The information on the panel refreshed completely.
Many of Riku's skills had already reached their maximum level, now waiting only for a certain amount of free experience points to break through their limits.
Among them were the C-Rank Body Flicker Technique, Gentle Fist, and Iron Fist Basics.
His other Ninjutsu had also shown remarkable progress. Fire Release, Wind Release, and Shadow Clone Jutsu had each advanced by two or three levels.
The change from these new levels was profound. When Riku performed his techniques, the number of hand seals decreased, his chakra consumption dropped sharply, and yet the power of each attack rose dramatically.
It was easy to imagine that, once pushed to the true maximum, even a simple C-Rank Ninjutsu might evolve beyond its classification—possibly rivaling the strength of a B-Rank technique. And a B-Rank Ninjutsu was already the domain of a true Jōnin.
However, several of the A-Rank skills displayed on his panel remained untouched. Riku had not deliberately practiced them. Their consumption was simply too high. Even at his best, he could release an A-Rank technique only a handful of times before being completely drained.
For now, those skills would remain his trump cards—hidden aces to be revealed only in moments of life and death.
Even so, there was one major exception—the Eight Gates Released Formation. Riku had managed to upgrade it once more, bringing it to Level 3.
At this stage, he could completely open the Fourth Gate of Pain, multiplying both his speed and strength by four!
The half-month of relentless training that followed further amplified his progress. He could clearly feel his "growth curve" accelerating. His physical foundation strengthened immensely, and when combined with the Eight Gates' amplification, Riku's raw Taijutsu power had reached a new threshold.
At this point, relying solely on Taijutsu, he could fight evenly with an Elite Jōnin—perhaps even graze the realm of a Kage.
And if he used his Byakugan Dōjutsu, his combat ability would rise even higher. Against a newly promoted Kage, he could deal devastating damage—perhaps even inflict a fatal wound.
In just half a month, his strength had leapt another small tier. The panel still rated him as an Elite Jōnin, but Riku knew that was only because the system's standards were excessively strict.
If the panel ever judged him to be Kage-level, then he might already stand at the very peak of that tier—invincible among Kage.
"With this power," Riku murmured, a calm determination flickering in his eyes, "I should at least be able to spar with an experienced Kage like Orochimaru… and facing Danzo, I finally have some confidence."
But even as he said it, there was no joy in his heart.
"Unfortunately, if it were only Danzo, there would be nothing to fear. That old man's personal strength is, at best, ordinary Kage-level. The truly troublesome part is his Root organization—they're full of talent and utterly loyal."
Because of his high-ranking position, Danzo could almost freely access the Scroll of Seals. Many of his subordinates had mastered Forbidden Techniques left behind by the Second Hokage himself.
"Once he targets me," Riku thought grimly, "unless I reach the level of the God of Shinobi, the danger will be immeasurable."
Ninja battles were, above all else, battles of information.
Once an enemy grasped your secrets—your techniques, your habits, your weaknesses—even a Kage could become fragile.
Riku understood that he had not yet escaped the limitations of an ordinary shinobi.
Despite his overwhelming growth, his foundation was still incomplete. He lacked the systemic inheritance of a great clan or a village. He had brute-forced his way forward using only his mysterious panel, skipping over the steady experience that came with tradition and mentorship.
His biggest flaws were now obvious to him: insufficient combat experience and unbalanced training.
Among the three pillars of a ninja—Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, and Taijutsu—Riku had excelled mainly in Taijutsu. The other two remained glaring weaknesses.
Genjutsu was particularly troublesome; he couldn't use it at all.
In his previous battle against Uchiha Shisui, he hadn't even dared to make eye contact, afraid of being instantly ensnared in an illusion.
And that was just Shisui's Three Tomoe Sharingan. If he were to face someone with a Mangekyō Sharingan, even avoiding direct eye contact might not save him.
Such power could warp reality itself.
He recalled the story from the original world—how Orochimaru, a veteran of two Great Ninja Wars, had once been instantly overwhelmed by Uchiha Itachi.
Itachi's mere glance through the Mangekyō crushed Orochimaru's ambitions, forcing him into seclusion and redirecting his obsession toward Uchiha Sasuke, all because of that overwhelming eye power.
The thought made Riku uneasy. The suppression of a Mangekyō-wielding Uchiha against ordinary shinobi was simply absolute.
He didn't believe he'd encounter such a monster any time soon, but he wasn't naïve. A ninja who failed to prepare for the worst was one already courting death.
Once the enemy's blade pierced his heart, regret would be meaningless.
This world was real—and cruel.
As a ninja, there was no room for error. One mistake could mean instant annihilation.
Beyond Genjutsu, another thing Riku feared was the mystery of Sealing Jutsu.
These techniques defied logic; even beings of the Six Paths level could be sealed away by them.
