Legendary Sucker

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The cursed seal's flames spread across Horyu's body, each ember-like mark burning with a viciousness that felt like it was trying to consume him from the inside out. Despite the unbearable pain, Horyu's mind raced, not with fear, but with anger.

Tsunade's brow furrowed in concentration, her hands moving with precise, deliberate motions as she worked to contain the seal's spread. "This is one of Orochimaru's more sinister creations," she muttered, more to herself than to the others. "It's designed to break the victim, to make them susceptible to his influence."

Shino, having remained silent until now, stepped forward, his insects buzzing quietly around him. "Is there anything we can do to assist, Tsunade-sama?" he asked, his voice calm but tinged with underlying concern for his teammate.

Tsunade glanced at Shino, then at Hinata, her expression softening slightly. "Right now, keeping him stable is our priority. This seal... it's not just a physical affliction. It's mental, too. It tries to break the victim's will."

Horyu wasn't worried. The System had already sealed Orochimaru's soul piece, and while the Cursed Seal was a nuisance, it also represented power. If what the System suggested was true, he could transform it into a force that only a select few in the Naruto world could wield. As Tsunade sighed and placed a containing seal around the Cursed Seal— a technique she learned from her grandmother, Uzumaki Mito—Horyu's mind was already racing. "This will only suppress it. If you try to use it or exhaust your chakra, it will flare back. Understand?" Tsunade warned.

Horyu nodded, his expression unreadable. "Thank you, Tsunade-sama," he managed to say, his voice tinged with a mix of pain and determination. He then turned to Kurenai, seeking clarification on the events that had unfolded in his absence. "Were you kept by that other man?" he asked, his tone neutral yet carrying an underlying edge of concern.

Kurenai nodded, her relief at seeing Horyu alive and (relatively) well evident in her voice. "He is a puppet master. A strong one," she explained, her gaze drifting momentarily to the spot where Orochimaru and Sasori had vanished. She then added, "Luckily, Tsunade-sama was passing by and saw us."

Horyu hummed, a sound that carried a wealth of unspoken thoughts. As he processed Kurenai's words, the System bombarded him with more notifications, each one a beacon of information in the darkness of his current situation. Horyu's attention went back to System Messages.

[System Quest: Uncover the Puppeteer's Strings - Completed

Path 1: Trace the Shadows

Subquest 1: Infiltrate the Hidden Marsh Village. -Completed-

Subquest 2: Intercept the Intelligence Exchange. -Completed- (Note: The intel was chosingly delivered to Orochimaru. That doesn't make it wrong hands, thus the quest will be considered completed.)

Path 2: Behind the Curtain

Subquest 1: Investigate the Network of Caves. -Completed-

Subquest 2: Unravel the Mastermind's Identity. -Completed- (Masterminds identified: Orochimaru and Sasori working together.)

Choice Path: Align or Oppose - Analyzing...

Analyzing... Complex Choice Detected. Your actions have led to a unique outcome: Protecting Konoha while indirectly aiding the mastermind by providing altered intel and additional information. This dual approach has nuanced the mission's outcome, creating a middle path not previously accounted for.

New Path Generated: The Shadow Guardian's Gambit

You have maneuvered through the shadows, maintaining allegiance to Konoha while engaging with the masterminds. This delicate balance has allowed you to gather invaluable intelligence and secure a potential advantage over both external threats and internal machinations.

Reward for The Shadow Guardian's Gambit:

+3500 XP

"Dual Allegiance" Perk: Grants the ability to navigate between alliances without immediate detection, enhancing strategic flexibility.

"Illusory Echo Flute: An enchanted flute that, when played, creates auditory illusions that can distract or mislead enemies, opening them up for ambush or escape.

"Ambiguity Veil" Genjutsu: A unique genjutsu that obscures your motives and actions, making it difficult for both allies and adversaries to predict your true intentions.

Note: The choices you've made have significant implications for your standing within Konoha and the broader shinobi world. Be cautious, as maintaining this balance will require careful navigation of the relationships and alliances you have formed.

Final Confrontation: Awaiting further developments. Your actions have set the stage for a complex showdown. The true intentions of Orochimaru and Sasori, as well as their plans for Konoha, remain shrouded in mystery. Your role as a double agent may either foil their schemes or further their goals, depending on your decisions moving forward.]

Smirking, Horyu got up. Despite the lingering pain from the cursed seal, he managed to bow to Tsunade, masking his discomfort with a veneer of gratitude. "Thanks again for your assistance in both helping my team and me, Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade, for her part, waved off the formalities with a dismissive hand, her eyes twinkling with a mix of amusement and a hint of something more calculating. "If you're so thankful, spare some money. I lost all mine recently," she half-joked, or maybe she was entirely serious— with Tsunade, it was hard to tell.

Horyu's smirk widened, a playful glint appearing in his eyes. "How about a gamble then?" he proposed, an idea taking shape in his mind. Without waiting for her response, he withdrew two dice from his pocket and placed one in Tsunade's palm. 'C'mon, system, it's a good time to give a quest,' he thought, almost as if willing the System to comply with his unspoken desire.

