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Tazuna stood beside them, feeling as if he were on a roller coaster of emotions, struggling to process what was happening.
"What do you mean, ninja-sama? Will you continue the mission?" Tazuna asked, his eyes focused on Kakashi. Despite his earlier doubts, the thought of securing the protection of Kakashi and Team 7 gave him a flicker of hope. If they stayed, his dream of completing the bridge might still come true.
"Yes, we'll continue. Until the bridge is finished, you have our protection, Tazuna-san," Kakashi replied with a calm nod.
"Thank you!" Tazuna's face lit up with relief. Just moments ago, he had stared into the abyss of certain death, but now it felt as if he'd been given a lifeline. His excitement was almost tangible.
Menma turned his gaze away, lips pursed. He had made it clear earlier—whether the mission continued or not didn't concern him. The danger was irrelevant. If fear dictated everything, nothing would ever be accomplished.
To Menma, this mission was an opportunity to sharpen his skills. Taking down someone like Gato? That was just an added bonus.
The mission wasn't the issue; Naruto's behavior and Kakashi's decision-making were. But for now, since Kakashi had made his choice as team leader, Menma decided to let it go. Still, when the time came, he'd seek answers. Kakashi wouldn't risk their lives without reason.
"I'll handle the two Mist ninjas. Then we'll move on," Kakashi said, noticing Menma's silence. He felt a sense of relief. Just as Menma suspected, Kakashi had reasons for continuing, but they weren't something he could explain yet.
"Wait, Kakashi-sensei. Can we deal with the Mist brothers?" Menma suddenly asked as Kakashi moved toward the unconscious ninjas. He took a deep breath before speaking again. "We need the experience."
Kakashi glanced at Menma, immediately understanding what he meant.
Naruto and Sasuke exchanged puzzled glances, but after a moment, they too realized what was happening. Their expressions turned serious. Sakura, however, looked completely lost.
"Are you sure, Menma?" Kakashi asked, his voice measured.
"Yes, Kakashi-sensei. We're ninjas now. We need to develop the mindset for this. You went on your first mission at five or six years old. We're already behind."
Menma's tone was firm, his determination clear.
"I see. What about the rest of you?" Kakashi turned to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, his expression unreadable.
Naruto and Sasuke both tensed under the scrutiny, while Sakura raised her hand hesitantly.
"Uh, Kakashi-sensei... what exactly are you talking about?" she asked, confused.
Kakashi chuckled lightly. "It's something all ninjas must face—eliminating enemies. These two Mist ninjas are the lesson."
"What!?" Sakura's face paled, her body trembling. She had known, intellectually, that this day would come, but not so soon. They'd only graduated a month ago. She wasn't mentally prepared. Naruto, silent beside her, struggled with the gravity of the situation, while Sasuke, after a brief pause, stepped forward.
"I'll do it too," Sasuke said coolly, locking eyes with Kakashi.
"Alright then. Follow me," Kakashi said, picking up the unconscious Mist brothers and heading toward the nearby forest. Menma and Sasuke followed closely behind.
As they left, Naruto opened his mouth as if to speak but held back. Sakura, meanwhile, was trembling, her wide eyes showing how hard she was processing the reality of their mission. Tazuna, though, remained calm. Despite being a civilian, he understood the harsh realities of the ninja world.
Once they were deep enough in the forest, out of sight, Kakashi gently set the two Mist brothers down on the ground. With a swift series of hand seals, he cast a genjutsu.
"Genjutsu: Sharingan!" Kakashi's voice was firm as his Sharingan flared, trapping the two in a mental prison.
"Who hired you?" Kakashi began his interrogation. Genjutsu was a powerful tool in the ninja world, and Kakashi, having served in the ANBU Black Ops, was well-versed in its use. Torture in illusions was far more effective than anything physical.
The two Demon Brothers revealed little information but confirmed that Gato was indeed their employer. They also mentioned that Gato had hired other, more powerful ninjas, much stronger than them.
