My apartment was already spotless, so packing took all of two minutes. I tossed a few changes of clothes, some kunai, and standard travel rations into my bag, and I was done.
But before heading to the front gates to meet the rest of Team 7, I had a little present to open.
I sat on the edge of my bed and pulled up my inventory. There it was, sitting in the top slot, glowing with a faint, inviting aura.
The [Golden Loot Box]. One of the main reasons I had pressed Tazuna so hard.
"Let's see what the System thinks is worth 150,000 Ryo," I muttered, tapping the icon.
The digital box spun in my vision, glowing with a brilliant, blinding gold light before bursting open in a shower of pixels.
[ITEM OBTAINED: Ring of the Leviathan]
Rank: B
Type: Accessory
Effect: +20 WIS. Grants a 50% Passive Resistance to Water-Style Ninjutsu.
"Oh, that's beautiful," I grinned. "System, I'll never doubt again."
I tapped [Equip].
A sleek, silver band with a deep blue sapphire materialized on my right index finger. The moment the metal settled against my skin, a rush of cool, calming energy washed over my brain.
The ambient sounds of the village—the chatter of civilians a block over, the flutter of bird wings on the roof, the distant, muffled hum of chakra from the Hokage Tower—suddenly became infinitely sharper and easier to process.
My danger sense is practically a small UAV.
And that 50% Water Resistance? Considering we were heading to an island nation surrounded by water to deal with a billionaire who hired rogue ninja... yeah, that was going to come in clutch.
I cracked my knuckles, the silver ring glinting in the morning light.
"Alright," I said, standing up and heading for the door. "Let's go build a bridge."
The Konoha Gates - 9:00 AM
I arrived at the massive wooden gates of the village to find the rest of Team 7 already waiting.
Kakashi was leaning lazily against a wooden post, his nose buried deep in his little orange book. Sasuke stood a few feet away, brooding in silence as he double-checked the straps on his kunai holster. Meanwhile, Sakura was struggling to adjust a ridiculously oversized backpack that looked heavy enough to snap her spine, still trying to cast longing glances at Sasuke.
While we waited for Tazuna to finish signing his exit papers with the gate guards, I casually leaned against the wall and pulled up my interface. I had 182 SP saved up. It was time to get my money's worth.
System, I commanded mentally. Distribute SP evenly across all stats to balance them out.
[ALLOCATING 182 SP...]
[STATS BALANCED]
A sudden, intense rush of heat flushed through my veins before settling deep into my core. My muscles didn't bulge, but they felt instantly denser, coiled with terrifying kinetic potential. The world around me seemed to slow down just a fraction as my processing speed spiked to match my new physical limits.
[PLAYER STATUS UPDATED]:
Level: 88
HP: 3,240 / 3,240
CP: 3,040 / 3,040
[STATS]:
STR: 132 (Base 132)
CON: 162 (Base 132 + 20 Passive + 10 Gear)
DEX: 147 (Base 132 + 15 from [Alpha's Twin Fangs])
INT: 152 (Base 132 + 20 Passive)
WIS: 162 (Base 132 + 10 Passive + 20 from [Ring of the Leviathan])
CHA: 152 (Base 132 + 20 Passive)
Stat Points Available: 4
I dismissed the screen just as Tazuna walked over, smelling like nervous sweat and road dust.
When he stopped in front of our group, there was no trace of the insulting, grumpy old man from earlier this morning. Instead, he turned directly to me and offered a stiff, awkward bow, his eyes filled with a mix of profound gratitude and lingering terror.
"The paperwork is cleared, Mr. Uzumaki," Tazuna said, his voice completely devoid of its usual gruffness. "We can depart whenever you are ready."
Mr. Uzumaki? I almost laughed. It only took 150,000 ryo to really buy me some respect. Who would have thought.
"Aye, don't sweat it, old man," I said casually, waving him off. "Just tell us where to go and we'll lead the way."
Kakashi snapped his orange book shut, his visible eye curving into a smile. "You heard the client. Formation C. Let's head out."
We walked for hours. The sun was hot, and the road was dusty.
Tazuna was drinking, Sakura was asking him questions, Sasuke was brooding or something.
I was watching everything in high definition. With my newly enhanced perception, the world felt sharper. I could hear the sap moving in the trees, I could smell the rumblings of a storm miles away, and I could see the puddle sitting in the middle of the road, radiating a faint, suppressed chakra signature.
Oh, these guys, I thought.
I didn't say anything. I casually strode forward with my hands in my jacket pockets.
As we passed the puddle, the water exploded. Two figures wrapped in chains burst out. They wrapped the chains around Kakashi in a blur of motion.
RIIIIIIIP!
Kakashi was torn to pieces.
That was really graphic, I'm not gonna lie.
Sakura screamed and Tazuna froze.
"One down!" they shouted, chains rattling. "Now for the rest!"
