#39 Divine Reward System

As Sasuke faced off against Dosu, he knew he needed answers—who had sent these enemies after him?

“Tatsuya, how do you know they’re here to kill you?” Sasuke asked looking at Tatsuya with a questioning gaze.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. “Because ever since they arrived in Konoha, they’ve been targeting you. They’re good at hiding their presence, but I noticed their movements.”

Sasuke clenched his fists. “Who is Orochimaru?”

Tatsuya’s expression darkened. “A former student of the Third Hokage. One of the Legendary Sannin.”

At that revelation, both Sasuke and Naruto looked stunned.

Sasuke’s mind raced. Why would Orochimaru send assassins after him? What did he want? Tatsuya seemed to know more but wasn’t saying yet.

(Orochimaru hadn’t revealed himself yet, so it wouldn’t make sense for Tatsuya to know everything. It was better to wait.)

Once they dealt with the Oto Trio, there was no reason to linger in the [Forest of Death]. The thought of Ichiraku Ramen waiting outside was far more appealing.

After a brief rest, Tatsuya, Sasuke, and Naruto set off again, heading toward the Central Tower. They moved at full speed, covering the ten-kilometer distance in half an hour.

When they arrived at the outskirts of the destination, they saw a circular area—dense forest and a lake surrounding a towering structure in the center. The Central Tower.

Thanks to Tatsuya’s skills, they had arrived relatively unscathed. The journey was fraught with dangers—feral beasts, poisonous insects, and rival teams. Many teams had fallen along the way.

The Shikamaru trio had likely arrived before them, but there was no sign of them yet. Still, Tatsuya noticed subtle disturbances in the area.

“Someone else has already reached this point,” Tatsuya murmured, scanning the surroundings.

Sasuke followed his gaze. “You think they’re lying in wait?”

Tatsuya nodded. “Some teams rushed straight for the tower from the beginning, knowing this was the only entrance. Instead of hunting for scrolls, they’re setting traps here, waiting for others to do the work for them.”

“That’s low,” Naruto muttered, crossing his arms.

“Or smart,” Sasuke countered. “Depends on their strength.”

Tatsuya smirked. “That’s the key. They’re betting on being stronger than whoever arrives.”

As they entered the forest, the atmosphere grew tense. The thick foliage muffled sound, and a heavy scent of blood lingered in the air. Signs of previous battles were everywhere—shattered branches, footprints, and even fresh corpses.

“Looks like there was a fight here,” Sasuke said, surveying the area.

Naruto gulped. “Yeah… someone didn’t make it.”

Tatsuya was about to respond when a sinister chuckle echoed from the darkness.

“Hehehe… you’ve walked right into our trap.”

From the shadows, figures began emerging—lurking behind trees, stepping out from behind rocks, appearing in clusters from the underbrush. Within moments, Tatsuya and his team were surrounded by dozens of enemies.

Naruto scowled. “Hah! Just a bunch of clones!” Without hesitation, he lunged forward, slamming his fist into one of the figures—only to watch in shock as the target dissolved like liquid, reforming almost instantly.

Just then, the enemy that Naruto punched threw kunai at Naruto, he dodged it, albeit, barely, it scraped one of his leg.

“What the—?!” Naruto stumbled back. “That’s not fair!”

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed. “Who are these guys?”

He activated his Sharingan, scanning for illusions—but nothing changed. “They're illusion, it's an enemy genjutsu,” he muttered.

Tatsuya remained calm. “They aren't normal illusions, they were created by the enemy’s jutsu. As long as the caster isn’t stopped, they won’t disappear.”

“But if they’re illusions, why are their attacks real?” Sasuke asks, his eyebrows scrunched in confusion.

Tatsuya smirked. “Because they’re tricking us. The clones never actually throw their kunai. The real shurikens come from the enemy hiding in the shadows, making us think the clones are attacking. It’s a mind game—if we keep dodging, we’ll burn through our chakra. Then, when we’re exhausted, they’ll strike for real.”

Naruto and Sasuke exchanged a glance, realization dawning.

Suddenly, a barrage of kunais hurled towards the three boys, but before it could harm them, it stopped mid-air, being levitated by an unknown force.

The enemies must have realized their plan had been exposed because their attacks suddenly stopped. In the darkness, three ninja remained hidden, whispering among themselves.

“Damn… what kind of jutsu is this?” one of them muttered, eyeing Tatsuya’s technique warily.

Another, a Rain ninja named Mubi, frowned. “Kagari, Oboro, have you ever seen anything like that?”

Kagari, the largest of the trio, squinted. “Ninjutsu that controls metallic weapons… I’ve heard of something like it before.”

Oboro leaned closer. “Then think carefully. If we don’t figure it out, we’re screwed.”

Kagari's eyes suddenly widened. “I remember!”

But before he could share his revelation, something strange happened. A sudden force yanked them forward, as if an unseen hand had grabbed them.

Their bodies jerked involuntarily, dragged by an immense suction force—straight toward Tatsuya and his team.