บท 24: Itachi's Proposition
I don't own solo leveling or Naruto
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"Oh?"
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Members of the strongest guild in Japan, Draw Sword, poured out of the gate each covered in blood. However, it would be a mistake to assume it was their blood, no rather it was the blood of all the monsters slain inside that dungeon. Draw Sword operated differently from many guilds throughout the entire world because of the sheer number of S-rank hunters at their disposal. Whereas a normal guild that would be lucky to have a single S-rank would have a single main attack force, Draw Sword was different in the fact that they could have multiple S-rank hunters on single dungeon raid filling up the minimum head count requirements with just the amount of S-ranks they have at their discretion.
"Ugh, disgusting! Why'd those blobs have to explode every time I killed them? Now, I've got zombie blood on my favourite armour!" Kanae complained angrily, the bloodlust from her aura was enough to make weaker men fall to their knees. Akari, her equally annoyed friend, expressed the same displeasure at getting their battle armour filthy.
"You guys don't even clean your own armour so what are you complaining about?" Kei, the most powerful ice magician in the country, pointed out dryly. He was a young man with short bob cut white hair, purple eyes and thin eyebrows. His most peculiar feature was the metallic gas mask over the bottom half of his face. This mask was just for pure aesthetics but for his extremely sensitive sense of smell that made the mana around him come off as foul. It was for that reason he wore the mask because he could not handle being in close proximity to other hunters because of this extreme sensitivity.
"Oh, shut your trap! You're only saying that cuz you didn't have to get down and dirty like I did!" Kanae retorted snarkily.
"Hey, that sound like not my problem."
"Oh, yeah? You wanna come here and say that?!"
"I'd much rather prefer being over where things are frosty and chilled."
Nearly visible sparks could be seen flying off from the tensions between the two S-ranks. Akira stepped in between the two to try and alleviate the growing tension between her two teammates.
"C'mon guys, no need to be hostile. We're still friends here," Akira attempted mediating the situation, keeping Kanae at bay from trying to tear Kei to pieces.
"Enough!"
The command was clear cut and immediately sedated any quarrel that was present apparent. Goto Ryuji, the undisputed most powerful in the country, stepped forward with authority showing to any bystanders that he was the leader just from looking at him. He had not a single drop of blood on him nor a scratch to show for it, demonstrating the incredible ease as to which he dealt with the gate.
"What's the report on Reiji's side of things?" Goto addressed Akari causing her to stand at attention.
"Nothing, sir. It's still radio silence on their end."
Goto just hummed at the information, his thoughts not evident to his subordinates. Kanae just snorted, clearly not enthused by the report.
"Still not done yet? It's probably that dumb oaf Kenjo slowing them down."
"What is with you today?" Akari sweat dropped at her friend's antagonist behaviour.
"Hey! I've got zombie blood drying on my beautiful silky smooth hair, so forgive me if I'm a little ticked off!"
'That's an understatement.' Kei decided not voicing that opinion would be better for everyone.
"Regardless, the fact that they are still radio silent means that they're being held up. This doesn't bode well for our schedule because I was hoping to hit 4 dungeons by the end of the day. And the fact that Izawa and Hoshino are on leave makes things even more difficult," Goto lamented.
All of them, including members of the mining and collection forces all gave the guild master incredulous looks which he did not pay any mind to.
'5 dungeon raids in one day? Master Goto really is cruel!' Kanae cried internally at her superiors' desire to raid that many dungeons in a single day.
"Well, let's move on to the next one. No time for picking up daisies!" He ordered.
"Yes, sir!" Everyone responded a little less enthusiastically.
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"So, by the way, Itachi, how've you been these days? I rarely see you these days," Shin asked while stuffing his face with food. Itachi noted that Shin really enjoyed eating greasy foods despite what his professional demeanour might characterise him as.
"Oh, around." he replied vaguely.