They rushed Tazuna from two sides. In an instant, Sakura stopped her screaming and shakily got in front of Tazuna, while Sasuke jumped into the air to throw a shuriken at their chains. I, on the other hand, didn't draw any weapons. I didn't even attack. I just moved in front of where one of the brothers was moving to.
He swung a clawed gauntlet at my head. To my eyes, it was like he was moving underwater. I tilted my head to the left. The claw passed harmlessly through the air.
He swung again, a low sweep. I lifted my foot, letting his arm pass under me, and set it back down.
"Stand still, brat!" he roared, frustrated.
"You're too slooooooow," I taunted.
[PASSIVE SKILL ACTIVATED: SQUAD COMMANDER]
[BUFF APPLIED]: +10% Stats to Party Members within range.
Sasuke landed on the other brother's chain, pinning it to a tree with a kunai. He felt the sudden, inexplicable surge of power from my buff—though he didn't know what it was—his eyes widening slightly as his body moved faster than his brain told it to. He kicked one of the brothers in the face, sending him tumbling back toward me.
The brother I was dodging tried to pincer me with his partner.
"Formation B!" Sasuke shouted.
I didn't need to be told. I ducked under a synchronized chain attack. The two brothers collided with each other, their chains tangling.
Sasuke was there instantly, delivering a double kick to their chests.
THUD.
They hit the ground, groaning. Before they could rise, I was standing over them, not a drop of sweat on me. Sasuke had his kunai at their throats.
[XP GAINED: 2,500]
"Yo," Kakashi said, appearing from behind a tree. "Good teamwork. Sasuke, nice initiative. Naruto, nice... footwork. And Sakura, well done in protecting the client."
We tied them to a tree.
"Who sent you?" Kakashi asked, his voice losing its lazy drawl.
Kakashi let out a bit of his killing intent and they broke instantly.
"Gato," one spat. "He hired Zabuza Momochi."
Kakashi stiffened. "The Demon of the Hidden Mist. I see. This just got complicated."
After getting the intel, Kakashi forced us into a grueling pace until we reached the coast. We left the mainland on a small boat, the engine cut to avoid detection. The fog was thick, rolling over the water like a living thing.
"The bridge isn't far now," the boatman whispered, terrified.
I sat at the prow, staring into the white void.
My [Danger Sense] was screaming. It wasn't the sharp ping of an ambush; it was a low, heavy pressure. Like the air itself was heavy.
We docked silently, leaving the terrified boatman behind. We hiked into the dense forests of Wave. The mist clung to the trees, and the pressure continued to rise until it came to a climax.
WHOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSSH.
A massive object cutting through the air.
"Duck!" Kakashi yelled.
We all hit the deck. A massive executioner's blade spun over our heads, embedding itself into a tree trunk with a thunderous THUD.
A man landed on the hilt. He was shirtless, wearing cow print arm warmers, and half his face was bandaged.
[SYSTEM ALERT!]
[ENEMY DETECTED]: Zabuza Momochi
[URGENT QUEST]: Survive the Encounter!
Whoa! That's way beyond my current level.
He looked down at us.
[KILLING INTENT DETECTED]
The air turned into cold molasses. Tazuna was hyperventilating, Sakura looked like she was about to faint, and even Sasuke started trembling, his eyes widening in terror.
I stood up, dusting off my knees.
I felt the pressure: It was heavy, and pricked at my skin. But compared to the Rat King, the Ogre, or to the System's cold indifference?
This was just a man with a very large blade; simply another obstacle to overcome.
I drew a kunai, my hand steady. Kakashi stepped forward, lifting his headband to reveal his Sharingan.
"Copy Ninja Kakashi," Zabuza rasped. "I'm honored."
"Protect the client," Kakashi ordered. "Do not join the fight. That is an order."
They both moved.
CLANG!
Sparks flew.
To Sasuke and Sakura, they were gone. Just flashes of steel and splashing water. To me, I could slightly track them.
It was like watching a movie on fast-forward. I saw Kakashi feint. I saw Zabuza counter. I saw the end of hand signs complete before jutsus came to life.
Damn, these ninjas kinda fast! I realized, watching the blur. My attribute stats are beyond 100, but they move with an efficiency that makes them functionally faster. It seems that I still have a long road ahead of me.
Then, the momentum shifted when Zabuza kicked Kakashi into the lake.
He wove signs faster than I could track. "Water Prison Jutsu!"
A sphere of heavy water trapped Kakashi. He struggled, but was locked in.
Zabuza laughed, then created a Water Clone that stepped onto the shore. "Now for the brats."
The clone radiated power. Even at 10% of Zabuza's strength, it was probably a Chunin level threat.
Things just keep getting better huh?
"We have to get him outta there." I said.
"No, Take Tazuna and Run!" Kakashi shouted from inside the bubble. "This is a fight you can't win! If he wants to hold me in this water prison, he can't move. And his clone will lose control if it gets too far out of range."
He's kinda right, but running away from a fight just ain't my style.
"No," Sasuke growled, forming hand signs for his Fire Style. "Fireball Jutsu!"
