Chapter 59: First Blood
"A mission?"
Shinra, Mikoto, and Kushina stood before Tsunade, who had summoned them to the mission assignment desk.
"That's right," Tsunade confirmed, her expression serious. "It's a standard C-rank mission. Its purpose is to let you see blood. While your raw power is impressive, you've never taken a life. In a true life-or-death struggle, you might not be able to utilize even half of your strength."
Her meaning was clear: "seeing blood" meant killing. The life of a shinobi was paved in blood and fire. No ninja could claim to have never killed.
"See blood? That's fine," Shinra replied, his gaze drifting to Mikoto and Kushina. He nodded slightly. For him, it was irrelevant, but for the two girls, it was crucial.
Both Kushina and Mikoto possessed power that could rival or even surpass a Jonin. In theory, Mikoto, with her Eternal Mangekyo, could contend with Kage-level opponents. But theory and practice were worlds apart. Their lack of real combat experience and, more importantly, the psychological fortitude to kill, made them vulnerable. Even a seasoned Chunin could potentially exploit that hesitation. This mission was a necessary, if grim, step in their development.
"The mission is to eliminate a bandit group operating within the Land of Fire," Tsunade explained, handing over the mission scroll. "According to Konoha's intelligence, this group has no shinobi among its ranks. They're just ordinary thugs. It's a suitable first mission for new genin."
"No problem," Shinra said, taking the scroll.
"Good. Then let's move out."
Leaving the familiar gates of Konoha, Shinra found himself looking around with genuine curiosity. In the nearly ten years since his arrival in this world, he had never once stepped beyond the village's walls. The world outside was a novelty.
Mikoto mirrored his sentiment, her eyes wide as she took in the sprawling forests and distant mountains.
"The world outside can't compare to the inside of Konoha," Tsunade remarked, noticing their fascination. "Konoha is, without a doubt, the most prosperous place in the entire shinobi world."
"It is," Kushina agreed, a touch of melancholy in her voice. "It's far more bustling than the Land of Whirlpools ever was... but the Land of Whirlpools is gone now."
Shinra moved to her side and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You have us now, Kushina. You'll never be alone again."
A soft smile returned to Kushina's face. "Mhm." She was determined to look forward, not back. The past was gone, but her present was filled with Shinra's love, Mikoto's friendship, and Tsunade's sisterly care. Her naturally optimistic spirit quickly reasserted itself, and she soon fell into a cheerful whisper with Mikoto.
As they walked, Tsunade fell into step beside Shinra. "You don't seem the least bit nervous," she observed. Though only ten, Shinra already came up to her shoulder, and his demeanor was unnervingly calm.
"Why would I be nervous? It's just killing. It's not like I haven't done it before." The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.
Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "Oh? And who have you killed?"
Shinra hesitated for a fraction of a second, then shrugged. It was better to offer a controlled truth. "A member of the Uchiha clan. He came after me and Mikoto, so I dealt with him. If anyone has a problem with that, they're welcome to try their luck." He conveniently left out the indirect deaths caused by his puppet, Uchiha Ryo. That was a secret he would keep from Tsunade, whose loyalty to Konoha ran deep.
"Uchiha Kagami?" Tsunade guessed, her mind flashing back to the elite Jonin whose mysterious death had sent ripples through Konoha's leadership.
"That's the one," Shinra confirmed, his tone as casual as if he were discussing the weather.
"You're a monster," Tsunade muttered, shaking her head in disbelief. He had been barely over five years old at the time. To kill an elite Jonin at that age was unheard of.
A curious glint entered her eyes. "Just how strong are you now? How would you stack up against Uchiha Madara?"
Hearing this, Mikoto and Kushina stopped their whispered conversation and leaned in, equally curious.
Shinra gave Tsunade a sidelong glance. "How should I know? We've never fought."
"Obviously. I'm asking for your best guess."
Shinra rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "My strength is probably on par with your grandfather's. My chakra reserves aren't as vast as his were, but my techniques are more refined. Overall, I'd say we're roughly equal."
He believed this to be true. Senju Hashirama had his Sage Mode; Shinra had his Tenseigan Chakra Mode, which was arguably superior. A stalemate seemed a reasonable outcome.
"Similar to my grandfather? Then that means you're stronger than Uchiha Madara!" Tsunade concluded triumphantly.
Shinra couldn't help but roll his eyes. "What kind of logic is that? Just because I'm similar to your grandfather doesn't automatically make me stronger than Madara."
"My grandfather defeated Uchiha Madara! If you're his equal, then you must be stronger!"
"Uchiha Madara isn't someone to be taken so lightly," Shinra countered, his tone turning sober. "If your grandfather were alive today, I suspect the best he could manage would be a draw."
This was his honest assessment. The current Uchiha Madara, sustained by the Gedo Statue and the Divine Tree, was a wild card. While Madara no longer possessed his Rinnegan—having given it to Nagato—his power was still immense and shrouded in mystery. Shinra wasn't afraid of him, but he had no desire for a confrontation. A conflict with Madara would inevitably draw the attention of the true puppet master lurking in the shadows: Black Zetsu. And that was a complication Shinra wanted to avoid at all costs.