The canopy of the Forest of Death was so dense that it blocked out almost all natural light leaving the forest floor in a perpetual state of twilight.
Uehara Naraku walked through the undergrowth with a relaxed gait stepping over giant tree roots and ignoring the sounds of screeching insects. Behind him Shigure and Baiu moved nervously their weapons drawn and their eyes darting around the shadows.
"Captain" Shigure whispered his voice trembling. "I hear something. Something big."
"It is probably just a giant centipede" Uehara said without looking back. "Ignore it. We are looking for ninjas not bugs."
He checked his mental map provided by the Scrying Orb. The three red dots he had detected earlier were stationary ahead. They were likely resting or setting up an ambush.
"There they are" Uehara pointed to a clearing ahead. "Three of them. Hiding in the bushes at 10 o'clock 2 o'clock and directly above."
"How do you know?" Baiu asked amazed.
"I told you" Uehara tapped his temple. "I have eyes everywhere."
He walked into the clearing deliberately making noise. He stepped on a dry twig.
SNAP.
The sound echoed like a gunshot in the silent forest.
Instantly three shuriken flew from the trees aiming for Uehara's head.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
An invisible barrier flickered into existence around Uehara deflecting the projectiles effortlessly.
"Come out" Uehara called out cheerfully. "I know you are there. And I know you have an Earth Scroll. I need it."
Three figures dropped from the trees. They wore the forehead protectors of the Hidden Waterfall Village.
"A Rain ninja?" the leader of the Waterfall team sneered. "You are bold walking around so loudly. Do you have a death wish?"
"No" Uehara smiled. "I have a shopping list. And you are the currency."
The Waterfall ninjas didn't understand the reference but they understood the insult.
"Kill him!" the leader shouted performing hand seals. "Water Style: Wild Water Wave!"
A torrent of water erupted from his mouth rushing towards Uehara.
"Water Style?" Uehara shook his head. "Using Water Style against a Rain ninja. How original."
Uehara didn't dodge. He raised his hand.
"Wild Cards."
Three glowing cards sliced through the air. They cut straight through the incoming water wave dispersing it into mist before continuing their trajectory towards the three ninjas.
"What?!" The leader gasped jumping sideways to avoid being decapitated.
The card grazed his cheek leaving a deep cut that sizzled with magical energy.
"Attack!" the other two Waterfall ninjas charged flanking Uehara from both sides with kunai drawn.
"Shigure Baiu" Uehara ordered calmly. "Handle the left one. I will take the other two."
"Y...Yes Captain!"
Shigure unleashed a barrage of senbon needles from his umbrella forcing the left ninja to take cover.
Meanwhile Uehara turned to the ninja on his right.
"Pick a Card: Gold Card."
He threw the golden card. It hit the ninja squarely in the chest.
DING!
The ninja froze instantly paralyzed mid sprint. He fell face first into the dirt unable to move a muscle.
"One down" Uehara noted.
He turned to the leader who was recovering from the first attack.
"You... you monster!" the leader shouted terrified by how easily his teammate was taken out. "Who are you?!"
"I am a merchant" Uehara said raising another card. "And you are out of stock."
"Pick a Card: Red Card."
He threw the crimson card at the leader's feet.
BOOM!
The explosion engulfed the Waterfall ninja sending him flying into a tree trunk. He slid down unconscious and bleeding.
Within thirty seconds the battle was over. The third ninja seeing his teammates defeated surrendered to Shigure and Baiu.
"Please!" the last ninja begged. "Take the scroll! Just let me go!"
He threw a black Earth Scroll on the ground.
Uehara picked it up.
"Heaven and Earth" Uehara nodded satisfied. "We have the set. We can go to the tower now."
He walked over to the unconscious leader and finished the job with a quick card slice.
[Enemy Killed. Reward: 60 Gold.]
[Enemy Killed. Reward: 60 Gold.]
[Enemy Defeated. Reward: 30 Gold.]
"150 Gold exactly" Uehara grinned. "Just what I needed."
He opened the System Store.
[Gold: 900]
[Purchase Recipe: Rylai's Crystal Scepter.]
[Item Completed.]
[Rylai's Crystal Scepter]
[Stats: +300 Health +90 Ability Power.]
