Six rogue ninjas—one Chūnin and five Genin.
Against such opponents, Squad Four made short work of them. The battle didn't even require tactics.
Within mere seconds, the six rogue ninjas were dead. They hadn't even managed to fight back.
In the forest, six bodies lay piled on top of each other, surrounded by the four Anbu members.
"They really didn't know their place," Bear muttered coldly. With a series of hand seals, he used an Earth Release jutsu to bury the six bodies.
"Let's continue with the mission," he ordered. The other three members, Wind and Lightning included, quickly dispersed using Body Flicker, vanishing into the trees.
Hui, however, lingered for a few moments, standing silently before the fresh mound of dirt. After a few seconds of reflection, he finally turned and left.
Six people, two of whom had died by his hand, felled by his shuriken.
It had been effortless. There was no need for elaborate tactics or even swordplay. No need for a drawn-out battle. All it had taken was the throw of a few shuriken to snuff out their lives.
The six rogue ninjas had died quietly, alone in the forest. Other than Hui and his squad, no one would ever know they had died. And perhaps no one would care.
In that moment, Hui realized just how cheap the lives of the weak were.
So fragile.
So insignificant.
The war had intensified.
Mist, Rock, Cloud, and Sand—four major ninja villages had mobilized large forces into the Land of Fire, all aiming for Konoha.
Under the leadership of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, Konoha fought back against the combined might of the four villages, managing to hold the battle lines at the borders of the Land of Fire.
But Konoha was ultimately outnumbered. The war was gruelling, and many shinobi lost their lives—including the parents of Orochimaru.
The frontline slowly inched closer to Konoha, pushing deeper into the Land of Fire, albeit at a painstakingly slow pace.
Fortunately, the four ninja villages were not fully united in their efforts. They were each fighting for their own gain, and their conflicting interests led to internal strife and clashes.
Additionally, many smaller countries and minor ninja villages were either dragged into the war or forced to join, making the conflict even more chaotic.
In the midst of this chaos, the Heichuan Line became increasingly dangerous. Numerous rogue ninjas and enemy scout teams turned their eyes toward this route, seeking to prey on Konoha's supply lines.
Slash!
The sound of a blade slicing through flesh echoed as Hui's sword cut cleanly across an enemy's throat. The rogue ninja's eyes filled with disbelief and unwillingness before Hui moved on to his next target.
Months had passed, and Hui had grown accustomed to the act of killing. By now, the number of rogue and enemy scouts who had fallen by his hand had surpassed thirty.
Most of his victims had been rogue ninjas—many of them hired by small villages to defend their meager supplies. But when the battlefield shifted, a unit from Iwagakure entered the Heichuan Line, putting Konoha under tremendous pressure. Konoha was forced to pull back certain defensive positions.
As a result, many small villages, once shielded by Konoha's forces, were left exposed to the predatory forces of the Mist and Rock Villages. They were looted and ravaged.
This left the rogue ninjas, even those with decent skills, with nowhere to go. Their survival was severely compromised.
Desperate, they sought to escape deeper into the Land of Fire. But in times of war, Konoha couldn't allow large numbers of rogue ninjas to infiltrate the heart of the country.
And leaving the Land of Fire meant crossing dangerous warzones, where being caught by enemy ninjas meant certain death.
In such dire circumstances, there was only one option left for these rogue ninjas: survive by preying on Konoha's supply lines.
Slash!
The sharp sound of steel slicing through flesh rang out again as Hui's blade claimed the life of the last enemy.
His sword returned to its scabbard, his expression beneath the mask calm and indifferent, as if he hadn't just killed a man, but merely dispatched a wild animal.
"Nicely done, Light. Your swordsmanship is improving," Wind said as he approached from another part of the forest, his gaze falling on the corpse at Hui's feet.
"It seems like there are more enemies lately, but they're all just rogue ninjas. No real challenge," Lightning commented, his tone casual, even dismissive.
Hearing this, Bear, who had just leapt down from a nearby tree, smacked Lightning on the back of the head.
"You idiot, do you even know what you're saying? If the enemies here were squads of enemy village scouts, things would be far worse! You should be thankful it's only rogue ninjas!" Bear scolded, his voice gruff.
"That's not what I meant!" Lightning protested, rubbing the back of his head.
"Besides, we're supposed to be in the Anbu, right? The Special Assassination and Tactical Squad! Look at the other squads—they're all on the frontlines, making a name for themselves! Meanwhile, what do we do? Escort supply convoys! I'm starting to wonder if we're even in the Anbu at all!"
Lightning had always been direct, speaking his mind openly.
His frustrations had been building for months, and now, hearing of the glory other Anbu squads had earned on the frontlines, his dissatisfaction had reached a peak.
Bear and Wind exchanged a subtle glance before both shifted their gaze toward Hui.
By now, they knew the reason their squad was given such special assignments. It was because of him.
"Listen, if the Hokage gave us these missions, he must have had a reason. What's the matter, Lightning? Are you questioning the Hokage's judgment?" Wind teased, his tone playful, but his words carried weight.
Lightning stiffened under his mask, his attitude shifting. The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, was his idol. The whole reason he had joined the Anbu was because of his admiration for the Hokage.
After all, he wasn't an orphan, and with his blunt personality, he had initially been rejected by the Anbu.
Had it not been for him pestering his father and his clan to pull strings, he would have never made it in.
"Hey, hey! That's not fair, Wind! I would never question the Hokage! You know he's the person I respect most!" Lightning protested, his voice rising in panic.
Bear, Wind, and Hui couldn't help but chuckle at his reaction.
Though the mission on the Heichuan Line had been mentally exhausting, Lightning's outbursts always provided some much-needed levity for the team.