In truth, Ren had already mastered the Mystical Palm Technique.
During the weeks they had spent away from Konoha, he had secretly copied the scroll and fed it to his Healing Technique through the system. The result was exactly what he had hoped for—he successfully unlocked the A-Rank medical ninjutsu without anyone noticing.
The only reason he wasn't openly using it yet was caution.
Ren's growth was already frightening enough.
If he suddenly displayed mastery of a high-level medical technique shortly after learning the basics, even Minato might start asking questions.
So for now, he continued using the ordinary Healing Technique.
At least... that's what everyone else thought.
The reality was a little different.
Because his Healing Technique's favorability had already reached a high level, it frequently assisted him during treatment. Sometimes it would automatically optimize chakra flow. Other times it would point out hidden injuries he might have overlooked.
The result was obvious.
Patients treated by Ren recovered noticeably faster than those treated by ordinary medical ninja.
Several wounded shinobi who had barely been able to move yesterday were already sitting upright today.
Two of them had even regained enough strength to stand.
"Let us fight."
One of them clenched his fists stubbornly.
"We can still contribute."
The other nodded immediately.
"Just give us a weapon."
Minato smiled gently.
But his answer was firm.
"No."
The two men froze.
"You've already fought for Konoha."
His voice remained calm.
"And you've already bled for Konoha."
Minato placed a hand on one man's shoulder.
"Your job now is to recover."
"If we retake the Ryūgetsu Outpost, someone will still need to defend it afterward."
His smile widened slightly.
"There will be plenty of opportunities to fight later."
The wounded shinobi exchanged glances.
Eventually, they could only nod reluctantly.
"...Understood."
---
Once the medical work was finished, Team Minato moved into the training yard.
Even on the front lines, training never stopped.
War wasn't an excuse to become lazy.
In fact, it was the exact opposite.
The stronger they became, the greater their chances of surviving.
Still, their training schedule here differed from the one back in Konoha.
Normally, they stopped after using roughly thirty percent of their chakra reserves.
Anything more would be dangerous.
Unexpected battles could happen at any moment.
No one wanted to be caught exhausted when enemy shinobi appeared.
But now Minato was present.
That meant they could push themselves a little further.
The blond jonin stood nearby with his arms folded, occasionally offering guidance.
Most of his attention focused on Obito and Rin.
Compared to Ren and Kakashi, those two still had the most room for improvement.
As for Ren...
His attention was elsewhere.
Specifically—
The Monster Strength Technique.
---
During a short break, Ren casually opened the system and played two rounds of interaction with the technique.
To his surprise, a golden notification immediately appeared.
[Monster Strength Technique Favorability +2]
Current Favorability: 25/100 (Intimate)
Stage Reward Obtained!
Constitution +1
Unlocked Trait: Wild Gamble
Ren blinked.
Then immediately opened the details.
---
Wild Gamble
When using Monster Strength Technique, the user may inject an additional 5% of their total chakra as a wager.
Possible outcomes:
- Empty Roll — 40% chance (No effect)
- Small Win — 30% chance (+75% destructive power)
- Double — 20% chance (+125% destructive power, critical hit)
- Clean Sweep — 10% chance (+225% destructive power, critical hit, penetration, splash damage)
---
"..."
Ren stared silently.
Then stared some more.
Finally—
"What the hell is this?"
---
The trait was absurd.
Completely absurd.
And somehow...
It perfectly matched Tsunade.
After all, the creator of the Monster Strength Technique was probably the greatest gambler in ninja history.
A woman capable of losing enough money to bankrupt small countries.
A moment later, the culprit herself appeared through the system.
[Monster Strength Technique: What's wrong with it?! That's how gambling works! Win some, lose some! Totally normal!]
Ren rolled his eyes.
"Normal?"
[Monster Strength Technique: Of course! Just think about it! If you hit the Clean Sweep outcome, that's a 225% increase! Huge profit!]
