The slayer
I got up at 6 a.m. sharp and headed for The Hidden Waterfall training grounds just like any other day, soaking in the mist that clinged to moss-covered stones. My squad would spar under the watch of a carved stone waterfall—a shrine to past heroes. As a way to show our respect and willingness to follow their footsteps, we bowed to the shrines before we began as we did hundreds of times before.
“Bet you can’t crack my new barrier seal!” Jiro shouted.
“Wasteful. Real battles aren’t won by parlor tricks.” I said as I dismantled Jiro’s seal with a single earth-style pulse, exploiting a hairline flaw.
“Ever the critic! Any one of you fancying a drink after a thorough exercise?” Ren, my best friend since school, proposed just when I was about to go home to my wife.
“Missions could come down any moment. I don’t wanna be pissed out drunk when that happens.”
“Geez, loosen up a little! It won’t kill ya. Tell you what. Drink’s on me if you agree in 3 seconds~”
“Fine. But don’t cry if I bankrupt you.”
“You got it!”
Just when we were about to enter the tavern, a scroll arrived. We were to intercept a squad of stone ninjas who wanted to make off with stolen weapons and jutsus from our base by the looks of it, and it was urgent. Before I could pour Ren a tall cool glass of I-told-you-so, he went to call up the rest of our team, while I scanned the map that contained all the river routes and choke points.
The stone ninjas didn't think they'd have to fight us so soon after stealing from us, but being professed in teamwork and archery helped with their case and held us off. I shielded my men with my armor jutsu from rockslides and arrows whenever I could, though it didn't make the situation any less than dire.
Three enemy archers loading in 8 seconds, Jiro’s wounded in the leg, hopefully not fatal. If we all want to get out of this in one piece, it’s now or never. “FLANK LEFT, SUPPRESS FIRE.” I gestured the rest of my team, dragging the injured man by his collar who gasped in pain.
“Move or die.” No time for assurance, as much as we’d like that. Survival is what matters.
I took out two of the archers with a kunai to the leader archer’s tendon and a scroll of explosive tags aimed at the other ninja, while Ren took out his blade and sank it into the last guy’s chest. Our team’s out of the woods for now.
The four of us salvaged the usable weapons and medical equipment, checking for each other’s injuries. “You still owe me that drink, Ren.” I couldn’t help smiling. The arrow that shot Jiro wasn’t covered in fatal poison, and we secured lots of useful gadgets. Think I could let myself loose for once.
“Finally! Someone learnt to enjoy all that life has to offer!”
The village elders inspected our gains almost as soon as we arrived back at the front gate, and murmured something about the safe return of the earth grudge fear and where to store it next. One elder fixed his eyes on my bloodied knuckles and complimented: “Your efficiency is remarkable. Keep up the good work, soldier.”
“Almost too remarkable.” Another chimed in.
I bowed, trying to ignore the chill in their voices. It wasn’t my place to wonder about the moods of the people who lead our country. My duty lied in obedience and sacrifice. “Serving the waterfall is what I’m born for.”
When it was confirmed that nothing of great importance was appropriated by the enemy, the whole town celebrated our victory. My spirit warmed up when I saw my wife Miyu heading my way, with our newborn daughter in her arms. We’ve been married for 4 years, and both of us were in tears when we learnt that she got pregnant.
“What was wrong? I sensed that you were suddenly tensing up when the elders were examining the goods.” Miyu was basically a human lie detector. I might’ve been trained to hide every expression, but she was a sensory type ninja who could directly feel anyone’s mental state should she choose to.
“Nah, it’s all good. And even if there was something, seeing your face fixed it.”
She smiled at that and tipped up her toes to kiss me.
“Oi, who’s saying they wanted a drink just then?”
“Your team awaits. 😉 see you at home?”
“See you.” As I headed off with my team, villagers cheered all around, and one kid shoved a honey-glazed mochi into my hand. However, the council was more sedated in comparison, only giving a curt nod at our direction while they murmured. They must be tallying my worth.
…
3 days later, I was summoned alone by the elders to assassinate Hashirama Senju, First Hokage who’s also known as the God of shinobi.
“You’ve proven yourself our finest blade. Now, we ask you to bring back the heart of the Senju. Succeed, and the Waterfall will rise as a Great Nation.” It was a suicide mission, but it was necessary. If I killed him, it would give our village much more leverage in the eyes of other nations than it ever did before. If not…
“As you wish.” I believed they’d take care of my family should I perish in the hands of the enemy, as was our tradition, so I packed up my weapons and set off on my mission. Without trust in the system, no one would willingly give up their lives, and the community would fall apart.
On the road, I calculated how to approach Hashirama. He was reputed be able to manipulate wooden clones, and his brother Tobirama wasn't to be trifled with either. Gotta lure him out of the village to fight him 1 on 1. Heard he liked to gamble, so I'd have a shot staking out the casino right outside the village. He had an infinite amount of chakra. Powerful as he may be, should I poison the tip of my kunai and sink it into his skin, even his regeneration wouldn’t save him.
Reassured by that thought, I sneaked into the premise of the fire country and watched for traces of Hashirama, kunai in hand. But before I could catch him unaware, he caught onto my presence first. "Here to rob me? I sensed your presence. Why don't you show yourself. " The man was too sharp. "Hey, if you are struggling, I can help, but robbing others is wrong! Come out now!"
"Who are you calling robber? I am an elite from the waterfall, here to take your life!" I charged at him but he hit me in the face with his wooden briefcase, containing all his money. His wooden clones tried to block my way, but I used my earth style jutsu to ground them instead and open up a path. Hashirama wasn’t just skilled at ninjutsu though: He was unmatched in every skill I could name, and it took all I got just to shield myself from his relentless attack from all directions. All my life, I’ve never felt so close to death, so unequipped, so inferior in my combat skills. Is this what it means to be head to head against the God of shinobi? I thought as I dodged narrowly from one of his kicks. Desperate, I threw my poisoned kunai, at him, at his clone, I couldn’t tell. It dissolved… clone it was.
The God of shinobi soon found the chinks in my defensive jutsu and swept me off my feet, his wooden clones grabbing each my limb and they transformed into a wooden cage I couldn’t get out of no matter how I tried bending my joints.
“Why are you trying to kill me? I haven’t done anything to your village.”
“I was given orders to do it. If you want to kill me, do it quickly. I won’t be divulging any further information.” He sighed at my response and locked eyes with me for a few moments. I stared back.
“Killing you would be another pointless sacrifice. You’re too skilled to die here. Retreat, and tell your elders their games are seen.”
I was at a loss for words. What the fuck did I just hear? He wasn’t the least bit annoyed or scared that my village had attempted on his life! He was just watching it all unfold like an actual God looking down at creation. I could tell that it didn’t take him much effort to capture me, and even if it was our whole country that poured in on him, it’d be the same anyway, except he’d be forced to kill a few of us as if he was swatting flies. I thought I was strong, but in the face of him, I was nothing. And how many people would be in between us in terms of power in this world? I’d stand no chance against them either.
Anyway, good to be alive. I should probably go back to my village to report the whole extent of Hashirama’s ability and await further instructions. Once they heard my briefings, they’d understand why it was futile to attempt more assassination.