Naruto: legacy of the lightning

First of all, warning, this chapter is not for everyone, it contains some scenes that might be very strong for some readers, so keep that in mind.

Since I officially became a Genin, I've been accompanying Lord Sakumo on low-ranking missions, like finding lost cats, retrieving misplaced items, helping the elderly with their chores, or even gathering information by going to places where my childlike appearance helped me go unnoticed.

They were simple tasks—I'm not complaining. I get paid to play dumb and help people. But I know that one day, I'll have to learn how to slit someone's throat.

Taking advantage of my Flying Thunder God technique, I managed to complete several item transport missions within the village, since I've placed marks all over the village while doing missions.

Every time I used the technique, a massive dizziness would hit me, but I had to endure it if I wanted to properly train it.

Also, I've noticed that the more I use it to its limits, the less aggressive the dizziness becomes compared to the early days.

To give an example, if before the dizziness and vertigo were so intense I couldn't even stand—like being trapped in an endless vortex—now it's barely comparable to the swaying of a raft on a rough river.

During tasks where I had to burn garbage or piles of junk, I took the opportunity to train my fire-style jutsus, increasing the size of my Great Fireball Jutsu to a 2-meter circumference.

How did I manage to improve my chakra and boost my strength? Let me explain.

The Uchiha clan, with Uncle Fugaku back from the war, started supporting me—either because my adoptive mother is an Uchiha or because they're proud of my potential. They bought me some medicine and trained me during their free time.

Another thing the Uchiha clan gave me was the Summoning Technique, granting me the opportunity to raise my own beasts to summon one day.

One day, while on a mission with Lord Sakumo, I encountered a bear. I defeated it by strangling it with a chain I created and tied to a tomahawk after immobilizing it in a string trap.

After subduing the bear, I forced it to sign a summoning contract. So now, I can summon a bear as a mount whenever I get tired of walking.

As for my weapons, I added a chain to a tomahawk—almost turning it into a kusarigama.

At the tip of the chain, instead of just a weight, I attached a three-pronged hook, allowing it to tear through flesh when pulled, or get stuck while digging deeper on the other side.

Another idea I had was to make traps without any chakra traces, making them difficult to detect. I know how overconfident some can be with sensory techniques, and unless they have a Byakugan, it won't be easy to spot them.

Of course, once I become a Chuunin, it'd be foolish to rely on such traps, so I kept them only for hunting or attacking common enemies.

At the end of each mission, I usually test my weapons at the Uchiha training grounds. Since Fugaku's return, he gave me permission to train with the others—though when he told me, he looked confused, as if he didn't think I needed permission, since I'm the adopted son of his cousin.

I tested my weapons with the seniors, who at first were stunned—my weapons are not common. Though the kusarigama was familiar, as Hanzo the Salamander used a similar one, the rest—like my shield, tomahawks, and regular axe—were a bit tricky for the beginners, but they quickly adapted.

Since I know not to look Uchiha in the eye (and never really do with anyone), I wasn't caught in genjutsus, but I sometimes did it on purpose to train my mental resilience and genjutsu resistance.

This is what I've done over the last month. There's nothing too interesting to tell, since I haven't yet fought another human. But today, Sakumo told me to get ready—he plans to take a bandit-hunting mission.

"Now that you're used to basic tasks and have trained your skills more, it's time to move forward."

Lord Sakumo handed me the scroll detailing the mission.

A group of bandits is hiding in a cave near the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind—so it's relatively close.

"See you at the gate at 9 a.m. Pack everything you need and prepare." said Sakumo.

"Good luck."

And then he left.

Honestly, I couldn't say whether I'm ready or not to spill another human's blood. In my previous life, I had never killed.

But at the same time, I can't say I'll freeze up. I thought the same thing when I imagined having to see a corpse someday… and that situation eventually came.

The face of the corpse I found stared at me with wide, glassy eyes, frozen in a final moment of terror. The dried blood on his temple had formed a black stain glued to the ground. He had been executed with a bullet to the head and dumped in public, where I found him. I expected that vision to haunt my dreams… yet I felt nothing. No fear, no disgust. Only the echo of a thought: "Is that all?"

I'm not a psychopath. I don't enjoy killing or making people suffer. But rather than freezing up from fear or shock, I felt conflicted. Like something inside me whispered: "You're not supposed to feel indifferent."

After a few days, I stopped thinking about it. There was no point in overanalyzing it.

That's also why I asked some elder Uchihas to put me in a genjutsu where I killed someone—to both prepare myself and test whether I'd feel the expected fear.

But once again, I felt nothing… I don't feel good about that, but maybe it's because I knew it was just a genjutsu. So, perhaps I should just wait for the real moment.

"What's wrong?"

I heard my mother's voice. We were eating, but apparently, I had stopped moving my hands, lost in thought.

"Nothing, I just feel a bit strange."

My mother put down her chopsticks and stared at me.

"You can tell me what's bothering you."

