The village head, his face etched with worry and relief, bowed deeply as Sasuke stepped into the dimly lit council chamber. "Shinobi-sama," he began, his voice trembling slightly, "the bandits… they have been terrorizing us for weeks. We are a simple farming village, ill-equipped to defend ourselves. They raid our stores, steal our crops, and… and…" He trailed off, his gaze falling to the worn floorboards.
Sasuke, his expression impassive, listened intently. "Details," he commanded, his voice sharp and precise. "Numbers, locations, and any identifying features."
"And my name is Sasuke Uchiha."
The village head straightened, his eyes flickering with a renewed sense of hope. "They are a group of ten, led by a missing-nin from some ninja village. They operate from a hidden encampment in the nearby forest, no more than a one hours' travel. Beware they are ruthless, and their leader… he possesses and use that effective Earth type ninja technique to threaten us."
'Ten bandits, a missing-nin, and shinobi with Earth Style ,' Sasuke analyzed, his mind cataloging the information. 'A simple task, yet an opportunity to test my current abilities.'
The next day, as the midday sun beat down upon the village, Sasuke moved with a silent, almost predatory grace. He had located the bandit encampment, a crude collection of tents and makeshift shelters, nestled deep within the dense foliage. He drew his katana, its polished surface reflecting the sunlight, and channeled a surge of lightning chakra. The blade crackled with raw power, the air around it shimmering with electric energy.
'Chidori Katana,' Sasuke thought, his mind focused on the precise application of chakra. 'A swift and decisive end.'
He moved like a phantom, a blur of motion and steel. The first bandit fell with a silent gasp, his throat sliced clean by the lightning-infused blade. The others, caught off guard, scrambled for their weapons, but Sasuke was too fast. He wove through their ranks, his katana a deadly dance of light and shadow.
He unleashed a burst of Genjutsu,
"Demonic Illusions : False Surroundings"
And instantly the bandits were disoriented, their senses distorted. They saw phantom allies, felt the sting of nonexistent blades, and heard the whispers of their own impending deaths. Sasuke used this moment of confusion to cut down the rest of them.
The bandits fell one by one, their cries swallowed by the dense forest.
Sasuke's movements were precise and efficient, each strike calculated to incapacitate or kill with minimal effort. The Chidori-infused katana left clean, cauterized wounds, preventing excessive blood loss and minimizing the mess.
The leader, his right arm already severed from an earlier, futile attempt at resistance, cowered before Sasuke, his eyes wide with terror. "Please… have mercy," he pleaded, his voice a ragged whisper.
Sasuke's gaze was cold and unwavering. "Mercy is a luxury you have forfeited," he said, his voice devoid of emotion. He raised his left hand, a swirling sphere of raw chakra materializing in his palm.
"Rasengan"
"If you survive this," Sasuke said, his voice low and menacing, "I will let you go...maybe."
He released the Rasengan, the spiraling sphere of chakra impacting the leader's chest with devastating force. The bandit was thrown back, his body slamming against a tree trunk with a sickening thud.
Sasuke surveyed the aftermath, his gaze lingering on the fallen bandits. He then methodically searched the encampment, retrieving the stolen goods. He found 125,000 ryo, a collection of poorly crafted swords and bows, and a scroll containing a B-rank Earth Style technique: Earth Style: Stone Pillar Prison. He stored the items in his scroll, his mind already calculating their potential value.
"This Jutsu might be useful."
He returned to the village, the setting sun casting long shadows across the fields. The village head, along with a small group of villagers, awaited him at the entrance.
"Sasuke-sama," the village head began, his voice filled with gratitude, "we… we heard the sounds of fighting. Are they…?"
"The bandits are no more," Sasuke stated, his voice flat. "You are safe."
A collective sigh of relief swept through the villagers, their faces lighting up with joy and gratitude. They showered Sasuke with thanks, their voices filled with genuine appreciation.
"You have saved us," an elderly woman said, her eyes glistening with tears. "We are forever in your debt."
Sasuke, though little moved by their emotional display, acknowledged their gratitude with a polite nod. "I must be going," he said, turning to leave. "I have other matters to attend to."
"Please," the village head pleaded, his voice tinged with desperation. "Stay for the night. Allow us to show our gratitude. We will prepare a feast, a small token of our appreciation."
Before Sasuke could refuse, a group of children approached him, their eyes wide and pleading. A young girl, her face flushed with excitement, tugged at his sleeve. "Please, Sasuke-sama," she begged, her voice filled with innocent sincerity. "Stay with us."
Sasuke hesitated, his gaze softening as he met the pleading eyes of the children. 'It would be… impolite to refuse,' he thought, his mind weighing the pros and cons. 'And, it would allow me to leave for Kagero Village in the morning.'
"Very well," he conceded, his voice barely above a whisper.
'Ha! It was supposed to be a normal pretext mission for my real purpose, but I can't just refuse them. Kiba Blades just wait a little more.'
The villagers erupted in cheers, their faces beaming with joy. They led Sasuke to the village square, where a large feast had been prepared. The tables were laden with food, a testament to their gratitude. Sasuke, though not accustomed to such displays of emotion, partook in the meal, observing the villagers as they celebrated. He noted the genuine warmth in their eyes, the sincere appreciation in their voices.
As the night wore on, Sasuke found himself drawn into the villagers' stories, their tales of hardship and resilience. He listened patiently, his mind absorbing their experiences, their struggles, their triumphs. He learned of their deep connection to the land, their unwavering spirit in the face of adversity.
As the feast drew to a close, Sasuke felt a strange sense of… contentment. It was a fleeting emotion, a momentary respite from the constant turmoil of his thoughts, but it was there nonetheless. He retired to the guest house, his mind already turning to the next day, to the village of Kagero, and to the legendary Kiba blades.