"Huh, I've noticed your raid statistics have been increasing as of late. You must be raiding a lot of dungeons?"
"Uh huh. I never thanked you for recommending me to that welder, his weapons are of good quality and he sells good quality explosives as well." Itachi said.
"No problem! I'm happy to help, but what's with the explosives?" Shin questioned curiously, wiping the grease from his mouth with a serviette.
"Just extra utility so that I don't-" Itachi was cut off from his explanation by someone clearing their throat in close proximity.
Itachi had a miniscule frown on his face, noticing that he did not recognize this person's presence until the last second. Whoever this person was, he was definitely someone interesting.
"Excuse me if I'm interrupting…" the stranger said cordially in his raspy tired voice.
He had noodle black hair, bags under his coal black eyes and sharp facial features. The young male wore a dark hoodie, like Itachi, with red lining and a red skull pattern at the top of the hoodie.
"Do you mind?" he asked, pulling out a seat to sit down on and Itachi shook his head showing that he didn't.
"Wait, you're-" Shin started but was immediately cut off by a sharp glare from the stranger.
"I'm very much capable of introducing myself, thank you very much," he turned to Itachi with a small smile, "My name is Izawa Ippei and you must be Uchiha Itachi, right?" he asked but they all knew that was true.
"Yes, so what does a member of the Draw Sword guild wish to speak about with me?" Itachi wondered, revealing that he knew who this man was the entire time.
"You're a difficult man to find, Uchiha Itachi."
"I haven't started trying yet."
Izawa chuckled, "I believe you, but now that you're here I hope you won't mind me making you an offer," he requested.
Itachi nodded, showing that he was willing to hear what the S-rank hunter had to say.
"Great. I'm sure you're aware that Draw Sword is the most efficient guild in Asia with us completing requests even outside of the continent. Despite the fact that China has the strongest hunter in Asia being Liu Ziagang, a national level hunter."
"Yes, your reputation needs no introduction."
Izawa smirked, "I'm glad you feel that way. So, what I'm here to offer is the opportunity to join our ranks as a member of the guild. Imagine the fame and recognition of one as young as yourself joining the most prestigious guild on the continent. The money and power that comes with holding such an honour."
"A tempting proposal, but I don't care about money or fame that much," Itachi replied neutrally and whether or not he was aware of the questioning glance of Shin, he didn't show it in the slightest capacity.
"Oh? Tanaka did say you were different. How about this? A 5 million yen building in your name and a contract for over 4 years with earnings of upwards of about 13 million yen a year," Izawa proposed once again.
"Again a tempting offer but it's not what I'm interested in."
"Well, then what do you want and let me see if it's within my ability to provide."
Itachi lifted up two fingers, "I'll join your guild under two conditions."
Izawa deadpan expression lit up with curiosity on what the Uchiha had to say.
"Firstly, I want the fact that I joined your guild to remain unawares of the public. Secondly, I want to be aware of every connection, political or not, that Draw Sword has to the government."
Izawa blinked for a few moments, trying to piece together what Itachi could possibly hope to gain from these conditions of recruitment.
"The first makes a little sense. I imagine you're the type of person that enjoys their privacy, even if it's uncharacteristic of some your age, but the second one? In most scenarios in my head I can't imagine anything but nefarious intentions if I disclose that kind of information to you. It honestly makes me question who you are really, Uchiha Itachi." Izawa Ippei expressed his doubts about the Uchiha's true intentions.
"It's honestly not that huge of a deal if the second condition isn't met. The first condition is my most strict condition and if you cannot fulfil it in any capacity then negotiations are over," Itachi replied.
"If that's the case then we can work with something."
"Excellent, and thanks for lunch Shin. I'll be off now." he said, getting up from his seat and bowing to show his gratitude to the agent.
"Uh, no worries, Itachi."
Itachi turned to address the antisocial looking Izawa Ippei to leave him with a parting remark.
