Mission accomplished

 The sun had climbed higher in the sky by the time Kaitou's group met up with the others. Nearly two hours had passed since the battle, and now, in a small clearing between the central and Raiga's sector, the full team stood together once more. 

Despite their exhaustion, everyone was sharp, eyes scanning their surroundings for any sign of movement. The air was thick with tension, but also with a newfound respect. The ones who had witnessed Kaitou's overwhelming strength had shared brief explanations with the rest, though even their words didn't seem enough to capture the intensity of what had happened. 

Kaitou stood at the center, his usual composed demeanor unchanged. His gaze swept across the assembled shinobi before he finally spoke. 

"The mission was always dependent on the situation," he reminded them, voice firm but even. "Our orders were to determine the level of threat this group poses - and now we have our answer." 

A few of them exchanged glances, recalling the vicious battle from earlier. 

"They need to be eliminated," Kaitou continued, his tone leaving no room for argument. "If we allow them to retreat, regroup, or reinforce, we risk future attacks, not just on us but on anyone else within their reach." 

No one objected. The enemy had shown their hand. They had made their intentions clear. 

"On the way here, I've prepared the necessary seals to give us the upper hand," Kaitou continued. "This will be a surprise attack, and we will make sure they don't have a chance to respond." 

Shouma crossed his arms, nodding. "So, what's the plan?" 

Kaitou reached into his pouch, retrieving several small slips of paper, each marked with intricate symbols. "We'll split into three teams again. Each team will place seals at strategic points around the enemy camp while maintaining absolute stealth." 

He handed a few of the seals to Raiga, Fuyuki, and Shouma. 

"These aren't just explosive tags," Kaitou explained. "Some are suppression seals to cut off their ability to use chakra momentarily. Others are reinforcement barriers to limit their escape routes." 

Isamu smirked slightly. "So we trap them like rats before finishing them off." 

"Exactly," Kaitou confirmed. 

Shouma nodded in approval. "Then we move now. The longer we wait, the more time they have to regroup." 

With no further words needed, the group dispersed, fading into the dense foliage as they moved toward their targets. 

The hunt had begun.

---

Shortly before parting to spread the seals, Kaitou decided to share the rest of the plan with the others, "Okay, you guys spread the seals, this remains, though there is a small part I forgot to mention. As soon as you place the first suppression seal, they will realize it, so… I'll go in there and be the distraction."

"…" x8

"What?? No! Even you can't deal with the whole camp," Fuyuki quickly intervened after snapping out of his stupor.

"Yeah! He's right," another intervened.

"Enough! That is how we do it, nothing more. Just go now."

Before they could say anything more, Kaitou had already moved and the others could only follow the set orders, they had to believe in their young captain.

---

 Dark clouds loomed overhead as Kaitou moved like a shadow through the enemy's perimeter, his movements precise, calculated. The camp was well-guarded, but they were unprepared for someone like him - someone who didn't just kill but dictated the very flow of battle. 

His first target stood lazily against a tree, a half-burnt cigarette hanging from his lips. Kaitou struck before the man even realized he was there - a clean, silent cut across the throat, blood spilling before the body slumped to the ground. 

The second and third were close together, chatting idly near the edge of the campfire. Kaitou didn't hesitate. With a flick of his wrist, two kunai whistled through the air, embedding deep into their skulls before they could so much as blink. 

One by one, the outer guards fell, their deaths unnoticed in the quiet hum of the camp. 

Then, it was time for the real show. 

Kaitou strode into the central square with deliberate steps, his presence no longer hidden. The few shinobi near the campfires noticed him immediately, their confused expressions shifting to shock. 

"Oi! What the hell-?" 

A flicker. A snap of movement. A severed limb hit the ground before the man could finish his sentence. 

Chaos erupted. 

Shinobi scrambled to react, unsheathing weapons, forming seals, barking orders. But Kaitou remained calm, his sword dripping with fresh blood as he stared at them, unimpressed. 

"Is this it?" he mocked, tilting his head. "This is the force that was supposed to be dangerous?" 

More enemies rushed toward him, rage and panic in their eyes. Kaitou exhaled, vanishing into a blur before appearing behind them, his blade slicing through flesh with inhuman precision. 

The battle had begun. 

Blades clashed, kunai flew, and fire illuminated the night as shinobi launched jutsu at Kaitou - only to hit nothing but illusions. He was untouchable, weaving through their ranks like a ghost, striking down anyone foolish enough to step into his range. 

Then, the moment arrived. 

A shift in the air. A pulse of chakra. 

The suppression seals took effect. 

All at once, the enemy shinobi faltered, their chakra networks violently disrupted. Some collapsed to their knees, others stumbled as they lost control of their techniques. Fire jutsu sputtered out mid-cast, lightning fizzled into nothingness. 

"What… what's happening?!" one of them shouted, terror in his voice. 

Kaitou, however, remained standing, untouched by the suppression. 

Then, the ground trembled. 

The air around him darkened. 

And suddenly, the battlefield belonged to him. 

A crackling aura, that seemed to radiate life and death radiated from his body, the telltale sign of Chaos Release. While the others struggled to regain their chakra, Kaitou reclaimed his entirely, molding it into something devastating. 

He moved faster now. Stronger. The massacre resumed. 

Limbs were severed, bodies flung like ragdolls, throats sliced open in silent, merciless efficiency. 

The enemy shinobi realized the horror of their situation far too late. 

"We- We have to run!" one of them screamed. 

Panic took hold, and they turned, sprinting toward the outskirts of the camp. 

That was their final mistake. 

The reinforcement barriers activated. 

With a sudden, deafening BOOM, barriers ignited at the perimeter, trapping them in a prison of their own making. They slammed into invisible walls, desperately clawing at the seals, but it was futile. 

There was no escape. 

Kaitou stood in the center of it all, his eyes cold, his blade dripping with blood. 

"This," he said, voice quiet but carrying across the battlefield, "is where it ends." 

And the slaughter continued.

---

The groups met each other again, outside the barriers, and looked into the barriers.

They nearly couldn't believe their eyes, it was as if there Captain was a whole new person. Every person, that took part in the defense and wielded a weapon was cut down, the only exceptions being the children and elderly.

His eyes glowing a bright and menacing red.

---

On Kaitou's side meanwhile.

There was just one thought in his mind.

'I've changed…'

Before this could pull him down though, another one took hold, he knew, in this world when someone chooses to fight you, then only as long as you have nothing to loose and are way stronger can you have the leisure to spare the enemy.

He, right now, was fighting for everyone in his team. For everyone back home. Kaitou had realized that he nearly lost someone that believed in him, and that on his first mission as a leader. That moment reminded him too much of when he died and nearly lost one of kids, bringing forth even more emotions, that were hidden because of [Gamers Mind].

---

The battle went on for some more time, when it all ended, Kaitou walked towards the barriers with his Asauchi in hands, thoroughly exhausted. He released a burst of Chaos Chakra to step through the barrier and sat down, leaning on a tree, closing his eyes for a moment.

The others assembled before him instantly, not saying anything.

After a few minutes of rest, Kaitou opened his eyes again, and looked at the others still tired.

"Deactivate the seals, we're gonna go soon. Don't take anything of value from inside and leave it to them. That is the last mercy that we will give them, if they really decide to go against us in the future, then there will be no survivors. Now, go. I want to rest for a while."

His subordinates nodded, and then moved to carry out his orders. Just like he said they didn't take anything special.

When they were done, Kaitou was already back up and regenerated enough energy to move again. Without any more words he started the journey back, and the others followed.

Everyone remained silent along the journey, occupied with their own thoughts.