The clone stood still, blocking the fire with a wave of water. It rushed Sasuke, backhanding him into the dirt.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" I shouted.
Five clones popped into existence. They rushed the Zabuza clone, screaming war cries.
The Water Clone laughed, slashing through them with a kunai.
POP. POP. POP.
"Useless!" he sneered.
While he was busy dispersing my clones, and while Sakura stood frozen over Tazuna, her kunai trembling as Sasuke struggled to his feet, I had already moved. I bypassed the clone entirely, aiming for the original. I threw a kunai straight at Zabuza's head, the one holding the prison.
"Predictable," Zabuza scoffed, not even moving his hand from the prison. He tilted his head, letting the kunai fly past him.
POOF.
The kunai exploded into smoke. And out came a Shadow Clone I had transformed. The clone appeared in mid-air behind Zabuza's head, holding another kunai.
"What?!" Zabuza's eyes widened.
He broke his stance to dodge the clone's strike, but as he moved, the clone threw a second kunai directly at the hand, maintaining the prison.
Zabuza was forced to rip his hand away to avoid being stabbed.
BOOM!
An explosive tag wrapped around the handle detonated. The blast wasn't huge, but it was enough. The Water Prison shattered.
[NEW TITLE OBTAINED: THE UNPREDICTABLE NINJA]
Effect: Critical Strike Chance increases by 25% when attacking from stealth or during an enemy's "confusion" state.
The smoke from the explosion swirled over the water. Zabuza was blinded for a split second. And I couldn't let the opportunity slip by.
I pulled the [Rat King's Fang] from my inventory and whipped it through the smoke.
[NEW SKILL UNLOCKED: DAGGER THROW (ACTIVE SKILL)]:
High Accuracy From Long Distances.
Notice: The higher the skill level the greater the accuracy rate.
Cost: 30 CP per activation.
It flew fast, silent, and true, guided by my high dexterity stat.
It buried into Zabuza's shoulder.
"Gah!" he grunted, stumbling back, blood trickling down his arm. He reached up and ripped the jagged bone blade out of his shoulder with a bloody wet sound. The moment the dagger left his flesh, I mentally triggered the recall. It vanished from his hand into my inventory before he could even inspect it. But the damage was done; the paralyzing poison was already in his bloodstream.
Kakashi was standing on the water, free. He looked at Zabuza, then glanced back at me, his visible eye wide with shock.
"You brats..." Zabuza snarled, trying to acclimate his body. He glared at me. "I'm going to kill you first."
"You'll have to get through me," Kakashi said coldly.
The air pressure doubled. The water around them began to rise. Two massive dragons—one of water, one of... well, water copied by Kakashi—rose into the air.
They collided. The shockwave knocked us off our feet. Then without missing a beat the two clashed again, separated and began forming hand signs again in unison. But Zabuza's reactions seemed to slow down a bit and Kakashi was able to complete the jutsu faster.
The poison must have kicked in, scrambling his concentration slightly.
"Water Style! Great Waterfall Jutsu!" he roared as a massive volume of water rose dozens of meters into the air before it crashed down onto Zabuza.
Whoever said this series was just about Ninjas was lying! I thought in awe. These two almost turned this place into Atlantis! And this is at a time when Kakashi is considered rusty.
By the time the spray settled, Zabuza was pinned to a tree by kunai, exhausted. Kakashi stood over him, ready to deliver the final blow.
THWIP-THWIP.
Two senbon needles flew from the trees, piercing Zabuza's neck and causing him to go limp.
Holy shit, that went deeper into his neck than I remembered, I thought, looking at Zabuza's leaking neck. And a lot bloodier than I remembered.
[URGENT QUEST COMPLETE]
[XP GAINED: 5,000]
[LEVEL UP!]
[LEVEL UP!]
[NEW LEVEL: 90]
"Thank you for your help," a soft voice said.
A Hunter ninja in a porcelain mask stood on the branch above.
There they are, I thought. I sensed them a distance away before the battle had begun.
"I hope you don't mind my interfering," Haku said, bowing. "I have been tracking Zabuza for a long time, and wanted the satisfaction of putting him out of his misery."
Kakashi checked on Zabuza's body before addressing the stranger. "You're a hunter ninja from the Hidden Mist right?"
Haku nodded. "I am. I was tasked with tracking and dealing with him."
He body flickered to Zabuza's body. "Your battle is now over and I must dispose of the body."
He vanished with Zabuza's corpse in a swirl of leaves.
Kakashi sighed, pulling his headband down over his eye. He swayed, exhausted from using the Sharingan.
"Mission... not accomplished yet," Kakashi muttered, before collapsing face-first into the dirt.
Welp, things are about to get even more interesting. Especially with this being something to look forward to, I thought, looking at my status window.
[QUEST STATUS: SHADOW MONARCH]: PENDING
Monster Kills: 2,380/490 (Complete)
Human Kills: 1/10 (Pending)