"Really?!"
The moment Qingshui finished speaking, Yahiko's eyes lit up as if they were on fire.
Before this, Jiraiya had only taught them ninjutsu fundamentals, chakra control, and sparring techniques. No matter how intense the training was, it still felt distant from reality.
Actual missions were different.
They meant stepping into the real ninja world.
"Of course," Qingshui replied calmly, his tone firm and unquestionable.
For ninjas, real combat experience was the fastest way to grow stronger.
Books, training grounds, and sparring could only take a person so far. The battlefield—where lives were lost and decisions carried irreversible consequences—was where true strength was forged.
In this world, power was the only capital for survival.
"That's amazing! Just as expected of Brother Qingshui!" Yahiko said excitedly, fists clenched in anticipation.
Konan didn't say anything, but her eyes shone faintly. Even Nagato, who usually remained silent, lifted his head slightly.
That evening, Qingshui went to inform Jiraiya of his plan.
Konan, Yahiko, and Nagato were, after all, Jiraiya's students. Even though Qingshui was temporarily guiding them, it was only right to report such a decision.
Jiraiya listened quietly and then laughed.
"I was planning to take them on missions soon anyway," he said casually. "You've just moved things forward."
With Qingshui's strength, there was nothing to worry about.
"Then I'll leave them to you," Jiraiya concluded, patting Qingshui on the shoulder.
The night passed peacefully.
Rain continued to fall over the Land of Rain, as it always did.
By morning, the sky was still shrouded in gray clouds.
After a simple breakfast, Qingshui led Konan, Yahiko, and Nagato out.
Not long after they set off, Yahiko couldn't hold back his curiosity any longer.
"Brother Qingshui," he asked, "where are we going to accept a mission?"
The three of them weren't Rain Shinobi, nor were they registered with Amegakure. Naturally, they couldn't go to the Hidden Rain Village's mission hall.
Qingshui had anticipated the question.
"The black market exchange."
The answer caused the three children to freeze.
"…Black market?" Yahiko repeated blankly.
They had only been learning ninjutsu for a little over a year. Compared to seasoned shinobi, their understanding of the ninja world was still extremely limited.
Seeing their confusion, Qingshui began explaining as they walked.
"The black market exists in almost every country," he said. "It operates independently of the major ninja villages."
Unlike the Five Great Shinobi Villages, the black market was an underground organization—dirty, ruthless, and driven entirely by money.
Within it were bounty missions of all kinds.
Rogue ninjas. Wandering samurai. Missing-nin. Even famous shinobi from major villages.
Anyone could become a target, as long as the price was right.
"In the future," Qingshui added casually, "someone like Asuma Sarutobi will have a bounty of thirty-five million ryo on his head."
The three children nearly stopped walking.
"Thirty-five million?!" Yahiko exclaimed.
Qingshui nodded.
"To put that into perspective, even the highest-ranked S-level missions issued by villages usually only pay around one million ryo."
The black market paid far more—but the danger was just as extreme.
By the time Qingshui finished explaining, the three finally understood what kind of place they were about to deal with.
Before long, they arrived in front of an inconspicuous building.
From the outside, it looked completely ordinary—old walls, a sagging roof, nothing that stood out.
"This is the exchange," Qingshui said.
He turned to the three children.
"You stay here. Be alert."
After that, he formed hand signs and used the Transformation Jutsu, altering his appearance before entering the building alone.
Despite his calm demeanor, this was actually Qingshui's first time personally visiting a black market exchange.
Caution was essential.
The moment he entered, a foul stench assaulted his senses.
It was… a toilet.
Qingshui's expression twitched.
So even here, the black market used the same disgusting disguise.
Suppressing his irritation, he located the hidden mechanism and entered the real exchange below.
The underground hall was dimly lit, with torches flickering weakly against stone walls.
The smell of blood was thick in the air.
Qingshui frowned.
Do they never clean this place?
He walked straight up to the person in charge.
The man didn't bother with pleasantries. Without saying a word, he shoved a thick stack of bounty posters into Qingshui's hands.
Qingshui flipped through them carefully.
Many familiar faces appeared.
Ninjas from Konoha.
Famous shinobi from other villages.
Most of them were far too strong.
None were suitable for Konan and the others' first mission.
Finally, Qingshui's eyes stopped on one poster.
Okubo Kiiya.
Bounty: 1.2 million ryo.
A rogue ninja notorious for committing atrocities across multiple small countries.
Mass murder. Pillaging. Rape.
Unforgivable crimes.
He had recently been sighted in the Land of Rain.
Qingshui's gaze hardened.
More importantly, Okubo Kiiya's strength was only around Chunin level—and not a watered-down Chunin from a small village, but comparable to a Chunin from the Five Great Nations.
For three children who had trained for just over a year, he was a perfect target.
This mission wasn't about difficulty.
It was about something far more important.
Their first kill.
A ninja was never a righteous profession.
Accepting that truth was the first step toward becoming a real shinobi.
After taking the mission, Qingshui left the exchange and returned to his original appearance.
"Brother Qingshui, what exactly is our mission?" Yahiko asked eagerly.
Without hiding anything, Qingshui handed them the bounty poster.
"Our target is this man."
Konan and Yahiko stiffened the moment they realized what it meant.
Killing someone.
Nagato, however, remained calm.
He had already killed before.
Qingshui then calmly recounted Okubo Kiiya's crimes in detail.
"This man has slaughtered entire villages," he said coldly. "Men, women, children—no survivors."
"Killing him isn't murder. It's removing a cancer."
"It's a contribution to peace."
Konan took a deep breath.
"I understand," she said quietly but firmly. "He deserves to die."
Yahiko clenched his fists.
"Then we'll kill him."
---
In a remote village somewhere in the Land of Rain.
Less than a hundred people lived there.
Poor. Isolated. Forgotten.
Today, an uninvited guest arrived.
Okubo Kiiya.
He came for one reason only—to plunder.
Food. Money. Anything of value.
There were no ninjas here.
That meant no resistance.
Ordinary people were meaningless before him.
He slaughtered them without hesitation.
And if he encountered a beautiful woman…
He would "enjoy" himself first.
No one ever survived.
That was how he had escaped justice for so long.
But even monsters made mistakes.
During one massacre, he had crossed paths with a group of ninjas.
He tried to kill them all—but one escaped.
His crimes were exposed.
Past unsolved atrocities were linked to his name.
Overnight, he became a wanted criminal.
So he fled to the chaotic Land of Rain.
Now, standing amidst blood and corpses, Okubo Kiiya prepared to leave once again.
That was when he sensed something.
Four figures stood at the edge of the village.
"Who are you?" he demanded sharply.
No answer came.
Only killing intent.
The sight of the slaughtered villagers burned itself into the eyes of Konan, Yahiko, and Nagato.
Something inside them snapped.
Without a word, all three charged forward at the same time.
This was their first real battle.
Their first step into blood.
And they would not hold back.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)