The Land of Waves was an island nation located off the coast of the Fire Country. Unlike the Land of Rain which was industrialized and gloomy the Land of Waves was poor and rural. However there was one similarity between the two nations.
They were both miserable.
Uehara Naraku stepped off a small fishing boat onto the wooden dock. The air was thick with a salty sea mist that obscured vision beyond a few dozen meters.
"This fog..." Uehara waved his hand dispersing the mist slightly. "It is almost as annoying as the rain. No wonder Zabuza likes it here."
He paid the fisherman who had brought him across the strait. The old man took the money with trembling hands and quickly rowed away terrified of being seen with a ninja.
Uehara adjusted his purple raincoat. He checked the map Konan had given him.
"Gato Shipping Company headquarters is located in the center of the main island" Uehara muttered. "Well no need to be subtle. I am here to collect money not to make friends."
He activated his Berserker's Greaves.
Whoosh.
He vanished from the dock moving at high speed through the forest towards the town.
Gato Shipping Company was a massive fortress like building that loomed over the impoverished town. It was guarded by dozens of ronin and rogue samurai hired by the tycoon Gato to oppress the locals.
Inside the opulent office on the top floor Gato a short man wearing a suit and dark glasses was sitting with his feet on his desk.
"Those bridge builders are still persisting?" Gato sneered. "I thought I told you to deal with Tazuna."
Standing in the shadows of the room was a tall shirtless man with bandages covering the lower half of his face. He carried a massive sword the Executioner's Blade on his back.
Zabuza Momochi. The Demon of the Hidden Mist.
"I sent the Demon Brothers" Zabuza said his voice rough like grinding stones. "They will handle it. Tazuna is just an old man."
"Good" Gato laughed grabbing a handful of grapes. "Once that bridge is stopped this country will remain under my control forever."
Suddenly a loud crash echoed from downstairs.
BOOM!
The heavy oak doors of the office flew off their hinges and smashed into the opposite wall.
Gato jumped out of his chair dropping his grapes. "What is going on?!"
Smoke and dust filled the doorway. Through the haze a young man walked in calmly. He was shaking a glowing card in his hand as if drying it off.
"Excuse me" Uehara Naraku smiled politely. "Is this the office of Mr Gato? The front desk didn't want to let me in so I had to let myself in."
"Who are you?!" Gato screamed pointing a trembling finger. "Guards! Guards!"
"Your guards are taking a nap downstairs" Uehara said casually. "Permanently."
He glanced at his system log.
[Killed 15 Ronin. Reward: 150 Gold.]
"Trash mobs don't give much gold" Uehara sighed internally. "Hardly worth the mana."
He looked at Gato. "Mr Gato I am from the Akatsuki. We heard you have been interfering with our business routes. And more importantly you have a lot of money. We would like to... accept a donation."
"Akatsuki?" Gato's face turned red. "I don't care who you are! Zabuza! Kill him! I will pay you extra!"
Zabuza Momochi stepped out from the shadows. His killing intent instantly lowered the temperature in the room.
"You have guts kid" Zabuza said grabbing the hilt of his massive sword. "Walking in here alone."
Uehara looked at Zabuza.
[Main Mission Target Identified: Zabuza Momochi.]
"Ah the Demon of the Mist" Uehara's eyes lit up. "Finally someone worth some gold. I was getting bored with the small fry."
Zabuza didn't like the look in the kid's eyes. It wasn't fear. It was the look of a merchant appraising goods.
"You are looking down on me" Zabuza growled.
He didn't weave signs. He simply charged. The Executioner's Blade Kubikiribocho swung horizontally a strike capable of cutting a horse in two.
Uehara didn't dodge.
"I just bought a new item" Uehara said raising his hand. "I want to test its durability."
"Command: Protect."
An invisible shield formed around him.
CLANG!
The massive sword hit the shield. Sparks flew. The floorboards beneath Uehara shattered from the pressure but the sword was stopped dead.
"A barrier?" Zabuza's eyes narrowed. "Haku!"
From the ceiling a barrage of senbon needles rained down targeting Uehara's blind spots.
Uehara jumped back creating distance. The senbon embedded themselves in the floor where he had just been standing.
A masked figure wearing a hunter nin outfit landed beside Zabuza.
"Haku and Zabuza" Uehara nodded. "Buy one get one free."
"This kid is dangerous Zabuza san" Haku said softly his voice muffled by the mask. "He blocked your sword with one hand."
"I know" Zabuza grunted. "He is a ninja. Not some random samurai."
Uehara shuffled a deck of cards in his hand. The Nashor's Tooth passive hummed in his veins.
"Well then" Uehara smiled. "Let's see if the Demon of the Mist can dance."
He flicked his wrist.
Swish!
A single card flew out.
Zabuza raised his sword to block it treating it like a normal shuriken.
CRACK.
The card hit the Kubikiribocho. Unlike a normal paper weapon this card carried heavy magical damage. It chipped the steel of the legendary sword and the force pushed Zabuza back a step.
"What?!" Zabuza looked at the notch in his blade. "That paper... it's heavier than rock!"
"Magic damage hurts doesn't it?" Uehara chuckled. "I have plenty more where that came from."
He raised his hand high.
"Wild Cards!"
Three glowing cards shot forward.
"Hidden Mist Jutsu!" Zabuza shouted instantly performing hand seals.
A thick mist erupted filling the room instantly. Visibility dropped to zero.
"Silent Killing..." Zabuza's voice echoed from everywhere and nowhere. "You can't fight what you can't see kid. I will carve out your larynx first."
Uehara stood in the white void. He couldn't see anything.
"Mist huh?" Uehara closed his eyes.
He didn't need to see. He had the System.
[Enemy Detected: 3 meters to the left.]
"Found you."
Uehara turned abruptly and threw a Gold Card blindly into the mist.
Ding!
"Ugh!" A grunt of pain and shock echoed.
The mist wavered.
"How..." Zabuza's voice sounded strained. "How did you find me?"
"I told you" Uehara smirked drawing another card. "I am here to collect a donation. And I never miss a payment."
…..
I will be posting 3 chapters everyday from now on.
I recommend reading my other fanfiction,
Game of thrones: Eternal Cycle, if your into Game of thrones fanfictions.