The night wind was icy.
Uesugi Sasuke knelt on one knee amid the rubble. The burnt smell and waves of stinging pain from his right arm kept him painfully alert.
He looked at his nearly ruined right hand, then at the completely unscathed rock face a short distance away.
Fear at how close he had come surged over him like a tide.
Just a little closer.
And he would have died to the very technique he took the most pride in.
How laughable.
"Without the Sharingan, Chidori is a suicidal technique..."
He repeated those words quietly, his fist clenching unconsciously, his nails digging deep into his palm.
He refused to accept it.
He had unlocked Great Fireball, only for a single use to drain all his chakra, leaving it a trump card he could look at but not use.
He had unlocked Chidori, only to be told it had a fatal flaw, that activating it was tantamount to placing his life in his enemy's hands.
He possessed the power to slay dragons, yet his own body was as frail as an infant's.
That sense of helplessness was even harder for him to bear than the fear he felt when facing vicious demons.
He brought up the system panel, his gaze fixed on the [Sharingan], which required 1,000 points to unlock.
A thousand points.
At his current pace, he would need to hunt down at least seven more demons.
And they had to be as strong as the ones before.
But now, he did not even dare use his strongest attack lightly. What was he supposed to hunt them with?
Was he supposed to keep relying on those paltry traps and sneak attacks?
Sasuke's breathing grew rapid as the flames of vengeance collided violently with cruel reality in his chest.
He forced himself to calm down.
Anger would solve nothing.
He began to reflect on his recent battles.
Against the first demon, he had relied on an unexpected sneak attack and a trap at the last moment.
Against the second demon, he had relied on misdirection and traps.
Against the third demon, he had likewise relied on traps and terrain.
He had won, but his victories had been lucky.
He had no complete combat system at all.
His taijutsu consisted only of the basics instilled by the system, nowhere near mastery.
His ninja tool throwing was also only barely adequate.
He was like a three-year-old holding a divine weapon, utterly unable to bring out its true power and liable even to hurt himself.
He lacked the most fundamental thing.
A foundation.
Neither his understanding of this world's methods of combat nor the training of his own body was anywhere near sufficient.
Just as Sasuke sank into thought, the cold system notification sounded again.
But this time, it was no longer a warning, but an entirely new suggestion.
[Host detected to have reached a bottleneck. Initiating backup growth protocol (Plan B).] [Analysis: The host currently relies too heavily on "ninjutsu" itself while neglecting the body's foundational role as a "vessel." Fundamental differences exist between the chakra system and this world's energy system. Forced integration poses excessive risks.] [Recommendation: The host may attempt to learn this world's supernatural power-"Breathing Styles."] [Breathing Styles can greatly enhance physical attributes and improve control over energy. Once the body is sufficiently strong, this may provide a foundation for using "Chidori" safely and create the possibility of integrating the two power systems in the future.] [Database matching recommends visiting the former "Rumble Hashira"-Jigoro Kuwajima.] [This individual is a top practitioner of "Thunder Breathing." His Breathing Style is the closest match for the nature of the host's lightning release chakra.] [Target location: Mount Momoyama. Marked on the host's map.]
The stream of information left Sasuke stunned.
Breathing Styles?
Rumble Hashira?
He recalled some scattered records about the "Demon Slayer Corps" he had found in his parents' room.
It seemed to be an organization dedicated to hunting vicious demons.
And the "Hashira" were its strongest swordsmen.
Was the system telling him to learn from this world's powerful humans?
Sasuke's brows knitted tightly.
Deep down, he possessed the pride of a genius.
He possessed a top-tier power system from another world, yet he had to learn this world's "native" techniques.
But he quickly snuffed out that ridiculous shred of pride.
Reality had already dealt him the most resounding slap.
Black cat or white cat, a cat that caught mice was a good cat.
Whatever the method, if it could make him stronger and help him take revenge more effectively, it was a good method.
If learning a Breathing Style could make his body strong enough to wield Chidori, then this was a path he had to take.
This was a shortcut.
Once he understood that, the confusion and frustration in Sasuke's eyes vanished, replaced by an even firmer resolve.
He stood up, disregarding the injury to his right arm, and looked in the direction marked on the system map.
Mount Momoyama.
A new goal had appeared.
Before you continue