Cell Activation

"Damn it, this brat's technique... how does it have such destructive power?"

Number 1 landed from mid-air, a chill creeping up his spine. If Number 167 hadn't warned him to dodge that attack just now, he would likely have been reduced to a puddle of magma. Where did this brat get such a powerful ninjutsu?

This level of destruction was comparable to an A-rank ninjutsu!

Sato Hideaka was also panting slightly. The weight of the magma combined with his own relatively slow speed meant his previous dash had been completely outclassed by this ninja. Although the destructive power was immense, even another strike like that wouldn't be effective.

"Hell Hound," the signature move of the current Marine Admiral Akainu (Sakazuki). It was the ultimate technique that once blew away half of the face of the world's strongest man, Whitebeard (changed to piercing the abdomen in the anime), and punched a hole through the chest of Fire Fist Ace, son of the former Pirate King Roger.

Is speed the greatest flaw?

How could the high-lethality, high-destruction Lava Style: Hell Hound regain its former glory if it couldn't hit the target? Did it have to rely on the enemy's carelessness or charity?

Absolutely not, for no technique is ever truly perfect!

The reason Akainu could face Whitebeard, the man known as the strongest, wasn't just his "Magma-Magma Fruit" ability or his "Hell Hound" technique; it was his monster-level physical strength and hand-to-hand combat prowess!

Ultimately, a technique only unleashes its maximum power when built upon one's own speed, strength, and reaction time. If Lava Style: Hell Hound had a flaw, it was simply that Sato Hideaka hadn't trained long enough, his body wasn't fully developed, and his speed couldn't keep up!

The reason it couldn't hit was still because his speed was too slow!

Sato Hideaka's expression suddenly shifted into one of realization, as if he had thought of something. Earth and fire-attribute chakra gathered, and scorching magma erupted from his right arm once more. The dark, crimson lava bubbled with intense heat, and a faint layer of black smoke rose from it; even from a distance, one could feel the terrifying temperature.

"Planning to use the same move again? Is this what you call a genius?"

A sneer curled the corner of Number 1's mouth. The gap in their physical constitutions determined the gap in their hand-to-hand combat. The most fatal flaw of such an ultimate move was its speed; even a powerful technique was useless if it couldn't hit the opponent. Even if he tried a hundred more times, the result would be exactly the same.

"Take... this!"

Sato Hideaka roared, his eyes locked onto every movement of Number 1. Dragging his scorching, lava-covered right arm, he lunged forward once again—

Number 1 channeled his chakra, concentrating it into the meridians of his feet and exploding forward. He leaped into the air, shouting arrogantly, "Brat, do you think a miracle will happen if you try again? There is no way you can hit me."

Now is the time, while this guy is airborne!

Sato Hideaka's expression turned cold and sharp. He activated his lightning-attribute chakra, and branching blue electricity suddenly flowed across his body. The lightning attribute stimulated every cell in his body, making him feel as if he had come alive. The sudden surge in neural reflex speed made Number 1's movements seem more than twice as slow to Sato Hideaka.

His soft, natural cyan hair stood on end, just like a hedgehog!

"Chakra nature transformation, full-body cellular activation? How... how is this possible!"

Number 1 screamed in terror from mid-air. Sato Hideaka's state was the hallmark of full-body activation. The lightning-attribute nature transformation induced cellular activation, which accelerated neural reflex speed and made cells more resilient and active. Simply put, his speed and reaction time would be faster—meaning the flaw of that ultimate move would be compensated for!

With wild electricity reminiscent of "Gohan's" second form, the fully activated Sato Hideaka stomped hard on the ground. In an instant, he appeared half a meter in front of Number 1, his right fist, surging with molten lava and violent intent, striking out in a flash.

[Lava Style: Hell Hound]

Number 1 didn't even have time to react before the scorching magma pierced through his chest. Amidst his agonizing groans, the heat incinerated his internal organs, and his entire body was scorched black from the wound. A smell of charred flesh, similar to burning hair, filled the air.

