had appeared infront of a trio.

The trio were sitting a bit far away from each other, a tactic used so Ninja's can't eliminate all of them together.

But it didn't seem to matter much to Neji.

' Gentle fist '

Shin recollected the name of Neji's Taijutsu style as he saw him start his attack.

If an imaginary yin yang symbol could be drawn on the ground, that would be the range in which Neji could use his gentle fist.

Shin had copied the whole thing, even the entire Hyuga jutsu repertoire from Neji, so he knew.

' Sure I have to make some modifications in the technique to use it, make it more suitable for Sharingan, but so what, I have the training ground. And this is worth it. '

Concluded Shin, as he saw the bandits simply fall down without even managing to utter a single word.

Now, only the last enemy remained, their leader, a genin.

' I'll take care of that. '

Shin similarly flickered to his target.

The leader was in his hut, working on his weapons, no doubt keeping the Ninja habit.

But that didn't matter to Shin much.

Neither did the trap the forty year old genin had set up on the window.

Shin simply looked in through the window, and pointed his finger towards the man.

Uchiha don't use genjutsu only via Sharingan, they can use their fingers too.

Itachi had done so in canon, Shin can do it as well, and has taken it further, but that wasn't required for the genin, optimisation of your attacks was an essential skill.

One shouldn't overkill, nobody knows when you would need that bit of extra power later, it's better to save it.

' It's done. '

Thought Shin, as he saw the man stop moving, frozen in place, trapped in his genjutsu.

But Shinnosuke still turned his Sharingan on, checking his chakra flow, just to make sure if everything is truly alright and there are no exploding tags around.

' None. Safe. '

Shin still didn't jump in through the window, being ever cautious, he took out his kunai and threw it in.

* Stab *

Thud.

And just like the genin fell, an elite Jonin of the highest calibre, took him down ever so cautiously.

Shinnosuke and his team gathered around a post, now the hideout empty, but Neji frowned suddenly, and exclaimed.

" Byakugan. "

Then pointed towards a location, a very small chakra signature was hiding there.

Before the Ninja's could rush to eliminate, the shadow came out by itself.

She was a woman, around her late thirties.

Having scars over her hands and roughly worn leather armour.

" A member of the bandits. "

Tenten concluded the obvious.

The woman raised her hands up, as she laughed.

" You all are Jonin right? "

Nobody spoke, it wasn't a good idea to give their information to the enemy, Shin had made sure to drill that into them.

But the woman just smiled further, as she concluded.

" Yes, you all are Jonin, not every Genin thinks like my husband, able to hide the information and survive.. "

Giving a sigh she spoke sadly.

" If the leader knew a Jonin eneded him, he would only have a smug look.. "

Neji was about to finish her, but Shin stopped him, no need, she was already trapped under his genjutsu, she can only talk, not escape.

Let her say her last words.

Not understanding, or likely not caring for her situation, the woman continued speaking.

" It has been years since he was a wandering ninja, he always knew he would die one day, knowing he perished in the hands of such a man, the leader would be proud... Did he die handsome? "

Shin pursed his lips, as he nodded.

" Hahaha! That's great! He always wanted to do that, every so often he would speak of such a fate at night. "

Wiping her tears away, the woman smiled.

" I am glad he could do that.. thank you for telling me this.. "

Taking out a knife, she smiled at the Trio, who didn't even bother to put up their guard, at least according to her, Shin was fully on guard all the time.

Uttering the last sentence she would speak in her life, she gave the trio a pure smile as she -

* Slash *

Slashed through her neck, in one clean swipe.

As she fell, she was as beginning to lose blood, fast.. the Ninja's left her alone but stayed far away, making sure she passed on.

' So this is what people feel when they die.. I am so happy I at least have company.. hehe. '

Her thoughts were blurring as her brain had slowed down, her knife had poison on it.

' Aah, I couldn't end your killers after all husband.. they didn't even approach a weak one like me.. sigh.. '

As the poison took it's effect on her body, it was beginning to shut down, and the lady was experiencing her final thoughts.

' I can't wait to hear you brag husband.. I am coming for you. '

And so, she passed away with a pure smile on her face, one she had only in her childhood, when war didn't take their homes..

She went to pure land, to unite with her husband, willingly..

" Sniff "

Tenten was stifling her sobs as Neji pursed his lips.

Shin gave the two some time, he was the one with experience witnessing a massacre, they were not, they can have their moment.

Shin just went back and laid on a rock, this was their third extermination mission, he knew Guy sensei was around somewhere..

So Shin only waited, he had time, he will enjoy his life, until one day.

His time too comes to an end..