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Chapter no.64 Level Up!
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In the Barrier Corps HQ, the room hummed with activity. Chakra monitors blinked in steady rhythms, operators logged data, and people bustled between stations. Yet one figure stood out—Fu, the ever-stoic sentinel of the Barrier Corps, who was currently… sweating buckets.
"Uh… Fu? You good?"
Fu didn't look up, his face as calm and emotionless as ever. "Yes."
But the sweat told a different story. Fu's fingers hovered over the controls as he worked to mask Naruto Uzumaki's chaotic chakra activity. The boy had been using his space-time ninjutsu constantly for the last few hours, and it was driving Fu to the edge.
"You're sweating like you just ran a marathon."
"I am fine," Fu replied in his monotone voice, dabbing his forehead with a handkerchief.
In reality, Fu's mind was spiraling. Naruto's chakra signature kept blinking on and off the radar like a broken lightbulb. Every time it disappeared, Fu had to tweak the barrier's readings to make sure no one noticed. If he didn't, an automatic report would be sent to the Hokage's office about the boy's "sudden death."
Why? Fu thought as he adjusted the readings for the thirteenth time in as many minutes. Why is he using it so much? Does he enjoy torturing me?
"You sure you're okay? You look like you're about to pass out."
"For the mission," Fu whispered under his breath, the faintest hint of frustration creeping into his usually emotionless tone.
"What was that?" Sora asked.
Fu cleared his throat. "Nothing."
For the mission. For the mission, Fu chanted silently in his mind, trying to keep himself composed. But it wasn't working. This was the first time in years—decades—that Fu had felt anything remotely resembling frustration, and it was all thanks to one loud, unpredictable ninja.
"Stupid boy," Fu muttered under his breath as Naruto's chakra signature blinked out again.
"Wait… did you just talk smack about someone? Are you okay?! Who are you, and what have you done with Fu?"
Fu remained silent, his calm mask slipping for just a moment as he resisted the urge to slam his fist into the console.
---
Naruto found himself back at the bonfire, a small smile creeping across his face. Sliding on the Ring of Sacrifice, he summoned a clone, as had become his routine.
"So, what's the plan? You running straight to the demon again, or…?"
Naruto shook his head, cracking his knuckles. "Not yet. First, I need to level up and show that oversized bull who's really stronger!"
The clone nodded, watching as Naruto pulled up the glowing system screen. His fingers hovered over the stats list before dumping a massive chunk of his souls into Strength.
[ Strength: 17 → 24 ]
[ R Weapon 1: 169 → 190 ]
The instant the change locked in, Naruto's entire body felt different. His muscles tensed, and a deep warmth surged through his arms and chest, like every fiber of his being had been fortified. His grip around the Zweihander's handle felt more natural now, his arms no longer straining to control its weight.
"Man, I feel like I could punch through a wall right now," Naruto muttered, clenching his fist.
The clone smirked. "Plus, you can finally one-hand that giant slab of steel you call a sword."
Naruto grinned at that thought, but the clone leaned forward, tapping on the floating screen. "Hey, you've got enough for one more level. Maybe instead of just strength, try adding a point to each stat and see what changes. You know, experiment a little."
Naruto considered it, then nodded. "Good idea."
He selected each stat one at a time and scratched his head. "So… let's just go with Dexterity. More damage is always good, right?"
The clone shrugged. "Works for me."
Naruto locked in the point.
[ Name: Naruto Uzumaki ]
[ Level: 11 → 19 ]
[ Covenant: Way of White ]
[ Souls: 1.8k ]
[ ReqSouls: 2601 ]
[ Attributes: ]
[ Vitality: 10 ]
[ Attunement: 12 ]
[ Endurance: 11 ]
[ Strength: 17 → 24 ]
[ Dexterity: 10 → 11 ]
[ Resistance: 12 ]
[ Intelligence: 10 ]
[ Faith: 8 ]
[ Humanity: 1 ]
[ Stats: ]
[ HP: 573 / 573 ]
[ Stamina: 93 ]
[ Equip Load: 39.1 / 51.0 ]
[ Weapon Stats: ]
[ R Weapon 1: 192 ]
[ R Weapon 2: 40 ]
[ L Weapon 1: 57 ]
[ L Weapon 2: 20 ]
[ Defense: ]
[ Physical Defense: 274 (44) ]
[ VS Strike: 267 ]
[ VS Slash: 310.7 ]
[ VS Thrust: 274 ]
[ Magic Defense: 145.5 (44) ]
[ Flame Defense: 153 (44) ]
[ Lightning Defense: 127.7 (43) ]
[ Resistances: ]
[ Poise: 46 ]
[ Bleed Resist: 118.3 ]
[ Poison Resist: 92.4 ]
[ Curse Resist: 30 ]
[ Miscellaneous: ]
[ Item Discovery: 120 ]
[ Attunement Slots: 2 ]
[ Attunement Slot 1: Fireball × 8 ]
[ Attunement Slot 2: Force × 21 ]
Naruto dismissed the screen, standing up and stretching. "Alright, time to see what all this strength can do."
