6 Chapter: 6
'Damn it! I can't level up shit without a card huh.'
This was not entirely true, she could pick up combat experience and learn how to properly use her skills in combat but leveling them up would be a long shot. Not with the limitations imposed on her by the system. She could practice something till Level 0 to 2 or 3 and then her progress would be slowed down considerably. Then, her only choice would be to gather cards to level up her skills.
Kaori paused, panting slightly as she evaluated the advantages and disadvantages of the system's requirements... she got nowhere with that so she decided to gauge her reserves. Drying herself out would be a bad idea, especially with her wounds still healing, she would be forced into the hospital again.
With a sigh, she decided to practice a couple more higher-ranking elemental Jutsu before calling it quits for the day.
The next jutsu required six hand seals and, much to her amazement, she found out that her muscle memories were slowly beginning to synchronize with her brain. It took her less than three seconds to form all six seals.
'Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet Jutsu'
Chakra was kneaded inside her lungs and she breathed out fire from her mouth, the flames being manipulated into shapes of dragons. The dragons spread across the field, striking the ground left, right, and center simultaneously. As a result, now Kaori stared at three large craters, charred and hollowed, next to the river/
'Haa... haa... should've used it on the river.'
Still, it wasn't all bad. At least now she could be certain that the more she used her body, the more her brain and muscles synchronized. Kaori nodded to herself in satisfaction, pleased with her progress. She could feel her mind catching up with her reflexes, finally completing the merging of two souls.
'Maybe... just maybe... Inventory!'
[Inventory:
- Talent Card(White): Tranquility.
- Talent Card(Light Blue): Snake's Bite
- Bloodline Card(Red): Uzumaki
- Kenjutsu Card(Green): C-Rank: Iai
- Kenjutsu Card(Green): C-Rank: Chakra Blade
- Shurikenjutsu Card(Light Blue): D-Rank: Shadow Shuriken Jutsu
- Leaf Concentration Technique Card
- EXP Points: + 872
- Physique Enhancement Cards(+5 & +25)
- Old Tanto(White)
- ANBU Tanto(Light Blue)
- 100,000 ryō]
'Maybe I should get a new technique, just to get a feel out of it.'
Which type of technique would complement her current abilities and combat style? Perhaps something that could further enhance her close combat abilities and chakra control.
Looking through her options, she found a technique that caught her interest:
[Kenjutsu Card(Green): C-Rank: Chakra Blade]
[Description: A watered-down version of the chakra scalpel. It follows the principle of converting one's chakra into a small, sharp blade. Unlike a chakra scalpel, a chakra blade is a weapon that slices through flesh, muscles, and bones.
- Chakra Control: +5%]
'This is it,'
Kaori murmured to herself, liking the system more and more with each passing moment. The Chakra Blade technique seemed like the perfect technique for her.
'Alright, use it!'
The card dissolved in a puff of green smoke before shooting up her nose,
'Ah~ that hits the spot!'
[One-time explanation: The smoke is a form of memory and skill installation, not narcotics.]
'My bad.'
A rush of energy flowed through her nerves as she absorbed the card's knowledge. The Chakra blade required three hand signs, two less as compared to the Chakra scalpel, those were: Tiger → Horse → Rabbit.
Kaori focused her chakra once again, this time channeling it into her fingertips. With considerable control, she molded the chakra to form a sharp blade around her palm, creating a dangerous weapon.
With a flick of her wrist, Kaori sent the Chakra Blade slicing through a tree trunk. Her palm passed through the old oak without so much as a single deviation in its trajectory. Satisfied with the results, she moved on to practicing more complex maneuvers, such as slicing through multiple targets simultaneously and performing attacks with pinpoint accuracy.
She liked the versatility of the Chakra Blade, not only was it sharp, but it also made for a very powerful offensive weapon.
'Not bad, not bad at all.'
Soon, the sun began to dip below the horizon. Tired and hungry, she decided to call it a day and made her way back to the village. Walking through the crowded streets of Konoha, she began to search for a place to have dinner.
The afterglow of the setting sun painted the sky bright red, almost like blood, definitely not ominous at all. A cold breeze brushed against Kaori's face, making her sigh out a puff of vapor. It was mid-winter and the weather changed constantly, sometimes it was bearably cold, and then suddenly, it was snowing.
