Only then did everyone calm down. Obito looked at Rin and said, "Then let's proceed according to the plan. Rin, this mission is mainly for you. You must adapt to this kind of killing in the shinobi world, whether or not it can be considered just."
Rin still felt somewhat uncomfortable, but recalling what Minato-sensei had just said, she strongly agreed.
Konoha had nurtured her, raised her, and allowed her to grow up in peace. She should indeed consider things from the village's perspective.
So, she nodded seriously and said, "Don't worry, I will carry out the mission properly."
With that, the three of them exchanged glances, then dispersed and moved into action.
A one-sided massacre began…
Among these bandits, not a single one was a shinobi. Even though Obito and his team were still young, they were already considered an elite squad. Killing ordinary people who were not shinobi was as easy as slaughtering chickens.
In fact, these bandits might not even be able to resist a senior student from the shinobi academy.
So, once Obito started moving, he swiftly reaped the lives of one bandit after another, not even giving them a chance to sound an alarm.
As the number of enemies around him rapidly dwindled until none were left, Obito wiped the blood off his kunai and walked toward the bandit stronghold.
By the time he entered, there were barely any survivors left in the camp. Kakashi and Rin had also nearly finished their task.
For a moment, the air was filled with a thick, pungent scent of blood.
Looking at the corpses scattered across the ground, especially the elderly, women, and children, whose fatal wounds were almost all caused by blades, Obito couldn't help but shake his head.
Among the three of them, the only one who liked using a blade was Kakashi. As expected, Rin still couldn't easily cross the threshold of slaughtering women and children.
'Then… how is Rin doing now?'
Sensing Rin's presence, Obito quickly rushed over.
At that moment, Rin was holding a kunai, facing a trembling mother and daughter who were huddled together.
The mother wept bitterly, pleading, "Please, let us go! We haven't done anything. Even if you won't spare me, at least spare my daughter! She truly knows nothing, nothing at all!"
Rin stood frozen in place, her expression wavering. Hesitation, reluctance, determination, and final uncertainty intertwined, causing her to slowly approach the mother and daughter but never actually thrust her kunai forward.
Obito sighed, walked over to Rin's side, and grasped the hand that held the weapon.
Feeling Obito's presence, Rin finally relaxed, lowering her head in self-reproach, "I'm sorry, Obito… I still can't do it."
Obito thought for a moment, then looked at the mother and daughter and said, "Maybe you truly did nothing, maybe you truly are innocent. But since you've enjoyed the spoils of others' plundering, you must also bear the corresponding consequences."
He tightened his grip on Rin's hand and moved.
Rin suddenly realized what Obito intended to do. She didn't resist but instead surrendered herself completely to him.
Thus, guided by Obito, she moved with an elegant yet swift motion. In the instant the mother and daughter were struck with horror, the kunai in Rin's hand precisely slashed across their throats.
The mother fell to the ground in disbelief, blood gushing from her neck.
Her eyes remained wide open, locked onto Obito and Rin as if to say, 'If I ever get the chance, even if I have to go to hell, I will drag you both down with me!'
After completing the action, Obito chuckled softly and released Rin's hand.
Rin could no longer hold onto the kunai, it slipped from her grasp and clattered to the ground.
She murmured bitterly, "I… really killed them… sigh…"
Obito said nothing, only stepping forward to close the eyes of the mother and daughter.
At the last moment, he whispered to the mother, "Sorry, but even if you want to drag me to hell, I've already been there."
"Perhaps the ones truly at fault… aren't you, but this world itself."
Obito stood up and said to Rin, "Let's go. I closed their eyes so they wouldn't have to see the ugliness of this world anymore. That was my final act of mercy."
Rin stood in place, muttering to herself, "So this is… what it means to be a shinobi."
Obito sighed, "Yeah, this is what it means to be a shinobi."
"Also… Rin, there's one more lesson every shinobi must learn."
Rin's eyes were vacant, "Obito, tell me."
Obito glanced at the male corpse on the ground and said, "Rin, remember to always check and finish off your enemies. Otherwise, it can have serious consequences."
At that moment, the male corpse trembled.
He realized he had been exposed, now, he had no choice but to act, or he would lose even his last chance to strike.
With a sudden burst of energy, he lunged forward, his blade swinging toward Rin, heedless of the fact that his stomach was already nearly drained of blood.
It was this hateful female shinobi who had almost killed him earlier, and alongside the male shinobi, had murdered his wife and daughter. With the last bit of his life, he would have his revenge.
However, before his blade could reach Rin, it stopped in midair. A flash of a blade appeared behind him.
His body was sliced in half, blood spraying in all directions, staining everything around him.
Kakashi appeared, his blade in hand, half of his body soaked in blood. He spoke calmly, "So, this guy wasn't fully dead. Even though he wasn't a shinobi, an ambush like that could still be dangerous. Better to be cautious."
Obito snorted, "That's why you always have to make sure they're dead. In my past life, I was nearly crushed under a giant rock at Kannabi Bridge because we didn't finish the job properly."
Kakashi's eyes flickered slightly. That was certainly a lesson deep enough to be remembered forever.
He nodded, "I'll keep that in mind."
Then he turned and walked toward the camp's entrance, "Obito, are you finished? If so, we can head to Suikan Village to report the mission."
Rin looked at Kakashi's cold demeanor, as if human lives were nothing in his eyes, and suddenly felt afraid.
Obito took her hand, "Don't worry. That guy is only cold toward outsiders. He still cares about you. In my past life, every flower he sent you, I personally threw away. He kept sending them, and I kept tossing them. I don't even remember how many I threw in the end."
Hearing this, Rin couldn't help but chuckle, "Obito, those flowers Kakashi sent were quite nice, why did you throw them away?"
Obito huffed, "He was too weak back then. He didn't deserve to send you flowers."
Rin was speechless, but after a moment, she took Obito's hand and smiled resolutely, "Obito, I know you're trying to distract me. Thank you. But I'm not as fragile as you think. Let's go."
And so, the three of them walked out of the bandit camp. The human presence in the area gradually faded away, leaving behind only silence.
Minato appeared in a flash in front of them, smiling with satisfaction, "For your first mission of this kind, you completed it perfectly. You all did an excellent job."
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