"..."
[Monster Strength Technique: Turn a bicycle into a motorcycle! One punch and you're rich!]
Ren immediately rejected the sales pitch.
"No."
"Absolutely not."
The trait practically screamed gambling addiction.
Pay double chakra.
Forty percent chance of getting absolutely nothing.
And only a ten percent chance of hitting the jackpot.
It was the kind of odds only Tsunade would consider reasonable.
Still...
After calming down, Ren admitted the trait wasn't completely useless.
The fact that it was optional changed everything.
He didn't have to use it.
And when he did, it could potentially become a trump card.
If the boost really worked as advertised, then a successful Clean Sweep punch combined with Monster Strength could produce horrifying destructive power.
He just needed to test it later.
Preferably on an enemy.
Not himself.
---
More importantly, increasing favorability still improved his mastery of the technique.
Even without using Wild Gamble, the rewards were worthwhile.
Ren was already experimenting with integrating Monster Strength into the Hatake Sword Style.
Imagine combining White Fang's swordsmanship with Tsunade's monstrous power.
The result would be terrifying.
And later...
If the Nerve Activation Technique unlocked a useful trait...
He could add that too.
Hopefully.
Unlike the Monster Strength Technique.
Which was clearly run by a gambling addict.
---
Night arrived quickly.
Dark clouds covered the sky.
There was no moon.
No stars.
Only darkness.
Perfect conditions for a raid.
The operation to reclaim the Ryūgetsu Outpost was about to begin.
Every member of the strike force performed one final equipment check.
Kunai.
Explosive tags.
Rations.
Medicine.
Everything had to be perfect.
A single mistake could cost lives tonight.
The atmosphere gradually became tense.
No one joked anymore.
No one smiled.
Even Obito's usual enthusiasm had disappeared.
Everyone understood the stakes.
---
At last, they moved.
Minato departed alone.
His destination was the southwestern watchtower.
The strongest enemy position.
Meanwhile, Ren, Kakashi, Obito, and Rin followed Inuzuka Tsume's squad northward through the darkness.
The journey was silent.
Only the rustling of leaves accompanied them.
Eventually, Tsume stopped.
She pointed ahead.
"The northeastern watchtower."
Hidden atop elevated terrain, the enemy outpost loomed in the darkness.
Faint torchlight flickered from within.
Tsume lowered her voice.
"Previous reconnaissance suggests four to eight enemy shinobi."
"Mostly chunin."
She glanced at Team Minato.
"With your abilities, you should be able to handle it."
Then she smiled.
"I'll leave the tactics to you."
After a pause, she added:
"Send a signal once it's done."
Without waiting for a response, Tsume and her team vanished into the darkness toward the northwestern tower.
The moment they left, the atmosphere changed.
Now it was Team Minato's mission alone.
---
The four crouched within the bushes.
Ren carefully observed the tower.
Kakashi quickly analyzed the terrain.
"Originally, this watchtower belonged to Konoha."
His voice was barely above a whisper.
"That's a problem."
Everyone understood why.
Konoha engineers had built these towers.
Which meant they knew exactly how effective they were.
High ground.
Wide visibility.
Defensive advantages.
Trap zones.
Any enemy approaching within several hundred meters would be spotted immediately.
A frontal assault was suicide.
Kakashi pointed toward the front entrance.
"We create a distraction."
Then toward the side.
"While Ren and I attack from another direction."
Obito nodded.
Rin agreed.
The plan was simple.
Efficient.
And most importantly—
Reliable.
Ren actually had several crazier ideas.
Transform into a bird.
Fly overhead.
Drop explosive tags directly onto the roof.
Problem solved.
But that would reveal too much.
Tonight wasn't about showing off.
It was about winning.
---
Time passed slowly.
Midnight became one in the morning.
The cold night air grew heavier.
Finally—
Kakashi raised a hand.
Signal received.
