Naruto: System Test
A/N: "The following is a fan-based work. Naruto is owned by Shueisha, Viz Media, and Masashi Kishimoto. Please support the official release."
Chapter 13: Ranks are bullshit anyway!
I had barely managed to close my eyes when I remembered the situation behind my mission to Kiri No in the first place. Three Chunin and two messengers were missing. When were they sent? I'm a Chunin! I could get on that mission, and have a reason to be sent there. I considered waiting till morning, but since the Mission Hall was open till well after midnight, I decided it was best to go find out now.
After getting dressed and popping down, it actually didn't take long to track down the information that I needed. Apparently, it wasn't very hard to convince them that the reason I wanted a mission up north was that I had not seen snow in a while. He even nodded knowingly, remarking that he himself was tired of the lower forests, and wished for snow. After a search of the mission logs, and a few comparisons, there were two different options available.
"We need a supply run and order pickup in Kurosu Pasu, or we've got something that might end up being more fun." He explains.
"What's the fun one?" I ask.
"Kiri No hasn't responded to any of our messages in the past two weeks, nor have they sent any supply orders. It's been pretty snowy up there recently, so there are worries they are snowed in. We've got a mission order for three Chunin or higher to travel north, investigate, and report back." He says. "We've got all three assigned already, leaving tomorrow morning, but there is room in the mission budget for a fourth. I doubt there will be any action, but you might at least get to rescue some people."
I nod, considering. 'All three Chunin died last time, the Jashinistmurdering the whole town. If I go, I might be able to save them, but...It won't be easy to protect them, and also fight Yūbokumin.'
The facts were that this mission was as close to a suicide mission as could be expected, without being a mission to Konoha. There would be no Nanabi to save my ass once I've been punted into the snow, and if I'm trying to protect three Chunin and the town, that's almost an absolute certainty. Knowing what I knew, there was really only one choice here to make.
"Can I have both missions, actually? If I make the supply run, I'll only be a day behind the group, and can meet up at Kiri No. If it turns out they don't need help, I won't need the payment for the second one." I replied.
"Hmm. Kinda unconventional, but I don't see why not. If they are snowed in as bad as expected, they will likely need the help." He replies, before passing both mission scrolls to me.
As I tapped accept on both floating missions, a pang of regret passed through me. The truth was that I had just sentenced three Chunin to die if only so I could protect my new abilities. To protect me. But with no way to warn of what truly was happening up north, there was no way to stop them from going regardless. Chances are, they die either way.
The supply run was over and done with before I knew it. With my stats and abilities, making a run that far north took me barely half a day. I didn't even really try, honestly. It was starting to make sense to me why higher-ranked Ninja never took missions of this sort. Any S Class nin would walk through a supply run, and be home before dinner. While the game didn't yet consider me that high ranked, I knew it was only a matter of time. I could feel the power thrum through me as I ran just shy of the speed that damaged things around me. Even now, I was barely pushing any Chakra into my body and was moving faster than anyone else could ever hope to keep up. I even slowed down a bit, just so that I wouldn't arrive too early.
North East Tundra - Outskirts of Kiri No
The snow was barely falling as I approached the town. I had arrived on day three last time, so I was a day ahead. As I crested the hill, this time from the east instead of the south, I caught sight of Kiri No once more. Smoke rose from many of the chimneys, the lights of there fires and lanterns clearly glowing in the dark.
'When I arrived...15 hours from now, they were all dead already. Whatever happened happens soon.' I thought, watching the town for a moment.
I began slowly, and carefully, making my way towards town. I was so thankful for my ability to see the glowing names and information for people from a far distance. As I slowly made my way through the shadows, I spotted my target.
Yūbokumin Aku no Kami no Ningyō Lvl 32 - Undetected
I study the floating name for a moment, frowning. It was different somehow, but I couldn't figure out why. Shaking my head, I continued with my search.
1 Hour Later
After searching over the entire town with my vision, studying each name, I was surprised to find that the three Chunin was nowhere to be found. Either delayed, missing, or already dead. Using the Headhunter Jutsu, I slipped deep underground and began making my way towards the center of town. I would rest below, and keep watch, see what to make of this situation.
5 Hours Later
I was dozing slightly when movement far above caught my attention. I looked up and saw that Yūbokumin had entered the center square and that most of the town was filtering this way as well. I carefully circled around, finding a spot that was empty of people, but from what I remember of the layout, was likely behind cover. I slipped just my face out, looking around, before sliding my head out completely. From here, I could just barely see the square from behind a building's wall, but I could hear it just fine. The bodies of the Chunin were indeed staked to standing logs, much as they were before.
'What the hell is going on?...' I couldn't help but wonder.
"Welcome...Welcome…" Yūbokumin says, as the crowd finishes forming. "Has everyone arrived?"
There is a murmur in the crowd, nods all around before he continues. "I thank you all for showing up today. I wasn't sure, after yesterday's performance, whether anyone would still come back."
"W-we…" One of the men in the crown speaks up. "We want the chance to be immortal as well."
"Then let us begin the Ritual…" Yūbokumin says, as he pulls out a sealing scroll, and unseals a book.
Jashin Codex
The book was glowing with putrid purple energy. Even from here I could sense the evil just pouring off of the book.
What followed was horrifying. One by one, each walked to the stage, climbing the steps in an orderly fashion. Each places their hand on the book, before taking the offered dagger. They chant, following Yūbokumin, before slicing their own throat. Time and time again, after a pulse of energy from the book, the person would drop, bleeding out on the stage. I considered stepping in, stopping them, but I couldn't sense any influence on them from Yūbokumin. These people were willing participants, and I didn't see reason in interfering. They would likely riot anyway.