After killing Number 1, Sato Hideaka kicked his knee hard, using the leverage to perform a backflip and pull his right hand out of the body. He landed on the ground, and as Number 1 collapsed with a thud, he deactivated his lightning-attribute cellular activation. The blue electricity surrounding him faded, his standing hair softened, and he collapsed to one knee, gasping for air.

The two A-rank Lava Style: Hell Hound techniques had consumed a massive amount of his chakra. Furthermore, this was his first time using the lightning-attribute cellular activation; his inability to control the minute amount of lightning chakra injected into his cells had caused damage to his body. The stinging pain from his cells reminded him that he couldn't use this move again in the short term, and his speed would be reduced by thirty percent.

Half-kneeling and gasping, Sato Hideaka calculated his next move. Although he didn't know what Nonō was planning, he had to—he absolutely had to—stall until she returned!

"It was actually chakra nature transformation! Brat, just how many trump cards do you have?"

A hint of fear rose in Number 167's heart. A-rank Lava Style Nintaijutsu, full-body cellular activation... these were secret techniques in the ninja world, usually found only in prestigious clans and rarely leaked. Was this really a technique this brat had created himself?

Or was this brat a spy from another village?

He didn't care about the death of Number 1; the mortality rate for missions in Root was extremely high, and he had already gone through several batches of teammates. What he cared about now was the mission; if he failed again, he would likely be disposed of by the leader as trash.

"What do you think? I think killing you is more than enough."

Sato Hideaka endured the soreness from his cells pushing past their limits and slowly stood up. He glared at Number 167 with a cold, sharp gaze that sent a chill through the man, causing him to involuntarily take half a step back.

Number 167 struggled to suppress his fear. From Sato Hideaka's slightly stiff and sluggish movements, he could tell the boy was at the end of his rope. But did this brat really have no more trump cards?

Thinking of Number 1's death, Number 167 hesitated to move forward.

"Hmph, trash!"

Number 4 couldn't help but sneer. Number 167, an elite Chunin, was actually being scared like this by a five-year-old brat. No wonder his strength was so pathetic; he had survived this long only because he was as timid as a mouse.

Too much time had already been wasted. He intended to finish this mission himself. With the strength of a Jonin, he arrived in front of Sato Hideaka in an instant. Before Sato Hideaka could react, he grabbed the boy by the throat and lifted him up.

Suspended in mid-air, Sato Hideaka felt himself suffocating. His right hand surged with heat once more, magma rolling out and casting a crimson glow over Number 4's white ghost mask—

"Brat, you need to recognize the chasm-like gap between us!"

A cold voice came from beneath the ghost mask. Number 4's left fist slammed into Sato Hideaka's abdomen. The intense pain caused the magma on Sato Hideaka's right hand to stall, and with a violent swing, he was smashed into a large tree in the courtyard!

With a loud "thud," Sato Hideaka hit the tree and slumped to the ground. The scorching magma on his right hand, having lost its chakra infusion, slowly dripped onto the ground, burning a charred patch into the earth!

"This brat has lost the ability to act. Number 167, take him away."

Without bothering to check on Sato Hideaka, Number 4 finished his sentence and leaped out of the courtyard. He had his own pride and confidence in that last punch!

Number 167 walked over to the tree. Sato Hideaka, lying on the ground, had already lost consciousness, instantly taken out by that single punch. This must be the strength of a Root Captain at the Jonin level!

He hoisted the unconscious Sato Hideaka onto his back, leaped, and followed Number 4 out of the orphanage, speeding into the forest toward the Root base...

The forest was dense, the light somewhat dim. Two figures darted through the trees, disappearing in the blink of an eye like ghosts, their speed incredible.

Trees flashed past them continuously. After they had crossed most of the forest, Number 4 suddenly came to a sharp halt, landing on an eight-meter-tall tree. Number 167 also stopped, landing on a tree next to Number 4 while carrying the unconscious Sato Hideaka.

Standing on a tree in front of them was a person—the very person who had made the Jonin Number 4 stop in his tracks.

The Leaf Village forehead protector, white hair, the special vest of a Jonin, an Anbu animal mask, a short sword on his back, and the Hokage robe at his cuffs... this person was actually...

It was him!