A river ran through half of the Star Dou Forest, nourishing all living things.
On the riverbank, a mutated giant crocodile, about eight or nine meters long, lay quietly on the grass, sleeping. This was its territory, with no other spirit beasts nearby.
The mutated giant crocodile was resting quietly, unaware that danger was creeping closer. Suddenly, it snapped its eyes open, only to see a large fireball, eight or nine meters in diameter, descending upon it.
Flames shot up into the sky, and in an instant, the area was engulfed in fire, with the grass igniting in a roaring blaze.
The mutated giant crocodile, slow in movement and caught off guard, couldn't avoid the fireball and was hit squarely.
As the flames subsided, Chen Xuan saw the creature's figure and was taken aback. Such a large fireball only left some scorched marks on its surface—a minor injury at most.
This was despite the creature not defending itself, which highlighted the extraordinary toughness of its scales.
The mutated giant crocodile opened its massive jaws, baring its teeth in fury. The cold, menacing aura of a near ten-thousand-year-old spirit beast spread out, locking onto Chen Xuan in the air.
Sleeping peacefully, only to be intruded upon by a human who dared to attack it—this was a death wish.
Chen Xuan felt a chill run down his spine as if he were being stared down by a prehistoric beast. His body instinctively reacted with fear.
"Is this the feeling of facing a powerful spirit beast for the first time?" he murmured to himself, but his actions didn't slow down as he quickly formed a series of hand seals.
"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!"
Flames blossomed like flowers, quickly taking shape and transforming into a scorching sea of fire that descended upon the creature below.
This was a B-rank ninjutsu, more powerful than the Great Fireball Technique, and one of the Fire Style techniques Chen Xuan currently mastered.
Boom!
Flames erupted below, and the area was engulfed in a raging inferno. Trees and grass turned to ash, the heat so intense it seemed capable of burning everything, even causing the river water to steam.
The fire roared, and the heat waves blew Chen Xuan back a little.
However, the mutated giant crocodile crawled out of the fire unscathed, with its scales glowing with a protective aura that kept the flames at bay, preventing any contact.
This time, it didn't suffer any substantial damage, clearly having activated its abilities. Otherwise, the more powerful Great Fire Annihilation should have caused significant harm.
"So this is the gap between me and a near ten-thousand-year-old spirit beast?" Chen Xuan sighed softly.
The mutated giant crocodile roared in anger, leaping into the air with its massive jaws wide open, aiming to tear Chen Xuan in half.
With no foothold in mid-air, this human boy was like a bird with clipped wings, destined to die.
However, just as the crocodile's three-meter-long jaws were about to close, Chen Xuan turned into a streak of light, causing the creature's attack to miss.
The mutated giant crocodile's eyes widened in disbelief. How could the prey that was almost in its jaws suddenly vanish into thin air?
Fifty meters away, under the roots of a tree, Chen Xuan had already reappeared, silently and without a trace.
"But I haven't played all my cards yet," he muttered, pulling the kunai from the ground and gripping it in his hand as he walked away.
He didn't feel discouraged. Facing a near ten-thousand-year-old spirit beast with strength equivalent to a normal Soul King, he was essentially facing a Soul King.
Chen Xuan's fighting spirit burned even brighter, making him even more determined to hunt down the beast. Mutated spirit beasts were indeed stronger, with remarkable defense and attack power. If he could absorb its spirit ring, his strength would increase significantly.
"You beast, show me what you're capable of," he said, as his black pupils darkened and the six tomoe in his eyes rotated, awakening the purest form of the three-tomoe Sharingan.
The mutated giant crocodile hesitated for a moment, sensing a cold and ominous soul force that made it feel like it was being targeted by a ten-thousand-year-old spirit beast.
Chen Xuan didn't give it the chance to strike first. Opening his mouth, he unleashed another Great Fireball, sending a wave of heat crashing forward.
"Roar!"
Suddenly, a thunderous roar erupted from the grass, and the mutated giant crocodile's body glowed as the river water began to boil, sending a massive wave to clash with the incoming fireball.
The water boiled, evaporating instantly into steam, which in turn extinguished the fireball.
Swish!
Out of the rising steam shot a silver kunai, gleaming coldly as it sliced through the air.
The mutated giant crocodile was indifferent, its scales glowing as they activated their defensive power, with no thought of dodging the oncoming kunai.
If fire couldn't harm it, how could a mere metal weapon pose a threat?
However, in the next moment, something unexpected happened. Just as the kunai was about to strike, a flash of golden light appeared, and Chen Xuan materialized out of thin air, grabbing the kunai in midair.
His right hand glowed blue, and with a gust of wind, he suddenly pressed a large Rasengan against the giant crocodile's back.
"Flying Thunder God Second Stage, Rasengan!"
With a bang, the Rasengan exploded into a swirling blue light, releasing a powerful shredding force on the spirit beast's back.
"Roar!"
The mutated giant crocodile roared in pain as its scales cracked, exposing the tender flesh underneath. Its defense had been breached.
With a loud crash, the ground shattered, and its massive body was slammed into the earth, kicking up dust and leaving a crater behind.
Chen Xuan activated his martial soul, a set of runes appearing on his hand as he slapped them onto the crocodile's bloodied back, leaving behind five large characters—'I am the handsome one!'
No matter when or where, seeing these runes always made people feel a sense of embarrassment.
Swish!
Chen Xuan disappeared once again, leaving only a golden flash behind, using the kunai he had previously left as a marker.
The mutated giant crocodile howled in agony, its back mangled and bloodied. Its once impenetrable scales had been shattered by this human boy.
The Rasengan might not seem all that powerful, but it held hidden power. Chen Xuan had infused it with Wind Chakra, altering its nature. With more training, it could evolve into the Rasenshuriken.
In a direct confrontation, it would be nearly impossible to get close to the crocodile, but thanks to the Flying Thunder God technique, Chen Xuan managed to catch it off guard.
"Roar!" The mutated giant crocodile roared again, baring its sharp teeth in fury. Chen Xuan had successfully enraged it.
The crocodile, with its enormous body and overwhelming ferocity, charged forward, shaking the forest and crushing the plants beneath it.
Its entire body glowed, emitting a powerful force that caused the river to surge, sending a massive wave crashing forward as it attacked.
"Water, huh? Perfect counter." Chen Xuan formed several hand seals, his lightning attribute soul power surging, covering his body with arcs of electricity.
Zap!
A bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the dark forest. Chen Xuan's arm crackled with electricity as he extended a finger, shooting out all the gathered lightning.
"Chidori Sharp Spear!"
The thunderbolt roared, like a spear of concentrated lightning, leaving a trail of sparks as it tore through the earth.
As the lightning touched the water, it blossomed like a flower, transforming into countless bolts of electricity, crackling and covering the entire river.
The mutated giant crocodile, immersed in the water, was instantly electrocuted, its body convulsing, its limbs paralyzed. The injured areas turned black and emitted the scent of cooked meat.
With a loud splash, the giant crocodile and the river water crashed back to the ground, sending up a spray of water. It lay on the ground, twitching, with arcs of electricity still dancing across its body.
This was the power of elemental countering. The mutated crocodile's ultimate attack had only served to amplify the damage of Chen Xuan's soul skill.
The Chidori Sharp Spear might have limited power on its own, but when combined with water, its effects were devastating, turning it into a lethal strike.
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