005 : Adventure

*Hisssss*

My ears perked up as I heard the sound as I gripped my kunai and shot it towards the origin of the sound.

*Thump!!!* the sound of the kunai embedding itself into the tree trunk came as the threat was now completely visible.

My Sharringan automatically flared up as I saw the threat in slow motion.

It was a blind grappler, an upper category Low level chakra beast.

It was almost 12 foot long with a body width of 5 inches.

Considering it's size, it was a fully grown adult snake type beast.

It's species was known for the power it had along with it's chakra sense.

I could see it's tongue slithering in and out in slow motion as it was lunging towards me, waiting for the right moment to open it's mouth and end my life, I knew it saw through my genjutsu, it was coming to bite my real face off.

'My hands are already two foots apart, performing a jutsu will take at least 4 seconds, and in that time the snake would already be at my neck.' my mind raced in a fraction of a second as I readied the kunai in the remaining hand and took another out with the other.

The snake was just a meter away from me now, it's body fully into the air with it's large mouth open containing 4 sharp dagger like teeth.

I turned my body 90° while stepping to the side with a jerk as the snake flew past me, using this opportunity, I stabbed the kunai into it's underbelly and used the momentum of the snake against it.

I turned my body again as I saw the snake on the ground, hissing even more profusely.

There was a large gash on it's underbelly as dark red blood flowed out of it.

The snake was still standing strong with it's neck above.

I backed up a few meters as I casted [Fire style : Ember stream] simultaneously.

The hot ember covered the snake as it jumped out of it and did something unexpected.

It jumped away from me as it ran away with its full speed.

Before I could comprehend what had happened, the snake was gone and I was left alone.

*Sigh*

I sighed as I waked to the trunk of the tree the snake emerged from as I retrieved the kunai.

It was all natural, the snake wasn't an idiot, it had survived in this forest till it had reached its adulthood, it knew when it could win a fight and when could not.

Losing a fight is better than losing life, it took chances for survival and ran away.

Just this small encounter was enough for me to see the reality of nature again, only the strong live, weak can only survive.

I walked more inside the forest as I encountered a lot animals and chakra beasts.

And if I forgot to tell you, Chakra beasts are animals that gained ability to create and use chakra.

The chakra that they use have some different properties but have the same basic concept, it was known as "Beast Chakra"

It is usually corruptive in nature and isn't of any use to humans, that until of course you were an Uzumaki.

I'm telling you, Uzumaki's were a cheat, not only their chakra levels were highest among all the clans, their sealing techniques made them even more OP.

It was said that the whole Uzumaki high command had A-rank chakra beasts sealed inside of their bodies.

Not only those beasts supplied them with even more amounts of chakra, the corruptive nature of the Beast Chakra even benefited them.

Thier bodies were so adapted to corruptive chakra throughout the centuries that it had close to none effects on them.

That's why Uzumakis were considered best containers for Tailed Beasts. Because in the end Tailed Beast chakra was just beast chakra on steroids with more toxicity.

Heck, when they went all out, they could even gain characteristics of the beasts sealed in them.

It was said that the Uzumaki head in the times of Madara and Hashirama, I think father of Mito Uzumaki even had an S-rank chakra beast sealed inside of him.

And to give you perspective, an S-rank chakra beast can take the 2-Tails Matatabi head on without losing.

It was just that normal beasts don't have the undying characteristics of the tailed beasts.

Enough ranting, like I was saying, I encountered many animals and beasts today.

But unlike the single snake I fought in the beginning, most of the beasts moved in packs while normal animals moved in herds.

It was hard to encounter a single beast, but I did find one long beak eagle, it was supposed to be a high B-rank chakra beast but was already gravely injured and had came in this low level area to recuperate.

I didn't engage it and just observed it from afar.

A B-rank is a B-rank, injured or not, just that 11 foot length of it was more than enough of a deterrent, not to speak of those blade like talons and that long beak that it was feared for.

After spending enough time wandering around, I hopped back into the tunnels and made my way back home.

Today was a day that gave birth to something in my head, it was this feeling that originated that there was much to this large world than just wars and deaths, somewhere within those unsavory parts held the true beauty of nature.

I don't know why, but there was a smile of satisfaction on my face.

Today I decided I would go out for dinner, usually it was sent to the front of the estate exactly at 8 PM, and don't mind me, the food was really delicious but I just wanted to go out for some reason unknown.

I donned on my trademark blue and white clothes with uchiha gunbai printed on the back.

I took my wallet, containing 50000 ryo and walked out the front door casually.

I could sense the dogs from root following me but I didn't pay any mind to it, they won't get anything except seeing me eat food around the village.

I walked leisurely around the village, making my way through the clan districts right into the shopping area that was hustling and bustling with people, lamps and lights, both electric and fire were on to their maximum display.

It was like a festival on this street.

I could hear the distant sounds from pubs and bars, could see vendors advertising their merchandise, food stall workers passing on flyers that had menus along with arcade games being played by children.

Wherever I went, there was some chatter about me behind my back but I was already out of it.

I focused myself onto trying new things as I made my way to the food area.

A plethora of sweet and savory aromas hit my nose as I stood there, filing up my lungs with that.

I took a step forward into a random direction.

The first destination I reached was the Takoyaki stall.

The hot Takoyaki's were filled with goodness of seafood, flavourful umami, and the soft yet crunchy outer layer, truly a unique experience.

The second place I went was the Steak House, owned my Akimichi clan.

The food was damned to be delicious, especially those B-5 cuts of beef, they were just too delicious and filling.

And don't be confused, B-5 is the best quality beef you can get, the 'B' in it comes from a B-rank cow beast and 5 means that it was the most tender and flavourful cut of the beast.

Akimichi clan was one of the biggest enterprises in the food industry in konoha, most of the restaurants were owned by them.

And being a ninja clan, they had access to resources only a few chosen ones have.

They weekly posted this A-rank mission to bring in an intact body of a B-rank beast, preferably cow type.

And then they cut up the beast and sold it for more money, for example it's hide was a prime material for jonin vests, it's long and incredibly strong tendons were used to make Bows and Crossbows, bones of such beasts made for excellent weapon materials.

The only reason why other people couldn't do this because only Akimichi clan had secrets of how to detoxify the corruptive chakra in the meat, that's what made it so special.

Meat from such beasts nourishes a body and makes it stronger just from eating it over the course of time.

The only thing was it was really expensive, like goddamn, it all cost me 18000, and for context, a decent working class man earns 80000 in a month.

As it was getting late, I went back home watching the twinkling stars in the night sky.

Since there was no phone or any other medium of entertainment, I went back to the chakra control training for a few hours before calling it the day and sleeping off.

A/N : After First mass release, I will only release 2 Chapters a week due to college.

A/N : If you can please support me at P@treon, I will have a few chapters in advance there https://www.p atreon.com/I_AM_SHADOW