The "Anbu" showed a flicker of surprise in his eyes, but his movements became even faster.
Hand seals changed again!
"Suiton: Suijinheki! (Water Release: Water Formation Wall)"
A thick, diamond-shaped water wall rose from the ground, blocking Ryo's sword strike. At the same time, several thinner, sharper arrows of water shot out silently from behind the wall, aiming straight at his vitals.
Clang, clang, clang!
Ryo's sword spun like a wheel, shredding every water arrow. At the same moment, he ducked low and lunged forward.
The tip of his sword instantly pierced the core node of the water wall.
Pop!
With a crisp sound, the Suijinheki shattered into fragments of water.
A slight frown appeared beneath the mask.
The "Anbu" was clearly surprised that Ryo could so easily find the weakness of Suiton techniques. This wasn't just brute strength—it required sharp insight and combat intuition.
"He" decisively changed strategy. No more Suiton, which consumed chakra and was proving ineffective. His body flickered as he switched to taijutsu.
Fists, elbows, knees, and legs… every strike carried heavy wind pressure, forceful and vicious, each coming from cunning, unpredictable angles.
Ryo met him head-on without flinching.
With Shanks' battle experience fused into him, close-quarters was exactly his territory.
His katana chopped, hacked, parried, and thrust in sweeping arcs, while his fists and feet slipped in counterstrikes that came out of nowhere.
There was no fixed pattern to his movements, only the wild unpredictability of a death match. Every impact rang out with a dull, powerful thud.
In the forest, two figures fought at blistering speed, each clash stirring up gusts of wind, metal ringing, and a flurry of leaves scattering into the night.
Bang!
After blocking a heavy punch, Ryo seized the opening and whipped his leg around like a steel lash, striking the opponent's waist. The impact felt like kicking a steel ingot wrapped in rubber.
"Ugh!"
The "Anbu" grunted, forced several steps back by the blow. Under the mask, his eyes widened slightly.
This kid's strength… it's rising? The recoil left a subtle numbness in his waist and abdomen.
Ryo, sensing the advantage, was about to press forward when suddenly, a profound, mystical sensation erupted deep inside him. It was like a dam finally cracking under floodwaters.
In his mind, the system prompt that had been stuck at [Shanks' Legacy Integration: 30%] burst into radiant light.
A cold, mechanical voice rang out:
[Host detected breaking through bottleneck under extreme pressure. Shanks' Legacy Integration increased to: 30%!]
[Legacy continues to unlock…]
[Shanks' Legacy unlocked to: 60%!]
[Shanks' Legacy Integration increased to: 35%!]
Buzz—
A torrent of power surged through his limbs and bones, vaster than ever before.
Shanks' advanced combat wisdom, refined swordsmanship, mastery of Haki and body control, all of it poured into his mind and muscle memory like a flood.
It was like a metamorphosis from within, breaking free of a cocoon. Power surged, bones resonated, dormant cells rejoiced.
[Legacy unlocked! Current Integration: 35%]
[Integration 30%-60% corresponds to: Jōnin-Kage level (potential)]
Ryo's movements stilled for a fraction of a second. His silver-gray eyes blazed brilliantly in the dark.
So that's it.
The bottleneck wasn't going to move with easy training. He needed this kind of brutal, life-or-death pressure.
"So… you were a big help!" Ryo's lips curved into a grin filled with fighting spirit and a touch of bloodlust. His voice was low but sharp with excitement. "Thanks."
This time, he charged first. His movements turned crisp, fluid, and lethal.
Every step was ghostlike. The katana in his hand was no longer clumsy hacking—it now carried an indescribable "spirit" and weight.
The sword had become part of his body.
The "Anbu" immediately sensed the difference.
Ryo's speed, strength, technique, and even aura all surged to a new level.
If before, he could maintain a slight edge with experience and stronger chakra, now a crushing pressure pressed down on him.
It was as if his opponent was no longer a child, but a veteran swordsman forged through a thousand battles.
They clashed again, but the tide had shifted.
Ryo's swordsmanship grew sharper, each strike carrying an invisible cutting edge that tore the air with piercing shrieks. Even stray leaves were sliced apart by the passing blade.
Bang!
After another fierce collision, the "Anbu" retreated with the force, then clapped his hands and aimed toward a hanging waterfall nearby.
"Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu! (Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique)"
Boom!!!
A deafening roar shook the forest.
The waterfall surged as if seized by an unseen giant hand, forming into a massive, ferocious water dragon that barreled forward, jaws wide with crushing force.
Even before it reached him, the gale whipped at Ryo's face.
His eyes lit up. He didn't retreat. He stepped forward instead, katana raised high. His arm swelled with explosive strength.
Slash!!!
Buzz!
The blade cut an arc brighter than moonlight, tearing the air itself apart.
A visible crescent-shaped shockwave erupted from the swing. No ornamentation, no tricks—just pure cutting intent.
Chhh—!
The shockwave sliced through the massive water dragon like tofu.
The dragon exploded into a downpour of scattered rain.
The slash didn't stop. It tore into the ground behind the "Anbu."
Rumble!!!
Dirt and stone blasted apart. A trench several feet deep and ten meters long appeared in the darkness.
The "Anbu's" pupils shrank beneath the mask.
Ryo's chest surged with battle spirit, ready to press the advantage, squeezing every drop of value out of this opponent.
But then, the flood of newly integrated power abruptly cooled.
An overwhelming wave of fatigue and weakness crashed through his body.
The intense limit breakthrough and battle had wrung out every ounce of strength.
The arm holding his katana trembled with soreness, each breath burned in his chest, his legs felt like lead, and even standing upright was a struggle.
He braced himself with the tip of his sword, panting heavily, sweat dripping down his face.
"Damn it. Eight-year-old body really can't handle this?" he cursed inwardly. The strain had completely drained his still-developing body.
The power was real, but his body needed time to adapt.
Rain fell, soaking his hair, blurring his vision.
The forest lay in ruins, the only sounds the rushing waterfall and his ragged breathing.
The "Anbu" stood not far away, watching him through the rain. There were signs of exhaustion as well, his uniform torn from the backlash of his own Suiton techniques.
Bang!
A puff of white smoke burst out.
The "Anbu" vanished.
In his place stood a tall woman.
Golden hair glistened in the moonlight, clinging to her temples and slender neck. Her soaked uniform outlined a strong, curving figure.
Her striking face carried the lingering sharpness of battle.
It was none other than the princess of Konoha, Senju Tsunade—the same woman Ryo had been desperately trying to avoid earlier.
Ryo's head snapped up, his mind buzzing at the sight.
Tsunade?!
Absurdity and irritation spiked through him.
He had come into the forest to blow off steam, specifically to avoid her and the circus-like atmosphere around her. And instead, he got nearly beaten to death by her?
"Hahahaha!"
Tsunade let out an unrestrained laugh, echoing through the wrecked forest, startling a few night birds.
"Kid!" She strode forward, a mischievous grin on her beautiful face, drawing out her words. "Didn't expect it was me, did you? Fun fight?"
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇◇◇
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