Pull More Next Time

What was the greatest fear in cultivation? Taking the wrong path.

Especially since the path he was taking was not one that already existed in the Shinobi World.

The Rumble-Rumble Fruit, Lightning-Attribute Chakra, the incomplete Cloud Lightning Body Tempering Technique, and Enel's experience with lightning.

None of these things were simple on their own, but fusing them into a lightning body-tempering system that truly suited him was extremely difficult.

Before, he could only judge by how his body felt and by the results of battle.

If he felt stronger, he continued; if something felt wrong, he stopped. But such judgments were crude.

But now that he had the Attribute Panel, things were completely different.

Every time he adjusted the intensity of his body tempering, altered the route of his lightning, or optimized his combat activation method, he could see the feedback on the panel.

Even the slightest movement in a progress bar was enough to show that he was heading in the right direction.

If he trained for half a day without any change, that proved there was a problem with the method, and he could correct it in time.

It was like installing a ruler for his cultivation.

Fang Xu tried forming hand seals again.

Lightning Release: Lightning Ball Technique.

Chakra gathered in his palm, and blue-white lightning quickly formed into a fist-sized sphere.

As the lightning ball spun, the progress after [Lightning Release: Lightning Ball Technique Proficiency] on the light screen also moved slightly.

Fang Xu dispersed the lightning ball, already understanding what this meant.

This panel could not directly make him stronger.

There were no points added from thin air, no quest rewards, and no shop gift packs.

But it allowed him to clearly see every step of his improvement.

For someone who truly wanted to cultivate, this thing was simply incredible.

Most of the time, effort itself was not frightening. What was frightening was putting in effort and seeing no feedback afterward.

If he practiced swordsmanship a hundred times today, had he actually improved?

If he changed the rhythm of his Lightning Body-Tempering Technique, would it actually work?

Was his chakra control for the Three Body Technique more stable than yesterday?

Before, he could only judge these things vaguely.

Now, he could see everything. The boost to his motivation to cultivate was immediate. Even if the progress only rose by a tiny bit, it would make him want to keep grinding.

Fang Xu looked at the panel, growing more satisfied the longer he stared.

Zhou Yang had truly suffered a huge loss by losing this plugin.

Without the Attribute Panel, he could still level up and add points, but the process of growth would become vague.

And although Fang Xu had obtained it without the experience and attribute-point core of Zhou Yang's system, it happened to make up for what he lacked most.

He did not need a system to arrange his path for him.

He had the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, the Exchange Talent, and the Shinobi World's cultivation system.

What he needed was a tool that could verify his direction, record his progress, and quantify his condition.

The Attribute Panel was exactly right for that.

"This is only one plugin."

Fang Xu's gaze settled on [Attribute Panel], and his heart slowly began to burn with excitement.

Zhou Yang's system clearly had far more than this.

Experience acquisition, leveling up, adding points—perhaps there were other modules as well.

The fact that the Attribute Panel could be exchanged over meant the Exchange Talent really could pry system plugins away.

Then what about next time?

If he used something related to the Uchiha, or an even more valuable item for an exchange, could he obtain other plugins from Zhou Yang's system as well?

As Fang Xu thought of this, Obito Uchiha's black hair immediately appeared in his mind.

A lock of hair could be exchanged for the Attribute Panel. What if he collected several more locks?

Fang Xu made up his mind. Next, he would continue collecting Obito's hair and try exchanging it for other plugins from Zhou Yang's system.

On the streets of Konoha.

Obito supported an elderly woman by the roadside, his back ramrod straight and his face full of seriousness.

"Grandma, don't worry. With me, Obito Uchiha, here, you'll be absolutely safe!"

The old woman froze for a moment, just about to speak.

But Obito was already patting his chest as he continued, "I'm a man who will become Hokage in the future! Helping you cross the street is a piece of cake!"

After saying that, he prepared to walk forward.

But the instant he took a step, Obito suddenly shuddered all over.

A chill crept down from the top of his head, as if someone were staring at the back of his head—especially his hair.

Obito instinctively covered the back of his head.

"How strange..."

"Why does my scalp feel so chilly?"

He looked around. Pedestrians came and went on the street, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

"Could it be that bastard Kakashi is badmouthing me behind my back again?"

Still supported by him, the old woman's expression grew even stranger.

"Child, actually, I'm not..."

"Grandma, you don't need to be afraid!"

Obito immediately cut her off, his tone becoming even firmer.

"With me here, no one will dare bump into you!"

He supported the old woman and made to step forward again.

This time, the old woman hurriedly grabbed him with all her strength.

"Child, I'm not crossing the street!"

Obito stiffened.

"Huh?"

The old woman pointed toward the dango shop beside them.

"I'm waiting for my grandson. He went to buy dango."

As soon as she finished speaking, a little boy ran out of the dango shop with a paper bag in his arms.

"Grandma! I bought the dango!"

Obito completely froze in place.

Two passersby beside him looked over, and even the stall owner could not help laughing.

Obito's face instantly turned red to the tips of his ears.

"I-I'm sorry!"

He hurriedly let go and bent over in apology.

"I misunderstood!"

After saying that, he turned and ran. After taking several steps, he could not help covering the top of his head again.

"Something's not right. Why do I still feel like someone is after my hair?"

As night fell, lights shone inside the Hatake residence.

Hatake Sakumo had just returned home from a mission. He changed out of his outer clothes and sat at the dining table.

Kakashi sat across from him, with that short blade resting beside his hand.

The father and son had always eaten quietly.

But today, Kakashi spoke first.

"Father."

Hatake Sakumo looked up.

"What is it?"

Kakashi paused while picking up food.

"I saw Fang Xu fight today."

Hatake Sakumo thought for a moment.

"Fang Xu? Naoto's son?"

"Yes."

Kakashi nodded.

"I used to think he was merely a lower-middle student in the class. His chakra was average, his Taijutsu was average, and his ninjutsu showed nothing outstanding."

"But when he taught those three little punks a lesson, he was nothing like an ordinary student."

Hatake Sakumo set down his chopsticks.

"Tell me in detail."

Kakashi's tone became more serious.

"He didn't form hand seals, but lightning appeared around his body, and his speed increased instantly."

"It wasn't simply releasing Lightning Release attacks. It was more like he compressed lightning-attribute chakra into his body and used it to stimulate his muscles and reactions."

"After his punches landed, lightning would also surge into their bodies and paralyze them."

"Those three weren't strong, but he dealt with them far too cleanly."

Hatake Sakumo's gaze shifted slightly.

"Lightning-Attribute Nintaijutsu."

Kakashi nodded.

"Yes."

Hatake Sakumo pondered for a moment.

"Hidden Cloud has Lightning Body-Tempering Techniques. The Raikage's lineage, in particular, has developed Lightning Release: Body Protection to an extremely high level."

"What Fang Xu used may be a derivative technique of the Cloud Lightning Body Tempering Technique."

"Or perhaps one of his family's ancestors saw similar methods on the battlefield, then returned and worked out an incomplete secret technique himself."

Kakashi frowned.

"Fang Xu's family has such an inheritance?"

Hatake Sakumo shook his head.

"That would be difficult."

"His father, Naoto, was an excellent jonin, but Fang Xu's family was not a major shinobi clan."

"A true Hidden Cloud secret technique could not possibly fall into the hands of an ordinary family so easily."