Stripping the Scripture Repository Bare

The Konoha Scripture Repository, built of blue bricks and gray tiles, stood tucked away west of the Hokage Building.

Basic warning seals surrounded the repository, and two ninja stood guard with swords in hand, their auras steady.

The repository's overseer, Kato Iwa, was a veteran Chunin of Konoha. He had managed the repository for over a decade. Rigid and harsh, he particularly despised newcomers who rose on empty reputations.

Lin Chen walked slowly up to the repository.

Kato Iwa looked up and swept his gaze over him, his eyes holding a measure of scrutiny and disdain.

"The Hokage's written order."

His tone was stiff. He took the document, glanced at it, and casually tossed it back.

"Choose one scroll from the intermediate section. You have half an incense stick's worth of time. The advanced section is sealed. Touch anything you shouldn't, and don't say I didn't warn you when I break your limbs."

His words were full of warnings, making it clear he did not believe a twelve-year-old student could behave himself.

In his eyes, this so-called exceptional genius was nothing more than a publicity stunt dreamed up by the higher-ups on a whim.

He might not have much real ability at all.

Lin Chen remained composed, nodded slightly, and stepped inside.

Rows upon rows of shelves held densely packed scrolls and books, with a gentle chakra aura diffusing through the air.

From basic release techniques to advanced secret teachings, from incomplete sealing scrolls to detailed explanations of genjutsu, it was practically a miniature treasure house of the Shinobi World.

"Only one scroll?"

The corners of Lin Chen's lips lifted slightly, his heart utterly undisturbed.

Konoha's rules had never been able to constrain him.

[Ding! A vast quantity of source essence from ninjutsu texts detected!]

[Activate Full-Domain Plunder to extract the core insights of all intermediate and advanced ninjutsu?]

[Note: Only the source essence will be extracted. The scrolls themselves will remain undamaged, making abnormalities difficult for ordinary people to detect.]

Activate.

Lin Chen gave the silent command.

An invisible plundering force quietly spread out, washing over the entire floor of the repository like rippling water.

Hand seal tricks, chakra circulation methods, and practical combat insights were silently extracted from scroll after scroll and book after book, pouring endlessly into his mind.

[Ding! Plunder successful: Complete explanations of basic release techniques for all five attributes!]

[Ding! Plunder successful: Thirty advanced Sealing Jutsu forms!]

[Ding! Plunder successful: Complete guide to basic genjutsu resistance!]

[Ding! Plunder successful: Basic sword moves of Konoha-Style Swordsmanship!]

[Critical effect triggered: Full-domain source essence fusion. Proficiency in all techniques raised directly to mastery!]

System notifications sounded one after another as the vast body of knowledge came together into a coherent whole.

The explosiveness of Fire Release, the suppleness of Water Release, the solidity of Earth Release, the cutting force of Wind Release, and the swiftness of Lightning Release-the operating principles of all five release styles became thoroughly familiar to him.

Sealing, genjutsu, swordsmanship, and medical fundamentals filled in his weaknesses across the board.

Previously a Taijutsu specialist with an unbalanced skill set, he had now fully developed into an all-round ninja.

Lin Chen strolled leisurely between the shelves, his fingertips occasionally brushing a scroll, seemingly browsing at random.

As his half an incense stick's worth of time drew to an end, he casually pulled out an utterly ordinary scroll for "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique."

The scroll was yellowed. It contained a common introductory advanced ninjutsu with nothing remarkable about it.

As he turned toward the exit, someone suddenly pushed open the repository door.

Kato Iwa strode inside with a dark expression, his gaze sharp as a blade.

"Stop!"

He barked the command, the chakra around him tightening slightly as he approached as though demanding an accounting.

Lin Chen paused briefly and looked up, his expression calm. "Something wrong?"

"Stop playing dumb!" Kato Iwa snapped coldly. "The chakra source essence inside the repository fluctuated just now. Was that your doing?"

Having guarded the repository for over a decade, he was extremely sensitive to the auras of its texts.

Although he had not detected any specific abnormality, he had vaguely sensed the aura of the techniques throughout the floor weaken a fraction.

There had been no one there besides Lin Chen.

"I was simply choosing a scroll according to the rules."

Lin Chen's tone was even as he raised the Great Fireball scroll in his hand. "If you don't believe me, Lord Kato, feel free to inspect it."

The scroll was undamaged and its seal intact, revealing not the slightest flaw.

Kato Iwa's eyes grew colder.

He was certain Lin Chen had tampered with something, but he could find no concrete evidence, which only fueled his anger.

A newly admitted student actually dared to play tricks right under his nose?

"Fine words, but who knows whether you used some forbidden art to steal the essence of these texts?"

Kato Iwa stepped forward, his chakra surging with oppressive force. "Submit and let me search you! If I find nothing wrong, I will apologize."

