Of course, getting stronger comes with a "price."
Although Dragon Blood is the heart blood of a dragon species and lacks fire poison, it still contains the most potent fire energy.
After the fire energy was released, the water temperature in the bathtub rapidly increased.
Originally, the water temperature in the bathtub had dropped significantly because the Witch had taken some time to craft the Mist Ring.
Now, the water was boiling and starting to churn!
Naruto, the Sword Saintess, and the Witch all felt as if their entire bodies were being scorched by flames, experiencing an intense pain as if their skin was tearing apart.
Amidst the pain, there was also a refreshing sensation brought by the metabolism, like the exhilaration after strenuous exercise.
It was truly painful yet joyful.
"These life forces are absorbed by the cells and can strengthen the body, but Dragon Blood also contains pure magic power, which shouldn't be wasted."
"Let's see if Extract Chakra can fuse Chakra and Dragon Blood magic power together."
Naruto, enduring the pain of being boiled alive, actually had the leisure to think about these things.
And he acted as soon as he thought of it.
Naruto closed his eyes, cleared his mind of distractions, and focused on Extract Chakra as if in meditation.
Fortunately, his proficiency in Extract Chakra had already reached the [Mastery] level.
His grasp of the Chakra fusion ratio, if not perfect, was as simple as drinking water and eating.
Now.
An additional energy appeared within his body.
Naruto carefully guided the Dragon Blood magic power, cautiously fusing it with his physical energy and spiritual energy, maintaining a one-third ratio for each to ensure a balanced state for every energy.
He was careful and meticulous, exceptionally cautious.
Finally, perseverance paid off, and a strand of special Chakra, as fine as a hair, condensed and formed.
Unlike ordinary bright blue Chakra, its color was… purplish-red!
Success!!
Naruto was overjoyed.
"It really works."
"Since the fusion of physical energy, spiritual energy, and natural energy gave birth to Sage Art Chakra, I'll call this special Chakra, which absorbed Dragon Blood magic power, Dragon Origin Chakra."
Naruto excitedly named the new Chakra.
Next, he didn't dare to get too carried away, quickly reining in his thoughts and continuing to exert himself to refine Dragon Origin Chakra.
"It's so hot, I feel like my skin is going to bloom from the scalding."
"Even the big fat pigs on the farm would be cooked if they rolled around in this hot water, wouldn't they?"
"It hurts so much…"
"So, Dragon Blood Body Tempering is this agonizing."
"I'm not a warrior, do I even need to train my body?"
The Witch and the Sword Saintess bit their lips, struggling to endure, finding it somewhat unbearable, doubting life several times, and constantly wanting to escape from the bathtub.
But when they saw Naruto, who was even younger than them, bathing in the Dragon Blood Body Tempering with an unchanged expression, their wavering resolve solidified once more.
"Come on!"
"Don't give up!!"
"Naruto is two or three years younger than me and can endure this, so I must too."
Just like that.
The three quietly soaked in the wooden tub, bathing in the Dragon Blood.
…
Outside the inn, the night was deep.
After the noisy splendor of the Dragon Slaying Celebration, only tranquility and desolation remained.
A one-eyed thief was carefully sneaking, hidden in the shadows where the Gekko couldn't reach.
If there were adventurers present, they would surely recognize that this person was Glas Tomac, who had been stepping on wooden barrels during the Dragon Slaying Celebration.
"This brat, I originally planned to take advantage of the crowd to fish in troubled waters and steal his Dragon Blood, but who knew he'd discover me and even cut my hand tendons? So young, yet his methods are truly ruthless!"
The one-eyed thief lowered his head to look at his bandaged wrist, feeling lingering fear while also harboring intense hatred.
Although he had promptly sought treatment from a priest of the Earth Mother God's temple, he still suffered from lingering after-effects; his hand would no longer be nimble for stealing.
"You have three bottles of Dragon Blood, and you couldn't even give me one?"
