The early morning sun had barely begun to peek over the horizon when Itachi summoned a shadow clone, instructing it to attend school in his place. As the clone departed, blending seamlessly into the bustling city streets, the real Itachi found himself enveloped in darkness, facing an entirely different challenge.
Itachi stood in the heart of a closed dungeon, the air thick with an eerie silence. He had just accepted the job change quest, curiosity getting the better of him. As his eyes adjusted to the gloom, a system notification appeared:
[Job Change Quest initiated. You cannot leave the dungeon until the quest is completed.]
A frown creased Itachi's brow. This was an unexpected complication, one that didn't sit well with him. He had always valued his freedom of movement, and being trapped didn't align with his plans. Nevertheless, he steeled himself for whatever challenges lay ahead.
Spotting a torch nearby, Itachi grabbed it, illuminating the area around him. The flickering light revealed a bizarre sight – a suit of armor, moving of its own accord, lumbering towards him. Instinctively, Itachi reached for his katana, but a gut feeling told him it wouldn't be effective against these metallic foes.
Without hesitation, Itachi charged forward, his fist connecting with the armor's chest plate. The impact reverberated through the dungeon, and the armor crumpled like paper under his enhanced strength. Before he could catch his breath, three more animated armors emerged from the shadows.
Itachi's eyes narrowed, his body shifting into a combat stance. The first armor swung a heavy mace, but Itachi ducked under it, using the momentum to drive his elbow into its middle. The sound of metal buckling echoed off the stone walls. The second tried to flank him, but Itachi was faster. He spun, his leg sweeping out in a powerful roundhouse kick that sent the armor flying into a nearby pillar, shattering on impact.
The third, wielding a massive broadsword, brought its weapon down in a crushing overhead strike. Itachi caught the blade between his palms, the strength of the blow driving him to one knee. With a grunt of effort, he twisted, wrenching the sword from the armor's grasp and using it to cleave the construct in two. The clang of metal on stone rang out as the pieces clattered to the ground.
As the last armor fell, Itachi stood amid the wreckage, his breath slightly quickened from the exertion. The dungeon fell silent once more, save for the soft clanking of settling metal. Examining the fallen foes, Itachi's sharp mind quickly deduced their weakness. "The core must be in the head," he muttered to himself. "A single, precise strike there should be enough to disable them."
As the adrenaline of combat faded, Itachi noticed glinting objects among the scattered armor pieces. Loot, dropped by his defeated enemies. Though he didn't particularly need these items, years of shinobi training had taught him never to leave potentially useful resources behind. He gathered the items, storing them away for future use, their weight a comforting reminder of his progress.
As Itachi contemplated the nature of this strange dungeon, his instincts suddenly flared. Without turning, he manifested his katana and struck behind him in one fluid motion. There was a strangled gasp as his blade found its mark in a camouflaged enemy. The creature, a bizarre amalgamation of shadows and armor, dissipated into mist.
"Did you think hiding your presence would work on me?" Itachi's voice was calm, almost bored, as he addressed his fallen foe.
Before he could fully process this new development, a blast of energy surged towards him. Itachi leaped back, narrowly avoiding the magical attack from a concealed mage. The air crackled with residual energy as Itachi's eyes darted around, identifying his new attackers. Suddenly, the dungeon came alive with movement as a group of knights charged towards him from all directions, their armor clanking ominously in the dim light.
Itachi's eyes flashed, his body moving with inhuman speed. He blitzed through the knights, his strikes precise and devastating. Armor crumpled and weapons shattered in his wake, the sounds of battle echoing off the stone walls. As he finished off the last knight, his hand shot up, catching an arrow mere inches from his face. The shaft splintered in his grip, a testament to his enhanced strength.
Looking in the direction the arrow came from, Itachi spotted a group of armored archers. But as soon as they realized their attack had failed, they retreated into the shadows of the dungeon. Itachi considered pursuing them but decided against it. It could be a trap, and he had learned long ago not to rush blindly into unknown situations.
After taking a moment to hydrate himself, the cool water a welcome relief in the stifling dungeon air, Itachi pressed on. The passage began to widen, and soon he found himself facing a massive door, ornately decorated with intricate designs. Intuition told him this must be the entrance to the boss's lair. With a deep breath, Itachi pushed the door open, the ancient hinges groaning under the weight.
