23 The Tiger or the Goat?
[A/N: Sorry for the late chapter! I had to deal with an exam the entire day @@ and am tired as hell… But I need to at least write something for everyone, so here I am, yeey...
And there will be a re- vote in the end! Please participate!
Discord: ht tps://discord .gg/RcZZjnKnwx ]
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Chapter 22: The Tiger or the Goat?
Jutsu of the day:
<Let me make a point no Jutsu>
Courtesy of Yours Truly
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In Daimyo's Mansion, inner room~
[General]
.
The prince approached Shikaku and smiled slyly. He asked, "Would you like to play a new game I have invented?"
.
Shikaku frowned a bit. His instincts were screaming to take guard. The last time he felt like this, was at war…
But he kept his Stoic face as he answered the prince, "Mitsu-sama, I don't think it's the appropriate time to play games."
Mitsu replied with a slight smile, but his eyes narrowed, "Oh, don't be like that Nara-sama, it's just a short game, made for two people. It won't take more than five minutes for a round.
Humor, a kid, will you?"
At the moment, Shikaku thought, 'I will die of diabetes before I take you for a kid…'
He nodded as he didn't find a reason to refuse the prince, "Sure, let us play this game you have invented."
He was suspicious but also intrigued. There were barely any games in Konoha. And he had played Shogi so much that, he can play while looking the other way.
So, he wanted to know. What the boy, named as a prodigy, could possible have come up with.
"Excellent! I will set the board right away." The prince smiled and took some items from a sealing scroll.
It was a board similar to that of Shogi… But there were diagonal lines in between the squares. The board itself was way smaller. Consisting of only 5x5 grid…
[A/N: I have posted the board on paragraph comments. I will post a few more images while explaining briefly.]
I gave a questioning glance at the prince, who only smiled and took out 4 large round pieces of wood and 20 smaller pieces.
"Voila! This is the game I have invented, Nara-sama. I call it, 'Trap the Tiger!'" The prince said happily.
Before Shikaku could ask further, the prince continued, "You can say it's a game derived from shogi. But the rules are way simpler.
There can only be two sides. The tiger and the goat.
The tiger player gets the larger pieces. And the rest goes to the other player.
The tiger player starts with all 4 pieces on the board, while the goat player needs to place one piece a turn.
The objective of the goat player is to trap the tiger by making it unable to move. The target of the tiger player is to capture 5 goats."
[A/N: Look at the paragraph comment, or just the comment for an image of the explanation.]
Shikaku nodded and asked, "How does one capture the goat and how does the tiger move?"
The prince smiled, "It's simple, the tiger can move any direction there is a line. And it can only capture a goat by jumping over it. So, say, there is a piece right beside a tiger and the spot beside that is empty. Then the tiger can jump to the empty position, capturing the goat while jumping over it. Simple enough?"
[A/N: PG comment or comment itself]
Shikaku thought for a while. Then nodded, the rules were simple and straightforward. The tiger nor the goat player has any advantage or disadvantage. As the starting is in similar favor for both.
Mitsu then narrowed his eyes and said, "As this is your first game, I will let you play as the tiger. It has smaller number of pieces and easier to control."
Shikaku narrowed his eyes. He could feel this was a set up. But he couldn't put his finger on it.
[A/N: DW he will give it back. And before anyone says anything about intelligence and common sense. Intelligence is the knowledge about something and common sense is knowing to use the knowledge you have at the proper place and time. I googled it @@ ]
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[Mitsu]
.
I set out the board and the game started. I glanced at his information one more time.
It was impressive,
|
Name: Nara Shikaku
Title: Head of Nara Clan
Occupation: Deer Herder, Ninja (Konoha), Clan head
-Rank: Jonin (Commander}
Loyalty: 57%
Bloodline: Nara Clan (Yin).
Age: 33 years.
Level: 58 - Specialty: End, Control, Infiltration
Talent: 7/10
Chakra: 75,788
Status Ailment: None
Skills:
Extreme Reaction, Rank- C, Lv- 7
.....
Advanced Ninja Theory, Rank- A, Lv-Max >
Jutsu:
<Black Spider Lily, Rank- A, Lv- 2
Shadow Imitation Technique, Rank- C, Lv- 7
...…...
Shadow Sewing Technique, Rank- B, Lv- 5
Shadow–Neck Binding Technique, Rank- C, Lv-8
>
|
The game has more meaning than a simple pastime. I can't simply let him get away without a warning.
This radish haired bastard actually implicated me with his bullshittery…
But, we will see what you think after this game. Lets dance now, shall we?
I as the G.O.A.T player placed my first piece on the bottom line's middle point. And the game…
Started officially…
[A/N: XD I really had trouble explaining]
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Meantime~
In the Uchiha Compound-
[Kakashi]
.
