Chapter 39: Task to Eliminate the Blood Ninja
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The elderly man glanced at Xuan and asked in surprise, "So young, and you're here to take on a mission?"
Xuan held the Tianyun Sword across his arms and smiled. "A ninja's strength isn't always defined by age."
The elder nodded in agreement and studied him for a moment. "You're Uchiha Xuan, aren't you?"
"How do you know that?" Xuan asked, puzzled, as he touched his face. Did he somehow have his name written on him? He was sure he'd never met this elder before.
To verify, Xuan carefully observed the elder. The man seemed to be in his fifties—a considerable age for someone surviving the Warring States Period. Clad in the Uchiha clan's traditional black robes, the elder exuded vitality. However, the most striking feature was his left eye socket, which had completely sunken in, as though the eye had been brutally gouged out. Xuan couldn't help but glance at it twice.
Seeing Xuan staring at his left eye, the elder didn't seem offended. Instead, he chuckled and said, "The Uchiha have produced two prodigies: Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Xuan. Your reputation has already spread throughout the clan. For someone your age to openly take on a mission, your identity wasn't hard to guess."
With a brief laugh, the elder pointed to his left eye. Unlike most people, who would shy away from discussing their disabilities, he proudly said, "This eye? About twenty-five years ago, during a desperate battle against the Senju clan, I awakened my Sharingan while surrounded by enemies. However, there were too many of them, and I knew I couldn't survive. I didn't want to leave my eye for them to claim, so I gouged it out myself and crushed it. Just as I was about to do the same to the other eye, reinforcements from the clan arrived. Because of my loyalty, the clan spared me further combat duties and assigned me to oversee missions. I've been doing this ever since."
Xuan quietly listened, understanding the perilous situation the elder must have faced. No one would willingly destroy their own Sharingan unless absolutely necessary.
"Old habits die hard," the elder said with a chuckle. "Let's get back to why you're here. This is your first mission, right? Let me explain a bit."
The elder grinned, and upon seeing Xuan nod, he began. "The clan missions are divided into two types. The first type is bounty missions—tasks entrusted to our clan by other clans or forces. For example, a weaker clan may hire us to handle matters beyond their abilities. We assess the difficulty and then assign them to the appropriate ninjas for completion.
"The second type is internal missions issued by the clan itself, also known as clan tasks. While these tasks might not offer as much monetary reward as bounty missions, they often grant access to ninja scrolls. However, clan missions are usually more dangerous. Sometimes, in emergencies, they're even mandatory and cannot be refused.
"During our last major battle with the Senju, clan missions came one after another. Every Jonin and Chunin not on the battlefield was dispatched, and eventually, even kids your age were sent out. It was a tragic time."
Xuan nodded as he absorbed the explanation.
"Furthermore, tasks are categorized by difficulty," the elder continued. "These white-colored papers are the lowest tier—white-grade missions—suitable for Chunins. The gray-colored papers are gray-grade missions, meant for Tokubetsu Jonin. Then, there are black-grade missions, usually reserved for Jonin. Anything beyond black-grade is only accessible to elite Jonin or higher and is assigned directly by the clan leader.
"However, this isn't absolute. In emergencies, when manpower is scarce, black-grade missions may be delegated to a group of Tokubetsu Jonin. Take a look and decide for yourself." The elder pushed a stack of papers toward Xuan.
Xuan began sifting through the tasks. The white-grade missions were simple—escort duties, reconnaissance, or intelligence gathering—all well within a Chunin's capabilities. They only offered monetary rewards, which didn't interest Xuan.
Setting the white-grade papers aside, Xuan moved to the gray-grade missions.
The first one caught his attention. A bold "ASSASSINATE" was written in large characters, circled in red to denote urgency. Below, the details read:
Mission: Assassinate the general of the Mingling Clan.
Deadline: Within three months.
Analysis: The Mingling Clan is a non-ninja faction in the northern Fire Country. The target has three Tokubetsu Jonin bodyguards who are constantly by his side, as well as a samurai of unknown strength.
Difficulty: Gray-grade.
Reward: 30,000 ryo.
Recommendation: Best attempted by five Tokubetsu Jonin or two Jonin.
After reading, Xuan frowned. Everything else seemed manageable, but the inclusion of an unknown-strength samurai raised concerns. From what he recalled, samurai were a declining force, surviving only in places like the Land of Iron. Setting the task aside, he murmured, This mission's difficulty assessment is so unreliable.
Although Xuan was confident he could complete the task alone, he felt it wasn't worth the effort. He needed more challenging opponents—preferably Jonin—to further his goals.
Pushing the gray-grade missions aside, Xuan moved directly to the black-grade tasks. The first one immediately grabbed his attention:
Mission: Eliminate the rogue Blood Ninja.
Deadline: Before the target escapes the Fire Country.
Analysis: Blood Ninja, formerly a Jonin of the Kiyomoto Clan, earned his moniker for his habit of leaving blood handprints on victims. A month ago, he raped and murdered the Kiyomoto Clan's eldest daughter, killed two Tokubetsu Jonin, and injured one Jonin. Currently at large, the latest intel places him in the northwest Fire Country, likely fleeing toward the Land of Earth.
Difficulty: Black-grade.
Reward: 80,000 ryo.
Recommendation: Best tackled by two Jonin or one elite Jonin.
Xuan tore the page from the stack. "I'll take this mission."
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