"Oh and don't think I forgot about the 5 million yen building along with the 13 million a year contract, make sure to include that in our terms as well." he said before bursting into a murder of crows, making sure he had the last word.
"Crows? What the hell?" the S-ranker muttered confused at Itachi's exit.
"Oh yeah, that's a signature of his illusions. It's honestly hard to tell when one is under his 'genjutsu' or not. He's got a terrifying understanding of how the brain interprets reality and illusion." Shin explained to the bewildered hunter, the agent could tell that this was his first time encountering such an unfamiliar ability.
"His reports did make mention of that. Who knew he could do something like this so casually and to me of all people?" Izawa said more to himself than to anyone else.
Izawa as an assassin class hunter prides himself on his acute analytical ability and keen senses to discern and exploit the openings provided by his opposition, but in the face of a technique that can completely bypass that skill… It's almost jarring how much trouble that would cause in a fight. Now, he understands how he was able to defeat Tanaka in a fair one on one.
'A very fearsome ability indeed.'
Itachi blended in with the crowd of people across the street from the fast food restaurant that he left Shin and Ippei at. It seemed that he had overstepped in his negotiation with that second stipulation but it was fine he could work around a little suspicion. He'd always planned on joining the Draw Sword guild not because of how powerful they were but for the amount of pull they had in the government and Japanese Hunter Association. Although he didn't initially have that in mind, it's definitely beneficial considering how much easier it would be to find the instigators behind that rehabilitation mission that Daku hinted at.
'It could only be someone in opposition Draw Sword that was of high enough level to organise an assassin like Daku and cover their tracks,' Itachi thought.
It definitely was a solid theory and he had given himself more pieces to solve this puzzle while simultaneously getting closer to whoever this entity that wanted him dead was.
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Walking back home with the evening sky already setting in after the Sun had set, Itachi was taking a casual stroll through the neighbourhood.
He walked up the stairs to the apartment but before he turned the knob on the door he felt that something was amiss. His shinobi instincts were rarely ever wrong and he wouldn't start the habit of doubting them now.
That's why he backed away to the ledge of the building floor and jumped over and then used his mana to stick perfectly perpendicular to the building and ran to the top of the building and then made his way down to the balcony garden.
His landing was silent and like a true ninja, stealthy opened the sliding door and clinged to the shadows of the living room. His sharingan blazing into action he was able to make out the silhouette of someone crouched down by the wall looking like they were peaking at the front door.
He turned on the lights.
"What are you doing?"
His question caused Izumi to jump up freighted and yelp loudly at being caught so completely off guard.
"Ita! How in the world?" she questioned incredulously but her son just raised an eyebrow.
"Oh right, hunter…" she sighed
"So, what were you doing anyway?"
She didn't answer him immediately and just went to the kitchen instead. This prompted him to follow her curiously and when he did he was presented with a happily smiling mother with a cake in her hands.
"Happy 17th birthday Ita!" she exclaimed.
It seemed as if he was stunned speechless because he wasn't expecting anything like this when got home.
"But it's not…" he started and then realised that he was not in his previous world anymore, "...necessary for all that." he said with a visibly happy smile on his face.
"Nonsense! I know it's not as big as your other parties but even still I wanted you to celebrate it," Izumi explained and then her expression turned solemn, "It's been far too long since you did." She finished quietly this time.
His smile fell a little at those words putting this air of melancholy around her, but he knew the reason for her sadness. She has been forced to watch her son suffer from a hospital bed for almost 2 years, he could only imagine the strength she possessed to continue fighting on for him, while the other him.
'If I remember correctly, today would be Sasuke's birthday too,' a fond smile crossed his lips at the thought.
It was interesting how things worked out like that.
"Thanks, I appreciate it mom," he said.
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And that's a wrap! Been a while since I updated and I didn't realise that when I was doing the finishing touches that today (23 July) was Sasuke's actual birthday lol. Hope you enjoy it regardless and tell me what you guys think.
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