"Heh heh, in that case, don't blame me for being heartless."
"I'll take all three bottles of Dragon Blood, and I'll also take your life to avenge my severed hand!"
The one-eyed thief's eyes were chillingly cold, and he sneered incessantly.
From his observations, he naturally knew which room Naruto was staying in.
As long as he opened the wooden window, blew in some sleeping gas, then slit a neck with a poisoned dagger, and searched for the three bottles of Dragon Blood, his mission would be complete, and he could escape far away.
"Fourth floor, quite high up, but it won't stop me."
The one-eyed thief left the shadow of the wall corner, his slender body, like a black cat in the night, agilely and nimbly climbed onto the building's rooftop.
At this moment, he was exposed to the Gekko, and also… to the eyes of Naruto's Shadow Clone, who had cast Stealth Technique.
"Brat, watch me send you off!" The one-eyed thief's eyes flickered with a sinister green glow.
"I'll send you off, rest in peace."
Suddenly.
A cold voice came from behind the one-eyed thief.
"What!?"
"Someone behind me—"
The one-eyed thief's pupils constricted violently, his mind in chaos.
"What's going on?"
"When did he appear behind me?!"
"Such a high level of stealth! Am I the thief or is he the thief?!"
Thousands of thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant.
Unfortunately, before the one-eyed thief could react or take any action, a hand silently reached out from the darkness, tightly covering his mouth, while the other hand held a green goblin dagger and slashed it across his neck.
"Swish"
Blood, a fatal cut to the throat!
This dagger was called the goblin dagger, dropped by Goblins. Although its quality was only green, not too high, it… was poisoned.
The one-eyed thief's eyes were wide open, and green veins rapidly appeared around the wound on his neck. He tried to struggle in his death throes, but the poison had already paralyzed his central nervous system, rendering him unable to move.
"As expected of the only 'green-tier' item dropped after killing hundreds of Goblins, the poison is potent."
Naruto's Shadow Clone reinserted the goblin dagger into his belt, hoisted the one-eyed thief onto his shoulder, and disappeared into the moonlight.
Inn corridor.
A middle-aged man dressed as a tavern waiter pushed a dining cart, ignoring other rooms and walking directly towards the room Naruto had booked.
Upon closer inspection, it wasn't difficult to discern that the middle-aged man was the wandering equipment merchant who had previously offered 50 gold coins to buy Dragon Blood.
He had told Naruto to go with him to get the money, but once they reached a secluded corner, whether he would actually give the money was another matter.
"Thump, thump, thump"
The black-hearted merchant knocked on the door and asked in a low voice: "Do you want peanut juice bread?"
"Do you want equipment, potions, scrolls?"
"Do you want special services?"
"No."
"Then what do you want…?"
Wait a minute!
The black-hearted merchant noticed something was wrong.
Why was the voice coming from behind him!?
The black-hearted merchant naturally had no time to react. A kunai had already pierced his throat, quick, accurate, and ruthless.
With a "clatter."
The dining cart suddenly exploded, and a dwarf, a half-breed of human and dwarf, suddenly sprang out, gripping short swords tightly in both hands and fiercely stabbing them into Naruto's Shadow Clone's abdomen.
"Poof"
The Naruto's Shadow Clone, struck by a heavy blow, dispersed into white mist.
The dwarf, who was in cahoots with the black-hearted merchant, looked utterly bewildered.
He simply didn't understand what had happened.
Unfortunately, life and death were but a moment apart.
Beside him, another Shadow Clone had appeared at some unknown point, wielding a ninja sword and easily slaying the dwarf.
"Next time, be careful not to splatter blood everywhere."
"Quick, someone come and dispose of the bodies."
"I need to mop the floor and clean up the bloodstains."
"Hurry up, don't wait for people to arrive!"
At this moment, the quiet and empty corridor surprisingly echoed with one Naruto's voice after another.