'Eeeeek!'
A sudden chill jump-started her brain and she looked around to see flakes of snow drifting off into the air.
'Great, just what I needed.'
It was getting late, and neither she nor her predecessor was much of a cook, so she would have to find someplace to eat.
'Ichiraku maybe? But has it even been opened yet?'
Fair point, it was at least fifteen years before canon, so the stand might not be open yet, still, it was worth a try.
'If my memories serve me right, the food stand should be located somewhere around the Stadium.'
She found it alright, just that it was nowhere near the Stadium.
The Ichiraku Ramen stand was located in the most prosperous district of the whole village. There was a constant flow of people going to and from, making property prices skyrocket. If Teuchi could buy a shop here, then he must be loaded.
The shops all around were filled to the brim with customers, no doubt about it, this was the gold mine of Konoha taxation. But the ramen stand,
'It doesn't feel quite right.'
It was dilapidated. Old paint, coming off of the wall, torn and stained curtains, shabby roof. Not to mention the rubble piled up next door.
'Is this the wrong place?'
*Bzzz*
The lanterns flickered back into life, lighting up the letters 'Ramen Ichiraku.'
'Nope, it's the same place alright.'
She crossed the intersection and walked up to the store. As she parted the curtains, her face was assaulted with the strong aroma of delicious broth.
The inside of the store was completely different from the outside. It was furnished with new woodwork, brightly painted with a polished teak long table and six round stools.
"Welcome."
A gentle, feminine voice greeted her. It was a young, beautiful woman, dressed in a white chef's uniform and a white handkerchief over her head. Roughly in her early 20s, brown hair, a bit short for her taste, and a bit flat too, but...
"What would you like to eat today?"
This woman was probably Mrs. Ichiraku, the one who died from childbirth... probably? After all, she wasn't mentioned throughout the series.
"An extra large serving of Spicy Beef Ramen please."
Mrs Ichiraku beamed excitedly,
"Coming right up!"
She looked over her shoulder, probably about to tell her husband what to cook when Kaori interrupted her again,
"Oh, and, have you got any sake?"
The woman paused, tapping her chin as if deep in thought,
"Hmm, I guess we do. But only the light stuff."
Kaori nodded,
"That would do."
Once she had ordered her meal, she began to look for a place to sit down, which was surprisingly limited considering that there were only six stools to sit on and five of them were occupied. By a group most likely, their seats were all bunched together on one end of the table.
She sat down on the table far right of the counter, unwilling to mingle with all that many people. It was an old habit, a bit of it from her previous life and a bit more from this new life's time in ANBU.
"Your ramen's ready! Please enjoy~"
The Ramen lady returned with a tray laden with a bowl of piping hot ramen, along with some other odds and ends. After carefully placing the bowl of ramen before Kaori, she smiled with embarrassment written all over her face,
"We're sorry but all the sake was ordered by the other customers."
Kaori smiled,
"Don't be, it isn't that big of a deal."
The ramen lady apologized a couple more times before going back into the shop.
Kaori took a pair of chopsticks from the holder and before she could react, clasped her hands together gently and murmured,
"Thank you for the meal."
Seems like even such an action has become part of her muscle memories.
The food was nice, the noodles were firm and the soup was rich in flavor. Nothing too fancy but it was filling and homely enough to make her sigh after the first bite, or in her case, sip.
In any case, she wondered who it was that ordered so much sake that the shop was completely dry.
"AHAHAHAHA!!!"
"And you used to be such a little brat!"
"Not like she was any better! Never keeping her temper in check!"
Kaori felt a slight creeping sensation that she might have actually heard those voices before. But then again, she had heard a lot of voices over the years, might be some passing acquaintance.
"AND did you know, she once lost all our mission gears in a stupid bet against some random thug! Let me tell ya' it was not pretty."
"You say one more word and I'm going to make you regret ever opening that stupid mouth of yours."
"He, hehe, heheheheheh..."
Wait... that creepy laugh!
Kaori whipped her head around to look at who it might be...
*Hiccup!*
