Setting the Mountain Ablaze – A Tactical Trap

"Ninja Art: Shadow Clone Technique!"

Xu Ming quickly formed hand seals, and in an instant, three identical Shadow Clones emerged beside him. Without hesitation, the clones dispersed in different directions around the camp, silently eliminating sentries in the same manner as the original.

With their task complete, the four Xu Mings surrounded the bandit camp from all sides. Then, the three clones performed hand seals simultaneously, mirroring each other's movements.

"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!"

Three identical voices rang out as they unleashed torrents of searing flames. The fire surged forward like a raging dragon, devouring everything in its path—trees, bushes, and wooden structures alike.

In mere moments, roaring flames engulfed three sides of the camp, casting a blazing orange glow over the entire area.

Watching from Afar

Danzo, observing from a safe distance, felt his face involuntarily twitch at the sight before him.

"So, he wasn't scouting for an entry point—he was looking for the perfect place to start a fire!" Danzo muttered to himself, shaking his head. "Did Hiruzen really teach you this?"

His eyes narrowed further as he noticed something else. "Three Shadow Clones at once? Just how much chakra does this kid have?"

This approach was unconventional, to say the least. A traditional ninja would have opted for a stealthy infiltration, eliminating enemies one by one. But since this was an assessment, and it had only just begun, Danzo decided to watch and let the scenario unfold.

Chaos in the Camp

The crackling of flames filled the air, consuming everything in their path. Thick, suffocating smoke billowed upward, spreading rapidly.

Inside the camp, bandits who had been drinking, gambling, and chatting suddenly felt the searing heat creeping through cracks in the walls and windows.

"FIRE! The camp's on fire!"

Panic erupted.

The relaxed atmosphere shattered as bandits bolted to their feet, knocking over tables and chairs in their desperate rush outside.

"Run!"

"This way! The fire hasn't spread here yet!"

In their frenzy, the outlaws instinctively fled in the one direction Xu Ming had deliberately left untouched.

Among them, sitting in a dimly lit corner, Hatake Sakumo blinked in confusion at the rapidly spreading fire.

"What the hell...?"

A moment later, realization dawned upon him. Tossing his drinking flask aside, he joined the crowd, running alongside the bandits.

Emerging from the camp, he quickly surveyed the area and noticed something odd—three sides of the camp were ablaze, but one path remained untouched. All the bandits were instinctively fleeing in that direction.

"This... was planned?" Hatake Sakumo's eyes twitched in disbelief. "Did Xu Ming really do all this?"

He had expected a stealth operation, perhaps assassinations in the dead of night. But this? This was outright warfare.

The Execution Begins

As the panicked bandits charged forward, they suddenly spotted a lone figure standing calmly in their path—a young boy with a faint smile.

"Who the hell is this kid?"

"Outta my way!"

"He must be the one who set the fire! Kill him!"

The bandits, fueled by fear and desperation, turned their aggression toward Xu Ming.

Xu Ming sighed, shaking his head. "You people really don't think before you act, do you?"

His hands moved in a blur. "Lightning Style: Chidori Senbon."

Sparks of electricity crackled around his arm before condensing into a cluster of sharp, glowing needles. With a flick of his wrist, the lightning needles shot forward at lightning speed.

"Wha—?!"

"Aghhh!"

"It's a ninja! He's a ninja!"

The bandits at the front collapsed as the electrified needles pierced their bodies. One by one, they dropped, their hearts paralyzed by the attack.

In just seconds, nearly half of them lay lifeless on the ground.

Begging for Mercy

The remaining bandits, seeing their comrades fall so effortlessly, lost all will to fight.

"P-please! Spare us!"

"We were forced into this! We didn't want to be bandits!"

"Mercy, Lord Ninja! I was only a servant!"

Xu Ming remained unmoved.

Raising his hand, five small blue flames ignited at his fingertips. They swirled rapidly, condensing into chakra-infused orbs with spiraling currents inside them.

From a hidden spot among the surviving bandits, Hatake Sakumo's eyes widened in shock.

"Rasengan?" he murmured in disbelief. "No—five Rasengans at once?!"

Danzo's Astonishment

Danzo, still observing from a distance, felt his heart skip a beat.

"This boy... he's been hiding his abilities well. Orochimaru mentioned how difficult it is to form even a single Rasengan, yet he's manipulating five at once?!"

He squinted, analyzing the swirling orbs. "Not only that... he's altered their form and infused them with elemental transformation—Lightning Style, no less!"

He exhaled sharply before muttering under his breath, "But seriously... using an A-rank jutsu against mere bandits?"

The Final Blow

Crackling arcs of electricity danced across the five Rasengans in Xu Ming's hands.

"Go—Hidden Thunder Orbs."

With a simple motion, he released them into the air.

Swoosh!

The orbs instantly vanished from sight.

Moments later—

Bang!

Blood sprayed as the hidden orbs struck with pinpoint precision, piercing the skulls of the remaining bandits with lethal accuracy.

The battlefield fell silent.

The lifeless bodies of bandits collapsed to the ground, their eyes frozen in shock.

Far behind, Hatake Sakumo exhaled deeply, still in disbelief. "This kid... is terrifying."

Danzo, watching from a distance, smirked slightly. "Interesting... very interesting."

The flames behind Xu Ming continued to rage, casting his silhouette in an eerie glow. He gazed over the scene with calm, unwavering eyes.

The mission was complete.