The boy strode out of the room, moving with a newfound confidence. As he rounded a corner, an arrow zipped toward him. He dodged with ease, sidestepping and closing the gap between himself and the hollow archer in an instant.
His fist shot forward in a devastating hook—no chakra, no nothing, just pure, raw strength. The impact tore straight through the hollow's chest, his bloody fist erupting out of its back. Bone splintered, and blood sprayed as the hollow crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
Naruto blinked, staring at the gory mess his hand had made. "...Whoa. I'm a freaking monster."
Another hollow lunged at him, sword raised, but before it could get close, a kunai whizzed through the hollow's skull. Its body collapsed as Naruto caught the kunai mid-air, turning to see his clone staring slack-jawed.
The clone pointed. "Did you see that?!"
Naruto smirked, tossing the kunai into the air and catching it again. "I think you're right. We definitely need more of this."
"Agreed."
Naruto turned, cracking his neck as he headed toward the black knight and Taurus Demon. His Zweihander rested on his shoulder. He was stronger now—faster, sharper, and deadlier.
The clone called after him, throwing up his hands. "Wait! What am I supposed to do here?"
"Kick rocks while I kick ass, dattebayo!"
---
Naruto grabbed the axe-wielding hollow by the arm, spun it around, and slammed it into the stone wall with his bare hands. The impact shattered its bones, the body crumpling like discarded parchment.
As he stepped out onto the narrow balcony, he spotted the familiar, hunched figure of the Undead Merchant.
"It's you!" the merchant snarled, his yellowed teeth bared in an ugly grin. "Still skulking about, eh? You haven't forgotten about that reinforced club, have you?"
"I'm not paying for something I didn't buy," Naruto replied curtly. "But I thought you were all about doing business, not holding grudges."
"Fine, fine," the merchant said. "We'll deal with that little… misunderstanding later. For now, what can I do for you, dear customer?"
"I want to buy that residence key."
"Straight to the point, eh? Good, good! That'll be 1,000 souls. A fair price, wouldn't you say? Especially in these treacherous times! Nee hee hee hee!"
Naruto frowned but pulled up his soul count.
[ Souls: 2354 ]
"Fine," he muttered, reluctantly handing over the souls.
The merchant plucked a long, dark metal key from his wares and handed it over, the jagged teeth glinting faintly in the light.
[Name: Residence Key ]
[ Description: Key to a residence in the Undead Burg. The simple, sturdy locks in the Burg are no match for this common key, capable of opening multiple doors. ]
Naruto turned the key in his hand, examining it. "So, this'll open all those locked doors I've seen around?"
"Some of them, sure. Not all, though."
Naruto nodded. "What about that door that leads down?"
"Ah, you mean the Lower Undead Burg? That one's sealed tight, thanks to some sorcery. Those poor fools were trying to keep out a goat demon, you see."
"A goat demon?!"
"Yes, a real nasty piece of work. It moved in not too long ago. Why, I could feel its foul presence even up here. And it's not the only thing you should be wary of! There's that humongous drake up above, and a bull demon, too. If you stick around these parts, it might just be your grave! Nee hee hee hee!"
Naruto took a mental note of that, but as he turned to leave, the merchant called out.
"Wait, wait! Before you go—look at that big slab of iron you're swinging around. I'd strongly recommend repairing it before it snaps in two like a twig."
Naruto pulled out the Zweihander, giving it a quick inspection. Sure enough, faint scratches and tiny cracks marred the blade's edge. He frowned, pulling out a pouch of repair powder and sprinkling it along the blade. The shimmering golden glow sealed up the cracks, leaving the steel polished and pristine.
"See? Fixed it," Naruto said smugly, sheathing the blade.
The merchant squinted at him, unimpressed. "Hmm. Try that on your armor next, genius."
Naruto hesitated, then pulled off his helmet and sprinkled some powder on it. The glow only filled in the tiniest cracks, leaving larger dents untouched.
"Eh? Thought you'd get away with powder alone? Nee hee hee! For armor, you'll need proper tools." The merchant pulled out a small wooden box, opening it to reveal a grinding stone and rough cloth. "This'll do the trick."
"How much?"
"Three thousand souls," the merchant said, his grin sharpening.
"Figures," Naruto muttered, glaring at the merchant. "You're just trying to scam me to get back at me for that stupid club."