It was the most overpowered category of jutsu in existence.
He knew that Danzo had personally engraved a Reverse Four Symbols Seal upon his body—an ultimate technique that allowed him to drag his opponent to the grave if he were ever defeated.
And on top of that, the man had embedded multiple Sharingan into his arm, each one granting him an "extra life."
Danzo's existence was a walking nightmare—no less troublesome than a true Uchiha with a Mangekyō.
That was precisely why Riku didn't dare confront him head-on or "check his water meter," as he half-jokingly thought.
In the end, his strength simply wasn't enough.
But if strength was insufficient—then he would cheat his way to power!
His current skills, even at max level, no longer produced the same explosive gains as before.
To achieve a qualitative leap, he would need something more—a new direction. Either learn new Ninjutsu or break the limits of the ones he had already mastered.
After some thought, Riku decided on the latter. His stockpile of free experience points gave him confidence.
"The Three Basic Jutsu are the lowest level," he mused, "but their potential should be extremely high. To evolve them further, though, would probably require a ridiculous amount of experience points."
He checked his remaining balance—just over 50,000 points. Not nearly enough for such a massive undertaking.
"So I'll have to focus on other skills instead."
He scanned the panel thoughtfully.
Gentle Fist Basics, Iron Fist Basics, and the Body Flicker Technique were all maxed out.
Of these three, only the Body Flicker could offer a breakthrough that would truly elevate his combat power.
"Taijutsu will only make me stronger in close combat," he reasoned. "But if I can break the limits of the Body Flicker Technique, I might unlock something completely new. In battle, speed reigns supreme. If my movement and reaction surpass the enemy's, victory follows naturally."
A grin spread across his face. "Body Flicker Technique—don't disappoint me."
With that, Riku selected the Body Flicker Technique on his panel.
Instantly, three possible Limit-Break Directions appeared before him:
Direction One: Greatly increase movement distance; chakra consumption unchanged.
Cost: 10,000 free experience points.
Direction Two: Greatly enhance combat agility; chakra consumption reduced.
Cost: 15,000 free experience points.
Direction Three: Integrate Chakra Nature.
Cost: 20,000 free experience points.
Riku immediately understood the first two options.
Both improved the Body Flicker's overall speed, but their emphasis differed: the first favored long-distance travel, the second fine-tuned close-combat maneuverability.
Their cost reflected their value—one practical, the other efficient.
But it was the third option that truly caught his attention.
"Integrate Chakra Nature…"
His heart thumped.
"Could this be something like the Lightning Release Body Flicker Technique used by the Raikage lineage in the Hidden Cloud Village? But I don't even have Lightning Release Chakra yet. What happens then? Would the system generate a version with a different element?"
He remembered the Raikage's terrifying speed from the original Naruto tales—how his lightning-charged body moved so fast that even the Mangekyō Sharingan struggled to follow.
Just imagining that level of swiftness made Riku's pulse quicken.
His eyes lit up with determination. "That's it—the third direction."
Without hesitation, he made his choice.
"Integrate Chakra Nature—break the limit!"
The instant he confirmed his decision, the panel glowed brilliantly. Lines of golden script shimmered before his eyes, and the sound of rushing energy filled his mind.
He felt his chakra flow twist, expand, and merge with something new—something primal.
It wasn't simply the speed of the Body Flicker Technique anymore; it was alive, resonating with the nature of his own chakra.
Riku clenched his fists as the transformation took hold.
Every muscle fiber in his body vibrated with power, every breath charged with potential energy. The world around him seemed to slow, colors sharpening, movements dragging like syrup.
Even the air's resistance felt thinner.
"So this is… the next level of speed?" he whispered in awe. "Incredible."
He could barely contain the surge of excitement building inside him. This wasn't just an upgrade—it was evolution.
A true transformation.
From this moment forward, Riku's Body Flicker Technique was no longer a simple movement skill.
It had become a manifestation of chakra nature itself—one step closer to the legendary Lightning Release Body Flicker.
And this was only the beginning.
Riku exhaled slowly, letting the power settle into his veins.
He opened his eyes, which now gleamed faintly with light.
A small smile tugged at his lips.
"With this speed," he murmured, "even Danzo won't be able to keep up."
The panel flickered once more, displaying a new entry:
Body Flicker Technique – Limit Broken (Chakra Nature Integrated)
Level: 1 / ???
Description: A high-speed movement technique fused with the user's elemental chakra, allowing near-instantaneous bursts of motion that distort visual perception.
Riku's grin widened. "Perfect."
The path ahead was still filled with peril—Danzo, Orochimaru, and the dark world of shinobi politics—but now he held something new in his hands: a weapon of speed and power, born entirely from his own growth.
No longer would he simply chase after the strength of others.
He would forge his own legend, one step—one flicker—at a time.
End of Chapter 64 – Transformation
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