Sure enough, a new quest notification popped up in his vision, though Horyu kept his expression carefully neutral to avoid revealing any hint of the System's involvement.

[System Quest: A Gamble with the Legendary Sucker

Objective: Engage Tsunade in a dice game.

Option 1: Win the gamble. Ensure your die's victory over Tsunade's. Reward: +500 XP, "Gambler's Luck" Perk (Increases luck in minor day-to-day events).

Option 2: Lose the gamble. Really? You're gonna lose to Tsunade, really? Reward: +1000 XP, "Favored by Fate" Perk (Significantly increases chances of favorable outcomes in critical situations).]

Horyu couldn't suppress the grin that threatened to split his face. The dice were rigged; he had created them a while back while experimenting with seals, a little project to see if he could manipulate luck. The dice in his hand was enchanted to always land on 1, while the one he had given Tsunade would invariably land on 6. Losing to Tsunade was literally impossible due to her legendary luck, but Horyu wanted to see if he could create a scenario where he could lose.

"Let's see who gets the higher number," Horyu said, his voice laced with feigned eagerness. He shook the die in his hand and cast it down, watching as it obediently rolled to a stop on 1. All eyes then turned to Tsunade, who, with a roll of her eyes but a smirk playing on her lips, tossed her own die.

When Horyu's dice landed on 1, he couldn't help but smirk at the predictability of the outcome. He watched Tsunade's hand, a flicker of anticipation in his eyes as she threw her dice. To his utter disbelief, a slight fluctuation occurred between the two dice, and hers also landed on one. "Hmm. A draw. Again," Tsunade remarked casually, reaching for Horyu's die with a mischievous glint in her eye.

"No," he protested, but it was already too late. His only option was to take the other die, the one meant for Tsunade. This time, Tsunade went first, and predictably, her roll ended on a 1, a result Horyu had meticulously planned for. Yet, when it was his turn, the die betrayed his intentions and landed on a 6. Tsunade's face contorted into a mix of frustration and disbelief. "Damn it. I lost again. Get lost, kid," she grumbled, her legendary bad luck with gambling making itself known once again.

Horyu stood there, mouth agape, staring at the dice. The realization that Tsunade's luck was so abysmal, not even his rigged dice could alter the outcome, was both astounding and mildly amusing. Still, he felt a sense of gratitude for her intervention today. He pulled out a scroll from his inventory and offered it to Tsunade. "Here, Tsunade-sama. It's a bit of my savings. For helping me and my team. I am truly grateful," he said, his tone sincere.

Shizune stepped forward, likely to refuse the gesture on Tsunade's behalf, but Tsunade was quicker. She snatched the scroll from Horyu's hand, her earlier irritation replaced by a grin. "Well, if you insist," she said, her voice laced with a hint of victory.

[System Quest: A Gamble with the Legendary Sucker - Completed

Option 1: Win the gamble. -Completed-

Reward: +500 XP, "Gambler's Luck" Perk (Increases luck in minor day-to-day events).]

Horyu shook his head, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards. Tsunade's luck was indeed legendary, but not in the way one might hope. The irony of the situation wasn't lost on him, and despite the circumstances, he found a semblance of amusement in the day's events.

With the day's turmoil behind them, Horyu and his team set their course back to Konoha, the weight of their encounters heavy in the air. The journey was quiet, each member lost in their own thoughts, processing the battles fought and the narrow escapes. The forest around them seemed to watch in silence, a witness to the tales of shinobi that would remain untold.

As they walked, Horyu broke the silence, his curiosity about the encounter his team had without him surfacing despite his better judgment. "How strong was the enemy?" he asked, his voice casual, masking the depth of his interest. He was well aware of Sasori's capabilities, more than anyone could imagine, but he couldn't reveal the extent of his knowledge. It was a delicate dance of inquiry and feigned ignorance.

Kurenai was the first to respond, her voice reflecting the tension they had experienced. "It was...unexpected. We didn't realize we were dealing with a puppet master until it was nearly too late," she admitted.

Hinata chimed in, her gentle voice carrying a note of awe. "I only saw through the puppet with my Byakugan. Before that, we thought we were fighting a strange, eccentric person wielding poison and senbon among other hidden weapons." Her insight offered a glimpse into the chaotic nature of the battle.

"As we struggled to avoid the poisoned blades and hidden attacks, Tsunade-sama appeared," Kurenai continued, her voice softening at the mention of the legendary Sannin. "The enemy retreated as soon as he saw her. We were fortunate she was nearby."

Horyu listened, his expression unreadable, absorbing every detail. "Luck was on our side, then."

And he meant it. If it wasn't for Tsunade's timely arrival, which was coincidental, he didn't know what would happen to him. He was ready to use the Illusionary Realm Pass, a pass he earned when he was still a Genin. It allowed him to spend 7 days in an isolated bubble where only a second passed outside. Although 7 days of training wouldn't be enough to win against Orochimaru, he could at least think of something in that time. Unlike in the anime where Orochimaru was still within the borders of Konoha and couldn't just snatch Sasuke, Horyu was in the middle of nowhere, and if Orochimaru wanted, he could just take him away. The idea was scary.

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