Rain continued to batter the metal walls of the tower, creating a rhythmic, never-ending cacophony.
Inside his room, Uehara Naraku sat on his bed, his legs crossed. He looked at the glowing blue interface that hovered in his vision.
[Gold Coins: 1085]
The harvest from Sector 4 had been bountiful. Between the mission rewards, the loot from the bodies, and the kill bonuses, his wallet had finally crossed the four-digit mark.
"Finally," Uehara breathed out, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "I can buy a core item."
He opened the equipment shop. His eyes went straight to the item he had been coveting since he unlocked the system.
[Tear of the Goddess]
Price: 850 Gold.
Attributes: +250 Chakra.
Passive - Awe: Refunds 15% of Chakra spent.
Passive - Mana Charge: Grants +4 Maximum Chakra every time you use a skill. (Caps at +750 bonus chakra).
Note: In this system version, the item effects are slightly adapted for the Naruto world mechanics.
"Purchase!"
[System: -850 Gold. Item 'Tear of the Goddess' purchased.]
A flash of blue light appeared in his hand. When it faded, a beautiful, teardrop-shaped blue crystal pendant lay in his palm. It pulsed with a gentle, calming energy.
Uehara didn't hesitate. He put the chain around his neck and tucked the crystal under his shirt.
Immediately, he felt a coolness spread from his chest to his entire chakra network. His mind felt clearer, and the flow of energy in his coils became smoother.
"It's not just about the base stats," Uehara muttered. "The key is the stacking passive."
Every time he used a skill, his maximum chakra would increase. For a ninja, chakra was everything. It was stamina, it was ammo, it was life. If he could stack this item to its maximum evolution—Archangel's Staff and then Seraph's Embrace—he would become a monster with practically infinite chakra and a massive energy shield.
"I need to start stacking immediately."
Uehara stood up. He faced the stone wall of his room.
"Destiny."
The cards shuffled. He didn't throw them. He just let the skill activate and then cancelled it.
[Mana Charge: +4 Max Chakra.]
"Again."
"Destiny."
[Mana Charge: +4 Max Chakra.]
"Again."
He began a repetitive cycle. Activate skill, cancel, activate skill, cancel. Because his cooldowns were short and the Tear refunded a portion of the cost, he could keep this up for hours.
Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh.
The sound of cards shuffling filled the small room.
Uehara was focused. He was grinding. In his past life as a gamer, he would spend hours farming minions. This was no different.
Half an hour passed.
His chakra had increased by over 400 points.
Suddenly, the door opened.
"Naraku?"
Konan stood in the doorway. She held a fresh set of bandages and a medical ointment. She had come to check on his "injuries" from the battle earlier.
Uehara froze. The cards above his head dissipated.
He turned around, sweating profusely. Using skills repeatedly was mentally exhausting, even if his chakra held up. To Konan, he looked pale, sweaty, and trembling with exertion.
"Teacher!" Uehara gasped, wiping sweat from his forehead.
Konan walked over, her brow furrowed. "What are you doing? You just returned from a battle. You are wounded. Why are you training?"
Uehara lowered his head, clenching his fists. He adopted the persona of the frustrated, desperate genius.
"I... I felt weak," Uehara said, his voice trembling. "Today, in Sector 4... I was scared. If I hadn't been lucky, that Chunin would have killed me. I realized that I'm still too weak to protect you or the Leader."
He looked up at her, eyes burning with 'determination'.
"Hanzō is still out there. 'Madara' is watching us. I can't rest, Teacher! I need to get stronger! I need to be able to use my jutsu faster, more times, without stopping!"
Konan stunned.
She looked at the boy. He was barely twelve. He should be playing, or sleeping, or complaining about the pain of his wounds. Instead, he was pushing his body to the limit in the safety of his own room because he was afraid of failing them.
A pang of guilt struck her heart. They were forcing a child to bear the weight of their war.
"Naraku..." Konan's voice softened. She placed the ointment on the table and sat on the edge of his bed. "Come here."
Uehara walked over obediently.
Konan began to check his arm. The cut was already healing well (thanks to the Ruby Crystal), but she applied the ointment anyway.
"You have the Uzumaki bloodline," Konan said quietly as she wrapped the bandage. "Your chakra is vast. But your body is still growing. If you push too hard, you will break."
"But—"
"No buts," Konan ordered gently. "Rest is also training. If you collapse from exhaustion before the final battle, who will watch my back?"
Uehara blinked. "I... understood."
Konan finished tying the knot. Her eyes fell on the blue crystal pendant hanging from his neck, which had slipped out of his shirt during his training.
"That necklace..." Konan asked. "I haven't seen it before."
Uehara touched the Tear of the Goddess.
"Oh, this?" He thought quickly. "I found it in the supply depot today. It... it felt warm when I touched it. It calms me down."
He took it off and held it out to her.
"Teacher, you should have it. It's pretty, and it suits you better."
It was a calculated move. He knew Konan. She wasn't the type to take loot from her disciple. By offering it, he showed his selflessness.
Konan looked at the blue crystal. It was indeed beautiful, resembling a frozen teardrop of the sky. But she shook her head.
"It is your spoil of war," Konan pushed his hand back. "And if it helps calm your mind, you need it more than I do. Your chakra is turbulent; this focus will help you control it."
"Thank you, Teacher," Uehara put it back on, hiding a smirk. Mission accomplished. Ownership legitimized.
"Rest now," Konan stood up. "Tomorrow, Nagato has a special mission for us. We are going to recruit a new member."
"A new member?" Uehara asked curiously.
"Yes," Konan walked to the door. "A rogue ninja from the Hidden Mist. A monster known as the Monster of the Hidden Mist. We need his strength."
The door closed.
Uehara lay back on his bed, his eyes staring at the ceiling.
"Monster of the Hidden Mist..." Uehara whispered.
Kisame Hoshigaki.
The Tailless Tailed Beast. The wielder of Samehada.
Uehara touched the Tear of the Goddess on his chest.
"Kisame has massive chakra reserves too," Uehara mused. "But mine will soon be infinite. I wonder... if I use Destiny on him, will Samehada try to eat my cards?"
He closed his eyes.
"Tomorrow will be interesting. I need to stack this Tear at least 50 times before morning."
He waited five minutes to ensure Konan was gone, then sat back up.
"Destiny."
Shuffle.
The grind continued.