Chapter 40: The Hunter and the Prey
Although bloodline assimilation was categorized under physical enhancement, Ryouma understood it was fundamentally a genetic exchange. As he scanned the list of available options, a sense of unease prickled at him. The inclusion of genetic templates like 'Vampiric Bloodline' and 'Arachnid-Human Hybrid' was disconcerting.
"If I exchange for the Vampiric bloodline, will my physical appearance change? Would I need to consume blood?" he asked the system, seeking clarification.
"Negative. Upon exchange, the host will only receive the inherent physical augmentation and genetic potential of the selected bloodline. Phenotypic alterations or behavioral compulsions are not part of the standard assimilation package."
"The host may review his current attributes via the personal information panel to make an informed comparison with the potential enhancements."
Personal information panel? It has that?
Ryouma felt a flush of embarrassment. He had possessed this system for months and was still discovering its basic functions. He mentally fumbled through the dark expanse of his consciousness until he located a small, humanoid icon nestled near the Almighty Points counter.
As he willed a spectral hand to press the button, the system's voice interjected, "The host may simply vocalize the command 'View Personal Information' mentally. Manual interface manipulation is unnecessary."
Is this system truly just a program, or is there a sentient being mocking me in there? Ryouma wondered, stifling his irritation. Defiantly, he mentally pressed the button anyway.
Hum...
The icon glowed, and streams of light coalesced in the sky of his mind, forming a translucent, card-like data sheet. A miniature 3D model of himself rotated slowly at its center.
Ryouma studied the figure for a moment. No matter the angle... I really am a perfect specimen, he thought with a hint of wry vanity before focusing on the text.
Name: Akizuki Ryouma
Age: 16
World: Naruto World
System: Celestial Court Cultivation Almighty System
Active Mission: Eliminate Chōjūrō
Total Almighty Points Earned: 650
Current Almighty Points: 220
Skills: Instant Eye, World Eye, Great Ball Rasengan
Kenjutsu: Extreme Style - Meteor
Weapon: Cross Knife - Flash
Divine Power Tier: Elementary
Total Divine Power: 700
Physical Strength: 2100
Energy Level: Junior Immortal
So, the 700 total Divine Power... 650 of it corresponds directly to the Almighty Points I've earned, he calculated. The remaining 50 must have been generated naturally through my body's circulation over time. The quantity is comparable to an elite Chūnin, but the quality—this 'Divine Power'—is far purer than standard chakra.
Physical Strength... at 2100, it's significantly enhanced, likely because this Divine Power passively fortifies the body. Even a Jōnin might not surpass me by much in raw physicality. Combined with the Instant Eye... I truly do possess the combat power to challenge an elite Jōnin.
"Does exchanging for a genetic bloodline increase both my total Divine Power and Physical Strength?" he verified.
"Affirmative. The acquisition of Almighty Points corresponds directly to increments in Divine Power and Physical Strength reserves. Utilizing points for enhancements, amplifications, genetic items, or through self-directed cultivation will increase these attributes."
"What about my authority level within the system?"
"That can also be elevated."
Satisfied, Ryouma severed the connection to his consciousness and refocused on the physical world. The rain still fell, plastering his hair to his forehead. He looked into the middle distance, his voice calm. "Looking for me?"
In a blur of movement, a figure clad in the distinctive rebreather mask of Amegakure shinobi appeared before him, the village's symbol clear on his forehead protector.
"A Konoha nukenin," the Rain ninja stated, his voice muffled by the mask. "State your business here."
"I'm looking for someone," Ryouma replied, his tone flat.
"Who?"
"Chōjūrō."
"For what purpose?"
"To kill him."
The exchange was brutally efficient.
"Chōjūrō?" The Rain ninja seemed to ponder this for a moment, then offered a thin, unseen smile. "Wait here. I can provide you with his location."
Ryouma's lips curled into a faint, skeptical smirk. "Oh? And how would I know this isn't a trap to lure me into an ambush?"
"Are you worth the effort?" With that dismissive retort, the Rain ninja vanished in a quick Body Flicker technique.
Ryouma sneered, continuing his walk at the same unhurried pace. He didn't believe for a second that the ninja's offer was altruistic. It was far more likely a ploy to use him as a pawn to eliminate Chōjūrō, or to set up a proper encirclement. Their motives were irrelevant. He trusted only in his own means.
So, where are you, Chōjūrō?
As he walked, Ryouma had already activated a system function he'd discovered under his active mission tab, spending 20 of his precious remaining points.
System Exchange: Mission Tracking Talisman. Allows for precise, real-time location tracking of the current mission target.
The rain began to fall with renewed intensity, driven by a rising wind.
Far away, in a long, snow-dusted canyon hidden within the mountainous regions of the Land of Rain, two figures stood opposed.
The first had long, blue hair, wore distinctive black-framed goggles, and carried two bandaged objects on his back—the unmistakable silhouette of one of Kirigakure's Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
"Chōjūrō..." his opponent spoke, a man who also carried a sword, though his was far less imposing than the legendary weapons Chōjūrō wielded.
"Who are you?" Chōjūrō frowned, his hands instinctively moving to the hilts of the swords on his back. His mission to gather intelligence in the Land of Rain had proceeded with unnatural smoothness, seeding deep suspicion in his mind. He had been on his way back to Kiri to let the Mizukage herself assess the information's validity when this man blocked his path.
"Killing... is wrong..." the man began, then paused, muttering to himself. "No, that's not the right line for this." He seemed to reach an internal decision and looked up, revealing a rather ordinary face that contrasted with his dramatic declaration. "I am the one who will take your head!"
A confident smile played on Ryouma's lips as he materialized from the shadows, his hand resting on the hilt of the 'Flash' sword strapped to his back. The silver-white blade gleamed faintly in the gloomy light.
"Why?" Chōjūrō asked, his voice tight. He wanted to avoid a fight if possible; a confrontation would undoubtedly expose his presence completely.
What Chōjūrō didn't know was that his presence was already compromised. The intelligence he had procured was a deliberate leak from Pain, the ruler of Amegakure himself, controlled by Nagato. He was a piece on a board he didn't even know existed, and his hunter had finally arrived.