The weather in the Land of Rain was as terrible as ever. The sky was permanently shrouded in dark clouds and the rain fell relentlessly washing over the steel pipes and stone towers of the industrial landscape.
On a massive steel bridge located in the southern district of Amegakure two figures stood waiting in the downpour.
One was a tall muscular man with blue skin and small round eyes. He had gills on his cheeks and shoulders. He wore the standard Akatsuki black cloak with red clouds and on his back he carried a massive sword wrapped in white bandages.
This was the Monster of the Hidden Mist Kisame Hoshigaki.
Beside him stood a shorter man also in an Akatsuki cloak but wearing a large conical bamboo hat with wind chimes hanging from the brim. He stood perfectly still his hands tucked into his sleeves ignoring the rain.
This was the Clan Killer Itachi Uchiha.
"It has been an hour Itachi san" Kisame grumbled looking up at the gray sky. "Is the person meeting us lost? Or are they just looking down on us?"
Itachi did not move. His voice was calm and low. "Be patient Kisame. We are the guests here."
"I hate waiting" Kisame spat. "And I hate this rain. It smells like oil and rust."
Suddenly Itachi tilted his head slightly under his hat. "He is here."
Kisame looked up.
Standing on top of the high steel arch of the bridge far above them was a figure. It was a young boy wearing the purple raincoat of the Rain Village. He held a paper umbrella and looked down at them with a curious expression.
"A kid?" Kisame raised an eyebrow. "Hey Itachi is the Akatsuki running a daycare center now? Or is the Rain Village so short on manpower they send children to greet S rank criminals?"
Uehara Naraku stood on the arch looking down at the legendary duo. Internally his heart was pounding.
Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki.
These were two of the most dangerous people in the Naruto world. In the game one could kill you with a look and the other could eat your chakra until you were a husk.
"Calm down" Uehara told himself. "I am a Mastermind. I am an elite. I have the System."
He took a deep breath adjusted his facial expression to a perfect mix of politeness and confidence and jumped.
Tap.
Uehara landed lightly on the wet metal of the bridge a safe distance away from the two monsters. He folded his umbrella and bowed slightly.
"Welcome to Amegakure" Uehara said his voice clear over the sound of the rain. "I am Uehara Naraku. By the order of the Leader Pain sama and the Angel Konan sama I am here to guide you to the central tower."
Kisame looked at Uehara judging him. "Uehara Naraku? Never heard of you. Are you even a ninja? You look like you should be in the academy learning how to throw shuriken."
"I am a Genin of the Rain Village" Uehara replied with a harmless smile. "And a full member of the organization. My ring is... well I haven't received a code name yet but I assure you I am qualified."
"A Genin?" Kisame laughed a harsh grating sound. He reached over his shoulder and gripped the handle of Samehada. "The Akatsuki gathers the strongest rogue ninjas from all nations. If they are letting Genin in standards must have dropped."
The killing intent exploded from Kisame. It was heavy and suffocating mixing with his massive chakra presence. The rain around him seemed to distort.
"Let me test you kid" Kisame grinned showing his rows of razor sharp teeth. "If you die here it just means you were trash anyway. The Leader won't mind if I clean up the trash right?"
Itachi remained silent watching. He didn't stop Kisame. He was also curious about the quality of the ninjas in this mysterious organization.
[Side Mission Triggered: Survive the spar with Kisame Hoshigaki.]
[Reward: 100 Gold Coins.]
Uehara sighed internally. Why are battle maniacs always like this?
"Please Kisame san" Uehara said taking a step back acting afraid. "Fighting is forbidden between members. Konan sensei will be angry."
"She won't be angry if it was an accident!" Kisame roared.
He didn't use any ninjutsu. He didn't need to. He simply used pure brute strength. He swung the massive bandaged sword Samehada horizontally aiming to smash Uehara's ribs into powder.
The speed was terrifying for such a heavy weapon.
Uehara's eyes sharpened. In that split second the innocent boy vanished replaced by a focused combatant.
I can't dodge this with normal speed.
"Command: Protect."
Uehara didn't weave signs. He simply willed the skill to activate.
An invisible sphere of energy expanded from his body. It wasn't chakra; it was pure mana converted into a force field.
BOOM!
Samehada collided with the invisible shield. The sound was like a cannon firing. The steel plating of the bridge under Uehara's feet buckled and cracked from the pressure but the sword stopped inches from his shoulder.
"Nani?" Kisame's eyes widened.
He felt the resistance. It wasn't a hard wall like Earth Style. It was elastic and dense repelling his strength.
"A barrier ninjutsu?" Kisame retracted his sword looking at Uehara with genuine surprise. "Instant activation? No hand signs? Kid who taught you that?"
"Self taught" Uehara said dusting off his raincoat. The shield faded. "Can we stop now? My clothes are getting wet."
"Stop?" Kisame's grin grew wider. "We just started! You blocked one swing don't get cocky!"
Kisame leaped backward creating distance. His hands moved in a blur.
"Water Style: Water Shark Bomb Jutsu!"
He slammed his palms together. The water accumulating on the bridge surged up twisting and compressing until it formed a massive shark of high pressure water. It shot towards Uehara tearing up the metal floor as it moved.
Uehara watched the shark approach.
That is a B rank jutsu used by a Kage level ninja. If that hits me without the shield I am dead.
He raised his hand.
"Wild Cards!"
Three magical cards appeared between his fingers. He flicked his wrist.
Swish!
The cards flew out glowing with yellow light. They bypassed the water shark entirely curving in the air to target Kisame directly.
"You attack me instead of defending?" Kisame scoffed. "Foolish."
But then something strange happened.
The Water Shark Bomb didn't hit Uehara. Just as it was about to make contact Uehara activated his second skill.
"Pick a Card: Blue Card!"
A blue card appeared in his other hand. He threw it straight into the shark's mouth.
Sizzle.
The massive water jutsu didn't explode. It simply... vanished. The Blue Card absorbed the structure of the jutsu converting it into raw energy and funneling it back to Uehara to replenish his mana.
Kisame stood there stunned as his jutsu evaporated into mist.
"What did you do?!" Kisame shouted. "Where did my shark go?!"
Meanwhile the three Wild Cards Uehara had thrown earlier were now inches from Kisame's face.