After one crushing defeat after another, the players were getting angry.
One Sword Opens Heaven was frustrated too. He racked his brains but still couldn't figure out what had gone wrong.
"This isn't right. According to my plan, killing the monsters this time should've been easy. So where exactly did we go wrong?
The monsters in the beginner village can't be as hard as we think. They must have weaknesses I haven't discovered yet. No, I need to observe them some more!"
One Sword Opens Heaven sat on the ground, took out his map, and began another round of analysis.
Soon, he found the problem.
"We overlooked something from the very beginning: the wolves' agility and sense of smell. They're pretty intelligent, and their noses are incredibly sharp.
I suspect that wolf walked into the trap on purpose. We were its targets from the start. It played us all!"
"Holy shit, is this game really that advanced? Even the monsters are freaking geniuses! Do we stand a chance?"
"How are we supposed to fight this? We can't win. We might as well quit!"
Some players began to lose their nerve. They felt a game that demanded this much intelligence wasn't for them. They would be better off going home and playing cards!
Just then, Dai Xiaomei, who had remained silent until now, suddenly said, "If close combat doesn't work, could we try ranged attacks?"
One Sword Opens Heaven's eyes immediately lit up.
"Right! I was just wondering how we could increase our fighting distance. Your suggestion reminded me of something.
Since the wolves can't leave the forest, we can lure one to the edge and slowly wear it down with ranged attacks!"
This idea gave the dispirited players renewed hope. The lifeless revival hall instantly became lively again.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's hurry and see if there are any ranged ninjutsu available. The sooner we buy and learn them, the sooner we can kill monsters and level up!"
Meanwhile.
Ye Chen had been sleeping when a system notification suddenly sounded.
[Player Raijin has created a complete original ninjutsu. Preliminary system classification: C-Rank. Preliminary estimated value: 180 contribution points.]
Ye Chen had previously authorized the system to assess the value of players' original skills and award them contribution points automatically.
"What? Someone actually created a ninjutsu?"
The news instantly drove away his drowsiness. He scrambled out of bed, and after confirming the notification was real, he was overjoyed.
The ninjutsu currently available in the system shop were only E-Rank, the lowest tier of ninjutsu and the beginner level.
Even these beginner ninjutsu would take an ordinary person a year to learn. Yet someone had already created a C-Rank ninjutsu. It was incredible.
"These players just keep surprising me!"
[Congratulations to player Raijin for creating the original ninjutsu, Lightning Release: Thunder Strike, and contributing it to the village. Awarded 180 contribution points.]
While he was still stunned, another system notification sounded, bringing Ye Chen back to his senses.
This ninjutsu was worth so much more than the previous Taijutsu, Eight-Level Collapse, and the system had classified it as C-Rank. It had to be quite powerful.
Intrigued, Ye Chen immediately used his system privileges to activate the energy orb and observe the player.
The players, who had only just learned beginner ninjutsu, were equally shocked by the notification.
"Holy shit, are the rest of us even supposed to stand a chance?"
"We only just learned that expert Bullfighter's Taijutsu, Eight-Level Collapse, and now another expert has created Lightning Release: Thunder Strike! With talent like yours, isn't playing a game a waste?"
"An expert this amazing? I've got to go watch..."
In the village's little grove, the players crowded around Raijin, all clamoring to see his newly created ninjutsu.
Raijin's avatar looked like a boy of seventeen or eighteen. He smiled shyly but didn't refuse, openly demonstrating his original ninjutsu for everyone.
He leaped with a dog-paddling motion and successfully landed on a tree branch. Holding a hammer in his left hand, he traced a circle in the air with his right, then formed a fairly simple hand seal with both hands:
"Lightning Release!"
After his loud shout, a bolt of lightning actually appeared in the sky.
The sight stunned not only the crowd but also Ye Chen, who was watching behind the scenes.
He couldn't help silently giving the player a thumbs-up. What a fucking genius.
Once the lightning appeared, the player named Raijin quickly raised his hammer to meet it in midair.
"Thunder Strike!"
The next instant, the lightning slammed into the hammerhead, unleashing an intense flash that blinded everyone present.
The players saw a burst of white light, then their eyes stopped working, temporarily leaving them unable to see anything around them.
"What's going on? Why can't I see anything?"
"Where's the expert who created the ninjutsu? I saw him get hit by lightning with my own eyes. Did he die?"
"He messed up his very first demonstration. Are we sure this ninjutsu is safe?"
"What if we end up electrocuting ourselves instead of hitting the wolf?"
"I'm not dead!"
As the players voiced their doubts, a voice rang out beside them. Naturally, it belonged to Raijin.
"Heh, you're alive. That's good. We were just talking."
"An expert really is an expert. You're amazing! We're impressed!"
All the players wore awkward but polite smiles.
By then, their vision was gradually returning. When they saw the scene before them, they were stunned all over again.
Roughly five meters ahead, the trees and undergrowth had been scorched black. Even the smell of roasted rabbit seemed to linger in the air.
"Holy shit, you're awesome!"
"One skill can do this much damage and hit targets five meters away? Are you even fucking human? You're practically a god!"
"This skill is so damn cool! I want to learn it. I have to learn it!"
"Comrades, there's hope for killing monsters! We can definitely win this time..."
Cheers rang through the grove, and every player was beside themselves with excitement.
Dai Xiaomei hurriedly recorded and saved the spectacular scene. She could already imagine how wildly popular her livestream would become once the game continued.
Watching all this, Ye Chen was astonished once again. "This player must be a hardcore anime fan!"
The player actually understood ninjutsu better than he did as village chief. Although some of those movements were original, much of the inspiration had definitely come from anime.
Still, this player was remarkably clever. Creating a C-Rank ninjutsu just from watching anime was an impressive feat in its own right.
Learning ninjutsu was difficult enough. Creating an original one was harder than reaching the heavens.
Even some jonin from the Land of Grass spent their entire lives without creating so much as a beginner ninjutsu. All they learned were techniques passed down by their ancestors.
That showed just how extraordinary it was for this player to create his own ninjutsu.
At the same time, Ye Chen grew even more curious about how exactly he had done it.
Before you continue