Naruto : A Fool's Errand.

Tachibana stood on the backrest of a chair on his big toe as he pretended to be shaking while holding a bunch of cards.

Everyone's eyes traced Tachibana's incredible figure as he balanced on the chair. Flipping out a single card from his deck, Tachibana caught it and aimed it right at the bandit who was standing about thirty feet away with an apple in his mouth, in his hands, in his elbows, on his knees, on his head, and under his feet.

"Alright, everyone! You know what to do!!!"

All of a sudden the bandits grew serious. Naginaga opened his mouth and started to lead everyone, "It's 'bout drive! It's 'bout power! We stay hungry we devour!..."

Tachibana closed his eyes and pretended he was feeling something coarse through his veins as he suddenly opened them and started a rapid-fire of cards that started to bolt the apple that was in the mouth of the unlucky bandit who had been chosen.

*FLICK*

With the final card flying out of Tachibana's hands, everyone watched carefully as it flew through the air and caused the apple that was being abused to explode, sending showers of pulp all around the crowd.

*AAAAAWUUUOOOOOOOOOOO*

The bandits roared, including Naginata.

Tachibana bowed to the crowd and jumped off the chair in a backflip as he landed in front of everyone in a superhero pose.

"How was that!?" Tachibana asked with a smile as he pulled out a hat from his pocket and walked around the crowd, earning donations along with claps.

'What's taking Maruboshi so long!?'

'Did he get caught or something?'

'Maybe he fell asleep?'

Tachibana was a little worried but he maintained a smile on his face as he asked the system a question, 'System, how much has my potion digested? Why hasn't it fully digested it yet?'

[ The host never ended his current act to start a new act, so Naginaga hasn't given any extra digestion points. ]

'Damn…'

'Then how much have all the other people given?'

[ Twenty per cent. The host has currently digested eighty-nine per cent of the potion. ]

'Alright, it's not that bad.'

'What do I do next..?'

'I've been through magic, card throwing, physical humour…maybe divination?'

Tachibana raised his hands and quietened the crowd of samurai bandits that was going wild.

"Now, I want to share something very special with you.", Tachibana explained calmly, his words got even Naginaga sitting on the edge of his seat as he hung on every word.

"What do you think the odds are when betting on a coin flip!?" Tachibana asked, everyone in the crowd went silent for a few seconds before one of the bandits spoke up, "Fifty-fifty?"

"Exactly. Does everyone think so!?"

A lot of the bandits nodded while the others tried to peer through to see if there was any trick in Tachibana's words, but finding none they relented.

"Alright then! For the price of all the Ryo you've given me tonight! Who'd like to bet with me on a few coin flips!?"

Everyone's eyes immediately widened with greed as they eyed the stash of coins and notes Tachibana had pulled out of his pocket.

Several of them immediately raised their hands and shouted to be chosen but after Naginaga raised his hand they all settled.

Tachibana immediately jumped at the opportunity to bring their blood pumping, "Naginaga-sama has volunteered! Let's see whose luck is better! The great commander, or a wandering clown!"

Naginaga looked at Tachibana and then at everyone in the crowd seeing they were all looking at him with anticipation, causing him to break out into a smile and stand up from his bamboo chair.

"Alright." Naginaga nodded, causing the bandits to cheer for him.

When Naginaga was in front of Tachibana he pulled out a coin from Naginaga's hands using sleight of hand causing a few chuckles to break out, even Naginaga was smiling.

Tachibana closed his eyes and in front of everyone let his topaz pendulum hang, using cogitation he entered a sleep-like state as he murmured clearly enough for everyone to understand, "The result of the coming coin toss will be tails."

Muttering the statement seven times, Tachibana opened his eyes and saw the pendulum turning clockwise so he spoke clearly, "I'm choosing tails! What about you?"

Naginaga looked at the pendulum for a few seconds before speaking calmly, "Heads."

"Are you ready!?" Tachibana asked the crowd of bandits who cheered and then Naginaga who just grunted.

With a sharp *flick* Tachibana sent the coin for a toss!

Except since everyone's eyes were focused on the coin toss, no one noticed the fire signal behind them in the trees.

Tachibana only noticed it because he was directly in front of it and it was in his line of sight.

'Get ready?'

'So Maruboshi's done with rescuing the kids? How's he planning to kill Naginaga!? Although not as powerful as Maruboshi he feels quite strong.'

The coin flipped a few more times until Tachibana slapped it on the table as it landed with a *THUD*.

"What do you think Nagainaga-sama? I win? Or did you win?"

Naginaga looked at Tachibana's hands for a while as his brows furrowed hard in concentration, but then he said, "It's heads."

Tachibana opened his hand and revealed the result to everyone, "Tails!"

Naginaga gave a grunt, looked at Tachibana and spoke with some annoyance, "Again!"

Tachibana complied, performing the divination in front of everyone and betting on tails once again.

The coin was flipped and when Tachibana looked at the tree this time he found no one there.

Tachibana slapped the coin on the table and asked the same question again, "What do you think? Was that just beginner's luck? Or do I have a trick up my sleeve?"

"I win!" Naginaga said with a smile, except when Tachibana revealed the coin he became dumbfounded.

"It's tails again!"

Naginaga's brows furrowed as the rest of the bandits cheered.

"Wanna toss the coin yourself this time? Just to make sure I'm not tricking you?" Tachibana asked offering the coin to Naginaga while also coming up with a plan.

Naginaga took the coin and placed it on his thumb before looking at Tachibana, "Make your bet."

Tachibana nodded and performed another divination before choosing, "Heads."

Naginagas brows furrowed but he didn't change Tachibana's decision and chose, "Tails." instead.

*FLICK*

The coin was flipped and everyone's eyes remained fixed on the shiny piece of metal floating in the air. Because of Naginaga's strength, the coin went a little higher.

However, as soon as Naginaga heard the faint *clink* of metal he looked at Tachibana.

There was a kunai in Tachibana's hand moving right at his neck.

Naginaga's brows furrowed before his eyes turned red with anger.

Almost instantly Naginaga's body moved backward to dodge the kunai while his hand moved to grip Tachibana's head like a melon and squish him to death.

But to Tachibana's great luck, his danger senses activated in advance, giving him a vision of exactly this happening, allowing him to evade it in time. 

Tachibana ducked even before Naginaga's hands started to move.

The kunai in Tachibana's hands that was aiming at Naginaga's neck moved lower with the duck and pierced his left lung instead of his throat.

*PUCHI*

Tachibana flipped backwards and created distance between the two while Naginata stood enraged!

There was silence for a second as everyone was looking at Tachibana to announce the result but became confused when they saw him move away from the table.

They couldn't see the kunai stabbed into Naginata's left lung since he stood with his back to them so the coin landed on the table, breaking the silence.

Tachibana and Naginaga both looked at the coin.

Tachibana looked up at Naginaga and gave him an innocent smile, "It's heads."

"AAAARARRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!"

Naginaga screamed in pain and punched his hand through the table, sending splinters everywhere as he walked through the debris right towards Tachibana.

His hand rested on the sword on his waist and pulled it out with a *SCHWING*.

'Alright…I guess its time to fight…'