Night fell, and lights glowed in homes throughout Konoha.
The whole village was quiet and peaceful, except for the heavily guarded Archives Room in the Hokage Building.
It housed the ninjutsu compendiums Konoha had treasured for generations, including a top-tier forbidden text-the Scroll of Seals.
According to the original plot, Mizuki would persuade Naruto to come steal the Scroll of Seals tonight.
Lin Chen changed into dark casual clothes and slipped quietly through Konoha's streets and alleys under cover of night.
After plundering Naruto and Sasuke's fortune and potential, his physique, speed, and perception far surpassed those of an ordinary genin.
He easily avoided the patrolling ninja's sight and silently approached the rear of the Archives Room.
[Ding! Opportunity Prediction activated! Naruto and Mizuki will arrive here in ten minutes!] [The Scroll of Seals contains vast amounts of Origin. Detected plunder returns are extremely high!]
Lin Chen hid in the shadows and waited patiently.
Rather than force his way in, he quietly lay in wait for the plot point.
He wanted more than the Scroll of Seals. He also wanted to seize the first top-tier opportunity of Naruto's life!
He would personally sever the first step of Heaven's Chosen Protagonist's rise!
Ten minutes passed in a flash.
Two furtive figures quietly crept toward the Archives Room.
They were none other than Naruto Uzumaki and the chunin Mizuki.
"Naruto, as long as you get the Scroll of Seals and learn the ninjutsu inside it..."
"You'll gain everyone's recognition and become the strongest ninja!"
Mizuki kept his voice low as he continued to entice Naruto, his eyes full of calculation.
The innocent Naruto nodded vigorously, his face brimming with excitement.
"Really? That's great! I'll definitely learn the strongest ninjutsu!"
His heart was full of anticipation, utterly unaware that he was merely someone else's pawn.
As the two neared the Archives Room's entrance, Lin Chen slowly stepped out of the shadows.
"Don't bother."
A cool voice suddenly rang out.
Naruto and Mizuki instantly froze and whipped their heads around.
Both looked shocked to see Lin Chen emerge from the darkness.
"Lin Chen? What are you doing here?" Naruto cried out.
Mizuki's expression instantly darkened, a trace of wariness and malice flashing through his eyes.
He had already heard the recent news of Lin Chen's heaven-defying rise.
"Kid, leave right now if you know what's good for you. Keep your nose out of this!"
Mizuki threatened him in a low voice, afraid the noise would draw patrolling ninja.
Lin Chen looked at him impassively, his tone indifferent.
"How could Konoha's forbidden text be left for outsiders to steal?"
"You're plotting something underhanded, yet you still dare act so arrogantly?"
Mizuki's expression turned vicious, and he dropped his pretense.
"If you're so eager to die, don't blame me for showing no mercy!"
He instantly formed hand seals, chakra surging.
[Water Release: Wild Water Wave!]
Thin streams of water gushed out, rushing straight at Lin Chen!
As a full-fledged chunin, Mizuki was far stronger than an ordinary student.
Standing to one side, Naruto panicked completely, at a loss for what to do.
Facing the incoming ninjutsu, Lin Chen's expression remained unchanged.
Activate plunder!
[Ding! Target locked: Mizuki. Plundering chunin chakra reserves and Water Release talent!]
An invisible force instantly enveloped Mizuki's entire body.
The ninjutsu Mizuki was spewing instantly collapsed, and the chakra within him abruptly ran dry.
"What?! My chakra!"
Terror filled Mizuki's face as his body instantly went half limp.
Lin Chen's figure flashed. He closed in with the Body Flicker Technique and struck Mizuki squarely in the chest with his palm.
Bang!
Mizuki flew backward and slammed heavily into the ground, losing consciousness completely.
It was all over in one second!
Naruto watched from the side, utterly dumbfounded, his eyes wide and his face blank.
Even a full-fledged chunin was taken down in a single move?
Lin Chen was way too strong!
Having dealt with Mizuki, Lin Chen turned to the dazed Naruto.
Naruto instantly snapped out of it, his face filled with guilt and panic.
"Lin Chen, I... I just wanted to get stronger and have everyone acknowledge me..."
Seeing his flustered state, Lin Chen felt no stir in his heart.
Sympathizing with the weak would only invite backlash from the Heavenly Dao.
"Go back. This isn't a path you should take."
Lin Chen spoke calmly, his tone allowing no argument.
Naruto bit his lip, unwilling to accept it, but dared not say anything more. He could only turn and leave dejectedly.
Watching Naruto walk away, Lin Chen fixed his gaze on the Archives Room's entrance.
With no one to interfere, the opportunity was entirely his!
He raised his hand, easily undid the simple seal, and pushed open the Archives Room's door.
At a glance, he spotted the golden scroll placed in the most conspicuous position-the Scroll of Seals!
[Ding! Top-tier opportunity detected: Scroll of Seals!] [Plunder the entire scroll's Origin to unlock the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique and the Nine-Tails Chakra Key?]
"Plunder it all!"
Lin Chen did not hesitate.
[Ding! Critical multiplier triggered! Fate-defying initial opportunity: tenfold enhancement activated!]
Vast amounts of information, chakra, and the Origin of secret techniques surged madly into Lin Chen's mind and body.
The Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, all kinds of sealing techniques, authorization to unlock Nine-Tails chakra...
He mastered them all!
His chakra reserves instantly increased tenfold!
His physique, endurance, and recovery all underwent a qualitative transformation!
At that moment, Naruto's greatest destined opportunity in his early days was seized completely by Lin Chen!
Heaven's Chosen Protagonist's path to prominence had been severed at its very first step!
[Ding! Major plot deviation!] [The Will of the World's corrective strength has increased slightly! Pressure from subsequent plot developments has intensified!]
From the void, the cold sensation of being watched intensified once more.
Lin Chen tightened his grip on the Scroll of Seals, a cold gleam shining in his eyes.
Correction?
Let's see what you, the Heavenly Dao of the Myriad Heavens, can do to me!
Before you continue