Gamer, fixing the fates of fictional characters

Having done his part, Kaitou decided to say his goodbyes to Kagami, and then disappeared from the spot he was standing on. He appeared a few hundred meters away and kept flashing till he reached his house.

Once there, he entered and decided to just continue studying a few of the Spirit Seals.

Kaitou started with them a little while ago, but never invested too much time in them. They were complicated, sure, but they were very few in numbers. So, in his eyes, even with not too much time allotted to them, it wouldn't matter too much.

Kaitou sighed, staring out the window of his study. The village was as lively as ever, but for him, it felt oddly still. His conversation with Tobirama was over, and while he was confident his uncle would come to the right decision, there was nothing else for him to do regarding that matter. His training had plateaued for the time being, and while there were still techniques to refine, they wouldn't provide the challenge he was looking for. 

He needed action. 

With that in mind, Kaitou left his house and headed straight for the Hokage's office. If he wanted something worthwhile, it was better to get a mission directly from Hashirama or Tobirama rather than picking from the standard requests. 

The journey to the Hokage building was short, and when he arrived, the guards let him pass without issue. As he walked through the halls, he caught glimpses of various officials, clan representatives, and shinobi coming in and out. The village's administration was busier than ever, but that was to be expected. Konoha was still young, and securing its position among the nations required constant effort. 

Reaching the main office, Kaitou knocked twice before stepping inside without waiting for an answer. 

Hashirama sat behind his desk, rubbing his temples while a mountain of paperwork loomed over him. Across from him, Tobirama was flipping through documents, his expression sharp as ever. They both looked up when Kaitou entered. 

"Kaitou?" Hashirama blinked before grinning. "Good timing! I was just thinking about throwing some of this paperwork at you." 

Kaitou deadpanned. "I'd rather fight an army of rogue shinobi." 

Tobirama smirked. "That can be arranged." 

"Good," Kaitou said, stepping forward. "That's actually why I'm here. I want to take on some missions outside the village. Ones that require more than just dealing with incompetent thugs." 

Hashirama leaned back, crossing his arms. "You're looking for something dangerous." 

"I need something worth my time," Kaitou replied. "Something that shows me the results of my training." 

Tobirama exhaled, setting down his papers. "There are several ongoing issues outside the village that could be right for you right now. We've been receiving reports of increased bandit activity along key trade routes, some of which seem too organized for mere criminals. Additionally, there are confirmed sightings of rogue shinobi groups operating near our borders. Some could be remnants of the old clans that refused to integrate into Konoha, others may be mercenaries hired by rival nations." 

Kaitou nodded. "I'll take them all." 

Hashirama raised an eyebrow. "All of them?" 

"Bandits, rampaging Shinobi, border threats - I'll handle whatever needs to be dealt with," Kaitou confirmed. 

Tobirama studied him for a moment before sliding three mission scrolls across the desk. "These should be suitable. One involves eliminating a large group of bandits in the western forests; we suspect they're being led by some shinobi, that still remain from the past. Another requires investigating and dealing with rogue shinobi near the Land of Grass. The last one is a simple eradication mission - mercenary shinobi causing trouble in smaller settlements south of the Land of Fire. We don't have direct proof of their allegiances yet, but intelligence suggests they may be affiliated with a hidden faction." 

Kaitou took the scrolls, glancing over them briefly before tucking them away. "Sounds good." 

"Don't be reckless," Hashirama said, his tone slightly more serious. "I know you're strong, but there's no shame in returning if the situation becomes worse than expected." 

Kaitou smirked. "You sound like my aunt." 

Hashirama chuckled. "Well, Mito does worry about you." 

"I'll be fine," Kaitou assured them, turning toward the door. "I'll send updates when I can." 

Tobirama gave him a curt nod. "Be efficient." 

With that, Kaitou left the office and made his way toward the village gates. His energy was already building, the anticipation settling in. 

Finally, something to kill some time.

Kaitou arrived at the village gates, nodding briefly at the guards before stepping out into the open road. He unfurled the first mission scroll and skimmed through its details. His first target was the group of bandits operating in the western forests. Normally, he wouldn't have cared much for low-level criminals, but the mention of shinobi among them made it worth checking out. 

With his destination set, Kaitou disappeared in a flicker of motion, heading straight for the forest. 

The sun was beginning to set by the time Kaitou reached the outskirts of the reported bandit hideout. He concealed his presence and observed from a distance. A cluster of makeshift tents surrounded a larger, sturdier building - likely the leader's base. Campfires flickered, illuminating several figures patrolling the area. 

Most of them looked like ordinary bandits, poorly armed and dressed in ragged clothing. But Kaitou's eyes narrowed as he spotted three individuals standing apart from the rest. They carried themselves differently - sharper postures, controlled movements. Shinobi. 

'So the reports weren't exaggerated,' Kaitou thought. 

Rather than wasting time watching, he decided to make his entrance. Without hesitation, he moved, flashing between trees at high speed. Before the first patrol even realized he was there, Kaitou appeared behind him, a kunai flashing in the moonlight. The man barely had time to gasp before his body collapsed soundlessly to the ground. 

The second patrol turned, eyes widening in alarm - too late. Kaitou closed the distance in an instant, striking his throat with a precise hand chop. Another body fell. 

Then, the real commotion started. A sharp whistle rang through the camp as someone noticed the missing patrols. Kaitou sighed, shaking his head. 'So much for a quiet approach.' 

From the center of the camp, the three shinobi moved into formation. The leader, a scarred man with short black hair, stepped forward. His gaze locked onto Kaitou. 

"You must be from Konoha," the man said, voice calm despite the situation. "They sent you alone?" 

Kaitou smirked. "One of me is enough." 

The bandits who had been scrambling to grab weapons hesitated at that, exchanging nervous glances. 

The leader cracked his knuckles. "I was hoping for a challenge." 

Without another word, he rushed forward, his two subordinates flanking him. Kaitou remained still, waiting. 

At the last moment, he vanished. 

The leader's eyes widened, but before he could react, Kaitou reappeared behind them, a surge of chakra reinforcing his strike as he drove his palm into the nearest shinobi's back. The man was sent crashing through one of the tents, groaning in pain. 

The second enemy swung a kunai at Kaitou's throat, but he ducked effortlessly, catching the attacker's wrist and twisting it. A sickening snap followed, and the shinobi screamed as his weapon clattered to the ground. 

The leader barely had time to react before Kaitou turned his attention to him. 

Realizing the danger, the man jumped back, forming hand seals. "Fire Release: Flame Serpent!" 

A massive stream of fire coiled through the air toward Kaitou. 

He didn't move. Instead, he raised one hand, his fingers forming a quick sign. 

"Negation." 

The flames dimmed instantly as Kaitou's technique negated the attack, leaving only a few glowing embers in the air. The leader's eyes widened in shock. 

Kaitou appeared in front of him in an instant, his fist slamming into the man's stomach. The leader's body lifted off the ground from the force, before he crashed down, coughing up blood. 

The rest of the bandits, witnessing their leader's defeat in mere seconds, panicked. Some tried to run, but Kaitou went after each single one of them, incapacitating every single one.

When every one was taken out, Kaitou put them all into seals, intending to bring them back to the village, to let them handle this.

"One mission down." 

He glanced at the remaining scrolls in his pouch. The next task awaited. 

Without another moment's hesitation, Kaitou vanished, heading toward the Land of Grass.