[Unique Passive: Damaging abilities slow enemies by 20 percent for 1 second.]
Uehara felt a cold sensation wash over him. It wasn't uncomfortable. It felt like ice water running through his veins sharpening his mind and cooling his chakra.
"Now" Uehara clenched his fist. "With this item anyone I hit will be slowed. No one can escape me."
"Captain?" Shigure asked holding his umbrella nervously. "We have the scrolls. Should we head to the tower?"
"Not yet" Uehara said looking towards the deeper part of the forest.
He felt a disturbance in the air. It wasn't just sound or smell. It was a massive oppressive chakra that tasted like rot and venom.
"Do you feel that?" Uehara asked.
"Feel what?" Baiu blinked.
"The snake" Uehara whispered. "The snake has found its prey."
He checked his map. A massive red dot was moving rapidly about two kilometers away engaging three smaller dots.
Team 7 vs Orochimaru.
"We are going that way" Uehara pointed towards the source of the chakra.
"But Captain!" Shigure protested. "That direction... it feels terrifying! My instincts are screaming to run away!"
"Your instincts are correct" Uehara admitted. "That is why we are going. High risk high reward."
He looked at his teammates.
"You two can wait here if you want. But if you come with me you might see something legendary. Or you might die. Your choice."
Uehara didn't wait for an answer. He activated Berserker's Greaves and vanished into the trees moving with renewed speed.
Shigure and Baiu looked at each other then at the unconscious bodies of the Waterfall team.
"I... I think following him is safer than staying here alone" Baiu whimpered.
"Wait for us Captain!"
They chased after the purple raincoat disappearing into the Forest of Death.
Uehara moved through the trees like a ghost. As he got closer the signs of battle became obvious. Giant trees were knocked over. Deep gouges marked the earth. The smell of burning wood and snake venom hung heavy in the air.
He arrived at a high branch overlooking a clearing.
Below the scene was chaotic.
Naruto Uzumaki was pinned to a tree by a massive snake his eyes rolling back in his head as the Five Pronged Seal disrupted his chakra. He fell unconscious.
Sakura Haruno was trembling on the ground paralyzed by fear.
And Sasuke Uchiha...
Sasuke was standing on a branch facing a woman from the Grass Village. But the woman's face was melting revealing the pale white skin and yellow eyes underneath.
Orochimaru.
"Excellent Sasuke kun" Orochimaru hissed his tongue extending to grotesque lengths. "You have such potential. You are truly your brother's successor."
"Shut up!" Sasuke shouted breathing fire. "Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!"
A massive torrent of fire engulfed Orochimaru.
"Useless" Uehara watched from above. "He is playing with his food."
Uehara drew a card. It glowed with a frosty blue light the effect of Rylai's Crystal Scepter infusing the magic.
[Side Mission: Interrupt the Sannin.]
[Reward: 300 Gold Coins.]
"Sorry Orochimaru" Uehara whispered. "But that Uchiha belongs to the plot. And the plot belongs to me."
He threw the card.
Swish.
The card didn't aim for Orochimaru. It aimed for the branch Orochimaru was standing on.
CRACK.
The branch snapped. The sudden loss of footing made the Sannin stumble for a fraction of a second.
Orochimaru looked up his snake eyes locking instantly onto Uehara's hiding spot.
"Another mouse?" Orochimaru smiled but his eyes were cold. "The rain boy from the exam room. You have a bad habit of interrupting."
"I am just passing through" Uehara called out jumping down to land beside the terrified Sakura. "But I saw you bullying these kids and I thought... hey isn't that illegal?"
"Run!" Sasuke yelled at him. "He is a monster! You can't beat him!"
"I know" Uehara said calmly shuffling his deck. "But I can slow him down."
He looked at Orochimaru.
...
Author Note
Hi guys! Thank you for reading my fanfiction.
I wanted to let you know that I'll be releasing bonus chapters for Power Stones. Here are the goals:
15 Power Stones: 1 Bonus Chapters
30 Power Stones: 1 Bonus Chapters
50 Power Stones: 1 Bonus Chapters
75 Power Stones: 2 Bonus Chapters
100 Power Stones: 2 Bonus Chapters
Thanks for the support!