The rain in the Land of Rain never seemed to cease. It fell in sheets, creating a misty curtain that obscured vision and muffled sound.
On the outskirts of Amegakure, in a dilapidated stone ruin that once served as a sentry post, a group of four ninjas sat around a flickering fire. They wore the Amegakure headbands, but the horizontal scratch across the symbol—the mark of Pain's followers—was missing. These were loyalists of the late Hanzo of the Salamander.
"Damn that Pain," one of them spat, poking the fire with a kunai. "He killed Hanzo-sama and took over the village. We've been living like rats for months."
"Keep your voice down," another warned, glancing nervously at the entrance. "Pain's perception rain covers the whole village. If we are found..."
"We're outside the village range," the first ninja scoffed, though he lowered his voice. "We just need to wait for the right opportunity. I heard other nations are suspicious of the change in leadership. We might get support from Konoha or Iwa."
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps splashing in puddles echoed from outside.
The four ninjas instantly grabbed their weapons, tensely watching the entrance.
"Who's there?!"
A figure emerged from the rain. It wasn't a squad of Anbu or a terrifying monster. It was a teenager, perhaps twelve or thirteen years old, wearing a light purple raincoat and holding a paper umbrella. He looked calm, almost bored.
It was Uehara Naraku.
The tension in the room broke slightly.
"A kid?" one of the rogues sneered. "Hey brat, get lost. This isn't a place for you to play."
Uehara shook his umbrella, closing it slowly. He looked at the four men, counting them silently. One, two, three, four. Four chunin-level signatures, roughly.
"I'm not playing," Uehara said, his voice polite. "I'm just passing by."
"Passing by?" The leader of the group stood up, eyes narrowing. "In this weather? In this war-torn area? You're a ninja, aren't you?"
He noticed the pouch tied to Uehara's waist—the one Konan had given him. It looked heavy.
"Kill him," the leader ordered casually. "He might be a scout. Even if he isn't, he has money."
One of the ninjas drew a katana and rushed forward, eager for an easy kill. "Sorry kid, wrong place, wrong time!"
Uehara didn't move. He didn't draw a kunai. He didn't weave hand signs.
Instead, he lifted his hand, and a purple card materialized between his fingers.
[Skill Activated: Wild Cards (Q) - from Twisted Fate]
"You know," Uehara said softly, "My teacher told me to save money. But she didn't say I couldn't spend mana."
Whoosh!
With a flick of his wrist, Uehara threw the card. In mid-air, the single card suddenly split into three distinct paths of energy, glowing with a sharp, magical light. They cut through the air faster than any shuriken.
The rushing ninja barely had time to widen his eyes before the center card sliced clean through his neck.
Thud.
The body hit the ground, sliding to a halt at Uehara's feet.
[System Notification: You have killed an enemy ninja (Chunin). Reward: 30 Gold Coins.]
The remaining three ninjas froze, their expressions shifting from greed to horror in a split second.
"What... what kind of jutsu was that?" the leader stammered. "Paper style? Are you... are you with her? The Angel?"
Uehara ignored the question. He looked at the corpse, then at the notification.
"Thirty gold? That's it?" He frowned, genuinely disappointed. "A Chunin is only worth 30 gold? That doesn't even buy a health potion in the late game."
He looked up at the remaining three men, his eyes calculating.
"Well," Uehara sighed, raising his hand again as three more cards appeared, fanned out between his fingers. "I guess quantity will have to make up for quality."
"Attack him together!" the leader screamed, performing hand signs. "Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"
"Earth Release: Stone Wall!" another shouted.
Uehara didn't dodge. He simply took a step forward.
[Skill Activated: Pick a Card (W) - Blue Card]
The card in his hand turned a brilliant azure blue. He threw it. It didn't slice like the previous ones; it hit the oncoming Water Dragon with a heavy impact.
Boom!
The blue card exploded upon contact, not only dispelling the water dragon but also releasing a wave of energy that restored a portion of Uehara's chakra (Mana).
"This is..." Uehara smirked. "This is just farming."
He vanished from his spot.
[Skill Activated: Hiding Like a Mole Technique]
The ground beneath him softened, and he sank instantly.
"He's gone underground!"
"Watch your feet!"
The three rogue ninjas backed away, back-to-back, terrified. The atmosphere had completely flipped. The predator was now the prey.
Suddenly, a hand burst from the ground beneath the ninja who had used the Earth style wall. Uehara didn't pull him down; instead, he slapped a red card onto the man's ankle.
[Pick a Card (W) - Red Card]
Uehara retreated underground instantly.
"What is th—"
BOOM!
The Red Card detonated. It wasn't just an explosion; it was an area-of-effect blast that slowed the movements of everyone nearby. The ninja's leg was blown apart, and the shockwave sent the other two flying into the walls.
Dust and smoke filled the ruin.
Uehara emerged from the ground near the entrance, shaking the dirt off his raincoat. He looked at the carnage. One dead, one critically injured, two disoriented.
"Too slow," Uehara critiqued his own performance. "I should have used the Red Card first to group them, then Wild Cards for the wipe. My combo efficiency is terrible."
He walked toward the survivors, who were now crawling backward in terror.
"Wait! Please!" the leader begged, coughing up blood. "We surrender! We'll tell you anything about the remnants! We have money!"
Uehara paused. "Money?"
He tilted his head.
"I just killed one of you and got 30 gold. If I kill you, I get another 30. Do you have more than 30 gold coins on you?"
The leader blinked, confused by the strange currency talk. "I... I have 5000 Ryo!"
Uehara did a quick mental calculation. The system store didn't accept Ryo, only System Gold. But Ryo could buy food and snacks.
"Throw it here," Uehara commanded.
The leader frantically threw a wallet. Uehara caught it, weighed it, and nodded.
"Thanks."
Then, three cards appeared in his hand again.
"You..." the leader's eyes widened in betrayal. "You took the money!"
"I did," Uehara smiled, looking every bit the villain. "But I have a mission to complete. And my mission... requires a kill count."
Swish! Swish! Swish!
The cards flew. The screams were cut short.
[Side Mission Progress: 4/10 Enemies Killed.]
[Gold Gained: 90.]
Uehara stood in the silence of the ruin, the only sound the crackling of the dying fire and the rain outside.
"Six more to go," he muttered, turning back to the rainy darkness. "Being a Mastermind is hard work."