Chapter 27

Outside the village, after registering at the gate, Hoshikawa Haru headed alone into the remote wilderness.Following the instructions written in the scroll Tobirama had handed him, he was to eliminate the bandit gangs that had taken root in the surrounding area.

Hoshikawa Haru silently reviewed the mission details in his mind.There were seven different bandit groups in total, all hidden deep within the forested mountains. Some among them were rogue ninjas, though their strength was minimal—only a few Jonin-level fighters among them. The majority were little more than expendable thugs.Lately, they had become increasingly bold, raiding caravans and causing havoc in nearby trade routes.

Given his current abilities, Haru knew this was a simple assignment—easily within his capability.And yet, even knowing that, the weight on his mind was heavy.

This would be the first time in either of his lives that he would take a life.

The psychological toll of killing—of snuffing out human lives one after another—was enormous, no matter how justified the victims' deaths might seem.Even if they were bandits. Even if they deserved it.

"Lord Tobirama really knows how to give someone a trial by fire," Haru muttered, sighing deeply."But I suppose this day was always going to come. The ninja world isn't a utopia. Bloodshed is part of the job."

Bandits often built their hideouts in the mountains. The terrain gave them an edge—natural cover, hidden paths, and layered defenses. A careless ninja could easily fall into their traps.Worse still, the inclusion of rogue shinobi among them made frontal assaults risky.

But Hoshikawa Haru wasn't worried. He took a slow breath and relaxed his mind, letting a wave of perception ripple outward from within.

The terrain unfolded in his mind like a living map. Every rock, tree, and hidden path was revealed in detail.This was the power of the Eye of Time—its scanning capabilities were no joke. His detection radius stretched across miles, and that was far from its full potential.No amount of camouflage or planning could hide from him.

Still, Haru wasn't reckless. He waited patiently until nightfall, then moved silently under the cover of darkness, closing in on the largest bandit stronghold.

"Hahaha! Boss, this haul is massive! We've got enough here to live like kings for a year!"A burly man laughed heartily, gulping down wine and tearing into a leg of meat by the fire.

Around him, hundreds of other bandits cheered and raised their mugs, voices full of admiration—though only some of it genuine.

Life here was easy. They ate well, slept without worry, and answered to no laws. For many of them, this was paradise.

But their leader, Maeda Iryuu, wasn't smiling.

He sat beside the roaring bonfire, staring into the flames with a furrowed brow.

One of his lieutenants noticed. "Boss, something wrong?"

Maeda nodded slowly. "I'm not worried about the caravan job. That's done. What worries me is if Konoha decides to come after us."

He took a long breath before continuing. "I'm strong enough to be called a Jonin, sure. But if Konoha sends someone serious… I won't last long."

"Boss, you worry too much," another subordinate laughed. "Konoha's way too far from here to care. Ain't no one coming for us."

Maeda Iryuu gave a resigned sigh, but his frown relaxed a little. "Maybe…"

Still, something gnawed at him. His instincts were screaming.

He looked up and scanned the treeline, then suddenly froze.

"…Why is it so quiet?"

The conversation died instantly. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked around.

"Hey… where's Matsuda?" someone asked. "He went to take a leak, didn't he?"

But before anyone could respond, the silence was broken by the faint sound of footsteps approaching from the dark.

"Who's there?!" Maeda shouted, springing to his feet, hand already gripping a kunai.

A figure stepped into the firelight, moving slowly.

It was a boy. No—a child.

His small face was partially hidden by streaks of blood, but his cold, detached gaze pierced through the firelight.

Maeda narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip. "A kid? Out here?"No. Something's off.

But not everyone caught on as fast.

One of the bandits laughed loudly. "What the hell? A little kid? Did you get lost, boy?"

Their chuckles echoed through the camp—mocking, arrogant, foolish.

Haru said nothing. He merely smiled faintly, and the temperature around them seemed to drop.

Then—he vanished.

A heartbeat later, the cold gleam of kunai sliced through a man's throat.Blood erupted like a fountain, and the man dropped with a gurgling gasp.

The camp was silent for a split second.

Then—chaos.

"NINJA!! He's a ninja!" someone screamed.

Panic exploded through the ranks. Men scrambled for weapons, tripped over each other, screamed orders, and begged for help.

Maeda Iryuu's blood ran cold. The speed, the precision—this wasn't just a ninja. This was a monster in a child's body.

"I'm here to relieve you of your sins," Haru said flatly.

Dozens of lives had already fallen by his hand.

And this... this was just the beginning.

Without warning, Haru flickered again, appearing like a ghost among the chaos. Every swing of his kunai cut short another scream.One… Two… Ten… Blood painted the ground as he moved with terrifying grace.

The bandits broke instantly, scattering into the forest in every direction.

But Haru wasn't about to let them escape.

Forming hand seals with lightning speed, he unleashed a puff of white smoke—then dozens of shadow clones sprang forth in every direction.

Each clone moved like a predator, hunting the fleeing men with the same cold efficiency.

Before long, only Maeda Iryuu remained.

He stood trembling, knees threatening to buckle. "You… you're not human…"

His voice cracked with fear. All the confidence, all the bravado—gone.

Haru stepped forward slowly, eyes devoid of any emotion.

In the flickering firelight, he looked almost otherworldly.

A final flash of white steel.

Blood surged from Maeda's neck, and the bandit leader dropped lifelessly to the ground, his eyes wide open.

At that same moment, Haru's clones completed their task.

No one survived.

An entire village wiped out.

And this… was just the beginning.

The night faded. A thin line of red crept across the horizon.Soon, the sun rose over the land, casting a golden light across the blood-soaked earth.

Hoshikawa Haru stood alone, his ninja sword planted in the ground, his knees bent, body trembling slightly.

He looked like a machine after a long night of killing—emotionless, drained, and soaked in death.

But as the first rays of sunlight warmed his skin, something inside him shifted.

The coldness began to melt away.

Haru raised his hand slowly. It was shaking uncontrollably.

Then, the smell hit him.

The stench of blood and death overwhelmed his senses.His stomach turned—and he doubled over, vomiting violently.

"…Killing someone…" he whispered, wiping his mouth. "I don't want to feel this way again."

He looked down at the corpses around him.

"This feeling… of being consumed. It's revolting."

After catching his breath and replenishing a bit of chakra, Haru turned and walked away in silence.

The moment he vanished into the trees, two figures appeared where none had been before.

Hashirama stood with his arms crossed, face lined with frustration.

"I told you," he said sharply, "don't treat the present like it's the past. Times have changed!"

Tobirama stood beside him, calm as always.

"This is something he had to face eventually," he replied, voice firm.

"I don't regret it."

Hashirama turned his gaze to the trail where Haru had disappeared.

"That child…" he said softly. "He's not like us, Tobirama."

"You put too much on his shoulders."

And with that, Hashirama turned and left, not bothering to look back.

Tobirama remained for a long moment, watching the path in silence.

His eyes narrowed slightly, and then—like mist—he vanished.