Bang!
The shadow clone dispersed himself with a hand seal.
In the next instant, Naruto's real body, which was in Otogakure, trembled as a wave of memories, both familiar and unfamiliar, flooded into his mind.
Once he fully processed them, Naruto's heart shuddered violently.
'How could this happen?!'
Naruto could barely believe it… He didn't expect there really was another system owner out there.
Just as his system and shadow clone had deduced, the priority was no longer to wait idly in Otogakure. Instead, he needed to immediately begin the preliminary tasks for becoming the Thunder God.
If he delayed any longer, not only would rescuing Sasuke become impossible, but even his own life might be forfeit.
Though he still had two resurrection coins, he knew that against a fellow system owner, even a single slip-up could lead to countless deaths.
"What's wrong, Naruto-kun?"
Orochimaru, who had just arranged matters with his subordinates, returned to the room and saw Naruto's face was filled with unprecedented anxiety.
Naruto hesitated for a moment before saying, "An enemy has appeared, and this time it's a big problem. I'm leaving the task of investigating Sasuke's whereabouts to you. If it becomes too dangerous, don't push yourself… it's not worth losing your life. I need to head out, but I'll be back soon."
Orochimaru nodded slightly, "I will be extra careful. Naruto-kun, take care and return safely."
"Alright, I'm leaving."
With a wave of his hand, Naruto transformed into a streak of golden light and vanished.
Orochimaru, who was left alone fell into a heavy silence. His brows were tightly furrowed, and his heart was equally uneasy.
He had never heard Naruto mention the word 'enemy' before… let alone instruct him not to push himself. This clearly indicated that the opponent this time was an unfathomably terrifying force.
"It seems the winds of change are coming..."
The next morning, in Kumogakure in the Land of Lightning.
[Stage 1: Amplifies the power of all Lightning Release Ninjutsu twofold.
Conditions for advancing to the Stage 2: Sign-in at Kumogakure in the Land of Lightning. (Status: Available, not yet completed.)
Stage 2: Grants lightning-speed movement.
Conditions for advancing to the Stage 3: Sign-in at the residence of the Nibi's Jinchuriki, Nii Yugito, in Kumogakure. (Status: Unavailable, not yet completed.)
Stage 3: Enables summoning of nature's lightning during thunderstorms, with an attack power equivalent to Lightning Release: Kirin.
Conditions for advancing to the Stage 4: Sign in at the residence of the Hachibi's Jinchuriki, Killer B, in Kumogakure. (Status: Unavailable, not yet completed.)
Stage 4: Grants a lightning-based elemental body, immune to physical attacks.
Conditions for advancing to the Stage 5: Sign in at Enel's residence on Skypiea in the One Piece World. (Status: Unavailable, not yet completed.)
Stage 5: Unlocks the Rumble-Rumble Fruit's full capabilities, allowing you to wield lightning wherever your thoughts reach!]
After re-reading the prerequisite mission to become the Thunder God, Naruto quickly formulated a plan.
At present, he had already used Subterranean Voyage to enter Kumogakure undetected.
Though Naruto was eager to complete the tasks, each sign-in would take an hour… a process that couldn't be rushed.
Having traveled through the night, Naruto decided to use the sign-in time to rest and recover.
Through his Observation Haki and his knowledge of the original story, Naruto accurately pinpointed the location of Nibi's Jinchuriki, Nii Yugito's residence.
His plan was straightforward: complete the second and third stage tasks in tandem.
Reaching a spot about a dozen meters below Yugito's residence, Naruto closed his eyes and allowed himself a brief nap.
An hour passed quietly, and the system's notification suddenly rang in Naruto's mind, jolting him awake from his light slumber.
However, in this special period, even if Naruto is in a bad mood, he has to keep it to himself.
[It is detected that the host has stayed in the Land of Lightning for one hour. Sign-in successful. Reward: Enhanced Lightning Attribute Power.]
"This is pretty awesome."
Naruto was quite satisfied with the new ability.
Although it seemed somewhat limited at the moment, his ultimate goal was to become the Thunder God. With this new reward, his attacks would undoubtedly reach explosive levels.
[It was detected that the host stayed in Kumogakure for one hour. Sign-in successful. Reward: Dark Clouds.]
[Dark Clouds: The host gains the ability to summon thunderclouds containing lightning once per day.]
While Naruto was reviewing the skill description, a sharp pain pricked his left arm. A small thundercloud emblem appeared on his skin, resembling a tattoo.
Once the mark was complete, Naruto understood its function instinctively: by biting his finger and pressing it against the tattoo, he could summon the clouds at will.
[It is detected that the host has stayed in Kumogakure for one hour, and has completed the conditions for the Rumble-Rumble Fruit to advance to the second stage. The host has gained lightning-speed movement.]
[Eligibility for Stage 3 of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit has been unlocked. The host must check in at the residence of Nii Yugito, Nibi's Jinchuriki.]
Naruto froze for a moment upon hearing this, 'Wait, doesn't my current position count as Nii Yugito's residence?'
[Friendly Reminder: A residence refers to the location where someone actively resides. Nii Yugito does not live underground.]
"Why can't you be more flexible?"
Naruto grumbled, clearly frustrated by the system.
This was a critical moment, and he had hoped to take a shortcut. If the system could just look the other way, the task could have been completed already. But this rigid behavior didn't just inconvenience Naruto, as it was a liability for the system itself.
'As expected, even a high-tech AI like the system lacked human adaptability.'
Naruto's original plan had been to remain underground and complete the sign-in unnoticed, avoiding direct encounters with either Nii Yugito, or Killer B, Hachibi's Jinchuriki.
Normally, he wouldn't mind crossing paths with them; in fact, he might even welcome a challenge. But now wasn't the time.
The hidden system owner might intercept information, piece together Naruto's activities, and respond with desperate measures. This could hasten Sasuke's demise and send events spiraling into chaos.
However, things have not yet reached the point of no return. As long as Naruto refrained from drawing attention to himself, the system owner will not notice anything unusual.
His current plan is to stay underground and use his Observation Haki to sense when Yugito left her residence before sneaking in to complete the sign-in, which is a cautious but sensible approach.
After waiting for an unknown amount of time Naruto, fighting off exhaustion, nearly nodded off before sensing movement above. Finally, Yugito left the room.
After waiting for another five minutes and making sure that the Yugito had gone far away, Naruto cautiously emerged from the earth. Staying vigilant, he slipped into a corner of the room, tucking himself behind a cabinet, and held his breath.
The minutes ticked by with excruciating slowness, punctuated by occasional footsteps outside. But luck was on Naruto's side.
After what felt like an eternity, one hour passed without incident.
[It is detected that the host has stayed in Nii Yugito's residence for one hour. Prerequisite for Stage 3 of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit is complete. The Rumble-Rumble Fruit has been upgraded. The host can now summon nature's lightning during thunderstorms, with power equivalent to Lightning Release: Kirin.]
As the system completed its announcement, Naruto felt a rush of energy and knowledge flood his mind.