As the bodies began to pile up, a sense of unease began to fill the square. Yūbokumin would talk now and then, even read from the book between sacrifices, to placate the masses. A woman approached holding her baby in her hands and placed the child on the book entirely. She took the dagger in her shaking hands, before forcing it into the infant's chest. There was a pulse of light, darker, deeper than before. As she removed the dagger, the child continued to scream.
"One!" Yūbokumin called out. "One of you so far is worthy, the most innocent member."
The woman placed her own hand on the book, swiftly slicing her own throat, before dropping to the ground to bleed out. The Jashinist moved the crying baby aside, before beckoning the next person up.
I could only watch as the macabre parade continued.
Three Hours Later
Two of the villagers had tried to run, as their numbers dwindled. To my own eyes, Yūbokumin cut them down with ease, but to them, it was as though he never moved, the two villagers dead before their blood even colored the snow.
"Is there none among you that are worthy of Jashins Blessing?" He cried out in anger.
The crowd, restless before, were now worried. I could see immediately what would follow, so I slipped back beneath the ground. Yūbokumin was moving, slicing through the remaining townsfolk, one by one, till none left lived. I looked down, ignoring the carnage far above. I felt like a failure, to be honest. I had hoped that with a second chance I could do more...But with the possibility of being watched, and forced to Konoha once more…
He killed everything, just as before. I had circled around once he returned to the square, and watching him from just over a roof. The baby he sealed within a scroll. While normally a person would die within a scroll, I assumed the immortality granted by Jashin would stop that. He performs several handseals, and a fell energy fills the area. The blood that fills the streets seems to glow, the glow wafting into the air. With a woosh, it all is absorbed within his body, and I can't help but stare in horror.
Yūbokumin Aku no Kami no Ningyō Lvl 48 - Undetected
42,194XP
I'm an idiot...his level had been much lower. Somehow, he increased his stats or experience by absorbing some sort of energy from his kills. Whatever was happening here, he was a very real threat. I continued to watch him for a little while, but all he did was pace, and talk to himself for a bit. At one point he froze, standing unnaturally still before he started to shake and twitch. He continued like this for a time, before repeating the weird stopping, twitching, and then moving again. I juggled the options but decided that acting now would be for the best. I concentrated, flooding my body with Swift Release, and grabbed two Kunai from my waist. The snowfall slowed to a stop, frozen in the air around me as my perception of time slowed to a standstill. I shoved off the roof, taking three steps, before launching myself into the air.
New Event: Defeat Yūbokumin Aku no Kami no Ningyō! 17,218XP
Yūbokumin is immortal, so killing him is impossible. Victory conditions exist.
As I flew upwards, I spun, filling the Kunai with Swift Release, launching the first Kunai with all my strength.
SNEAK ATTACK
Yūbokumin, who's back was towards me, didn't even move as the first Kunai ripped a six-inch hole through his upper chest, filling the air in front of him with blood, gore, and shrapnel. The force of the blow was carrying him forward now, as I reached the crest of my jump. Again I pushed Swift Release into the Kunai, and in a blink of an eye, it was destroying his shoulder, ripping his entire left arm off completely. As I landed, the world snapped back into real-time, and I was already rushing forward.
Yūbokumin, whom most would think as crippled, was swiftly moving back to make space between us. With a burst of speed, as my hands filled with lightning, I caught up to him before he could move any further. His face was a vicious snarl, my heart thundering in my chest, as I rammed both lightning covered hands into the gaping hole of his chest, flooding his body with electricity.
Shocking Grasp
"Raaaaaaarrr!" I screamed, pumping as much energy into his body as I could, the smell of cooking, burning flesh filling my nose.
He jerked, and twitched, screaming, as I cooked him from the inside out, before, with an explosion of power he was launched back off of my hands, his burnt husk of a body crashing to the ground. I drop to one knee, the expenditure of Chakra nearly blacking out my vision before I managed to lurch to my feet once more.
"You mother! Fucker!" He gasped out, from where he lay.
His body was broken, blackened, parts breaking off as pure charcoal, barely still contained within the armor he wore, and still, he was alive.
"I'll destroy you...and everything you are!" He snarled.
His free hand dug into the snow, trying to find leverage but failed. I made my way swiftly over to him, before pulling out my gifted Tanto. A little bit of Wind Release, and off came Yūbokumin's head. I'm not sure how, but he continued to curse me, threaten me, even without lungs to push air through his mouth. His body continued to move, shaking, twitching, trying to move around but unable to from the damage. Yet even as I watched, I could see new flesh poking through from under the burnt skin. I rifled through his belongings, using two Kunai to pick up the Jashin Codex, setting it carefully into my inventory.
I studied a scroll he held within a pocket on his vest, before setting it down and pulsing Chakra within it. It spun, before unsealing, a crying baby appearing from nowhere.
Jashin no Mumei-sen, Lvl 1
'Unnamed Vessel of an evil god…' I thought, reading the name.
He was sealable as he could survive it. I grimaced but thought that this was likely for the best. I grabbed Yūbokumin's head, before placing the cursing monster on the scroll along with the child. Another pulse of Chakra and both were sealed within, the night silent once more.
EVENT SUCCESS!
Defeat Yūbokumin Aku no Kami no Ningyō! Pass!
22019XP/9687XP till level 20!
Level Up Alert!
I let out a breath of air I didn't know I was holding. I turned around and froze in place, my eyes widening in horror.
"U-Unmei?"
-300 Relationship
Status: Suspicious
A/N: And we're back! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and has been enjoying their time off of work, school, etc! Unmei is in the thick of it...but he is soon to learn that every action has a reaction and that his knowledge of the future is only good so far as he changes it.
Who has found Unmei? Can he talk his way out?
Find out next time...on Naruto: System Test!
(PS… Join the discord, for real. Discord gg/82FUz8N Review, please?)