The room beyond was a grand throne room, its high ceiling lost in shadows. Near the empty throne stood an imposing figure – a knight clad in crimson armor, its presence exuding an aura of power and menace. Floating above the knight's head, Itachi could see words forming: "Knight Commander, Igris the Red."
Itachi's keen eyes noticed that the name was written in a deep, blood-red color. The knight stood motionless, guarding the empty throne with unwavering dedication. The air in the room felt heavy, charged with an unspoken challenge.
Without warning, the knight began to move. Its steps were slow at first, but gained speed as it approached Itachi. In a flash, it brought its massive sword down in a powerful slash. Itachi's katana met the blow, the clash of metal on metal echoing through the chamber. The force of the impact was so great that it generated a gust of wind, whipping Itachi's hair back and sending dust swirling around them.
Itachi's lightning-infused katana, which had cut through lesser foes with ease, seemed to barely scratch the surface of Igris's armor. This was clearly no ordinary opponent. The two warriors exchanged a flurry of blows, their weapons moving faster than the eye could follow. With each clash, Itachi's analytical mind worked overtime, assessing his opponent's strength and skill. His conclusion was sobering – this knight, Igris, was more powerful than even Kisame had been.
Realizing that his katana wasn't effective against the knight's superior armor, Itachi made a bold decision. He returned his blade to his inventory and raised his fists, ready for hand-to-hand combat. Igris, seeming to understand the change in tactics, mirrored Itachi's actions, dropping its sword and assuming a fighting stance.
Igris struck first, its armored fist cutting through the air with frightening speed. Itachi managed to block, but the force of the blow sent him skidding back several steps, his feet leaving furrows in the stone floor. What followed was a brutal exchange of blows. Itachi and Igris traded punches and kicks, each impact resonating through the throne room. Itachi quickly realized that Igris was just as formidable without a weapon as it was with one.
In a moment of distraction, Itachi took a hit he couldn't block. The knight, seizing the opportunity, reached for its discarded sword to deliver a finishing blow. But Itachi was far from defeated. With lightning-fast hand signs, he unleashed a water bullet jutsu, forcing Igris to defend. The water splashed against the knight's armor, momentarily obscuring its vision.
Not giving his opponent a chance to recover, Itachi followed up with a fire jutsu, engulfing the area in flames and further hindering Igris's sight. Using the cover of the fire and steam, Itachi launched a direct attack. But Igris, demonstrating uncanny battle instinct, anticipated the move. It blocked Itachi's strike and, in a swift motion, drove its sword towards Itachi's gut.
The blade met its mark, or so it seemed. Instead of flesh and blood, Igris's sword passed through a cloud of smoke. Suddenly, two lightning-infused kunai pierced through the air, finding their mark in the eye slits of Igris's helmet. The knight staggered, momentarily blinded and disoriented.
Itachi, seizing this chance, charged forward and delivered a devastating blow to Igris's head, his fist enhanced with chakra. The sound of crumpling metal filled the air as Igris's helmet caved in under the force of the strike. As the knight fell, defeated, Itachi stood over it, his breathing slightly labored. "You never fought the real me," he stated calmly, acknowledging the effectiveness of his shadow clone jutsu in the final moments of the battle.
A system message appeared, confirming Igris's defeat and notifying Itachi of a level up. Looking down at his fallen foe, Itachi spoke softly, "Your strength is undeniable, but in the end, it wasn't enough."
The system pinged again, this time listing the rewards for his victory:
[You have obtained:
- Crimson Knight's Helmet
- The Commander's Touch
- Leather Pouch
- Instant Teleportation Stone]
Curious, Itachi donned the Crimson Knight's Helmet. To his satisfaction, he discovered that the armor was invisible to others when worn. This could prove to be a valuable asset in future encounters.
As the adrenaline of battle faded, Itachi realized that defeating Igris hadn't concluded the quest. There was more to this job change than a simple boss fight. His eyes scanned the throne room, searching for clues about what might come next. The empty throne caught his attention once more, its significance still a mystery.
Itachi stood in the center of the throne room, his mind racing with possibilities. He had come seeking a job change, but this quest seemed to be offering something far more significant. Was he ready for such a transformation? And more importantly, what would this mean for his goals and his friends – Jin-ah, Park Min-woo, and Song-yi?
As he contemplated his next move, Itachi knew that whatever choice he made would irrevocably alter his journey in this new world. The weight of destiny hung heavy in the air as he prepared to face whatever challenge came next...