Speed and Strength Test

At that moment, a thought that had been tightly sealed away while using the "specimen" suddenly surged fiercely through his mind.

The thought had barely formed when he acted! Fine blue-white arcs of electricity abruptly filled the laboratory air. They were not confined to a single spot, but spread like living vines from his fingertips and arms to every corner of his body in an instant.

A natural confidence welled up within him, born from a precise understanding of his own limits.

He was skilled enough! Skilled enough to safely wield this power of lightning!

"Crackle, boom, sizzle!!!"

In an instant, deafening thunder completely swallowed the laboratory! Blinding lightning erupted and danced wildly, forming a dense dome of electricity, almost liquid in appearance, that completely enveloped Minamoto Takuya.

The lightning surged violently, casting the entire room into flickering light and shadow.

At the heart of this dance of destruction and power, Minamoto Takuya abruptly opened his eyes. His pitch-black pupils resembled ink-dark crystals beneath the lightning.

He slowly raised an arm, his gaze piercing through the dancing arcs and settling on the fist tightly wrapped in Lightning Release Armor.

His muscle fibers swelled under the stimulation of the current, and explosive strength far beyond anything ordinary, enough to nearly burst through his body, coursed through his veins!

The corners of Minamoto Takuya's mouth rose uncontrollably, forming a curve full of power and accomplishment.

Success! This was Lightning Release: Chakra Mode!

Although he knew that this fledgling form's explosive boost in strength might still fall short of the secret pinnacle refined by Kumogakure over generations.

But the most important thing was that he had already grasped the principle. Today, he had personally smashed through that crucial barrier from zero to one!

The path ahead was to continue forging this spark without