The air hung heavy with the metallic scent of blood and the acrid smell of smoke. Itachi stood motionless, his dark eyes fixed on the lifeless form of Igris, the Knight Commander, sprawled before him. The once-mighty warrior's armor was now dented and stained, a testament to the fierce battle that had just concluded. Itachi's breathing was steady, betraying none of the exertion from the intense fight.
Suddenly, the air around Itachi shimmered, distorting like heat waves on a summer day. Several portals materialized, their edges glowing with an otherworldly light that cast eerie shadows across the chamber. A translucent message appeared before his eyes, the letters glowing with an ethereal blue light:
[The job change quest will now begin.]
Another message quickly followed, the words materializing out of thin air:
[Accumulate more points the longer you stay alive. These points are needed to advance to a higher-rank class.]
A timer appeared in the corner of Itachi's vision, its numbers beginning their relentless countdown. He tightened his grip on his katana, his muscles tensing as he prepared for what was to come. The weight of the blade was familiar and comforting in his hand, a reminder of countless battles fought.
From the shimmering portals emerged a horde of knights, their armor gleaming in the dim light of the chamber. The sound of metal scraping against metal filled the air as they advanced, their movements eerily synchronized. Their blank visors betrayed no emotion.
Itachi's body moved on instinct, years of training kicking in as he dodged and weaved through the sea of blades. His movements were fluid and graceful, each step calculated to avoid the deadly swings of the knights' weapons. The air whistled around him as swords narrowly missed their mark, Itachi always staying one step ahead.
His fists connected with the helmets of several knights, the sound of crumpling metal echoing through the chamber. The impact sent shockwaves up his arms, but Itachi ignored the pain, focusing solely on survival. But for every knight he felled, two more seemed to take its place, emerging from the portals in an endless stream. The sheer number of opponents was staggering, unlike anything Itachi had faced before.
Realizing the futility of his current approach, Itachi's hands flashed through a series of familiar seals, muscle memory taking over. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" he called out, his voice barely audible over the clash of steel. In puffs of smoke, multiple copies of Itachi appeared, each one a perfect replica down to the determined glint in their eyes.
The clones engaged the knights with deadly precision, their movements mirroring Itachi's own. The chamber became a whirlwind of action, blades clashing and armor crunching as the battle intensified. Yet even with his clones, Itachi found himself slowly being overwhelmed. The sheer number of knights was staggering, their relentless advance pushing him back step by step.
As he parried another strike, the screech of metal on metal ringing in his ears, an idea sparked in Itachi's mind. Channeling his chakra, he coated his katana in fire. The blade glowed red-hot, waves of heat distorting the air around it. The fire cast dancing shadows across the walls, giving the chamber an even more hellish appearance.
As the next wave of knights approached, Itachi struck. The blazing katana cut through their armor like it was paper, leaving molten edges in its wake. The scent of burning metal filled the air, mingling with the already present smell of smoke and blood. Knights fell left and right, their armor no match for Itachi's fiery blade.
Despite this new advantage, Itachi realized the knights were still coming, their numbers seemingly endless. His sharp eyes scanned the battlefield, taking in every detail of the chaotic scene. Finally, he noticed a group of mages lurking in the back, partially obscured by the melee. Their hands moved in intricate patterns, and Itachi's suspicions were confirmed – they were controlling the knights.
With a plan forming in his mind, Itachi created more shadow clones to keep the knights occupied. Using the chaos of the battle as cover, he slipped into the shadows, his presence masked by years of shinobi training. The sounds of battle faded slightly as he moved away from the main fight, his footsteps silent on the cold stone floor.
As his clones engaged the knights in a fierce melee, Itachi made his way behind enemy lines. With practiced precision, he unleashed a volley of shuriken towards the unsuspecting mages. But this time, there was something different about his throw.
Itachi activated his newly acquired skill, Commander's Touch. The shuriken seemed to bend in mid-air, adjusting their trajectories with impossible accuracy. Each one found its mark, striking down the mages with lethal efficiency. As the last mage fell, Itachi allowed himself a small smile. This new skill would make his already formidable shuriken jutsu even more deadly.
As the last knight crumbled to the ground, a new message appeared before Itachi, the words glowing brightly against the dimming chaos of the battlefield:
[You have defeated all the monsters within the testing room. The job change quest has ended.]
Another message quickly followed:
[You are qualified for a job placement in a high-rank class due to the number of promotion points you have acquired.]
And finally:
[The appropriate job will be assigned based on an analysis of the player's record.]
Itachi's brow furrowed slightly as he contemplated these messages, their implications weighing heavily on his mind. The system was assigning the job, leaving him no choice in the matter. Given his frequent use of jutsu, which seemed similar to this world's magic, he wondered if he might be assigned as a mage or an assassin.
His musings were interrupted by another series of messages, each one more ominous than the last:
[Wherever the player goes, death follows.]
[The smell of blood fills the air, and the player leaves a trail of corpses in his wake.]
A bitter smile crossed Itachi's face, the truth of these words cutting deep. The system's assessment was painfully accurate, reflecting the dark path his life had taken. Memories of his past flashed through his mind – the faces of those he had been forced to kill, the weight of the choices he had made.
The final message, however, left him puzzled:
[Your desire to become powerful is strong enough to call forth the wandering spirits within the valley of death. An army of undead will follow your every order, single-handedly clearing the path upon which you walk.]
Itachi's mind raced as he tried to decipher the meaning behind these cryptic words. An army of undead? This was far removed from any ability he had possessed in his previous life. The implications were both intriguing and unsettling.