Heaven Curse Mark: State One: When activated, the Cursed Seal granted its user tremendous strength, but the longer it remained active, the greater the damage it inflicted on the user.
In State One, black markings covered the user's body, enhancing their speed and strength.
"But since you've used this technique, that means your lives are already on a countdown."
"Heaven Curse Mark: State Two!"
Bai Lin's low growl cracked through the air like thunder. The black Cursed Seal markings instantly ran wild, spreading madly along his limbs until they covered his entire body.
The original crimson markings turned a deep black, rising from his skin like scales. A pair of wings that looked almost like hands sprouted from his back, and a cross-shaped pattern appeared in the middle of his face. His Chakra surged, radiating a suffocating, evil aura.
"I don't know how far my current strength is from Kage-level, but if I fought Tsunade again, I probably wouldn't lose." Feeling the power coursing through him, Bai Lin grew more and more confident.
"I'll finish this fight with one big move!"
"Lightning Release: Kirin!"
"W-What kind of monster is that?!" Inoue's hopes of winning plummeted, and for a moment, he forgot to run.
Bai Lin's roar shook the camp. The Chakra of his State Two Cursed Seal surged into the clouds, and the previously quiet night sky was instantly blanketed by dark clouds. Blue lightning rolled and roared within them like an ancient divine beast awakening.
His Three-Tomoe Sharingan locked onto the four remaining Amegakure Jonin.
"Bad! Everyone, defend together!"
"If we can withstand this attack, he'll be at the end of his rope."
One Jonin's expression changed drastically. He could sense the terrifying energy held in the clouds, far beyond that of ordinary Lightning Release Ninjutsu.
"Water Release: Water Stream Wall!" x4
Earth Release wasn't suited to defending against Lightning Release Ninjutsu. In the Ninja World's elemental cycle, lightning countered earth. Water didn't counter lightning, but basic physical principles still applied: water could conduct electricity.
Even now, the four Amegakure Jonin hadn't forgotten the usual rules of elemental matchups.
As soon as the words left his mouth, a blue bolt of lightning as thick as a barrel crashed down from the clouds. It struck like a kirin reaching out with its claws, bearing the force to destroy the world, and slammed straight into the center of the camp.
The instant the lightning struck the ground, countless smaller bolts scattered in every direction. Blue light swallowed the entire camp, and the ground split open into a huge crater as the lightning hurled stones and dirt into the air, filling the sky with dust.
"The system notification... didn't sound?"
The system hadn't given him the notification he wanted, which meant this Lightning Release: Kirin hadn't produced the result he'd hoped for.
"I can't go on! The rest is up to you!"
"Damn it... I still underestimated the strength of Jonin!"
His Chakra was completely exhausted, and Bai Lin could only weakly flap his wings, trying to get away from the area.
After only two flaps, he realized that Chakra was formed from mental and physical energy. Running out of Chakra meant his mental energy was spent, a problem even Military Ration Pills couldn't solve.
The black, scale-like Cursed Seal markings began to fade rapidly, and the "wings" on his back dissolved into specks of black light.
An overwhelming exhaustion washed over him, and Bai Lin began to fall uncontrollably.
"That brat's out of Chakra!" Inoue's delighted voice rang out from the dust. "Hurry! Don't let him get away!"
Four battered figures rushed out from behind the Water Stream Wall. They were the four Amegakure Jonin.
Though they'd all been scorched by the lightning, their clothes were charred and blood stained the corners of their mouths, they still charged toward the falling Bai Lin with vicious looks in their eyes.
They'd used up nearly all their Chakra defending against Kirin, but seeing Bai Lin helpless to resist sent them into a frenzy.
This brat had killed dozens of their comrades. Now was their best chance to take revenge!
Just then, two familiar figures raced over like arrows loosed from a bow. It was Uchiha Mikoto and Nawaki, hurrying back after hearing the explosion!
"Lin!" Uchiha Mikoto cried anxiously. She saw Bai Lin falling from the sky and the four Jonin closing in. The Three-Tomoe Sharingan in her eyes spun rapidly, seeming on the verge of merging into one.
She leaped into the air and caught the falling Bai Lin securely in her arms.
"Mikoto..." Bai Lin's consciousness was hazy. Leaning against her shoulder, he could barely make out her familiar presence. "I told you, I could trust you with my back!"
"Lin, get some rest. I'll make everyone who hurt you pay!"
A tear of sorrow fell from Uchiha Mikoto's eye, but her Sharingan finally stopped spinning, a sign that its evolution had failed.
Before she could say more, the four Amegakure Jonin had already reached them.
Inoue grinned bloodthirstily and formed Hand Seals. "Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
"Don't you dare hurt him!" Nawaki roared from the side, leaping in front of them. His hands flew through Hand Seals at top speed. "Water Release: Water Wall!"
A thick wall of water surged up, barely managing to block the Water Dragon Bullet's impact.
Even at his peak, Nawaki was no match for Inoue, a Jonin. Even a dying camel was bigger than a horse.
The water wall shuddered violently under the impact and nearly broke apart.
"You think one brat can stop us?" One of the Jonin sneered, flinging several Shuriken at Nawaki.
Holding Bai Lin in her arms, Mikoto's gaze turned ice-cold.
Her Three-Tomoe Sharingan tracked the Shuriken's trajectory, and she easily intercepted them before they could hit Nawaki.
"Nawaki, take Lin and get out of here! Leave the rest to me!"
"Got it!" Nawaki replied.
After a few days of adjustment, Nawaki was no longer the carefree, energetic boy he'd been. He'd acquired the basic qualities of a shinobi.
"Damn it, another Sharingan!"
"Inoue, let's retreat. We don't have a single drop of Chakra left!"
"Fine. Split up!"
When Inoue and the others saw the same Sharingan in Uchiha Mikoto's eyes as in Bai Lin's, fear crept into their hearts. They worried she might be another prodigy like him.
Besides, they were in terrible shape. Their Chakra was exhausted, making it hard to mount any effective counterattack.
"Hmph! Trying to run? Too late!"
"You dared to hurt my Lin!"
"I'll make you pay!"
The dead Amegakure shinobi: What? Wasn't he the one who attacked us without a word? We were only defending ourselves!
"Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"
One day later.
In a hidden cave in the Land of Fire.
Bai Lin woke from unconsciousness and saw Uchiha Mikoto heating water. Its glow illuminated her gentle, serene face.
Nawaki held a Kunai at the cave entrance, pacing back and forth on guard. His sharp eyes swept over the forest, and he no longer had his usual carefree air.
Watching them, he couldn't help smiling—a proud yet warm smile. "Having teammates feels great. At least I can unleash my full strength without constantly watching out for a knife in the back."
Bai Lin didn't disturb the peaceful scene. He brought up the system in his mind to check his rewards.
[ Ding! Congratulations, Host, you have slain a Genin and received 50,000 ryo.] x8 [ Ding! Congratulations, Host, you have slain a Chunin and received 200,000 ryo.] x7 [ Ding! Congratulations, Host, you have slain a Jonin and received 500,000 ryo.] x4
"With my normal strength, can I face at most eight Genin, seven Chunin, or four Jonin at once?"
"Not bad. I may not be on the level of Minato Namikaze, who learned the Flying Thunder God and can kill Jonin as easily as dogs, but in a one-on-one fight, I have the strength to kill most elite Jonin."
"I've earned 3.8 million ryo. I'll have enough for a Kage-level Ten-pull soon. Keep it up!"