Within an environment filled with hostility and extreme danger, the threat wasn't necessarily something tangible. The danger... was danger itself, pure and simple.
The black cat's pitch-black body blended perfectly into the night. It was unnaturally still yet moved with incredible speed. Moments ago, it had merely flicked a paw—and yet the metallic stench of blood now filled the alley.
It had taken the life of a human.
This black cat was no "special lifeform." In terms of breed, it was likely some kind of common domestic shorthair—its genes certainly hadn't mutated.
Normally, summoning beast cultivation experiments couldn't allow it to grow into a fierce and cruel predator. However, during its development as a summoning beast, there had been a slight accident… It absorbed certain "highly nutritious" supplements.
Haseo had only intended to raise it as a pet...
Yet now, even its owner Haseo himself could not precisely determine this "Ninja Cat's" true power. He could only judge from the chakra within it that this was definitely no ordinary Ninja Cat that would meow cutely or act cute for attention.
Of course, it also was no longer a creature suitable for being cooked in a pot.
At this moment, the black cat fought against a real ninja for the very first time. Theoretically speaking, its opponent wasn't weak at all. Yet... it discovered that this battle wasn't much different from when it was a naive kitten playing at catching mice.
By instinct alone, the black cat knew exactly how to move its limbs, how to attack, dodge, and seize the right timing... Ninjas were nothing more than somewhat larger mice; sharp teeth and claws were enough to end their lives.
Behind the protective frame of the black cat, Kushina Uzumaki had completed the first hand seal required for her jutsu.
Dozens of unique silvery chains composed of chakra surged forth from slightly above her waist, hanging down before spreading outward in all directions... Undoubtedly, this was the [Adamantine Sealing Chains], a special ability accessible only to those with extraordinary talent among the Uzumaki clan.
This jutsu was one Kushina claimed to have learned from Mito Uzumaki. However, saying it was "taught" wouldn't be quite accurate—it would be more accurate to say that Mito Uzumaki had helped Kushina awaken and develop the power she inherently possessed, enabling her to materialize and utilize it... While this strength of the Uzumaki wasn't exactly a Kekkei Genkai (Bloodline Limit), in many ways it resembled one.
Uzumaki shinobi who could employ the Adamantine Sealing Chains were always ninja possessing both unique and vast chakra reserves. However, ultimately, the Adamantine Sealing Chains was a sealing technique, not an offensive ninjutsu of great destructive power. Its purpose was to suppress targets like tailed beasts. When used against regular ninja, naturally, it didn't produce immediate results.
Mito Uzumaki naturally had given Kushina detailed instructions regarding this jutsu's usage and functions. Therefore, Kushina understood clearly that although the Adamantine Sealing Chains was powerful, it shouldn't be wasted here like this—Kushina was not the type of child who'd learned a flashy new technique and felt compelled to show it off.
She hadn't used the Adamantine Sealing Chains out of stubbornness or pride either.
It was just like how a newly awakened Uchiha could already use the Sharingan—the Adamantine Sealing Chains was an inherited power deeply rooted in the Uzumaki bloodline.
Therefore, even though Kushina had only recently mastered this technique, she had already conducted thorough research on it. In fact, Kushina possessed profound mastery of Adamantine Sealing Chains—she had even discovered an alternative use for this sealing technique.
Well, that explanation sounds a bit forced. The truth was probably because Kushina was simply a little mischievous.
Or perhaps more accurately, under the encouragement of Black Cat, she became a little naughty... Long before learning Adamantine Sealing Chains, she had been drawn to another immensely powerful ninjutsu—one focused solely on offensive destruction. Yet that should have been a technique she was never supposed to learn.
So Kushina needed to figure out a way to master it. Both Kushina and the cat were stumped by the problem until she learned Adamantine Sealing Chains—then she finally had a bright idea.
Right now, clearly visible in the night sky, the silver chakra chains didn't aim at the enemy; instead, they began to slowly retract back into Kushina's body—not as raw chakra, but in their solid chained form.
Adamantine Sealing Chains was a sealing technique, but Kushina's sealing target wasn't others or objects—it was herself.
Once her body was completely filled with Adamantine Sealing Chains, she began forming hand seals again. As soon as this seal completed, the Adamantine Sealing Chains transformed into Lightning Release—the silver chains turned into brilliant blue lightning chains.
All these changes occurred internally, hidden inside her body. Outside, all one could see were faint arcs of electricity dancing across her skin… Nobody knew when exactly Kushina had learned Lightning Release. That's because aside from Mito Uzumaki, Haseo, and her teachers at the Ninja Academy who taught her various skills and abilities, there also was a certain cat capable of freely entering and exiting forbidden areas of Kagenami who taught her many bizarre techniques.
After completing this step, Kushina started forming her third hand seal—and this particular seal was finally one that Haseo recognized very well.
[Senkan Zetsu Shin Ki Go Rai] — a forbidden technique that required constructing a dual-meridian reverse circulation system. Its essence and greatest challenge lay in constructing the dual-meridian reverse circulation system. When Haseo first attempted being a Dual-channel Ninja, he used pseudo-meridians instead of real ones. Interestingly enough, now a child not yet eight years old was substituting those pseudo-meridians using the chained structure of Adamantine Sealing Chains... Well then, considering they're both elongated structures capable of spreading throughout the entire body, why shouldn't they be interchangeable?
So you see, age means nothing to a ninja—one's ability to create (or cause chaos) is boundless.
Next, a radiant white chakra cloak, wildly fluctuating, began manifesting around Kushina's body. She was finally ready for battle.
While she was preparing, three more enemies arrived. Right now, Black Cat was using the dark environment and narrow alley terrain to hold them up.
"Captain, this summoned beast is proving difficult..."
What terrible timing. Just then, Black Cat and Kushina encountered a four-man squad led by Kumo jonin Kurin... Well, actually, it was already down to three.
"This thing may move like a ghost, but its attack pattern is too simple. Once you get used to its speed, it's really not that big of a threat... Still don't get it? The chakra this child possesses is extremely special. My instincts tell me she's the key to solving the Eight-Tails problem. That's why we must take her with us no matter what!"
Kurin truly deserved being the leader of Kumo. His insight was sharp—he saw through both Black Cat and Kushina's true natures.
Black Cat, even if it were a Summoned Beast, was still just a cat. Despite its deadly attacks, those repetitive motions of clawing and biting would eventually become predictable for ninja.
Kurin signaled two of his subordinates to intercept this unknown breed of Summoned Beast—who could have imagined a cat of such enormous size?—while he himself rushed straight toward Kushina without hesitation.
"Here I come!"
But just after taking a few steps forward, he suddenly turned his head back. A sharp Wind Blades immediately shot out, aiming precisely at the charging Black Cat. Obviously, he had already seen it coming—the Black Cat was trying to ambush him from behind.
At that moment, he clearly saw a pitch-black paw—slightly smaller than a human hand and bearing a visible fleshy pad—slashing directly toward him. In his mind, his Ninjutsu was sure to block an attack like that.
What he hadn't expected, however, was that right before the Wind Blades struck the paw, it suddenly expanded again, growing even larger in size.
The Wind Blades hit the cat's paw, but Kurin didn't achieve his desired outcome—the paw was not severed.
"Can't dodge?!"
The change came too suddenly. Although Kurin managed to dodge just in time, the paw still left a bloody scratch across his chest.
Fortunately, the wound wasn't fatal...
Yet, just as Kurin was thinking this...
A streak of light flashed before his eyes.
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