"Ungrateful brat!" the merchant snapped. "Not only are you ignoring sound advice, but you're also refusing to take responsibility. Fine! Keep fighting in that busted-up tin can. I'll be here when it shatters on you!"
"I'll take my chances. Later, rip-off artist."
The merchant's mocking laughter followed the boy as he stalked off. "Don't wait too long, my friend! Remember—broken gear means broken dreams! Nee hee hee hee!"
Naruto groaned under his breath. "Man, I hate that guy…"
---
Naruto tore through the remaining hollows like clockwork, his movements fluid and efficient. After so many loops, it wasn't even worth drawing the Zweihander anymore—just fists and kata were enough. He sidestepped a clumsy slash, grabbed the hollow by the head, and twisted sharply, the sickening snap of its neck echoing through the narrow hallway.
"Next," Naruto muttered as he made his way toward the black knight, eager to test his new strength.
But the moment he entered, his excitement fizzled. The path was empty.
"What the—?" Naruto muttered, frowning. He scanned the area, expecting the knight to appear from the shadows.
He scratched his head, confusion mounting. "Did I… beat it for good? That doesn't make sense. Doesn't everything reset in this world?"
Still grumbling, he continued up the stairs, hoping for a flaming barrel to come rolling his way. But the staircase was unnervingly still.
Naruto dodged an incoming spear thrust from a hollow at the top of the stairs. His fist shot out, the jab sending the hollow stumbling backward. Before it could recover, Naruto yanked the spear from its grip, pulling the hollow toward him and driving his knee into its chest with bone-crunching force.
"Why is the black knight gone?!" Naruto growled, tossing the hollow aside.
Reaching the tower's locked door, Naruto fished out the residence key he'd bought earlier. Sliding it into the lock, he turned it—and nothing happened.
"You've got to be kidding me." Naruto stared at the door, dumbfounded, before groaning. "Don't tell me I got scammed again!"
Frustrated, he slammed his fist into the door, only to be met with a sudden pulse. A shimmering barrier of blue light rippled across the wood, absorbing the force of his punch.
Naruto blinked. "What the hell?"
The door stood unscathed, the barrier flickering faintly before fading back into invisibility. Naruto huffed, turning away.
"Fine, you stupid door. Guess I'll just take my anger out on the Taurus Demon instead."
Naruto climbed the staircase to the top of the tower, only to find the final section of stairs destroyed. With a shrug, he began walking up the walls themselves, his chakra keeping him anchored to the stone. Reaching the top, he stepped onto the roof just as two crossbow hollows turned and fired their bolts at him.
Naruto disappeared in a flash, reappearing directly in front of the first hollow. He spun into a devastating tornado kick, the force obliterating the hollow's crossbow and sending it flying. Before it could even hit the ground, Naruto followed up with a side kick, slamming the hollow into the stone wall so hard it was reduced to a bloody paste.
The second hollow unsheathed its sword, charging at him with a wild swing. Naruto brought up the Zweihander, blocking the strike with ease. The clash rang out, sparks flying as the smaller weapon glanced off his massive blade. With a swift counter, Naruto cleaved through the hollow, cutting it down in one precise cut.
He exhaled, letting the Zweihander rest on his shoulder as he turned to the real challenge. Across the wall walk, perched atop the far tower, sat the Taurus Demon.
The massive beast glared at him with glowing yellow eyes. For a brief moment, they locked gazes, and then the demon moved.
Naruto's heart skipped a beat as the Taurus Demon leapt from its tower, the stone beneath it cracking under its massive weight. The massive monster soared through the air, its glowing eyes locked onto Naruto.
Nope, nope, nope! Naruto yelled, quickly forming a hand sign. In a flash of speed, he used Shunshin no Jutsu, disappearing just as the demon's massive form crashed onto the wall walk.
Naruto reappeared further down the path, skidding to a stop as he turned around, half-expecting the Taurus Demon's sheer weight to send it crashing through the floor and into the tower below.
But instead of the stone crumbling, his eyes widened in shock. A faint blue shimmer spread across the tower's surface where the demon landed, holding firm against the impact.
"What the hell?" Naruto muttered, staring at the glowing barrier that had briefly flared up. It's like this tower was made to not be broken.
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[ Personal Note: First off, thanks a ton to all of you for sticking with this story. Seriously, you guys are awesome. Now, if you're interested in supporting me on P@treon, let me just say that over there, I post these massive 5k-word chapters. But heads up, if you're jumping to P@treon, you'll need to start from Chapter 30, since that's where this chapter lines up with the content there.
To everyone here just reading along, please don't forget to leave a comment! Honestly, your comments make my day, and they let me know you're as invested in this story as I am. So yeah, thanks again, and I hope you have an amazing rest of your day!