Even though she didn't change her usual cold expression, I could feel the warmth of maternal love in her voice, a contrast to what her face showed.

"Tomorrow I'm going on a bandit-hunting mission… but I'm not sure about something."

She waited, thinking for a moment before replying:

"Are you afraid of feeling indifferent after taking a life? Or are you afraid of taking a life with your own hands?"

How did she know?

"The first one… Ever since I can remember, I haven't felt some emotions that should be normal… and I think that's why people at the academy looked at me like a freak."

She sighed, as if she had expected this reaction.

"Kenji, it's not necessary to be 'normal' or to be like everyone else. Each person is unique." She paused. "Besides, people bullying others for being different is ridiculous. It's not like there's a rule that says we all must be the same."

She continued:

"And that's the beauty of it. Everyone is unique—their temperament, their personality, everything. So don't feel bad for being different."

She stood up and sat next to me, pulling me onto her lap and wrapping her arms around my waist.

"Besides, the very fact that you worry about whether you'll feel indifferent or not… shows that you do feel some remorse. That's not strange at all."

As she stroked my head, I felt my heart calm under the warmth of her hand.

"I felt something similar when I was assigned my first assassination mission. I have a problem like yours in some way."

She pulled me closer. Feeling the warmth of her embrace, I stopped thinking about those things and finally relaxed.

"Even if we don't share blood, you are my son, and I love you just as you are. Forgive me for not saying it much over the years, but I prefer my actions to speak louder than my words."

I know. All these years, with her care and patience, she's proven it.

But somehow, hearing those words from her lips had a much stronger impact. It was like her actions were being reaffirmed.

"Thank you, Mom." I held her hands and nestled into her arms, feeling her warmth and motherly love.

"You're welcome, Kenji."

That night, I slept with my mother. I just wanted to feel her warmth a little longer—as if I instinctively knew that someday, that warmth might be gone.

The next day, I woke up at six in the morning to get everything ready. I stored my weapons and tools in scrolls, letting a few tomahawks hang from my belt. I also packed my one-handed axe in a leather sheath and strapped my shield to my back.

This month, I also made some clothes for myself, since I felt more comfortable in a different kind of outfit: a light chainmail shirt and a t-shirt with the Uchiha crest on the chest. Over it, I wore a bear pelt cloak, using the head of the bear as a hood—though I'll admit it has a strange smell.

The chainmail doesn't itch, since I wear an undershirt to prevent that.

I'll wear this outfit, but once the mission starts, I'll use a Transformation Jutsu to better camouflage myself.

If it were summer, it'd be stifling. But thankfully, it's close to winter, so it's manageable.

With everything ready (including food), I made my final adjustments before heading out. When my mother saw me getting ready, she approached me.

"Take care."

She gently stroked my head and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I caught a faint smile on her lips, but looking closer, I also noticed tears threatening to fall.

"I'm proud of you, son. Don't forget that," she said, still wearing that subtle smile—something I rarely ever see from her.

I don't know how to feel. I had never heard those words before, and this time, they felt heavier than ever.

Her voice echoed in my mind as I walked away… words I had never heard before, and that I might someday long to hear again.

"Good morning, Sakumo-sensei."

(Note from the author: I feel strange using terms like that. Maybe I'll use them less or change them a bit—curious what you all think.)

I arrived half an hour early, but Sakumo was already there.

"Good morning, Kenji. I see you're well-prepared. Shall we go?"

"Yes."

Sakumo handed the gate guard a mission departure permit, and we headed straight toward the target.

We left the village and headed directly for the objective.

Midday: Outside the Bandits' Cave

Outside the cave, there's a dense forest, making the hideout harder to find. They had also covered the entrance with bushes. Fortunately, I used one of my summoned beasts to track them down.

"Garm, track them."

"Wouu."

I had captured a pack of wolves along the way and forced them to sign a summoning contract. Now I could summon them too.

By the way, I named the leader Garm—a black-furred wolf with several scars across his body.

Garm sniffed around until he found human tracks that led us straight to the cave.

"We've found the cave. I believe we should strike at night. It'll be easier to hide in the darkness, and it's also when they're most likely all together."

Sakumo nodded and marked a nearby tree. We then headed to a nearby village.

Since we already knew the location of their base, we could take advantage of the time to gather intel—estimating their numbers, or checking if there were any shinobi rogues or wandering ronin among them.

I used a Transformation Jutsu in an alley and infiltrated the village.

At Dusk: Operation Rescue

After gathering the necessary intel, we headed back to the bandits' base. According to what I learned, they meet every night at the same time—to pool their loot, plan their raids, drink, and then sleep.

"Master Sakumo, what's the plan?"

Sakumo thought for a moment, then looked at me.

"I'll leave it to you. Can you handle it?"

So this is a test. All right.

"Understood."

I waited until all the bandits had gathered inside the cave before moving.

Once they were inside, I silently descended from the tree and laid traps outside the cave—metal threads arranged like a spiderweb. If they tried to escape, they'd get cut to ribbons—or at least tangled.

