An Unexpected Flight!

Before the waterfall, an hour passed in the blink of an eye.

Asuma stopped, panting heavily.

He had failed!

Even with his Level 10 Chakra Control, he could not pull it off. In practice, it was far more difficult than cultivating the Hundred Healings Technique.

After all, the Hundred Healings Technique merely required precisely extracting Chakra from 130 trillion cells, then storing it away.

Chakra Nature Transformation, on the other hand, was much more difficult.

"Besides, it also has to do with my insufficient mastery of Lightning Style Chakra Nature Transformation. If it were Wind Style or Fire Style, it would be much easier."

Asuma's thoughts stirred. "Why not try Wind Style?"

Wind Style's defensive power would not be weak either.

He would give it a try!

Asuma quickly rested. Once he had recovered, he eagerly began trying again.

Sure enough, it was much easier than Lightning Style.

"I can complete it layer by layer, starting with the internal organs, then the bones and muscles, the skin, and so on."

Asuma experimented step by step.

Layers within his body began to glow, wrapped in Wind Release Chakra.

It could even be said that every cell was being soaked in Wind Release Chakra.

From the inside out, they were gradually enveloped in dense Wind Release Chakra.

It was like every cell in his body had been draped in a cloak of airflow.

Then, those layers of airflow cloaks connected tightly together.

Internal organs, bones, chakra pathways, neural networks, muscles... and finally, skin and hair.

An hour passed.

Once he completed the final step, a Sky Blue Chakra Cloak covered Asuma's body.

"Hm?"

Asuma opened his eyes and looked down. His body was slowly floating into the air.

"This can actually make me fly!"

Asuma was both shocked and delighted.

Ninjutsu development truly held endless surprises and delights!

Across the entire ninja world, the number of ninja capable of flight was vanishingly small.

On the other side, Yūhi Kurenai happened to finish her training and looked over. Seeing Asuma floating in midair, his entire body enveloped in Sky Blue Chakra, she could not help but stare blankly.

"This... such powerful Wind Release Chakra, and he's floating in the air. Could this be another new ninjutsu Asuma developed?"

Yūhi Kurenai snapped out of it and flashed over. Looking up at Asuma, she asked, "Asuma, what kind of ninjutsu is this?"

Asuma tried to control his body as he explained the process of developing it.

Yūhi Kurenai was even more stunned after hearing it.

He had originally failed to develop Lightning Style, yet Wind Style had succeeded instead.

"Wind Release Chakra Mode... this is the counterpart to Kumogakure's Lightning Style Chakra Mode."

"But carrying out Chakra Nature Transformation with every single cell—this level of difficulty is simply... insane!"

Yūhi Kurenai exclaimed.

The cultivation process had shaken her too deeply.

Having learned the details of cultivating the Hundred Healings Technique, she had believed it was the most difficult technique in the ninja world. Never had she expected something with even higher demands.

Ordinary ninja would first extract a portion of Chakra, then perform Chakra Nature Transformation on it.

Who would divide the Chakra extracted by every cell and perform Chakra Nature Transformation on each portion separately?

Such extreme requirements had been unimaginable in the past.

Hearing Kurenai's exclamation, Asuma could not help looking at his system status panel.

Level 10 Chakra Control 46% + 14% = Level 10 Chakra Control 60%

This was the first time it had improved so much since he had added points to raise it to Level 10.

Before this, it had progressed slower than a snail.

"It really is difficult!"

"Not only does it require exceptionally high Chakra Control, but it also requires sufficient proficiency in Nature Transformation—formed the instant the thought arises!"

Asuma sighed.

At that moment, he felt an immense sense of accomplishment!

Because this could be considered a ninjutsu he had wholly and genuinely created himself!

The next thing Asuma tested and trained was his flight speed and flight altitude while in Wind Release Chakra Mode.

In the blink of an eye, the sun set.

Asuma ended his training.

For the time being, Wind Release Chakra Mode seemed to have no limit on flight altitude.

As for flight speed—

At present, he could reach thirty meters per second at most.

That flight speed was not slow.

It was roughly the speed of a gale.

Of course.

Having only just developed this mode, the time required to enter Wind Release Chakra Mode was somewhat long. To activate it instantly, he would likely need quite a period of training.

Or there was an even faster method: Add Points!

However, Asuma still held himself back.

Skill Points were meant to raise the Upper Limit.

July 18th, morning.

The team battles of the Chunin Exams began.

Asuma's group's opponents were acquaintances as well.

Namiashi Raidō, Yamashiro Aoba, and Tada Iwashii.

Yamashiro Aoba had even been in the same class at the Ninja Academy as Asuma and the others. Namiashi Raidō and Tada Iwashii, on the other hand, were a year below them.

But that was normal.

Even Mitarashi Anko, Gekko Hayate, and others who were two or three years younger than Asuma's group had entered these Chunin Exams.

Once they took their positions, the examiner gave the order. Yamashiro Aoba released a large number of crows for interference and attack, while Namiashi Raidō and Tada Iwashii threw a wave of Kunai and shuriken, all of which Shizune blocked.

Kurenai then cast Genjutsu. The moment they had thrown their Kunai and shuriken, Namiashi Raidō and Tada Iwashii were immediately caught under the Genjutsu.

Asuma calmly opened his mouth and unleashed a storm, shredding the incoming crows and sweeping Yamashiro Aoba's trio away as well.

Once the three stabilized themselves, three Asumas had appeared behind them, blades pressed to their necks.

An easy victory!

"Asuma, you're getting stronger and stronger!"

Yamashiro Aoba adjusted his sunglasses and gave a bitter smile.

"Everyone's improving."

Asuma smiled.

The second round ended just like that, and Asuma's group did not stay to watch the other teams' matches.

Shizune headed to Konoha Hospital, while Asuma and Kurenai once again went to their usual place to train.

Today, he would continue becoming proficient with Wind Release Chakra Mode.

The next day, the 19th, was the third round of the Chunin Exams: individual battles.

In the vast indoor arena, Asuma watched from the spectator stands as the face-blind Might Guy sent Uchiha Obito flying with a kick, turning his face into that of a pig.

"This guy is still the same—endless accidents!"

Yūhi Kurenai could not help laughing.

Shizune smiled. "Obito's strength actually isn't bad."

"This guy is just too stubborn and too weak-willed!"

Asuma shook his head.

The current Uchiha Obito was all talk and no skill!

"Asuma versus Might Guy!"

At that moment, the examiner announced loudly.

Asuma nodded to Kurenai and Shizune, then used the Body Flicker Technique to arrive at the battlefield below.

"Guy, how long has it been since we last sparred?"

Asuma asked with a smile.

"One month!"

"This time, we'll definitely have a satisfying fight!"

Might Guy's face was full of passion.

From the spectator stands, Might Duy shouted, "Guy, let your youthful blood bloom!"

Guy immediately turned and replied, "Yes! Let youth burn, starting now!"

He turned to Asuma, flashing his gleaming teeth. "Asuma, let's have a duel that burns with youth!"

"This time, I will definitely defeat you! If I fail, I'll run around the village on my hands for one hundred laps!"

Asuma laughed. "Then I'll grant you your wish, Guy!"

"Then let's begin!"

Might Guy roared. He pushed off the ground, leaving an afterimage behind as his leg swept toward Asuma with a fierce gust of wind.