When Taiichi mentioned "firepower," the Village Head's pupils constricted sharply.
"Firepower? What firepower? We just paid them off to save our skins." The old man looked pained. "Every time they came down, they took a massive chunk of our grain. Maybe they didn't want to draw too much attention, because as long as they got the food, they left the village alone."
His expression softened into a relieved smile. "But it's over now. Those bandits are gone, and we can finally go back to living in peace. Honestly, we have you to thank for that. If they hadn't heard that Konoha was sending ninja, they wouldn't have run off so fast."
"I'm just glad we didn't arrive too late to help," Taiichi replied politely. "By the way, sir, do you know anything about the fortress on the neighboring mountain?"
"That old place? It's been there for seven or eight years," the Village Head recalled. "There used to be a different bandit group up there. They built it. Later on, they were wiped out, and the place was abandoned."
"Why do you ask? Interested in the architecture?" he added with forced curiosity.
"We checked it out earlier. It was completely empty, and the tracks were over ten days old," Taiichi lied smoothly, playing along. "It matches your story. It looks like the bandits really did flee."
"Oh, you checked it already? That's wonderful news. Now the village can truly rest easy."
"Well then, sir, since the bandits are gone, there's no reason for us to linger. We'll head back to report the mission success," Taiichi said, glancing at the darkening sky.
"Ah, must you work so hard? It's already dark. Why not stay the night at my place?" the Village Head urged.
"No, thank you. Traveling at night isn't an issue for us." Taiichi stood up, signaling Yohei and Saori to follow. Ignoring the old man's further attempts to keep them, they walked out.
---
They left the Village Head's house and headed straight for the village exit. They maintained a brisk pace until the village was completely out of sight. Only then did Taiichi stop and turn to his teammates.
"So, what did you guys think of that?"
Yohei dropped his happy-go-lucky act instantly. "Taiichi, that village is sketchy as hell. Everyone was acting weird. The old man said they were scared of bandits, but honestly? It felt like they were terrified of us."
"I got that vibe too," Saori agreed. "And did you notice the demographics? There were a lot of men. I barely saw any women or children. It's like they were hiding them."
Taiichi looked at Saori with appreciation. Girls really are attentive to details. He hadn't caught that specific discrepancy.
"I found a contradiction too," Taiichi said. "Remember the guy who gave me water? He bragged that the village wasn't afraid of bandits and could handle themselves. But the Village Head claimed they were helpless victims paying protection money. Their stories don't match."
"Maybe the water guy was just blowing smoke," Yohei suggested.
"Possible," Taiichi admitted. "But Saori, remember those weird holes in the ground at the attack sites?"
"The row of small, curved holes?" Saori frowned, thinking back.
"Yeah. I think I figured out what made them."
"What is it?" Yohei and Saori leaned in, excitement rising. Identifying the weapon meant identifying the killer.
"Pitchforks."
"Pitchforks?" Both of them looked confused. They were city kids; farm tools weren't exactly in their arsenal.
"Right. It's a farming tool used to lift and throw hay. Long handle, metal head with sharp tines," Taiichi explained confidently. "More importantly, almost every house in that village has one. And there's one more thing—inside that guy's house, the one who gave me water, I saw a piece of high-end porcelain. It was expensive stuff. The kind of luxury item a poor farmer in the middle of nowhere should not have."
Yohei and Saori stared at him, the realization hitting them like a truck.
"Taiichi, are you saying the village is..." Yohei trailed off, hesitating.
"I'm not 100% sure yet, but best case scenario? The villagers are covering for the bandits," Taiichi said grimly. "Worst case? They are the bandits."
"So what's the plan?" Saori asked, tapping her chin thoughtfully.
"We wait," Taiichi said. "I left a Shadow Clone hiding near the Village Head's house. If they're dirty, they'll make a move now that we're 'gone'."
"Ha! You're always three steps ahead, man!" Yohei clapped his hands.
"Let's take a break and eat something," Taiichi said, his eyes narrowing toward the village. "It's going to be a long night."
---
Back in the Village
Shortly after Team 8 left, there was a knock at the Village Head's door.
As if expecting visitors, the door wasn't even latched. "Come in," the old man's voice drifted out.
Three people entered—two men and a woman. The leader was none other than the burly man who had given Taiichi water earlier.
"Wada, Hideto, Reiko. What are you doing here this late?" the Village Head asked.
Wada, the leader, looked impatient. "Don't play dumb, Chief. We can't sleep until we know what's up with those ninja brats."
"Exactly," Hideto chimed in. He was a massive guy, built like an ox. "They were sniffing around all day. We're nervous."
"Chief, do you think we're exposed?" Reiko asked, wringing her hands anxiously.
"Shut up!" The Village Head slammed his hand on the table. "I told you a thousand times: we are simple farmers. We are not bandits. That is the story. Stick to it."
"Okay, okay, calm down," Reiko said, putting on a sickeningly sweet tone. "I mean, technically our families have lived here for generations. We've only been 'bandits' for like, six months, right?"
"You just don't know when to stop, do you?!" The Chief was furious now, pointing a trembling finger at her nose. "That mouth of yours is going to get us all killed one day!"
"My bad, my bad. Slip of the tongue. Don't be mad, Chief," Reiko apologized quickly.
"Chief, are ninja really that big of a deal?" Wada interrupted, trying to change the subject. "I saw those three. The smallest one wasn't even as big as my kid. When he was in my house earlier, I almost just tied him up right there. Kid looked soft. Probably could have fetched a good price on the black market."
Pfft!
The Village Head, who had just taken a sip of water to calm his nerves, sprayed it across the room. He immediately dissolved into a violent coughing fit.
"Cough! Cough! Cough!" It sounded like he was trying to hack up a lung.
"You... You... You..."
He pointed a shaking finger at Wada, his face turning purple, unable to form words.
The three thugs panicked. They rushed forward, patting his back and offering more water, taking several minutes to stabilize him.
"You're going to be the death of me," the Chief wheezed, finally catching his breath. "Those are Shinobi. They are monsters in human skin. Even the smallest one could wipe the floor with you."
"Chief, come on. Are they really that scary?" Reiko asked, voicing the skepticism of the ignorant. "If the whole village rushes them... I mean, we took down those merchant caravans easily enough. Why are we afraid of three kids?"
"You..."
The Chief looked at them, defeated. He sighed deeply. "Just... lay low. Everyone stay quiet. Once those kids report back that the area is clear, we'll be safe."
It wasn't entirely their fault. These people had lived in this isolated hole their entire lives. They were illiterate farmers who had never seen the world. Expecting them to understand the horror of a ninja was like explaining color to the blind. They didn't know that a child like Haku could slaughter grown men without breaking a sweat.
"Get out. Go home. And keep your mouths shut," the Chief ordered.
The three left, and silence returned to the house. A few moments later, the lights went out.
In the shadows of the roof beams, a dark silhouette slowly stood up. It slipped out of the house without making a sound. Once it was a safe distance away—
Poof.
It vanished into a cloud of smoke.
---
Miles away in the forest, Taiichi's eyes snapped open.
"Got 'em."