NOVEL WEB Chapter 35: First Mission.
Two weeks passed in intense training.
Every day, I pushed my body and chakra to the limit. Eventually, I mastered "Tree of Flight", the B-rank Wood Release jutsu. It wasn't just a technique—it felt like dancing with the forest, controlling tree limbs like flexible blades in midair. The speed, precision, and unpredictability were exactly what I needed.
Just as I was starting to get restless, Tsunade walked into the training field with a scroll in hand.
"Ren," she said, her voice calm but purposeful. "You've got your first mission".
I stood up immediately, heart racing. She handed me the scroll, and I unrolled it with steady hands.
**Mission Rank: C**
**Objective:** Eliminate all bandits along the Konoha–Kusagakure route via Kannabi Bridge, including adjacent forest routes.
Tsunade crossed her arms and glanced sideways. "Officially, they're bandits. But intelligence suggests some of them might be genin-level fighters. Maybe stronger. This isn't easy for the average genius… but you're not average."
I smirked. "I'll handle it."
What she didn't mention—and what I didn't know yet—was that this mission had been quietly assigned by Danzo.
Regardless, I accepted. Killing wouldn't bother me as this was not my first time. I had prepared myself for this since the day I reincarnated. I would do what had to be done.
---
By dawn the next morning, I stood at Konoha's eastern gate. The air was crisp, my gear packed, and chakra flowing through my limbs. After showing the mission scroll to the guards, I set out at full speed toward the east.
The road to Kusagakure curved along rivers and through dense woodland. It would've taken a squad days. I planned to reach the edge of Kannabi Bridge in hours.
By noon, I was close and crossed the bridge and reached land of grass (kusagakure)—and that's when I felt it.
I stopped mid-step, my senses expanding outward like a pulse of energy.
Dozens of chakra signatures.
**Twenty genin. Eight chunin. Three jonin.**
Too many for simple bandits. I concealed my chakra and dropped underground using **Mayfly**, flowing silently through the roots and soil until I reached a point directly beneath their base.
They had chosen their location well—just beyond the Kannabi Bridge, hidden under thick canopy and camouflage. A few genin were patrolling the perimeter. Some were relaxing.There were also various civilians and ninja's of kusagakure bound in chains and guarded by some genins ,who had nasty look on their face. But deep inside the base, I found the source of authority: two jonin in a large tent.
I emerged silently inside the tent's shadows, intending to eavesdrop.
That's when I saw her.
A Kusagakure girl—barely older than ten—was tied up in the corner, her clothes torn and face bruised. One of the jonin had just finished speaking and leaned back with a twisted grin, eyes still on her.
Blood boiled beneath my skin.
I acted instantly.
From beneath my sleeve, a sharpened wooden spear extended from my palm. I surged forward, silent as wind. The first jonin barely had time to blink before the spear impaled him clean through the chest. He gasped once—and slumped.
The second jonin shouted and formed a seal, conjuring an **earth clone**. Then followed as ground beneath us softened into a **muddy swamp**, aiming to trap me.
But I was ready.
Channeling earth chakra into my foot, I stomped down, countering the swamp with my own **Earth Release**. The ground solidified beneath me just as the clone lunged.
With a chakra-enhanced fist, I shattered it mid-air. The explosion of force ripped the tent apart—canvas flew, the wooden supports cracked.
The remaining jonin's eyes widened in disbelief.
I lunged at him. No chakra enhancement this time—I wanted to feel his taijutsu firsthand. Hidden Stone ninja were known for their physical strength, and I wanted to test mine against his.
We clashed.
His fists came fast, rough and heavy. I dodged narrowly, brushing past kicks and elbows. I countered with precision strikes to his ribs and arms—not enough to disable, just enough to confuse. He gritted his teeth, growing angrier as his hits failed to land.
With a growl, he jumped back and formed hand seals. The ground erupted into a wall of **jagged stone spikes**, aiming to impale me.
Too slow.
I leapt high, somersaulting over the trap, and landed directly in front of him.
This time, I didn't hold back.
I struck with a full-force **chakra-enhanced punch** straight into his torso. The moment my fist connected, his body caved inward from the impact. His eyes widened—then dulled. He flew backward, slamming into a rock and crumpling like paper.
Dead.
I stood over the ruin of the tent, breathing evenly.
Then I felt them.
Chakra signatures closing in—fast.
Seventeen genin, six chunin, one jonin, two more chunin, and three genin approaching from the forest.
They surrounded me in a wide ring, weapons drawn, but none attacked. Their eyes weren't filled with fury—only fear.
I had just killed two jonin… and I was only seven years old.
The last jonin stepped forward, face twisted with caution. "Surrender now," he said. "You're strong, but you're still just a kid."
I looked at him… and smiled.
He didn't understand.
This wasn't even my final strength.
It was time to introduce them to the illusion I had crafted with weeks of natural energy refinement. My most powerful technique—the one designed to break minds and bend wills.
Hell's Paradise.
Let them come.