[Character Card Upgrading...]
[Megumi Fushiguro Youth (Jade Dog Amplitude Adjustment) → Megumi Fushiguro Youth (Frog Amplitude Adjustment)]
[You may spend Popularity Points to continue upgrading]
[Next Stage]
[Megumi Fushiguro Youth (Orochi Amplitude Adjustment)]
[Amplitude-adjusted shikigami detected. 80% of this upgrade cost will be refunded]
In an instant, his cursed energy, chakra, Haki, and physical strength—all of which had been depleted to the bottom—rapidly recovered. Locke, having successfully returned to his peak, was even slightly stronger than before.
It was said that cursed energy was inherently fixed, but now it seemed that might not necessarily be the case. And this character card, aside from the ultimate killing technique of Mahoraga, still held many surprises.
Choza, who had managed to escape, saw the bodies scattered around Locke and felt a mix of joy and shock.
The good news was that with enough numbers reduced, Locke's killing techniques could yield more results. Perhaps they could still retreat together with their lives.
The shocking part was that Locke was only twelve years old, yet possessed such combat power: improving ninjutsu, creating bloodlines, and single-handedly killing over a dozen jonin.
Though he had done so with a significant intellectual advantage, his strength far exceeded Akimichi's imagination. Not to mention, he still had a powerful killing technique sufficient to contend with a Kage.
Perhaps, in time, not only would the Ino-Shika-Cho trio produce a Kage, but all of Konoha might once again witness the emergence of—a God of Shinobi.
With that thought, Choza made a decision.
Even if he had to fight for this old life, he would protect Locke completely!
But after thinking it over, he couldn't help but want to slap himself twice.
He knew the Third Hokage wouldn't refuse his request to follow him, so how effective was his crow's mouth! He'd only just encountered the Raikage leading a squad! Damn it!
At the same time, while Choza was lamenting his foolishness, he wasn't idle. He immediately turned into a meat bomb, like a speeding heavy truck, to clear the battlefield and draw fire for Locke.
Simultaneously, Locke suddenly sensed a faint killing intent from behind. Without turning around, he raised his shadow blade and struck behind him, blocking a kunai attack from an unexpected assailant.
"Using the transformation technique to get close to me? I thought you Kumogakure types were all headstrong, direct fighters."
The unexpected attacker, having missed, had to retreat. But Locke didn't let him go. With explosive speed, he appeared before the attacker, savoring the surprised expression beneath his opponent's covered face.
With four sources of power—chakra, cursed energy, Haki, plus the physical bonuses and precise body control—Locke had long since surpassed the so-called geniuses. He had become a true monster, one that ordinary jonin weren't even worthy of tying his shoes.
Not to mention the two important traits he now possessed:
[Protagonist Halo (Pseudo) Gold]
[Martial Arts Genius]
After piercing through the attacker before him, two ninja specializing in lightning-release taijutsu, matching his speed, quickly rose above his head.
Just as both thought inwardly that the other was a monster for being able to keep up with their lightning-release taijutsu using regular taijutsu, Armament Haki suddenly manifested from Locke's body, blocking their attacks.
"What...?!"
Before they could recover from the shock that shadows could be used this way, Locke dealt with the first attacker, then executed a spinning double kick in mid-air against the two taijutsu ninja.
Casually manipulating the shadows above to stretch out, he grabbed the shadow tentacles like a swing and returned to a tree trunk. Seeing this, the remaining jonin couldn't help but curse inwardly:
"Damn it! Doesn't his chakra ever run out? He's used such large-scale offensive ninjutsu three times, split a shadow clone to stall Lord A, and now this—where does this monster get all that chakra?"
"Taijutsu, ninjutsu, combat experience, and chakra—all top-tier. At his age, why have we never heard of him before?!"
"Stop complaining. Change tactics. We can't beat him. His techniques are too strange—this isn't the ordinary Shadow Imitation Technique at all. I just heard Lord A's thunderclap. If we hold them off until Lord A arrives, he won't be able to escape!"
Frightened by Locke's strange ninjutsu and his almost inexhaustible physical and chakra reserves, Kumogakure finally realized they couldn't defeat him. They decided early on to wait for the Raikage's support.
But would Locke give them that chance? Having tasted the cunning of negative emotional cursed energy, he was now pumped with adrenaline, his fighting spirit soaring.
After pulling another shadow blade from the darkness, Locke was brimming with power. He flashed through the forest, instantly killing three jonin, and said with a manic edge:
"Weren't you having fun chasing me just now? Now you want to run?"
"It's too late!!"
With a powerful strike, Locke sent one of them flying fifty meters. The shadow blade, enhanced with Armament Haki, cleanly severed his right arm, leaving a scar from his face to his abdomen.
The other two immediately broke away from Locke's encirclement and shouted:
"Abort the mission! Preserve intelligence! Run!!"
"Where to?!"
Locke had just moved, ready to chase down the scattered Kumogakure forces, when a thunderclap rang in his ears. This was no ninjutsu escape—the sound was wrapped in majestic chakra. As it passed, the shadow of death completely enveloped him.
He had no time to think. Armament Haki hastily gathered at his vital points like a tide. A figure suddenly burst forth, tearing through the air, and a lightning-charged blade struck him heavily.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Locke's figure was like a puppet with its strings cut, crashing through five giant trees one after another. Each impact sent sawdust and smoke spraying across the sky. The dull, thunderous sounds slightly shook the entire forest, instantly drawing all eyes on the battlefield.
Choza had just released the inertia of his meat bomb, his chest still heaving. When he looked up, he froze.
He saw the Third Raikage standing on a tree trunk with his hands behind his back, surrounded by lightning-release chakra. In one hand, he held a Kumogakure jonin whose arms were broken, barely alive. His eyes were filled with undisguised rage.
Following the Raikage's cold gaze, a chill suddenly ran down Choza's spine, his breath catching in his throat.
The smoke and dust slowly cleared. A slender figure was embedded in the trunk of a giant tree, its branches digging into the wood in a chaotic, dazzling display.
Choza's throat tightened. A flood of panic and urgency burst from his throat as he hoarsely shouted:
"Locke!!"
At that moment, even though Locke had used Armament Haki to protect his vital points, the irresistible force had nearly crushed his heart.
There was no way around it. No matter how strong he was, his body was still too young. He was a glass cannon, and the Raikage's strike had nearly shattered him.
Faced with such an absolute gap in power, Locke felt no fear—only growing excitement.
"Yes, this is worthy of the title of Kage. If you were only a little stronger than those wastelands, I'd be too disappointed. What kind of world would that be?"
The Raikage, who had been feeling extremely frustrated after losing so many good men, now saw Locke on the verge of death yet still maintaining his arrogance. A complex feeling of both pity and admiration stirred in his heart.
"Do you have any last words?"
Locke, covered in blood, glanced at the young ninja in the Raikage's hand, whose arms he had severed, and shouted:
"Hey, remember my name. I am Nara Locke."
"This scar—I gave it to you. It's the glory of your life."
In the next second, Locke's vital signs completely vanished, dying with a sense of unwillingness. In his final moment of life, he heard Choza's desperate cry.
When he opened his eyes again, he was back in the dream world. He turned, ready to greet the others, but realized the number of people was off.
Huh? Why are there six?