This is a very important mission. This might be the biggest one I have taken, since the war. I can only hope everything will go according to Shikaku's plan…
.
My team set out to complete our mission. Our primary objective is to assist Itachi and Shisui, as they put the civilians under the Genjutsu eyes.
We will help by securing the parameter while the rescue team takes the civilians out.
We need to be fast, quiet and precise. We don't want to wake the rebel elders… The less aware they are the better...
'Bear' is bringing the mission order to Fugaku. Everything needs to be perfect.
[A/N: Ugh, the commander had a dog motif mask and I didn't know what to call him...]
We can't afford to let another innocent should die because of that egotistical man.
I jumped on top of a tree and gestured Itachi to move.
*Swoosh*
With a flicker, Itachi vanished under the bright moonlight.
.
tens of minutes later-
.
It took us around half an hour to get most of the civilians and Genins out of the compound. As for the innocent Chunin levels, they will need to be forcefully abducted. But Fugaku will handle the talk afterwards.
And the rest of the assault squad has taken their positions, and soon the slaughter will begin.
Speaking of Fugaku, I looked at one direction, where Fugaku was talking with a crying Shisui and a tired Itachi.
He had a sad and angry expression on his face. He must be reluctant to kill so many of his own. But when you want to rebel, you need to be prepared for the consequences…
'The fall of the rebels will start soon. And new heroes of the village will rise. Hope the wrongs can be forgotten by the grace of the moon….' I thought to myself.
I then looked at the bright ball in the sky, which was slowly turning crimson from its pinkish shade… And I knew… The cleaning has begun.
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Back in the Mansion~
[Shikaku]
.
I haven't been able to capture even one of the prince's goats…
I had a frown on my brows as I stared at the board. I didn't understand why my moves are being so irrational.
I understand the whole game as it was simple, but the prince seemed to be using an unorthodox method, to make me fall into his traps.
Such a simple game and yet…
"And with this, your second tiger is trapped, You only have 2 tigers to work with, Nara-sama." The prince's unamused voice hit my ears.
I knew something was wrong. But I couldn't quite point it out.
I played my turn and noticed, it was again a trap.
The prince surrounded and helplessly trapped my third tiger in just three more turns…
He kept on saying, "From one perspective, the tiger being bigger is more powerful…
It has every right to think so. It is bigger, it is certainly stronger than the goat. And not to mention, it was the predator….
And the goats are scared little creatures, who can only wait for their timely demise."
*Tick*
The prince put another piece on the board. And suddenly something hit me as I saw the whole picture.
I was being played. And somehow I couldn't even notice when and how I was falling into this complicated trap.
The prince kept on, "While the tiger is a smart animal and the goat, never known for its wits, can still survive from the paws of the tiger… Is it by cooperation with other goats? Heh! Sounds very idealistic yes... And it's basically not the case.
By using the power in number and wits? That's too good to be true in the dog-eat-dog world we live in…
Then? Do tell me, Nara Shikaku. How does the goat survive the tiger?"
I knew he wanted to make a point… But if he is making such a big one. Does that mean he is that confident?
I looked at the elder who was standing guard by the wall.
He is the one who cut down Danzo, with his own sword. Is his confidence coming from this subordinate?
No, I have seen too many of those kind. Those with no personal strength, but with the help of their subordinates, rule…
He is not that kind… His words, the way he carried this game, the intellect.. None of which matches his age.
It can only mean two things…Him being a hinged adult…
Or a once in a life prodigy, that was born in a political household…
And I have too many reasons to believe the second one... What a monster.
If I play this incorrectly… Konoha might lose the support of someone who is most likely to become the next Daimyo…
I only made this plan to stabilize the village, and also thought the prince was just a six year old boy,... Him being the third in line also helped to make the decision…
But, I Shikaku have made a mistake.
I looked at the prince as he smiled back at me. But, this time… his smile wasn't a friendly one.
I shivered as I saw his eyes.
"Do tell me Nara. Are you a goat or a tiger?" The prince asked with a frigid voice.
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[A/N: Helloooo friends! I have seen many of you voting, and I am glad to see the amount of response! And one thing I found in common was, people saying NO to an OC love interest.
And as I have said before, the story will go according to you, the readers opinions! So there will be no OC introduced as love interest! Yesh, it's fixed kekw~
But now I have another vote, as this one fell through! I want a plot which will involve an OC from another village, But she/he wound't be a love interest anymore!
So the new vote:
a. Author-deme, just write the story with a female OC, but don't you dare make her a lover!
b. Author- Bakayaro, There are too many good canon chicks so write the story but with a male OC.
c. WE DON'T WANT DIFFERENT PLOT!!!! Naruto is purfect!
