Drawing Cards

"What's Madara's purpose?" Fugaku lowered his voice, leaning forward unconsciously.

"I'm not him. How would I know what he's thinking? He's never told me. Clan Head Fugaku, I've already told you everything I can. That's my show of good faith.

"Let's get back to the deal. The price is still 300 million ryō, but I need help from the Military Police Force. Clan Head Fugaku, you can assign someone you trust to stay by my side and act as a bridge for passing messages. How's that for good faith?" Obito said with a grin.

Fugaku stared at Obito across from him for a long while. He was far too passive!

"I can't pay that much all at once. I'll pay 30 million ryō each month, ten payments in total. Someone will come find you tomorrow," Fugaku said gravely.

A life mentor on Earth had once told him that the essence of negotiation lay in threats and concessions, in the back-and-forth between the two. Today, he'd put that advice into practice.

"Good. It's a deal. I hope you'll keep my information confidential, Clan Head Fugaku. Not all the elders in your clan are as decent as you. Likewise, I'll keep the information about Uchiha Madara confidential.

"There's one small favor I need from you, too. Find a reason to help me withdraw from school. That should be a piece of cake for you, Clan Head Fugaku."

After receiving the first 30 million ryō, Obito stood and said, "I'll take my leave. One day, Clan Head Fugaku, you'll realize what a wise decision you made today."

Fugaku watched the boy called Obito walk off happily with the money. He felt exhausted. A bunch of senile old elders in the clan were forcing him to stage a coup, and now he'd been extorted for 300 million by a child!

"Phew..." Fugaku let out a long breath. Being clan head really was a damn thankless job...

"Cheping!"

"Yes, sir!"

At Fugaku's quiet call, a man suddenly appeared in the room, kneeling with his head bowed.

"From now on, stay by Obito's side. You don't need to come back here anymore. I'll contact you if anything comes up."

"Yes!" He didn't ask why. That was basic common sense for a subordinate. With a puff of smoke, the man on the ground vanished.

With 30 million ryō in his pocket, Obito felt like he was floating as he walked. He'd never seen that much money back on Earth. He floated all the way back to his little room. Now that he had money, of course he was going to draw cards. His target was Senju Hashirama! Both the Wood Dragon and the Great Buddha were so cool!

One draw cost 30,000 ryō, so 30 million was enough for 1,000 draws! That meant a hundred ten-pulls!

Obito kicked off his shoes, ran to his bed, and opened the system.

"System, recharge 3 million ryō!"

At Obito's command, the number of draws in the system rose to 100. He'd try a hundred first and see how it went!

He went straight for a ten-pull.

A colorful vortex appeared on the screen, followed by two rows of cards, five in each. The faint green glow from the cards made Obito's face look a little green, too...

No problem. This was only the first try. Something good would come later. All right! Keep drawing!

A few minutes later...

After ten ten-pulls, Obito's face had turned so green it was nearly black. Out of a hundred draws, he'd gotten only three blue cards! Damn it! This fucking garbage system! Three million ryō, gone just like that! It was faster than throwing it in the water!

And all three blue cards were useless: a pair of socks that would never stink, a red scarf that would never fade, and the sharpest nail clippers in the world! What kind of random junk was this?!

He drank a cup of cold boiled water to cool off, but it didn't help at all. He recharged another 10 million ryō. If he still didn't get anything, he was done drawing! He'd use the money to buy a big house and hire bunny-girl maids. He was done playing this game!

Half an hour later...

Obito's Mangekyō Sharingan had emerged from sheer rage, and his room was a complete mess...

"Recharge 10 million!"

He'd already forgotten his bold declaration from earlier. Gambling addicts really did die miserable deaths.

Half an hour later...

Only one final ten-pull remained. He'd completely lost his head. There was no other reason; he'd gotten unlucky as hell.

If he'd gone through hundreds of draws in a row without getting anything back on Earth, wouldn't the game have shut down ages ago?!

The familiar card-drawing screen appeared before him. The seven-colored vortex spun as Obito's clenched fist crackled, his blood-red eyes fixed on the cards.

"Ah!!! I finally got something! And it's a double golden egg! Hahaha~~~" Among the ten cards arranged in two rows, two golden cards shone especially brightly.

He opened the first gold card. It showed a samurai sword wreathed in blazing flames.

``` Item Name: Ryujin Jakka

Type: Equipment Card

Quality: Gold

Attribute: Strongest Fire-Type Attack

Shikai: Ennetsu Jigoku — Flames erupted from the blade in the form of a wall that wrapped around enemies like a giant hand. Anyone who tried to force their way out would be pursued by the flames.

Bankai: Zanka no Tachi

Zanka no Tachi, East: Kyokujitsujin — All the heat of Ryujin Jakka's flames is concentrated at the tip of the blade. It neither burns nor releases an explosion of flames; anything it touches simply vanishes without a trace.

Zanka no Tachi, West: Remnant Sun Prison Garb — The user's spiritual pressure is transformed into flames reaching fifteen million degrees, cloaking their body and blade like the blazing sun. Anyone who recklessly approaches the wielder while unprepared is instantly reduced to ashes.

Zanka no Tachi, South: Kaka Jūmanokushi Daisōjin — The blade of Zanka no Tachi is thrust into the ground, and the Zanpakuto's scorching heat awakens the ashes of the dead who once fell to the blade, turning them into a charred skeleton army that endlessly slaughters anyone identified as an enemy.

Zanka no Tachi, North: Tenchi Kaijin — A slash is unleashed at incredible speed over an extremely long distance. Everything it touches is reduced to ashes.

"Equip?"

"Holy shit, holy shit... The Captain-Commander of the Death Gods' Zanpakuto! Anyone who's watched Bleach knows how powerful this blade is! 'Strongest Fire-Type Attack' isn't just for show.

"I've struck it rich! Even if it had cost 300 million, getting this would've been worth every ryō! And I haven't scratched the other gold card yet! Obito really is the luckiest bastard alive! Gah ha ha!" Obito let out a bizarre, horrible laugh, as if someone were squeezing his throat...