Naruto Online: The Strongest Player

Chapter 96: Hidden Rain

I rose slowly from the flat stone I had been sitting on, brushing some of the dust and loose moss from my cloak. The air in Mount Myōboku felt heavier than usual, or maybe it was just me—still thinking about what had happened through my clone in the Land of Iron.

 I didn't know how the Dark Dream Guild would react in the real world, whether they'd go silent or lash out in retaliation, but it was done now, and that particular chapter didn't require my attention anymore. 

At least, not immediately.

Looking toward the nearby clearing, I spotted Fukasaku resting on a thick toadstool, his eyes half-closed in the sort of calm that came from decades—maybe centuries—of watching others come and go.

"Lord Fukasaku," I called out, my voice steady, trying not to sound rushed even though I already knew what I was about to say.

He opened one eye slowly, not surprised but clearly not thrilled to be interrupted. "Mm? What is it now?"

I walked a bit closer and kept my tone respectful. "I'm going to have to pause my training for a while."

The toad elder turned more fully toward me, his expression hardening with a familiarity I'd grown used to. "I told you when you started," he said plainly, "this kind of training isn't something you can drop and pick back up on a whim. It takes time and patience, and while I'll admit your progress has been impressive so far, you've still got quite a way to go. You won't get the results you want by jumping in and out of it like this."

I nodded, already expecting that response, and replied with as much calm as I could muster. "I understand that. But there are other things I need to deal with first—important things. I don't plan to be gone for too long. A few days, maybe a couple of weeks at most. I'm not abandoning the training, just putting it on hold."

He stared at me for a moment longer before letting out a low sigh. "Alright. But listen carefully—when you return, you finish what you started. No more breaks. No excuses. If you leave again halfway through, don't expect me to take you back under my guidance."

That made me pause. I could tell he wasn't being harsh for the sake of it. It was just how the world worked here. Consistency mattered. Before I could say anything in response, he added something else.

"The next time you come back," he said, his voice lower now, "the Great Toad Sage wants to meet you."

That surprised me. I'd heard about the Great Toad Sage, of course—he was a figure of legend even within Mount Myōboku, said to have existed since the time of the Sage of Six Paths. He was known for his visions, for seeing glimpses of the future that others could only react to after the fact. If he wanted to speak to me… well, that probably meant something important was coming. But I pushed that thought aside for now.

Of course I knew about the Great Toad Sage from the anime…someone who had lived even during the times of the Sage of Six paths. I couldn't help but wonder a little about the reason why he wanted to meet me. It was probably some prophetic vision…or maybe the old frog was just curious.

"I see," I said simply, giving a small nod. "I'll make sure I'm ready when I return."

Fukasaku didn't say anything more, and I didn't need him to. With a quick seal formation, I activated my reverse summoning technique and shifted myself out of the toad mountain, back into the physical world.

I emerged in the quiet forest region where the Moon Shadow Clan made their home. It was just a brief stop, a place I needed to pass through to use the unique summoning link I shared with them.

 From there, I channeled my chakra again, activating the reverse link the cats had helped me create, and shifted once more.

This time, I landed on snow. The familiar cold winds of the Land of Iron brushed against my face, grounding me. 

The last time I'd been here, it was to wipe out the Dark Dream camp. That was behind me now. 

I pulled my cloak tighter, activated a warmth seal stitched into the lining, and turned east. 

I also didn't need to be a bald wandering Fire monk anymore since the place I was going usually had plenty of rouges there…

The next place I needed to go was the Hidden Rain Village.

After all, while it was too risky, it is the main base of the Akatsuki's location. If I wanted to search for the man Tetsuya whom Sora-Sensei had fought with, that would be the best place.

And hey, maybe it was also a good idea for me to pick up some Genjutsu there…even basic ones.

The journey to the Hidden Rain didn't take very long, just about a day and a half, which made sense considering the level I had reached, and me being able to spam body flicker Jutsu

My body had already grown strong enough to be considered elite Jōnin, so covering long distances quickly wasn't anything particularly difficult anymore. It was a quiet journey overall, and I didn't bother stopping anywhere along the way. 

I also had to go from the Land of Iron, to the Hidden Waterfall Village's territory, then the Hidden Grass's territory, before I reached the Hidden Rain…dam this world needed proper transportation.

In comparison, the Hidden Rain was different in a way that was immediately obvious.

The moment I entered the outskirts of the city, everything felt damp and heavy. There was a mist that never quite lifted, and even without any rain falling at that moment, the ground was wet, and the buildings were coated in moisture.