His words sounded righteous, but in truth, he wanted to use the opportunity to establish his authority and take this newcomer down a peg.

Lin Chen narrowed his eyes slightly, a trace of coldness rising within him.

Looking for trouble?

Then he couldn't blame me.

"A search?"

Lin Chen spoke mildly. "How imposing you are, Lord Kato."

"The Hokage personally authorized me to enter the repository and choose a technique, yet you want to search and detain me without any evidence?"

"Since when did you get to decide Konoha's rules?"

Neither meek nor overbearing, those few words pushed straight back.

Kato Iwa's expression darkened, and he lost his patience entirely.

"Sharp-tongued brat! Looks to me like you have a guilty conscience!"

With a low shout, he reached for Lin Chen's shoulder.

His hand swept forward with Chunin-level chakra, its force steady. Once his grip landed, he would be able to restrain his opponent instantly.

In his view, no twelve-year-old student could withstand even one move from him, however strong he might be.

Just as his palm was about to touch the shoulder-

Lin Chen shifted slightly to the side, seemingly effortless, yet precisely evading the attack.

At the same time, his fingertips darted out, swift as lightning.

[Ding! Target locked: Kato Iwa!]

[Plunder: Fine chakra control and ten years of repository-guarding sealing fundamentals!]

An invisible force instantly enveloped Kato Iwa's entire body.

Kato Iwa felt his chakra pathways go numb, and the chakra circulating inside him abruptly grew sluggish.

His previously well-practiced grappling move instantly lost its form and accuracy.

"What?!"

Alarm shot through him. Before he could react, Lin Chen had firmly seized his wrist.

Crack-

A faint sound came from the joint.

Lin Chen applied a little pressure with his fingertips, and Kato Iwa felt an immense force surge through him. His entire arm went numb and limp, and his chakra scattered completely.

"Urgh!"

Kato Iwa grunted, his face turning deathly pale as cold sweat instantly beaded on his forehead.

He looked up in horror, his eyes filled with disbelief.

He, a veteran Chunin, had actually been restrained in a single move by a student?

And the chakra inside him was in utter disarray, as though most of the control he had painstakingly cultivated over the years had been extracted out of thin air!

"Lord Kato, do you still want to search me?"

Lin Chen's tone was calm, betraying neither pleasure nor anger, but the pressure of his grip did not ease in the slightest.

Kato Iwa stood rigid, shocked and furious, yet unable to move.

At last, he understood.

The boy before him was no empty showpiece who had risen on a hollow reputation.

He was a genuinely ruthless character!

"I... I was only conducting a routine inspection..."

Kato Iwa gritted his teeth and tried to hold firm, but his tone had softened considerably.

Lin Chen released him without fuss and stepped back, his aura subsiding to its original state.

"Routine inspections are fine."

"But making baseless accusations and laying hands on someone to detain them?"

"Next time, it won't be as simple as crippling one hand."

His words were mild, yet carried an unquestionable force.

Clutching his numb arm, Kato Iwa's face alternated between ashen and pale. He was angry but dared not speak.

He could clearly feel that his chakra control had fallen drastically, taking a portion of his strength with it for no apparent reason.

This bizarre change definitely had something to do with Lin Chen.

But he had no evidence, and he was even less capable of defeating him.

He could only swallow his anger.

Without looking at him again, Lin Chen calmly walked out of the repository with that ordinary Great Fireball scroll.

Sunlight fell over the boy's slender, upright figure. His steps were steady, without the slightest sign of panic.

Inside the repository, Kato Iwa stood frozen as towering waves of shock surged through his heart.

He stared fixedly at Lin Chen's departing figure, his gaze extraordinarily complicated.

Wariness, shock, and fear intertwined.

"That boy... just what kind of monster is he...?"

He murmured to himself, his back already soaked with cold sweat.

After leaving the repository, Lin Chen curled his fingers slightly.

Chakra flowed nimbly through his palm, switching freely and smoothly between all five attributes.

With the sealing fundamentals and fine chakra control he had just plundered, his strength had advanced another notch.

He was another step closer to the threshold of Jonin.

[Ding! The fated target's resentment is continuing to rise!]

[A slight boost from the Will of the World has intensified the distortion of Sasuke's mental state. A minor plot correction event will be triggered soon!]

The system notifications suddenly sounded.

Lin Chen looked up, gazing deeper into the village.

There, a cold, obsessive aura was firmly locked onto his direction.

Sasuke Uchiha.

The Heavenly Dao's correction was finally coming.

The corners of Lin Chen's lips rose slightly, a hint of sharpness showing in his eyes.

Perfect timing.

He had just completed his repertoire of techniques and was looking for a target to test them on.

Whether it was a fated protagonist or a correction from the Heavenly Dao-

If they dared to come, he dared to take everything they brought.

Every opportunity, every accumulated resource, every bit of fortune.

All of it was his!