c6: Mitarai Coffee Beans
Three sharp cries rang out, and the bodies of the three traffickers were pierced clean through blood sprayed into the air before they collapsed.
Chiba dispelled his chakra-infused flames. The fiery spears dissipated into smoke, and the three men fell to the forest floor. Blood bubbled from their mouths as they gasped helplessly. Their injuries were fatal. None of them could stand. All they could do now was wait for death.
Chiba glanced down at them with narrowed eyes. His gaze carried no pity, only quiet detachment. Calm and unshaken, he turned his back on them and walked toward the little girl still bound to the tree.
She had seen everything the swift, brutal way Chiba had eliminated all four traffickers without hesitation. There had been no mercy in his eyes. Now, as he approached, her body tensed. The look in her eyes shifted from hope to fear.
She trembled slightly, unsure whether she had been saved or simply passed from one danger to another.
"You don't need to be afraid," Chiba said gently, sensing her fear. "I'm here to help. I won't hurt you."
His expression softened, and he offered a small, reassuring smile.
That smile, warm and natural, was like a beam of sunlight breaking through heavy fog. The fear in her heart began to fade. She blinked, then slowly nodded.
Chiba knelt beside her and carefully untied the ropes around her wrists and ankles. His movements were precise and gentle.
"My name's Hatake Chiba. What's yours?" he asked, his tone friendly.
"My name is Mitarashi Anko," the girl replied softly, now sitting cross-legged in front of him. "Are you the genius from the Hatake clan?"
Chiba paused for a moment, slightly surprised. He hadn't expected this little girl wide-eyed and anxious to be Mitarashi Anko. He knew that name from the future. In the canon of Konoha, she would one day become a Tokubetsu Jōnin under Orochimaru, and a respected instructor.
He hadn't expected their first meeting to happen under such circumstances.
"Yeah, there are two of us," he said, regaining his composure. "My older brother, Hatake Kakashi, and me. We're both considered prodigies of the Hatake clan."
He grinned, childlike and proud. Something about it made Anko feel at ease.
"Thank you, Chiba. You saved me. You're so strong... and so young. I can't believe you took down those traffickers so easily." Anko bowed her head slightly, her voice full of gratitude.
If Chiba hadn't shown up when he did, she likely would've been sold into slavery or worse.
"I'm a genius, so that much is expected," Chiba replied casually. "My brother's already a Chūnin, so I still have a long way to go."
"I want to become a strong kunoichi too," Anko said, her tone serious despite her age. Her eyes lit with determination. "Someday, I'll protect others too."
Chiba tilted his head slightly. "How did you get caught? With the kind of security Konoha has, traffickers don't usually dare operate so close to the village."
"I was playing with some friends on the outskirts of the forest," Anko admitted quietly. "They ambushed me while I was separated. I didn't even sense them coming…"
Her voice trailed off, a tremble in her tone. Just recalling the incident gave her chills.
"You've got to be more careful next time," Chiba said, helping her to her feet. "Learn to sense chakra better and avoid letting your guard down. Let's go. I'll take you back."
Anko nodded, her small hand slipping into Chiba's. Together, they began walking toward the Hidden Leaf Village through the woods.
---
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Host has completed their first kill. Hidden mission [First Elimination] completed.
Reward: 500 points + Skill Unlock: Rokushiki - Soru (Shaving).
As Chiba walked beside Anko, the familiar voice of the system echoed in his mind, delivering the news of his reward.
"First elimination comes with a bonus skill, huh? I like the sound of that," Chiba thought, a small smirk forming.
A surge of energy moved through his limbs a strange, controlled burst of chakra that seemed to strengthen his muscles and lighten his body. The knowledge of the technique "Soru" was now embedded in his mind.
Soru by stomping on the ground more than ten times in 0.36 seconds, the user propels themselves at speeds invisible to the human eye.
With this ability, Chiba's evasive and offensive capabilities would soar. His agility would rival even some high-level shinobi, and stealth attacks would be more deadly than ever.
---
When Chiba and Anko finally reached the village gates, word had already spread of Anko's disappearance. A search team had been dispatched not long ago.
Just as the squad began to fan out beyond the gates, they spotted Chiba returning Anko in tow, safe and unharmed.
"Anko! You're safe!" one of the Jōnin exclaimed as he rushed over. Relief flooded his voice. "Everyone was worried about you."
"If it wasn't for Chiba, I wouldn't have made it back," Anko said, turning to the boy beside her. Her eyes glimmered with admiration and gratitude.
"You're Hatake Chiba, right?" the Jōnin asked, looking him over. "Only four years old, and you defeated traffickers by yourself? Impressive. The Hatake clan really does produce monsters."
"Of course," Chiba replied without a trace of modesty. "I'm a natural-born genius."
"Well then, now that we've found Anko, we'll take it from here," the Jōnin said, nodding respectfully.
Anko stepped back to join the team but looked at Chiba once more. "When I become a ninja, I want to train with you. You'll teach me jutsu someday, right?"
Chiba nodded. "Sure. I'll show you some cool techniques."
After all, how could he refuse a cute little girl who looked at him like that?
Once Anko had been safely escorted home, Chiba continued strolling through the village on his own. After some walking, he found himself outside the famed Ichiraku Ramen.
Just then, his stomach growled loudly.
"Well, that's my cue. Ramen time," he muttered, patting his belly.
He walked in without hesitation.
The small shop was cozy, with the smell of rich broth filling the air. Due to his short stature, the shop owner hadn't noticed him at first.
Chiba climbed up onto one of the tall stools and leaned onto the counter.
"Welcome! What would you like?" asked Teuchi, the cheerful and slightly chubby ramen chef. His face was round and friendly, and his voice boomed with warmth.
Teuchi treated everyone with kindness genin, jōnin, ANBU, or academy dropouts. That was part of the reason why Ichiraku Ramen had become a beloved staple in Konoha.
At Teuchi's side, a tiny girl played nearby. With her double ponytails and rosy cheeks, she looked adorable probably around three years old.
Chiba guessed she must be Ayame, Teuchi's daughter, who would one day grow up to help run the shop.
Even in the original timeline, during the destruction of Konoha caused by Pain's almighty Shinra Tensei, the Ichiraku Ramen stand remained miraculously intact. A ramen shop that could survive divine-level attacks? Now that's legendary.
Chiba leaned forward on the counter.
"One bowl of miso ramen, extra pork," he said, licking his lips.
He'd earned it.
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