I stationed my bears and wolves at the entrance to hunt down anyone who managed to flee.

Then, I coated my axe with a highly dangerous paralytic poison I had crafted—fermented from feces and urine, sealed in a dark, humid place for weeks.

I had prepared bombs using this poison, as well as flasks with the extracted liquid to coat my weapons.

Haaah…

I let out a sigh. I felt nervous—not like a kid about to present a school project, but like someone about to make a difficult decision.

But first, since there were no sensory ninjas among them, I had to infiltrate. I gently moved a few threads outside the entrance, then slipped into the cave—leaving behind a tomahawk marked with the Flying Thunder God seal.

Using the darkness and chakra control, I climbed along the wall and crept along the ceiling like a cockroach. That's when I saw some imprisoned women.

"Hahaha! Scream, scream! Come on!"

One of the bandits was "having fun" with a woman they had captured. But her eyes… they were lifeless. She made no sound—just hollow emptiness.

It was horrifying. I knew the world of Naruto could be darker than in the anime, but seeing it with my own eyes… left a bitter taste in my mouth.

As I kept moving through the cave, I saw something that truly made me angry.

There were little girls with the same dead eyes, covered in blood—some with broken teeth, signs of abuse, and worse.

Those bastards…

I couldn't let this continue. But I also couldn't charge in recklessly like a berserker.

In a hidden spot, I created a shadow clone and used a Transformation Jutsu to make it appear as a beautiful, scantily clad woman. Before sending it in, I gave it a poisoned kunai.

My clone began causing a distraction—many bandits were drunk and horny, so they rushed toward it without thinking, only to be stabbed by the poisoned blade.

This caused the other bandits, who had been abusing the girls, to leave their victims and join the fight.

"Don't worry, I'm here to rescue you."

I used a mild sedative to knock out the captives, then sealed them into a person-sealing scroll that Kushina had lent me—just in case. Thankfully, I had prepared it ahead of time.

My clone continued fighting while I focused on rescuing the prisoners. Then, I placed stench bombs—filled with that same poison—to detonate in a few minutes.

I exited the cave silently using the Flying Thunder God technique, while my clone continued deeper inside, making the bandits think they had cornered someone.

Puff

The clone vanished in a puff of white smoke, and the bandits were left stunned. One of them sobered up just enough to grasp what had happened.

"It's a ninja!"

Too late.

I pulled out a bow and arrow with an explosive tag attached. I aimed at the first stink bomb and—

BOOM.

A chain reaction followed. Explosions, vapor, and clouds of foul-smelling smoke filled the cave.

The bandits began convulsing and vomiting violently. The smell of fermented feces and urine was so strong that I had to use a barrier to keep the vapor contained.

They collapsed, unconscious, choking on their own vomit. But I knew that wasn't enough to kill them.

I made another clone, gave it a gas mask I'd crafted based on German WWI designs, and sent it in.

My clone made shallow cuts on the fallen bandits using my poisoned axe.

Those I had seen abusing the little girls—I had my clone seal them into a different scroll. I had… other plans for them.

(Note from the author: I recommend researching this type of poison. It was used in medieval times to not only kill enemies but severely infect them. It could cause tetanus, gangrene, sepsis, or dangerous localized infections. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME. The idea was inspired by Goblin Slayer, but I researched its real-life plausibility, which led to this result.)

PART 4: A Silent Wrath

I gave the signal, and Sakumo emerged from his hiding spot.

He hadn't expected me to use poison or complete the entire operation in stealth. Most genin look forward to battle—to prove themselves.

"You finished already?" he asked with a confused look.

I pointed toward the cave.

Sakumo looked in and froze, stunned. Thanks to the barrier I had set up, he hadn't heard a thing.

Now, he saw the full aftermath.

Inside, several bandits writhed in agony—some dragging themselves across the floor, limbs turning black, vomiting uncontrollably.

Others lay bleeding from their lower halves, their pelvises blackened with necrosis. The stench was unbearable, the scene grotesque.

"We're shinobi. We're supposed to do things quietly and with as little risk as possible," I said, coldly—but with underlying rage.

I couldn't tolerate what I saw in there. I never want to see that again.

Sakumo made a complicated expression. He hadn't expected such cruelty and brutality.

But the pain these bandits had caused made it impossible to feel pity for them.

A phrase I often use: Once you shed blood, be ready for someone to shed yours in return.

"Let's go."

"Yes, Master."

We returned to the village. There was nothing more to do.

The Next Day: Return to the Village

We arrived back at the village the following morning. The gate guard greeted us, checked our identifications, and let us through after following protocol.

What? You thought they'd let you in just because you look familiar? This is a ninja world. That "familiar face" could be anyone in disguise.

As we passed through the gate, I saw an older Uchiha man approaching, his face tense—almost anxious.

Did something happen?

He stopped in front of me, panting hard.

"Kenji… haah… haah… your mother… your mother has been killed."

CLANK.

I dropped my axe in shock.

"…What!?"