Chapter 12 - New Quest

"Return to the inn and then grab some tools and weapons. We will depart immediately, and we need to travel light," Kakashi said.

"What do you know about the enemy's base?" Sasuke asked.

"Not much, we can talk about it once we leave the town," Kakashi said.

Kakashi's secrecy had been noticeable since his arrival in the town, and Sasuke couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to it than mere caution. It was clear that Kakashi was deliberately withholding information, and while part of it could be attributed to the need to avoid leaking sensitive intel to potential enemies in the town or even the townspeople, Sasuke couldn't shake the sense that there was something more.

In any case, Naruto and Sakura looked quite quiet since they heard that Sasuke had killed all of the bandits he faced. All of a sudden, he looked very different from the person they knew. They didn't know that he was playing on another level, and he had no intentions of messing up.

Sasuke Uchiha 

Health: 110/110 (0/120)

Chakra: 250/250 (0/260)

Stamina: 210/210 (0/220)

Power: 20 (0/210)

Defense: 11 (0/120)

Speed: 20 (0/210)

Experience: 00

Jutsus: Sharingan Lv 01, Giant Fireball Technique Lv 02, Clone Technique Lv 01, Transformation Technique Lv 01, Shadow Clone Technique Lv 05, Body Flicker Technique Lv 05, 

Skills Shop: 

Sasuke used the experience he got, and thanks to it, he got considerably stronger than before. He didn't increase his health and defense, so he was still quite frail, but agaisnt the likes of bandits, he wouldn't need that. As for some more skilled enemies, he would need to use his head for that.

Eventually, the group met with Kakashi on the other side of town, and soon, they began to dash toward the forest. It seemed that the enemy's base was somewhere there. 

"The enemies had set explosive sticks that reacted when shinobi approached them in the forest. They had set them on snakes, so they never noticed that until it was too late," Kakashi explained. "Even though we have some sensorial ninjas with us, they won't find the traces of those who set those traps, but I have someone who can help with that."

It was Pakkun and the other shinobi dogs. Sasuke was certain of it. Kakashi's dogs, known as the Ninken, are a pack of highly trained ninja dogs that serve as loyal companions and valuable allies to Kakashi. These dogs are renowned for their exceptional intelligence, agility, and combat abilities.

The most prominent members of Kakashi's pack are Pakkun, Bull, and Urushi, each possessing unique skills and personalities. Pakkun, a small pug, is the most well-known among them and often serves as the team's tracker and scout due to his keen sense of smell.

"I was planning to let you work with the other Gennin to deal with bandits, but it seems that I can count on you to deal with this task as swiftly as possible and not give them any time to escape," Kakashi said. "Sasuke didn't hesitate while fighting them, so he will be the temporary leader of the group while we chase the shinobi that had set traps."

Naruto looked to the side, annoyed, but he couldn't say anything about that. Sasuke showed that he was willing to take down for real the bandits and that was the kind of determination it would be necessary to deal with the bandits without reinforcements. Without that determination, they would need three or more teams of genins in the area for the mission.

"Their base should be south of the forest closest to that large lake. I interrogated some townsfolk who looked suspicious early and they confirmed that they saw some shadows of large things moving there. They are probably the weapons granted to the bandits," Kakashi explained. "As you have you seen it, they have things like explosive sticks, so be careful. Still, you all should be fine since Sasuke already has his Sharingan."

As expected of Kakashi. He had noticed that even Sasuke wouldn't have escaped unscathed from the fight agaisnt the bandits without his Sharingan. Speaking of which, it would be nice to improve his Sharingan as soon as possible by using the king of ocular technique that Kakashi used to interrogate people.

"I will be counting on you all," Kakashi said.

(You received a new quest: defeat all the bandits in the hideout. Reward: 7000 Experience. )

When Kakashi mentioned snakes and explosive sticks, that confirmed things for Sasuke. The mere mention of those two elements hinted at the presence of Orochimaru, a sinister and dangerous figure whose name sent shivers down the spine of every ninja who knew of his exploits. Orochimaru's twisted fascination with snakes was a well-known trademark of his sinister techniques.

Realizing that Orochimaru was likely involved in the chaos unfolding around them, Kakashi made a strategic decision. He understood the urgency of the situation and the need to confront Orochimaru head-on. That's why he proposed using all of the high-level shinobi in the area to track down Orochimaru, leaving the bandits to Sasuke and his team.

For Kakashi, it was a decision tinged with bitter memories. He knew firsthand the pain of being left behind by a teacher in battle. Yet, he also understood that in this situation, it was necessary to prioritize the greater threat posed by Orochimaru. Sacrifices had to be made, and if it meant facing Orochimaru with everything they had, then it was a risk Kakashi was willing to take.

Chapter 42 is already out on my Patreon page.

Hey, everyone! Author here! Thanks for reading my book! I would like to make some announcements. First of all, I opened a Patreon for those who want to read ahead. Currently, there are 80 chapters on Patreon, and I will be posting three chapters daily. If you are willing to support me in becoming a full-time writer, you already have my thanks! The second announcement is that I am planning to post one chapter daily here, but for every 500 power stones, I will post one extra chapter, and there are no limits on how many I can post! It is up to you all! 

Here is the link for the patre on: patre on.com/WritingMachineG

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