 It wasn't hard to guess that water-style techniques would be more efficient here, not because they would be inherently stronger, but because the environment naturally supported their formation and release. 

Even walking through the streets gave off a sense of constant tension. The people here didn't speak much, and no one made direct eye contact. It wasn't difficult to notice that some of them carried themselves like shinobi, and from the way they moved, I could reasonably guess that a few were at least Chūnin, maybe even Jōnin. 

And obviously my Mind's Eye was able to confirm those suspicions.

They probably weren't locals. Most likely missing-nin or drifters who came to this place because it didn't ask questions and didn't follow any real law.

I didn't try to interact with anyone. That wasn't why I came. My purpose here was clear, and it had nothing to do with the people in the streets.

Once I found a relatively quiet spot, I activated my Mind's Eye of Perception and began sweeping the area in intervals. It wasn't going to be easy to locate a group like the Akatsuki. 

From everything I knew, they didn't operate out in the open, and considering their reputation, it was no surprise that they would remain as hidden as possible. Even with a sensory technique like mine, it wouldn't be simple to detect them unless I had a very specific signature to focus on. 

So I shifted strategies and focused on the density of chakra. It wasn't an exact science, but it helped narrow things down. Low-ranked shinobi had a loose, fluctuating chakra pattern. The more skilled someone was, the more refined and concentrated their chakra became. 

By that logic, if I could find someone with chakra at the level of an elite Jōnin or even higher—someone possibly on the level of a Kage—then I would know I had found something important.

I moved around slowly, never drawing attention, always keeping my presence low. The layout of the city made things harder than I expected. The buildings were close together, and the underground spaces had either collapsed or been closed off over time. 

But I kept checking. I remembered from the anime that the Akatsuki preferred underground hideouts, places where they wouldn't be seen or sensed easily, and that kind of pattern still made sense here.

After several hours of careful searching, I finally came across something that stood out. It was near the edge of the village, not exactly hidden deep underground like I expected, but rather connected to a cave system beside an old building that had been partially reclaimed by overgrowth and moisture. 

The structure didn't look particularly dangerous at first glance, but something about the quietness surrounding it felt deliberate.

I didn't approach it. Not even close.

If this really was a location tied to the Akatsuki, then there was no question in my mind that White Zetsu—or several of them—would be stationed nearby, watching everything. The issue was that my Mind's Eye, for all its sensitivity, didn't seem to register Zetsu in any way that stood out from ordinary people.

 That bothered me. I couldn't shake the feeling that chakra signatures from White Zetsu were being masked or simply too subtle to distinguish. In a village like this, where civilians and missing-nin passed each other daily, I couldn't afford to make assumptions based on low-level chakra readings.

The fact that I sensed any chakra underground at all in this area was already suspicious. Most people in Hidden Rain avoided going underground unless they absolutely had to—especially in the outskirts. 

There was little to gain and far too much risk. So the moment I confirmed there was a persistent presence below the surface, I kept my distance and observed from far enough that I wouldn't immediately trigger any sort of defense system.

That's when I found it: a fuinjutsu barrier.

It wasn't obvious at first—it blended into the terrain too well—but after focusing for a while, I noticed the small distortions in the air, the faint repulsion field that only showed itself barely…no one without being a Master in Seals would be able to notice it.

The sealing technique was complex. Intricate in a way that reminded me of the stories and descriptions of the kind of work Jiraiya used to do. 

Even with all my experience and ongoing mastery of fuinjutsu, I could tell right away that I wouldn't be able to manipulate this one without consequences. There were too many variables. 

The technique had a depth that meant only someone who had trained for years at a specialist level could've created it. Which meant that someone of significant power was operating from within that space—someone at the level of a Sannin, if not higher.

There was no doubt in my mind anymore.

I had found what I was looking for. This was the place. The signs all pointed to it, and though the outside was quiet, the defenses were screaming at anyone who could sense them that this wasn't a place to approach lightly. 

I would've liked to confirm more, maybe even find a safe vantage point nearby to observe them directly, but that wasn't an option. 

If I could find this place after a day of searching, then they, whoever they were, likely already knew I was here.

Assuming they were as skilled as the barrier suggested, they would've noticed my presence hours ago.

That alone was reason enough to move.

I didn't turn back or draw attention to myself—I simply shifted course and made my way to the other side of the Hidden Rain. There was no need to escalate things yet, not until I had a clear path forward. 

If I pushed too soon, I'd lose the chance to learn what I came for. And I wasn't ready to waste that opportunity.

…

Authors note:

You can read some chapters ahead if you want to on my p#treon.com/Fat_Cultivator