After Shikamaru and the others crossed the city wall, they immediately noticed the traps scattered inside.
If it had been anyone else—even some chunin—they would probably have been wiped out.
Unfortunately for the bandits, although the six rookies were all novices, every single one of them had unique family secret skills.
Especially Shino's parasitic insects, which were extremely convenient for detecting and disabling landmines.
With the support of Hinata's Byakugan, none of them fell victim to the traps. Instead, they dismantled them all with relative ease.
Before long, the group reached an open clearing—where a crowd of bandits was already waiting.
"I didn't expect it to be a bunch of babies. Is Konoha so short on manpower?"
"Hah! Maybe they've got too many mouths to feed and decided to send some brats to die."
"That explanation fits perfectly. Since Konoha is being so polite, we've got no reason not to accept the gift!"
"Everyone, don't get carried away and kill them all. They're still from Konoha, which makes them worth more than us rough bastards. If we keep some alive and train them, they might grow into useful tools."
"I don't care about the rest. That blonde chick is mine. I like delicate, tender girls like that."
The bandits, who had initially been on guard, instantly relaxed at the sight of a group of kids. They laughed, whistled, and threw out vulgar remarks.
The six rookies gritted their teeth, their faces burning with anger. They were children raised in comfort, and they had never endured this kind of insult.
Kiba was the first to snap. He charged ahead with Akamaru, shouting furiously, ignoring all ideas of cooperation.
"Asshole! Don't look at me with those disgusting eyes!"
Ino, humiliated by being singled out, followed recklessly with a kunai in hand.
"Don't be impulsive!" Shikamaru tried to stop them, but it was already too late. He sighed, exhaustion washing over him.
"There's no other way… guess we're doing this." Choji tossed the last bite of potato chips into his mouth and clapped his hands.
His body ballooned outward, swelling like an overinflated sphere.
"Human Boulder!"
Like a giant green watermelon, Choji rolled forward with force.
Shino adjusted his sunglasses with a cool gesture. "If you ask why… it's simple. We're young and reckless."
He released a cloud of parasitic insects, which surged toward the bandits.
"S-Sorry!" Hinata stammered nervously.
"But… I—I'm going too!" She blurted it out without finishing, then charged in with a blush.
So much for having Shikamaru as the designated commander. In the end, everyone ignored his orders and followed their emotions instead.
They were all rookies. How could they possibly withstand such crude provocations?
The bandits, though ordinary men, weren't weaklings. This was the shinobi world—civilians who lived by the sword were hardened killers.
They lacked chakra, but they had years of battle experience, their own dirty tricks, and the advantage of numbers.
The six rookies' opening attacks didn't crush them as expected. Instead, the bandits dodged or blocked as groups, halting the genin's momentum.
Armed with weapons, they avoided direct clashes, instead teaming up—two or three against one.
The rookies, in contrast, were green. This was their first real fight, and they were quickly forced into a stalemate.
On the distant city wall, two figures watched quietly.
"Really? After all the warnings, they still ended up like this."
It was Kurenai Yuhi, her black hair flowing over a white-striped kimono. Her crimson eyes narrowed with disappointment.
Beside her, Asuma Sarutobi leaned against the wall, a cigarette dangling from his lips.
Though watching the fight, his gaze kept drifting to the woman beside him.
He chuckled. "Being too stiff isn't good either. At least they're fiery. Unlike Shikamaru in my team—kid's mature beyond his years, always acting dead inside. No motivation, no drive. Doesn't even look like a teenager."
Kurenai frowned slightly at the cigarette, but said nothing about it.
Instead, she sighed. "Too much fire can get them killed. Missions are life-or-death. Only steady people survive longer."
Asuma exhaled a cloud of smoke. "This is their first taste of real combat. Don't expect perfection. They'll get better as they grow."
Kurenai's eyes softened but stayed sharp. "I hope they suffer just enough to learn. At least we're here to watch over them."
Meanwhile, hidden in the river, Itsuki and Tsubaki were observing as well.
Itsuki pressed one hand against Tsubaki, maintaining a thin chakra barrier that held the river water at bay.
Using his Water Release, he extracted oxygen from the stream and transferred it into her lungs through physical contact.
Tsubaki was flustered at first—being literally held in Itsuki's arms—but the fight drew her attention quickly, distracting her from the intimate details.
"These rookies are pretty skilled," Tsubaki admitted quietly. "Coming from such great families, it makes sense the Third Hokage arranged for us to trail them. Once they mature, they'll be the backbone of Konoha."
She couldn't help but compare herself. Some of them might already surpass her. Just as Itsuki always said—people are different.
Itsuki, however, looked unimpressed. "They're still too soft. Facing ruthless killers, yet they hesitate to go all out. Keep that up, and they'll be in serious trouble soon."
He was right. Though the rookies charged in fiercely at first, they had never shed blood before.
Their attacks were meant to win, not to kill.
The bandits, however, showed no such restraint. Though told to "hold back," their strikes were merciless, always targeting vital points.
The rookies faltered, shackled by hesitation. Hinata and Ino's supportive skills were wasted.
As the battle dragged on, exhaustion crept in. Their chakra drained fast.
"No!" Shikamaru's eyes widened. "They're stalling us—everyone, stop holding back!"
"What?" The others finally realized something was wrong. Their stamina was depleted, their ninjutsu harder to cast.
The bandits burst into laughter.
"Haha! A bunch of babies! Your reactions are pathetic."
"With this level of skill, you call yourselves ninja? And Konoha actually sent you out?"
"It's too late now. My Lords—please make your move!"
...
Author's Note:
The full completed version of Konoha Harem Chat Group: I Can Fabricate the Future (Completed) is now on Patreon!
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