Seeing that his guess was correct, Kiyoshi smiled faintly.
A cool sensation ran through his palm, as if he were immersed in a mountain spring.
The meridian system—channels for chakra flow—determines the upper limit of a ninja's techniques. With a 5% boost to his hand's meridians, Kiyoshi could now exert 5% more chakra when performing any jutsu through his hands.
He glanced at the surrounding group of ninjas. Wasn't this the perfect opportunity to farm entries?
"Yuuhi, stay back," he instructed. Losing potential entries to others would be unacceptable.
Relentlessly, he struck at the advancing ninjas, repeating his method.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
Every attacker was either blown away or fatally injured by Kiyoshi's palm strikes. These were merely minor scouts from unknown small villages, and under Kiyoshi's Sharingan, their movements were utterly exposed. His speed left them no chance to react.
One ninja's pupils shrank violently as he stared down at the scorched hole in his abdomen. From afar, even Tomei Mei and the others' astonished faces could be seen.
"You… are you insane?"
Tomei Mei's smile faltered. Kiyoshi hadn't fled; instead, he had charged forward. The circle of surrounding ninjas scattered in panic.
Everyone came to profit from chaos; none were foolish. They understood timing and situation.
"Aren't you afraid of being surrounded by all of us?"
"Then come. I'm running out of time," Kiyoshi replied, finally revealing his Sharingan.
His eyes, once single tomoe, shifted. In his left eye, a second tomoe emerged, forming the two-tomoe Sharingan.
In an instant, Kiyoshi struck. The small village ninjas were no match. Cries of pain and splashes of blood marked the battlefield.
[Entry: Merciless Iron Hand (White)]
[Requirement: Defeat ten ninja with your palm.]
[Progress: Completed]
[Effect: Meridian system in your palm becomes more resilient, increased by 5%.]
[Note: Can be further upgraded.]
[Upgrade Path 1: Integrate with "Battlefield Rose (White)" and "Merciless Extinguisher (White)" to evolve into "Burning Heart (Green)"]
"You have obtained the entry: [Battlefield Rose (White)]."
[Entry: Battlefield Rose (White)]
[Requirement: Participate in a battle of 30+ ninja for 100 seconds continuously.]
[Progress: 1%]
[Effect: Boosts morale, continuous fighting; Yin chakra increased by 5%.]
[Note: Can be further upgraded.]
Kiyoshi now possessed two entries: Merciless Iron Hand (White) and Battlefield Rose (White).
With Merciless Iron Hand completed, he drew his summoning scroll-bound ninja sword. The blade sliced the air, glinting coldly.
"Let's go!"
Tomei Mei, sensing danger, shouted as numerous ninjas surged forward.
Yuuhi wanted to intervene, but Kiyoshi's speed was too great; a rash move could harm him.
"Yekura, let's retreat," Maki urged.
Previously defeated by Kiyoshi, they had come thinking numbers would help. Kiyoshi's ferocity had exceeded their expectations.
"…Alright."
Yekura hesitated, then nodded. Glancing once at Kiyoshi, he followed Maki and Hokita to the rear. Kiyoshi noticed their departure but did not interfere—they had served their purpose for farming entries and could be released for now.
All attention now focused on Kiyoshi.
"Water Release: Mighty Water Arm!"
Hōzuki Reigetsu acted. Concentrating the water in his body into his left arm, it swelled to the size of his torso. He then drew a massive blade resembling a door, swinging at Kiyoshi with force capable of cutting through iron.
Kiyoshi sensed the attack. Twisting his wrist, flames ignited on his blade.
Bang!
The clash generated a massive shockwave, flattening the surrounding grass.
"It can match my jutsu?"
Reigetsu staggered back three steps, and Kiyoshi also took a step. He had no direct strength-enhancing jutsu, relying only on Unsei-ryu: Flying Bird to increase force through speed.
Reigetsu formed his hand like a gun, firing a bullet-like liquid from his fingertips.
Kiyoshi recognized the signature technique: Water Release: Water Iron Cannon, a secret of the Hōzuki clan. The Second Mizukage, Hōzuki Gengetsu, once used it to pierce Gaara's sand avatar.
"Then…"
Kiyoshi extended his hand, palm open.
"Raiton: Ground Run!"
Whrrr!
Lightning surged like water from his palm, roaring as it struck. The electricity intensified upon contact with water, growing even more ferocious.
A smile appeared on Kiyoshi's face. Traditional lightning techniques are weak against water—but Raiton: Ground Run was a special composite technique. In the presence of water, it grew stronger.
Crackle!
Reigetsu's imagined liquid bullets did not pierce Kiyoshi. The electric current from Kiyoshi's palm struck swiftly, leaving a drop of cold sweat on Reigetsu's face as he tried to evade.
At close range, Kiyoshi's blade would strike where he expected Reigetsu to dodge. Every route was blocked—using Water Transformation wouldn't help against the strike, and using it meant the lightning would hit. The secret technique, immune to all physical attacks, had a single weakness: lightning.
"Dodge!"
Tomei Mei's seductive voice was tinged with alarm:
"He's cornered!"
In the blink of an eye, Kaguya Shoya formed a pale-white cluster in his palm. He drew a bone shaped like a spear and hurled it.
Whoosh!
The spear intercepted Kiyoshi's blade.
"Bone Vein!"
Reigetsu's eyes widened in fleeting relief as he saw the incoming spear.
(End of Chapter)