6

The base is nestled in the heart of a dense and foreboding forest, a place where few dared to tread. Its eerie ambiance, filled with twisting trees and a silence often broken by unsettling sounds, made it the perfect hiding spot for dark dealings and forbidden rituals.

A man in a dark robe entered the base, moving with a presence that immediately drew attention. His aura was different—commanding, confident, dangerous. He wasn't just any man.

"Priest Jaron!" he barked, his voice echoing through the encampment. "Cardinal Rifel is looking for you. You need to prepare to move out with your team. We depart for the western base shortly."

The voice was deep and forceful, stirring action within the otherwise relaxed camp. Priest Jaron stepped out of his room, looking surprised to see the visitor.

"Captain Sig!" Jaron greeted with a bow of respect. "Welcome. But what brings you here in such haste?"

Sig walked forward, his tone sharp and his eyes scanning the area. "We need to transfer some of the children from the western front to Central. But there's been an incident. Some ninja picked up our trail. Genin and Chunin ranks mostly, but their presence wasn't anticipated. We didn't send a large escort, so now we need backup."

Jaron's expression turned grim. "I see. Unfortunate. But manageable," he said, folding his arms. "If they're only Genin and Chunin, I suppose our warriors of Jashin can handle it."

"Exactly," Sig nodded. "Still, we can't be too careless. The western front is critical to the operation."

"Understood. Liro!" Jaron called, turning toward the rows of tents. "Prepare the warriors of Jashin. We must aid our comrades."

With that, Jaron stepped back into his quarters to change into his ritual vestments, preparing to leave.

Meanwhile, in one of the tents, Kaizen sat in quiet contemplation. He had already prepared himself for what was to come. His equipment had been checked, and his resolve was steady. He had been ordered not to join the expedition, as he was to be in peak condition for the sacrifice that was soon to take place.

His fingers brushed over his weapon.

Ordinary Tanto

Damage: 40-60

Defense: 16

Durability: 37/50

Equipment Requirement: 20 Strength

He waited patiently, sensing as the team departed, the rustling of footsteps fading into the distance.

Moments later, he heard voices near the camp exit.

"Damn, we should've gone with them," one man grumbled.

"Then who would defend this base if something happened?" the other countered.

"You're right... but still, I wanted to go. It's boring here."

Kaizen calmly approached, his presence turning their heads.

"Hey, Kaizen," one of the men said as he noticed him. "The priest said you can't go. Where are you headed?"

Kaizen looked at him, unfazed. "Want to come with me then?"

The man frowned, confused. "Where to? Nah, don't want to get punished."

Kaizen smiled faintly. "Heaven."

In one swift motion, Kaizen unsheathed his tanto and brought it down in a clean arc. The man didn't even have time to react before his head separated from his body.

You have killed a Civilian/Soldier. You gained 300 exp.

The other man shouted in shock and lunged forward, reaching for his kunai, but Kaizen was already in motion. His body moved with precision, years of pain and training guiding his hand. With a sidestep and a pivot, he drove his blade straight into the man's throat.

Blood gurgled from the dying man's mouth as he stumbled backward, hands clutched around the wound, before collapsing into a heap beside his fallen comrade.

Kaizen stood over the corpses for a moment, breathing steadily. He reached down and rummaged through one of the bags.

"Sweet," he muttered. "These guys had a shuriken... and some food."

Kaizen walked carefully toward the exit, his footsteps calculated and silent, ears alert for any noise or movement. He kept his stance low, his senses honed from weeks of training and planning. Every step closer to the perimeter felt like a heartbeat skipped, until finally, the dim light from the edge of the forest brushed against his skin.

He stepped past a tree and paused. His eyes widened, blinking twice to confirm the sight before him.

In the thick underbrush, hidden from plain sight, two women were locked in a passionate kiss, their bodies intertwined. Kaizen tilted his head, momentarily confused and then amused. "Well, that's unexpected," he murmured. The corner of his lips curled into a grin.

He took a few bold steps toward them, his tone casual, "Can I join?"

The two women froze, their eyes shooting open in shock as they turned to look at the intruder. Kaizen's expression shifted instantly, the momentary amusement vanishing into cold indifference. "I don't care about your gender," he said flatly, lifting his tanto, "but you just had to be here, didn't you?"

Without hesitation, Kaizen lunged forward. The blade pierced through one and then the other, impaling them like meat skewered for a campfire. The gurgling sounds of breath and blood mixing were the only reply they could give as life faded from their eyes.

Ding! You killed Civilian/Soldier. You gained 300 EXP.

Ding! You killed Civilian/Soldier. You gained 300 EXP.

Ding! You have gained [Basic Tonka Mastery].

Kaizen pulled the blade back, flicking the blood off with a sharp motion. He turned to keep moving, but he hadn't realized someone else had been nearby.

A man, tall and wiry, had walked around a bend and locked eyes with Kaizen just as he was cleaning the blood from his blade.

"MURDER! HELP! HE'S KILLING PEOPLE!" the man screamed, his voice shrill and echoing through the trees.

Kaizen's eyes narrowed. "Oh shit," he muttered under his breath.

Almost immediately, he heard rustling—no, stomping—coming from different parts of the camp. Men and women poured out of tents, drawn by the shouting, weapons unsheathed and chakra flaring. A dozen eyes fell on him, and with them, alarm and anger.

"Time to run," Kaizen said, spinning on his heels and bolting into the thick forest.

Leaves whipped against his face as he darted through the overgrown pathless woods. His mind raced. That had not been part of the plan. He was supposed to get out quietly, unseen. But fate had other plans.

Back at the edge of the base, Gete stood in place, teeth grinding together in fury as he caught sight of the fleeing figure.

"So you finally showed your true colors, you damned brat," he growled.

He raised his hand, forming a signal with his fingers. Around him, a squad of armed men responded to the call, bursting into motion and dashing after Kaizen.

Gete didn't follow. Instead, he turned and ran the other way, heading straight back toward the central tents where command resided.

He burst through the flaps of Liro's tent, panting. "Liro! Kaizen's escaping! He killed some of our people and ran into the woods!"

Liro, who was still within the camp because he had not accompanied Priest Jaron and the others, stood up sharply. His face was unreadable for a moment, then twisted in frustration.

"Damn it," he said under his breath. "If Priest Jaron hears about this, he'll be furious."

Gete nodded. "Good thing you stayed behind. If none of us were here, we might have lost the sacrifice."

Liro grabbed his vest from a nearby chair and shouted, "Send everyone! Find that bastard! He must not escape the will of Jashin!"

Back in the forest, Kaizen kept running, each step eating the distance between him and the base. The shadows of trees offered cover, but he knew they wouldn't be enough. His breath was steady, but his eyes scanned everything.