Chapter 94: A Chance Encounter
"System, show my status!"
Baishi muttered silently, and the familiar translucent panel appeared before him:
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[Host: Baishi]
Age: 11/84 → 88↑
– Core Attributes –
Strength: 112 → 133↑
Agility: 113 → 135↑
Constitution: 110 → 131↑
Intelligence: 125 → 150↑
Chakra: 207 → 396↑
– Special Enhancements –
Spatial Awareness Enhancement: VII (65.5%) → VIII (2.5%)↑
Wood Release: VII (44.1%) → VII (93.5%)↑
High-Temperature Resistance: VII (2.1%) → VII (85.6%)↑
Poison Resistance: VI (71.2%) → VII (65.2%)↑
Regeneration: VII (17.5%) → VII (52.7%)↑
Mental Resistance: VII (12.1%) → VII (45.5%)↑
Enhanced Senses: VI (87.5%) → VII (21.5%)↑
Energy-Absorbing Skin: VI (5.2%) → VII (10.5%)↑
Chakra Affinity: Water: VI (7.8%) Earth: VI (8.5%) Lightning: V (0.1%)
Cellular Adaptability: IV (0.1%) → V (0.1%)↑
Low-Temperature Resistance: IV (43.2%)
– Abnormal Status –
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The numbers clearly revealed that Baishi's evolution had slowed significantly.
Previously, his strength, intelligence, constitution, and agility attributes had increased by 11–12 points every three months.
Now, after eight months, his strength, agility, and constitution had only risen by about 21–22 points each. Even his intelligence, which had grown the most, had only increased by 25 points.
This slower growth persisted despite his chakra reserves nearly doubling. Without that growth, the increase would have been even smaller.
It was obvious just how much his evolutionary speed had diminished.
To address this issue, Baishi began exploring ways to accelerate his progress.
Two months ago, when his Energy-Absorbing Skin reached Level VII, it gained the ability to absorb chakra directly from external sources, including living beings.
Naturally, Baishi turned his attention to the captured prisoners.
However, compared to the chakra he needed, the amount the prisoners could provide was negligible.
This led Baishi to develop the third-generation Life Seed in hopes of boosting the prisoners' chakra levels. Unfortunately, the results were underwhelming for this purpose, though it inadvertently created a pathway for ordinary people to become ninjas.
Still, this was of little value to Baishi himself.
With these avenues exhausted, his thoughts turned to capturing a Tailed Beast as a "power source."
With Naruto's birth approaching, Baishi began considering whether Uchiha Obito might act as in his memories.
If Obito did act, Baishi could take advantage of the chaos to claim the strongest of all—Kurama, the Nine-Tails.
If Obito didn't act, Baishi could take his time and capture one of the other Tailed Beasts.
With his plans decided, Baishi shifted his focus to preparations for his journey.
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The Next Morning
Port of the Land of Fragrance
Baishi appeared silently near the port.
Thanks to his Spatial Awareness Enhancement reaching Level VIII, his Flying Thunder God technique now had a range of up to 100 kilometers.
For the first time, he was able to teleport directly from Moonlit Island to the Land of Fragrance without needing to stop midway.
Standing at the port, Baishi looked westward over the sea.
After a moment, he locked onto a marked fish and activated the Flying Thunder God technique.
In a flash, he was deep underwater.
In the past, the sudden change in water pressure would have caused discomfort, but his enhanced physical attributes now rendered such factors negligible.
Instead of heading directly to the surface, Baishi spread his sensory range across 100 kilometers. A moment later, his expression brightened. "As expected, there's another one nearby."
Using Flying Thunder God again, Baishi vanished.
This time, he reappeared dozens of kilometers away, still deep underwater. Beside him swam another brightly colored fish with a mark.
Ignoring the startled fish, Baishi repeated the process, scanning his surroundings again.
Unfortunately, this time he didn't detect any new marks.
With no other choice, he began swimming upward. His Energy-Absorbing Skin supplied him with a steady flow of oxygen, allowing him to maintain a high swimming speed.
Soon, he broke through the surface.
After orienting himself, Baishi began sprinting across the water toward the west.
Every so often, he paused to search for Flying Thunder God marks.
If he found one, he would teleport to it. If not, he continued running across the waves.
With his vast chakra reserves and the oxygen supplied by his skin, he had no need to worry about rest stops. He simply pressed onward.
By nightfall, Baishi had traveled several hundred kilometers and arrived at the Land of Waves, east of the Land of Fire.
As the evening settled, Baishi decided to rest for the night. There was no rush to continue.
After asking for directions, he quickly found an inn.
However, as he passed by a tavern, he suddenly stopped, his gaze drawn to the interior.
Inside, he sensed a massive chakra presence.
The Land of Waves was a small country without a ninja village, making such a presence highly unusual.
"Hahaha! Come, another round!"
A hearty laugh rang out.
Through the tavern window, Baishi saw a tall, muscular man with white hair and red markings under his eyes. He was clad in black and surrounded by two young women.
Even without knowing his face, Baishi recognized the man immediately.
Having reviewed this individual's dossier back when he was with the Root organization, there was no mistaking him.
This was none other than Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Sannin.
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Inside the tavern, Jiraiya suddenly looked up, his sharp gaze sweeping toward the street.
However, he saw nothing unusual and quickly returned to his jovial antics with the women.
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Back at the inn, Baishi dismissed the innkeeper and settled into meditation.
As for Jiraiya, Baishi had already put him out of his mind.
He was confident Jiraiya wasn't here for him.
This journey had been a spur-of-the-moment decision, taken without notifying anyone. How could someone intercept him so precisely?
Their meeting was likely a coincidence, nothing more.
Besides, Baishi had no desire to clash with Jiraiya. He had a certain respect for the man and saw no reason to provoke unnecessary conflict.
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The Next Morning
As Baishi left the town and made his way toward the docks, a figure suddenly appeared in his path.
It was Jiraiya.
Baishi froze, realizing he had underestimated Jiraiya's keen instincts.
He was certain Jiraiya hadn't detected his presence yesterday, nor had he left any traces of his chakra.
And yet, here he was, intercepted.
"What can I say? Is this what they call instinct?"
(End of Chapter)
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