Ryou returned to his house and grabbed a few kunai, shuriken, and military ration pills. He then took out his newly purchased katana-like sword, fastening it securely at his waist.
The katana was forged from a special metal that allowed chakra to flow through it and can be imbued with chakra Nature. Of course, his primary weapon, Ikazuchi, is stored safely within the system space.
For now, the newly brought katana was more than enough to deal with the current things.
As Ryou left his house, he checked his status panel:
[~ Name: Ryou
Physique: Nature [Intermediate - 1%]
Chakra: Jonin
Skill: Nature Breathing [Max], Observation Haki [Basic], Jutsu.
Items: Sword: Ikazuchi
Upgrade Points: 0 ~]
[Jutsu]
Nature Transformation: Wind, Fire, Water, Earth
Chakra Control: Advanced [Jonin-level]
Transformation/Clone/Body Replacement: Jonin-level
Genjutsu: Intermediate [Chunin-level]
After his physique had reached the intermediate level, his chakra had increased to the Jonin level. Along with this, he'd awakened new Nature affinities with Fire, Water, and Earth.
With ten days of practice, his chakra control had also reached the advanced level, but it slowed down recently. To improve further, he'd need constant practice.
With Advanced Chakra control, he could now amplify the power of his strikes like Tsunade, and he could also shape chakra into blades, similar to the chakra scalpel technique. However, these things need further training.
With his current strength, an average Jonin wouldn't stand a chance against him. However, it wasn't enough. He needs to learn stronger jutsu to face the real threats in the Naruto world.
Without stronger jutsu, his skills would be limited, especially in high-level battles against Kage-level powerhouses.
But there was a problem, where could he learn such high-level jutsu? Ryou didn't have the background or connections to access these powerful techniques, which were not casually taught to others.
So, he asked his instructor, Daichi, for advice. Daichi informed him about the Konoha Ninja Library, a huge depository of jutsu and knowledge for Konoha Ninjas.
However, as a Genin, Ryou could only access E and D-level techniques. To learn C-level jutsu, he had to become a Chunin, and for B-level jutsu, he would need to be a Jonin.
For higher-level techniques like A and S-rank jutsu, one needs sufficient merit and approval from the Hokage. Only those with exceptional contributions to the village were granted access to view such powerful techniques.
Forget about such jutsu; he couldn't even learn the Shadow Clone Technique, which was a B-rank. But, these things didn't affect him much, as he knew that with strength, everything else would eventually follow.
He had also developed a technique on his own, merging chakra with his Nature Breathing style. Surprisingly, its power exceeded that of standard ninjutsu, and he didn't even need hand seals to execute it.
--
As Ryou approached the village entrance, he found Shisui, Tenga, and Daichi already waiting for him. He was the last to arrive.
"Since everyone's here, let's go," Daichi announced, and they set off from the village. After a few minutes of walking, the path ahead led them into a dense forest, with Kurogane Town situated three hours to the east.
As they traveled, Daichi spoke, "You three, I won't intervene in this mission. It's your responsibility to gather intel, track the target, capture him, and retrieve the stolen items."
"Don't worry, Sensei. I'm completing this mission on my own. Ryou, Shisui, just stay and watch. I want to do this by myself," Tenga declared confidently.
"Well... let's just hope you don't end up getting robbed by the thief instead," Ryou chuckled.
"True," Shisui and Daichi agreed with Ryou in a serious manner, making Tenga huff and cross his arms. "Come on, guys! Have a little faith in me,"
Daichi glanced at Shisui and suddenly asked, "Have you awakened your Sharingan, Shisui?"
Hearing it, Shisui's eyes widened in shock. "How did you know, Sensei?"
Daichi smiled faintly. "Just a guess. I know a bit about the Sharingan. I had a close friend from the Uchiha clan, though I lost him in the war. It's no secret that when a Uchiha experiences intense emotions, they awaken their Sharingan.
When I heard about your father's injuries, I knew you might be affected to some extent but I didn't expect you to awaken it at such a young age."
Tenga's eyes lit up as he chimed in, "Hey, Shisui! You didn't even tell me. Come on, show us your Sharingan!"
Shisui hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "I didn't want to make a big deal out of it, Tenga."
He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them, revealing the crimson glow of his Sharingan with a single tomoe.
'He awakened it at such a young age. As expected of Shisui,' Ryou thought to himself.
Tenga sighed in defeat looking at Sharingan. "Your eyes are so beautiful. No wonder all the girls are crazy about you Uchiha. You've got that cool look with your Sharingan open!"
"If possible, I wouldn't have awakened these eyes at all. Honestly, I feel like they're cursed." Shisui said quietly. After opening Sharingan, he felt a surge of negative emotions and an impulse to destroy.
"Don't let the Sharingan affect you, Shisui. It's just a tool," Ryou advised, seeing his state.
"Mn!" Shisui nodded.
--
Kurogane Village,
They arrived in Kurogane Village in two hours, nestled near the edge of a dense forest. The mission had been issued by the Village Chief, so they made their way to his residence.
Upon reaching the chief's house in the village center, they found a burly man around sixty years of age, his face filled with nervousness and worry.
"You're here about the thief?" the Village Chief asked, his brow furrowed. "Why are you so late? The thief could be long gone by now."
"Don't worry. Just tell us everything you know, and don't leave out any details," Tenga asked him in a serious tone. "We'll capture him for sure. You can count on us."
The Village Chief let out a weary sigh. "Most people in our village make a living by crafting weapons and ninja tools. After completing the weapons, everyone stores them in a common place for me to sell in the nearby towns.
Recently, a thief named Kuro somehow discovered this routine and stole our month's hard work,"
The Village Chief continued, his voice heavy. "I know his name is Kuro, as I heard about him from the nearby villages who have also fallen victim to him.
Even though we're aware of who he is, we can't do anything about it because he's a Ninja with strength and skill. He has already killed some people who went looking for him.
We spotted him last night but couldn't stop him..."
Tenga asked again. "Tell us anything else you can about him, how he looks, or where he might be hiding?"
The Village Chief shook his head. "I don't know much, but I've heard people say his hideout is in the abandoned mine a few miles away from here. Last night, we saw him escape in that direction."
"Okay, we'll head there immediately. Don't worry; we will get your items back safely," Tenga reassured the chief and came back.
Wasting no time, Tenga, Shisui, and Ryou set off in the direction the Village Chief had pointed while Daichi followed them in the shadows.
Within a few minutes, they arrived at the mine entrance, hiding behind a tree. To their surprise, they discovered two groups gathered before the mine's entrance. One was Kuro's group of five, while the other was a three-person shinobi team.
"Looks like you won't be completing this mission alone, Tenga," Ryou teased.
Tenga frowned, his competitive spirit ignited. "I can handle them. They don't look too strong."
Shisui narrowed his eyes, studying the groups closely. "We should be careful, Tenga. They aren't wearing any headbands, so we don't know what they are good at.
We can't rush in blindly. Let's wait and gather more information before we decide on our next move."
--
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