After exploiting the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique bug for so long, Hyuga Satoru finally heard a crisp sound from within his body, as though something had shattered.
[Electromagnetism LV3] [EXP required for next level: 20,000]
"Finally, I leveled up!"
Hyuga Satoru drew a deep, satisfying breath, a hint of a smile curling his lips.
As he leveled up, the first thing he felt was once again his body being refined. The impurities within him were continuously broken down and recombined, turning into exceptionally pure life energy that nourished his flesh.
Unlike before, this refinement was much more thorough. Even his internal organs were refined.
Hyuga Satoru activated his Byakugan. His field of vision had expanded from three kilometers to four, and the images it relayed were much clearer.
"Huh? My EXP gain has slowed down?"
"Looks like exploiting this bug to level up won't be so easy now that my electromagnetic force is at LV3."
Noticing how slowly the EXP numbers in his mind were rising, Hyuga Satoru pursed his lips helplessly.
Based on his previous experience, the higher his electromagnetic force level rose, the less EXP he gained from using his earlier abilities.
If he wanted to level up quickly, he would have to use newly developed abilities.
Sensing his increased command over electromagnetic force, Hyuga Satoru took a breath and slowly raised his hands.
The clones he had been farming immediately froze. They suddenly discovered that they had lost control of the metal ninja tools before them. Against that overbearing power, their attempts to manipulate the tools were as futile as mayflies trying to shake a tree.
Shuriken, kunai, ninja blades, and other ninja tools all flew up together, gathering in the air before Hyuga Satoru. Under the clones' stunned gazes, the surfaces of the metal tools gradually turned red. At the same time, the surrounding air began to grow scorching hot.
"What's happening?"
"Why did it suddenly get so hot?"
The clones stared at one another, bursting into shocked exclamations.
The metal ninja tools had already turned red-hot. The heat they radiated even caused the plants on the ground to begin withering.
Solid turned to liquid with a sizzling hiss. Pools of glowing molten iron gathered into a massive sphere, constantly churning.
Hyuga Satoru took a deep breath and marshaled his remaining chakra to reshape the molten iron.
The glowing liquid stretched out into a long, slightly curved blade, followed by the details of the hilt and cutting edge.
Finally, the molten iron from nearly a hundred ninja tools became a slender ninja blade, its long, narrow body gleaming coldly.
Looking at his masterpiece, Hyuga Satoru smiled, his face pale.
"I'll call this ninja blade Fang!"
Beside him, the clones were staring dumbly.
Hyuga Satoru glanced over and snapped his fingers.
"Thanks for all your hard work. I look forward to working together again."
With a succession of pops, all the clones simultaneously dissolved into white mist.
The instant the clones vanished, Hyuga Satoru clenched his teeth. All their memories and fatigue returned at once, leaving him feeling as though he had been crushed beneath their weight. Large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.
"Damn, I didn't expect the backlash from dispelling them to be this bad. Looks like exploiting bugs isn't so easy after all. Still, I could dispel them in batches to soften the impact."
After several heavy breaths, Hyuga Satoru spoke helplessly.
At electromagnetic force LV3, his EXP gain had slowed. To exploit the bug as he had before, he would have to make the clones use more advanced abilities.
The fatigue returning all at once would definitely leave him utterly exhausted, unable to move for several days.
Still, if he had enough time to rest, he could send out a batch of clones now and then to milk the system.
That would considerably shorten the time he needed to reach LV4 compared with training normally.
Holding the now-cooled ninja blade Fang, Hyuga Satoru tried a few slashes. It felt incredible in his hand.
He had forged this ninja blade by melting down hundreds of ninja tools and continuously compressing the gaps between their molecules.
Its quality was excellent, and since he had made it himself, every aspect of its shape suited him perfectly.
Electromagnetic Furnace!
That was the name Hyuga Satoru had given the new ability he developed with his LV3 electromagnetic force.
The Electromagnetic Furnace used a magnetic field to make an object's molecules move at extreme speeds, causing its temperature to rise sharply. The principle was not complicated. Hyuga Satoru remembered that induction cookers and microwave ovens in his previous life had used this principle.
Middle school physics taught that heat intensified molecular motion. Likewise, intensified molecular motion could cause temperature to rise rapidly.
It did not only work on metal. If a ninja stepped into the Electromagnetic Furnace Hyuga Satoru created, the molecules in their body would collide violently beyond their control, potentially melting them alive into a puddle.
Hyuga Satoru exhaled, anticipation appearing in his eyes. "If I can develop the Electromagnetic Furnace, I shouldn't be far from gaining Matter Recombination, right?"
Matter Recombination was the ability in the electromagnetic force system that Hyuga Satoru wanted most: controlling the rearrangement of atoms on a microscopic level to create entirely new substances.
In his vision, mastering that ability would allow him to invade the Caged Bird on his forehead at its very source and erase it outright!
That Caged Bird had threatened him for a long time. No one would want something like that on their forehead.
The Electromagnetic Furnace could accelerate molecular motion, which meant it had already touched the microscopic level. At least from this moment onward, the door to the electromagnetic force system's microscopic abilities had opened to him.
After reaching electromagnetic force LV3, Hyuga Satoru roughly assessed his current strength.
In close combat, the unusual nature of his abilities meant that even an ordinary jonin probably would not be his match. At range, his Magnetic Storm Heavy Sniper Rifle could slaughter ordinary ninja with explosive sniper shots. It was just a little expensive.
The next day.
As arranged with Aburame Shibi, Hyuga Satoru arrived at the mission office, intending to take on a team mission with his squad.
"Satoru, you're late."
Outside the mission office, Aburame Shibi watched Hyuga Satoru approach from the distance. A rare flicker of emotion crossed his normally impassive, sunglasses-clad face.
"Sorry, something held me up." Hyuga Satoru scratched his head sheepishly. He had stayed up testing his new abilities last night and only gone to bed very late.
"Huh?"
Once Hyuga Satoru came closer, Aburame Shibi suddenly gave a soft exclamation, surprise appearing in his eyes.
Anko and Uchiha Rin seemed to notice something too. They leaned in close to Hyuga Satoru and looked him up and down suspiciously.
"Wh-what is it?"
Hyuga Satoru instinctively retreated a few steps, stammering. He suddenly felt like a pitiful little rabbit, while the two girls beside him were wolves eyeing their prey.
"Satoru, your skin looks even fairer." Anko gritted her teeth, her face full of envy and resentment.
"Mm, and it has that rosy glow, too."
Uchiha Rin's eyes slowly narrowed, and an icy aura radiated from her.
"Don't tell me you've been hiding some secret beauty technique?"
Fairer? A rosy glow?
Hyuga Satoru wanted to cry, but no tears came. Who could have known that electromagnetic body refinement had this effect too? Judging by the situation, the two girls probably would not let him off easily unless he handed over this supposed beauty secret.
"Would you believe me if I said it was natural talent?" Hyuga Satoru swallowed.
"Like hell I would! Hand over your beauty secret!" Uchiha Rin grabbed Hyuga Satoru by the collar.
Beside her, Anko rolled up her sleeves too, looking equally aggressive.
"So that's how it is, Satoru! I knew something was wrong when your skin suddenly got fairer before. You blamed it on Magnet Release, but now you've got nothing to say, huh? Hurry up and hand over your beauty secret."
Not expecting even the usually aloof Uchiha Rin to be powerless against the prospect of fairer skin, Hyuga Satoru could only turn a pleading gaze toward Aburame Shibi.
But Aburame Shibi had no intention of getting involved. He shrugged and went over to scan the mission list on the nearby noticeboard.
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