Level, White Eye Blue Dragon!

"Still, it was far inferior to the Flying Thunder God."

"After all, that could practically be called teleportation!"

Asuma used this to calm his restless heart.

Still, with this Lightning Style Chakra Mode, he felt qualified to measure himself against figures like Jiraiya and the future Fourth Raikage.

"Next, just like with Wind Release Chakra Mode, I need to gradually become proficient and strive to activate the technique instantly."

Asuma summoned the system panel.

The Lightning Style Chakra Nature Transformation entry had now become Level 6 Lightning Style Chakra Nature Transformation, 5%.

At this level, any further improvement would surely require years of unceasing refinement.

That was with Level 10 Chakra Control as his foundation.

Next, Asuma devoted immense effort to refining his Lightning Style Chakra Mode.

Compared to Wind Release Chakra Mode, Lightning Style was clearly more suitable for breaking through tough defenses.

Winter passed and spring arrived. In the blink of an eye, it was April of Konoha Year 44.

Before the waterfall.

Asuma dispelled his Lightning Style Chakra Mode.

After two months of refinement, he had finally managed to enter this mode in two seconds.

Though that was still somewhat inferior to the instant activation of Wind Release Chakra Mode, it was already completely sufficient in actual combat.

"I can shift my focus back to Sensory Ninjutsu."

Asuma sorted through his previous plans.

The Wind Release sensory ninjutsu he had developed before had major flaws, but he had never given up on improving it.

After several years, he had found a direction.

The movement of air in nature could not be controlled by humans, especially once the range expanded to a vast area spanning dozens of miles.

It was also unrealistic to artificially create wind that could cover such a broad area.

So Asuma had drawn inspiration from the way paint diffused through water.

It did not matter whether the air moved or not. Chakra could spread through the air like paint or ink.

However, Asuma had yet to achieve this.

After all, the composition of air was extremely complex.

Of course.

He could also transform Chakra into airflow, blend it into the air, and sense through its continuous diffusion.

Asuma had tried that method.

It worked over a small range.

Over a large range, it was too slow.

Compared to using Wind Release ninjutsu for sensing, its only advantages were being more covert and causing less disturbance.

But neither met Asuma's requirements for a sensory technique capable of large-scale reconnaissance.

Now Asuma could understand why Namikaze Minato had spent several years developing the Rasengan.

"Still, I'm only eleven. I have plenty of time to grind!"

Momentary difficulties did not discourage Asuma.

According to his vision, if he could accomplish it, it would not be inferior to a sensory ninjutsu like the Mind's Eye of the Kagura.

"Still, perhaps I can push things forward from another direction."

A thought suddenly struck Asuma, and he summoned the upgrade panel.

Level 10 Chakra Control, 62%!

Completing Lightning Style Chakra Mode had only increased his progress by 2%.

And he still had 21 Skill Points.

"Then let's see just how powerful Chakra Control beyond Level 10 is!"

Asuma made his decision.

The reason he had saved so many Skill Points before was twofold.

First, he wanted to cultivate through his own efforts as much as possible, only using Skill Points to raise the Upper Limit when he could no longer improve.

Second, he was preparing for powerful ninjutsu that were extremely difficult to cultivate, such as the Flying Thunder God.

Still.

Chakra was the foundation of a ninja.

Then Chakra Control and Chakra Nature Transformation were the foundation of all ninjutsu.

Using points to raise the levels of these two would absolutely not be a waste.

Heaven rewards the diligent. Add Points!

Level 10 Chakra Control 62% → Level 11 Chakra Control 62%!

In an instant, Asuma felt as though he were floating into the clouds. His entire body tingled with electricity as a flood of information poured into him.

Ten minutes later.

He opened his eyes. With a thought, a blue-white Scorch Release Chakra Cloak covered his entire body. Immediately afterward, a hand of flame extended from the Chakra Cloak.

It resembled the Chakra Hands formed by Naruto's future Nine-Tails Chakra Mode.

"It's a little crude. It can be refined further."

That thought surfaced instinctively in Asuma's mind, and the extended Chakra Hand swiftly became exquisitely detailed.

"Let's try the Rasenshuriken!"

With a thought from Asuma, the Chakra Hand raised a flaming finger, and a miniature Scorch Release Rasenshuriken rapidly condensed atop it.

That was right—not a giant pinwheel, but a miniature Scorch Release Rasenshuriken!

Asuma had been able to release miniature Wind Style: Rasenshuriken before, but he absolutely could not condense a Chakra Hand from Chakra and then use that Chakra Hand to release it.

This was a massive improvement.

But Asuma felt that this was not yet the limit.

He dispersed the ninjutsu, the Chakra arm, and even the cloak.

Asuma gathered himself for a moment, then brought his hands together.

The next instant, a dragon head formed from gold-white flames slowly emerged from his back.

A golden head and white eyes. The dragon head rose upward, while its fully formed body was continuously drawn out from Asuma's body.

Ten seconds later.

A Pale Gold Flame Dragon over three meters long coiled around Asuma's body. Its head lifted high, its blazing white eyes striking fear into the heart.

Most importantly.

This flame dragon was extremely solid, unlike the Fire Dragon condensed through a ninjutsu such as the Dragon Flame Jutsu.

Instead, it possessed the texture and clarity of the water dragon formed by Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet.

What was more.

Its dragon eyes, formed from white high-temperature flames, made the Fire Dragon seem lifelike and majestic.

And this had been condensed by Asuma using pure Fire Style Chakra.

It was not formed from Scorch Release Chakra, which was inherently easier to manipulate through shape transformation.

Of course.

Even with his previous Level 10 Chakra Control, he could freely manipulate the shape transformation of Fire Style Chakra and condense it into many forms.

But that was when he was releasing ninjutsu.

It was not like now, where he directly condensed a Fire Dragon that could even leave his body.

That was right.

It could leave his body!

With a thought from Asuma, the Fire Dragon coiled around him immediately began to move, leaving his body.

"I can freely and precisely control it within fifteen meters, though it isn't particularly fast."

"And its attack range..."

With a thought from Asuma, the Fire Dragon soared upward and charged diagonally toward the roaring waterfall crashing down.

Boom!

The Fire Dragon suddenly exploded. Raging flames surged forth, cutting off the falling waterfall for one second.

"The attack range can reach fifty meters!"

"If I switch to Scorch Release, I'll definitely be able to control it even better!"

Asuma immediately switched to Scorch Release.

This time, he condensed a Fire Dragon with an entirely blue body and white dragon eyes.

Sure enough, it was far easier to control than ordinary Fire Style Chakra.

And...

Asuma leaped up and landed atop the dragon's head.

Then.

The Fire Dragon carried him as it flew and swam through the sky.

"Hahaha!"

Asuma laughed loudly.

Was there any ninjutsu more stylish than this?

After descending from the sky and dispersing the Fire Dragon, Asuma felt it was necessary to give this ninjutsu a stylish name.

"Scorch Release, Flying Dragon Jutsu?"

"No good!"

"How about... Scorch Release: White Eye Blue Dragon?"

That was it!

Asuma settled on the name.

Almost at the same time, the system issued a notification.

His Character Level had finally risen once more, from Level 35 to Level 36!