CHAPTER 36

"Is this group of people too arrogant? Even their guards are this careless?"

Upon arriving at the entrance of the bandit hideout, Nawaki Senju couldn't help but scoff at the disorganized patrols.

"Don't underestimate the enemy," Uchiha Kiyo cautioned. "Even if they seem unprofessional, we can't afford to be careless. One mistake, and we could die. Stay sharp and don't act recklessly."

He had a strong feeling that Orochimaru was watching them from the shadows. However, he didn't mention this to his teammates, knowing that a little pressure would help them avoid making stupid mistakes.

Uchiha Kiyo also reminded them of something he had thought about earlier.

"When the time comes, be mindful. This will be your first time killing someone, and you might feel uncomfortable. Stay aware of that."

Notably, Kiyo had said "your" instead of "our." Nawaki Senju didn't pick up on this subtle distinction, simply nodding in acknowledgment. Sarutobi Shō, however, was more observant. His sharp mind quickly pieced things together as he glanced at Kiyo thoughtfully.

"No wonder his face looked pale when he came back earlier today. Did he already kill someone? That bandit he interrogated...?"

"Still, it's a good thing he brought it up. Otherwise, both Nawaki and I might have struggled in the middle of combat."

Seeing that Nawaki might not be taking it seriously enough, Kiyo patted him on the shoulder and repeated, "Be careful. The first time you take a life is the hardest."

This time, Nawaki took it seriously. He understood that Kiyo wouldn't be saying this unless it mattered. He decided to keep his distance from the enemies as much as possible when the fighting started.

With the warnings given, Uchiha Kiyo started the operation.

Forming a hand seal, he activated a Doton (Earth Release) technique.

"Doton: Doryūsō!" (Earth Style: Earth Flow Spears!)

A split second later—

Shhk! Shhk!

Two earthen spikes shot out from the ground, impaling the sentries before they could even scream.

Even though Kiyo still struggled with the idea of killing, he had been trained in stealth tactics at the Uchiha Clan's academy. Striking down a lower-ranked opponent or launching a preemptive attack in an ambush was already drilled into his instincts.

"Move!"

At Kiyo's signal, Nawaki and Sarutobi Shō leapt over the wooden barricade and infiltrated the camp.

Since the four Matsuoka brothers were inside their so-called "restricted zone," now was the best time to act. The plan was simple: take out the underlings first, then deal with the leaders last.

Each of them had been assigned a section of the camp. Their job was to eliminate every bandit in their area.

Uchiha Kiyo, already accustomed to the act of killing, swiftly dispatched a few low-level thugs. This time, it wasn't as nauseating as before. He had mentally prepared himself, suppressing the discomfort and moving to the next target.

In ten minutes, Kiyo completed his task—all bandits in the western sector were dead.

He took a deep breath, steadied himself, and moved toward Nawaki's area. Sarutobi Shō could handle himself, but Kiyo wasn't so sure about Nawaki. Given Nawaki's personality, Kiyo knew the boy might struggle with taking a life.

Upon arrival, Kiyo sighed in relief. Nawaki wasn't injured but was clearly struggling—locked in combat with three stronger bandits.

"It's not that he's weak… he just can't bring himself to kill them."

Kiyo immediately stepped in, assisting Nawaki in eliminating the bandits. To help Nawaki get used to the sight of blood, Kiyo deliberately finished them off in a brutal manner—even making himself feel a little sick.

When the three-man team finally regrouped, they were all pale-faced and drained.

Sarutobi Shō had taken care of his enemies efficiently, so he was the least affected. Kiyo had also killed before, but his methods this time had disturbed even himself. Nawaki, however, was in terrible shape—he had vomited for nearly three minutes before recovering.

"Here, drink some water."

Kiyo handed a canteen to his teammates. "Only four left. Hold it together."

Their stealth operation had gone smoothly. The Matsuoka brothers were still inside their restricted area and hadn't noticed anything. Nawaki's drawn-out fight had made some noise, but because Kiyo had assigned him a distant sector, the four leaders hadn't been alerted.

The Matsuoka brothers were once ordinary samurai, but years ago, they had stumbled upon an old shinobi training manual. Despite being warriors, they knew this was their chance to become stronger.

Through years of intense training, they became skilled combatants, far superior to normal bandits. Their mentality shifted as well—once they gained power, they began pillaging and slaughtering the weak without hesitation.

About two months ago, they encountered a wounded Amegakure (Hidden Rain) shinobi and killed him, looting his body for valuable supplies—including a chakra training method.

With this newfound knowledge, the four of them finally learned to mold chakra. Although they couldn't use jutsu, their physical abilities had been significantly enhanced.

Now, filled with overconfidence, they sought to expand their power by luring Konoha ninja to fight—hoping to kill them and steal their ninjutsu techniques.

Unfortunately for them, this would be their last night alive.

---

30 minutes later…

The three Konoha ninja, now recovered, approached the restricted area where the Matsuoka brothers were hiding.

The area itself was nothing special—there was no barrier jutsu or other traps, just a fenced-off zone with a single building inside. The brothers were most likely inside, continuing their chakra training.

Kiyo climbed a wall to observe.

Inside the courtyard, the four Matsuoka brothers were practicing, their bodies glowing faintly with chakra enhancement.

"Their chakra reserves aren't impressive. Maybe one or two cards at most. Given their age and physical training, their progress isn't bad, but... they have no ninjutsu. They probably haven't even learned the three basic academy techniques."

Kiyo mentally assessed the situation and made a decision.

"We can take them."

He gave his teammates the signal.

The three of them formed hand seals simultaneously.

"Fūton: Daitoppa!" (Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!)

"Suiton: Mizu Yaiba!" (Water Release: Water Arrow!)

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!)

The combined attack blasted towards the Matsuoka brothers, who were caught completely off guard.

Despite their chakra-enhanced durability, they were seriously injured in the surprise attack.

(Note: In the Naruto manga, chakra greatly enhances a shinobi's body, making them far more resistant to damage. This is why low-level fire jutsu doesn't always instantly kill an opponent.)

Kiyo rushed in first, targeting Matsuoka Ichi—the strongest of the four.

The man fought skillfully, proving himself a formidable swordsman, but against a trained shinobi, he was still at a disadvantage.

Meanwhile, Nawaki and Sarutobi Shō faced off against two of the injured brothers, easily overwhelming them.

Realizing they were losing, Matsuoka Ichi's eyes turned bloodshot as he suddenly broke away from the fight.

"He's running!" Kiyo chased after him.

Just as Kiyo was about to catch him—

Matsuoka Ichi suddenly whipped around, his expression twisted with madness.

"Shit!"

Kiyo barely had time to react.

"GET BACK!"

BOOM!

A massive explosion engulfed the area.

From the shadows, Orochimaru's eyes narrowed—then he moved.