Chapter 61: Heart Upgrade—Pursuit and Interception
[Ding!]
[You successfully defeated the Jashin Cult squad leader Hideaki, gained a random skill from opponent: Earth Release: Earth Flow Rampart (Beginner, C-Rank)]
[You successfully counterattacked a Genin who attempted to harm you, gained a random skill from opponent: Earth Release: Rock Pillar Spears (Beginner, C-Rank)]
[You successfully counterattacked a group of enemies who attempted to harm you, leaving them unable to retaliate. Your counterattack was devastating, rewarding critical bonus.]
[Due to the presence of special equipment: Earth Grudge Fear Heart (Earth), acquired ninjutsu skills are converted into Heart upgrade progress.]
[Current progress: Wind (6%), Fire (52%), Lightning (0%), Water (88%)]
[Swordsmanship skills acquired from the rogue samurai group have been integrated into: Basic Shinobi Swordsmanship (Proficient, D-Rank) (Detailed description available)]
[...]
Another series of notifications flashed before his eyes.
Tsukasa swung his ninja blade a few times and found that his hands, once only capable of clumsy swordplay, had suddenly become much more fluid.
Basic shinobi swordsmanship forms the foundation of all blade techniques.
It includes fundamental moves such as Iai Draw, Overhead Slash, Circular Cut, Diagonal Slash (right), Reverse Diagonal Slash (left), Horizontal Slash (left), Horizontal Slash (right), Rising Slash (left), Rising Slash (right), Upward Strike, and the Thrust.
Mastering these forms will enhance proficiency in specialized sword styles like Cloud-Style, Konoha-Style, and Uchiha-Style.
This would prevent situations like his encounter with Kakuzu's heart technique, where his lack of proper swordsmanship caused him to fumble with the blade and ultimately lose control of his opening strike.
Glancing at the detailed description, Tsukasa suddenly understood: So that's how it works!
His makeshift "flying sword technique" could finally be retired.
Heart upgrade progress simply reflects the degree of chakra nature cultivation.
Fire and Water attributes show higher proficiency due to his natural affinity, and because the ninja of the Land of Hot Water primarily specialize in Water Release techniques,
Those attributes had higher starting progress.
Wind Release, perhaps due to his recent use of Wind Release: Gale Palm, showed slight advancement.
Therefore, it seemed Tsukasa wouldn't have too much difficulty recovering his elemental chakra natures.
Fire Release in particular
Was an exceptionally powerful asset. Honestly, he missed his Fire Release: Chakra Mode terribly—it was the ultimate
Self-destructive trump card. Furthermore, while conscious and in good physical condition, he could fully utilize the Forbidden Technique: Physical Regeneration to regenerate a new heart. At that point, he could consider replacing his current, ridiculously restrictive Earth-element heart.
However,
He only had one more chance to use the Forbidden Technique: Physical Regeneration.
Tsukasa had already decided to save this opportunity for the Jashin Cult leader.
The Jashin Cult reinforcements were arriving soon.
Tsukasa briefly glanced at the system notifications that appeared, and
After roughly understanding what new abilities he'd acquired, he stopped reading.
He immediately began collecting ninja tools from the broken fortress wall and looting the equipment pouches from the ninja lying dead or pretending to be dead on the ground.
However,
Before he could finish his scavenging,
A series of dark shadows descended.
Tsukasa lifted his head from his work and narrowed his eyes.
Twelve Jashin Cult members appeared before him, wearing standard high-collared black robes cinched at the waist, with leather scripture boxes strapped to their forearms.
After they landed on the fortress wall, they glanced at the chaotic scene, their eyes suddenly turning cold. With a flick of their wrists, they drew the Jashin Cult's signature weapons—jet-black ritual spears—and pointed them at Tsukasa.
The leading Jashin Cult elite, speaking like an emotionless machine, asked coldly:
"Did you do this?"
"Tch."
Tsukasa made an annoyed sound because his looting had been interrupted by this cutscene.
His expression immediately darkened, revealing a deep scowl reminiscent of Sasuke:
"What, you want to kill me?"
"Honestly, you're truly foolish."
Tsukasa suddenly opened his eyes wide,
Two cold tomoe spinning within his crimson pupils. Then, with a look of cold, arrogant disdain, he declared,
"I can see through everything you're planning!"
The Jashin Cult elites couldn't help but feel a chill at this display of supreme confidence—a level of arrogance the shinobi world hadn't witnessed in over a decade.
The leading Jashin Cult member waved his hand, pointed at Tsukasa, and commanded,
"Kill him!"
With that single word, killing intent flooded the air!
The twelve Jashin Cult members divided into three teams.
Team One—four members charged forward, wielding jet-black ritual spears, slashing toward Tsukasa.
Team Two—six members stood their ground, forming hand seals, preparing to unleash their ninjutsu.
Team Three—two members formed the Jashin Cult's secret seal pattern of a triangle within a circle, their expressions darkening as they waited with cold detachment.
At that moment,
Tsukasa had only managed to collect half of the twelve equipment pouches scattered on the ground, consolidating them into two ninja tool bags hanging from his waist. They
Contained thirty-four shuriken, eight crudely crafted kunai—certainly not effective for blocking techniques—
One ninja blade,
One katana,
And a storage tube containing forty senbon needles.
Seeing the twelve Jashin Cult elites charging forward,
Tsukasa took a deep breath and,
Without a second thought, leaped from the fortress wall.
He'd previously faced similarly dressed Jashin Cult elites back in the village.
Just three of them had nearly killed him there.
Logically, he should fight to the death here.
But the current situation was completely different.
With the formidable defense of Earth Release: Earth Spear, and his detailed knowledge of their capabilities, he knew that unless these opponents possessed powerful Lightning Release techniques or some other specific counter to Earth Spear,
They would be powerless to defeat him!
Since the conflict wasn't absolutely necessary, continuing to fight them here would waste too much chakra. Even if he finally confronted the final boss, the system might judge him as deliberately seeking death through reckless chakra expenditure.
Therefore, having completed his objective of collecting ninja tools, he would proceed with the original plan.
With this decision made, Tsukasa leaped!
His feet touched the wall, braking and sliding to arrest his fall. Then he immediately pivoted and ran along the vertical fortress wall.
Wind whistled in his ears, accompanied by several sharp cutting sounds.
He flipped backward and launched two shuriken threaded with Earth Grudge Fear wire, embedding them in the nearby mountain face. With
A sudden pull on the wire threads gripped in his fingers, he performed a precarious mid-air dodge, evading four incoming jet-black spears. He then swung down and glided to the ground along the wire, continuing his sprint.
This ability to move rapidly across terrain was precisely why Tsukasa dared to make such a bold assault on the fortress wall.
How could running compare to flying?
He grinned, almost reaching the agreed rendezvous point with Mei Terumi.
However,
As he rounded the corner of the mountain wall,
Tsukasa's smile froze.
He slammed on the brakes, stopping dead in his tracks.
His Sharingan flared with astonishment.
The twelve Jashin Cult elites who had been standing on the fortress wall had suddenly appeared before him!
And there were even more of them now!
Sixteen of them lined up in a row,
Fiercely hurling sixteen pitch-black ritual spears directly at him!
End of Chapter 61
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