Chapter 9

While completing the disguise process of her hideout, Akira summoned her shadow clone to gather information about all the surrounding village, naturally doing that will require stealth and complete concealment.

The shadow clone needs to transform into a beast, preferably a common bird that sticks to the environment and time.

Leaving that matter for the shadow clone to ponder on, Akira began to review the results of her work, making sure it blend in the environment while using a big rock to block the entrance and exits.

Of course, Akira didn't forget to cut the stone and give it the same feel as the whole mountain.

Meanwhile, Akira's shadow clone has become a small bird and flew with an existing folk of birds in the surrounding mountains, and to her glee, kept doing that for more than 30 km.

Thanks to that she has observed a lot of things about all the villages and even identified something that looked like a small bandit's den 25 km.

Akira's shadow clone has seen an opportunity in this den, If she plays her card right the disappearances of the villagers will be pinned on their heads.

An initial plan has been formed in her mind, but further calculations need more understanding of the bandit's current situation.

Akira's shadow clone began to fly and come closer to the den.

An initial observation gives an estimate of twenty to twenty-five bandits.

Deciding to blend in and observe, Akira's shadow clone sit still and wait, when two hours later, a team of six bandits came close to her location.

Bandit A, a bandit who looks like twenty-six, or twenty-seven, can be said to be leading them, began talking to the other bandits.

" Listen, guys, two days from now we will raid the village from the west. Then we can have a lot to eat and drink and even some women for fun."

The other bandits cheered but the boss didn't finish his talk yet, he give them a look and they quickly shut up and wait for him.

The boss had a satisfying smile on his lips and continued talking.

" Since it's two days from now I want you to hold the man down and not cause trouble."

The boss had a stern look on his face, but one of his little brothers said

" Don't worry about that boss but what if the villagers tried to fight back?"

" Then kill everyone."

Drops of rain began to fall from the sky, making the already cloudy atmosphere chilly, but what the bandits didn't know was that a little bird have heard all of their plans.

Waiting for the bandits to go back, Akira's shadow clone dissolved sending back all the information that she has collected, including information about the intended target of the bandits.

Akira carefully reviewed the information gathered by her shadow clone and devised a plan to kidnap five adults from the village before the bandits carried out their raid. She knew that timing and precision would be crucial to ensure that no trace of her actions was left behind.

Two days later, under the cover of darkness, Akira made her way to the outskirts of the village, dressed in dark, nondescript clothing to blend in with the night. She had chosen a secluded spot, hidden among the dense foliage, where she could execute her plan without being detected.

Using her expert knowledge of stealth and subterfuge, Akira moved silently through the village, her footsteps barely making a sound. She targeted specific individuals who were known to be strong and capable, as they would be essential for her plan to succeed.

One by one, Akira approached her chosen targets as they slept, employing a combination of tranquilizers and quiet hand-to-hand combat techniques to render them unconscious without raising any alarm. She made sure to leave no signs of struggle or forced entry, ensuring that the villagers would be unaware of the abduction until it was too late.

As soon as she had secured her captives, Akira swiftly transported them to a hidden underground chamber near her stronghold. This chamber had been meticulously prepared in advance, with concealed entrances to further ensure that no evidence of her actions would be left behind. Ready to be transported back to her main hideout.

Once inside the chamber, Akira ensured that her captives were securely restrained and unable to communicate or escape. She made sure to treat them with care, ensuring they were unharmed and comfortable within their confinement.

With the captives secured, Akira concealed the entrance to the chamber, erasing any trace of her presence. She meticulously removed any footprints, cleaned away any evidence, and restored the surroundings to their previous state, leaving no indication that she had been there.

Satisfied with her work, Akira retreated to a safe distance to observe and wait. She knew that when the bandits arrived to carry out their raid, they would discover the absence of their intended victims. The blame for the disappearance would be swiftly placed on the bandits themselves, diverting suspicion away from Akira and ensuring that her plan will remain in the dark.

As she waited, Akira remained vigilant, ready to adapt her plans should any unforeseen circumstances arise. She knew that her success hinged on maintaining the utmost secrecy and ensuring that her actions could not be traced back to her.