The operation began.
---
Obito and Rin moved first.
Accompanied by several Water Clones, they advanced toward the front of the tower.
Moments later—
Boom!
A trap exploded.
Then another.
A clone disappeared.
Another fell into a concealed pit.
The commotion immediately attracted attention.
Torches lit up.
Voices shouted.
One Sand shinobi rushed to the watchtower platform.
Another ran inside to alert his comrades.
The trap had worked.
---
"Now."
Kakashi moved.
Ren moved simultaneously.
Two white-haired figures burst from opposite directions like arrows released from a bow.
They crossed the darkness at terrifying speed.
Several traps activated beneath them.
Neither cared.
Kakashi avoided them with veteran precision.
Ren simply used Substitution Technique to bypass the danger entirely.
One hundred meters.
Eighty.
Sixty.
Closer.
Closer.
Then—
Whoosh!
Kakashi fired.
The arrow cut through the darkness.
The sentry noticed too late.
The explosive tags attached to the shaft detonated instantly.
BOOM!
Fire erupted atop the tower.
A scream followed.
"Enemy attack!"
Chaos exploded.
---
The defenders rushed into action.
Too late.
Far too late.
Because Ren had already arrived.
Substitution Technique.
Forty meters vanished instantly.
He crossed the outer wall.
Landed.
Jumped.
And crashed straight through the building window.
CRASH!
Glass exploded everywhere.
Before his feet fully touched the floor—
His hands were already forming seals.
"Fire Style!"
The air trembled.
"GREAT FIREBALL JUTSU!"
BOOOOM!!!
A massive sphere of white-hot flames erupted forward.
The confined interior instantly transformed into an inferno.
The room became an oven.
Oxygen vanished.
Heat exploded outward.
One Sand shinobi was swallowed whole.
His scream lasted less than a second before becoming silence.
The others panicked.
Some fled.
Some formed hand seals.
Some blindly threw weapons.
None of it mattered.
Because Ren had already vanished.
---
Instant Prison Shadow Kill Array.
Activated.
Phantom Stage.
Activated.
The world transformed.
To the terrified Sand shinobi, Ren became a ghost.
One moment he stood before them.
The next he appeared behind them.
Then beside them.
Then somewhere else entirely.
Like a phantom dancing through shadows.
Like death itself.
---
Blood splashed.
Steel flashed.
Screams echoed.
Ren couldn't even see clearly anymore.
The flames blinded everyone.
Including himself.
But it didn't matter.
He didn't need sight.
He only needed chakra signatures.
Every enemy became a beacon.
A target.
And once a target entered the range of the Heart Blade Domain—
The battle was over.
---
Slash.
Blood.
Teleport.
Slash.
Blood.
Teleport.
Again.
Again.
Again.
The combined effects of Monster Strength, Mourning Soldiers Must Win, Phantom Stage, and the Heart Blade Domain transformed Ren into an unstoppable nightmare.
No one could react.
No one could defend.
No one could survive.
---
By the time Kakashi kicked open the front door and entered the building—
The battle was already over.
He froze.
The sight before him was horrifying.
Blood covered the floor.
Burning debris crackled around the room.
The smell of scorched flesh lingered in the air.
Four Sand shinobi lay motionless among the flames.
Each had suffered multiple fatal wounds.
Each had died without understanding what had happened.
And standing amidst the destruction—
Sword dripping blood.
Eyes calm.
Expression unchanged.
Was Ren.
For a brief moment...
Even Kakashi felt a chill run down his spine.
Because looking at the scene before him—
He couldn't help but wonder.
Just how strong had Ren become?
And far away, somewhere within the heart of the occupied Ryūgetsu Outpost...
A flare suddenly rose into the night sky.
The signal for battle had begun.
The real fight was about to start.
----------------------------------------------
Extra chapters available in Patreon
[Www.patreon.com/Samurai492 ]"
__________________________________