It wasn't much to go on, and Kakashi mentally adjusted his expectations for the mission's difficulty.
"It seems that's all we'll get. Alright, you two can start, but don't push yourselves. It takes time to get used to something like this," Kakashi said, turning to Menma and Sasuke, who were standing just behind him.
Menma and Sasuke remained outwardly calm, but when Kakashi gave the order, their bodies tensed ever so slightly. No matter how cruel their world was, killing for the first time required a significant mental shift.
If anyone could take a life without hesitation or feeling disturbed the first time, it would indicate a frightening detachment. Though both Menma and Sasuke were strong-willed, this was their first time. Even though Menma had lived two lives, in his previous one, he had been just an ordinary student—he hadn't even killed a chicken before.
Now, he was about to take a life. The fear was there, but he knew he had to push through it. This was the path he had chosen.
In previous battles, Menma's strength had easily surpassed that of a typical Chūnin. Whether it was Mizuki or the Demon Brothers, they had posed no real threat. But against an evenly matched or stronger opponent, hesitation could be deadly.
'This is the life I've chosen,' Menma reminded himself as he took a deep breath.
He flipped a kunai into his hand and stepped forward, closing the distance to the Kiri-nin on the left. His right hand trembled slightly, but his resolve didn't waver. A fierce determination burned in his eyes as he plunged the kunai into the Kiri-nin's chest.
A soft "thunk" echoed as the kunai pierced flesh. Blood splattered from the wound as the Kiri-nin's face contorted in pain. Within seconds, his body twitched, then fell limp, lifeless.
Menma had taken his first life.
Nearby, Sasuke moved swiftly, delivering a precise blow to the other Demon Brother's throat, killing him instantly. Blood sprayed across both of them, and for a brief moment, their eyes met. They shared a new, unspoken understanding.
From behind, Kakashi observed, nodding slightly. For a shinobi, this was a rite of passage. Konoha had changed—many Genin from the new generation lacked the hardness of the previous ones. Many had either died in battle or suffered mental breakdowns, unable to continue their lives as shinobi.
Initially, Kakashi had been worried about Team 7. Konoha had been at peace for so long that the younger generation had no true sense of danger. But now, seeing Menma and Sasuke, his worries eased. Hesitation was normal; if they hadn't hesitated, Kakashi would have been more concerned about their emotional state.
"Alright, well done. Let's head back," Kakashi said softly.
"Yes," Menma and Sasuke responded in unison.
Before they left, Kakashi formed a series of hand seals.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu."
A low-level fireball engulfed the bodies of the Demon Brothers, burning them to ashes that the wind soon carried away.
The three returned swiftly. Kakashi's interrogation had only taken a few minutes, and Menma and Sasuke had moved efficiently, wasting no time. When they emerged from the forest, Sakura and Naruto, who had been waiting, noticed the faint scent of blood clinging to Menma and Sasuke.
Sakura's eyes widened, and Naruto's expression became serious. There was something different about Menma and Sasuke now—a weight that hadn't been there before.
Tazuna, who had been watching silently, now regarded the two young shinobi with a deeper understanding. He had heard of ninjas before, but witnessing their actions firsthand, especially at such a young age, was jarring.
'They're only twelve...' Tazuna thought, his heart heavy.
"Alright, let's move," Kakashi said, sensing the change in the group's mood. To him, this was a natural progression for young shinobi.
With a wave of his hand, the five of them set off once more, heading toward the Land of Waves. The atmosphere was far heavier than when they had first left the village. The usually lively Naruto was silent, as was Sakura.
Only Menma and Sasuke seemed calm. Their paths, however, were clearly diverging from those of their teammates.
Menma glanced at Naruto. Beneath his collected exterior, his heart was hardening.
From this moment on, Menma abandoned the last of his naïve expectations. 'I can only rely on myself,' he thought, solidifying his resolve.
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