OberonLA
patreon
Mastermind of the Akatsuki 67
🕑 Added 2024-07-08 16:56:18 +0000 UTCChapter 67: Byakuya's Panel Power
After finding a deserted area, Byakuya set up a barrier to block any detection.
Once he confirmed that there were no White Zetsu around, he began to practice the system rewards he had just received.
Imitating Yahiko's chakra fluctuations, Byakuya performed the Disguise Technique. Byakuya gradually transformed into Yahiko, not only mimicking his height and appearance but also perfectly matching his chakra fluctuations.
Byakuya suspected that even if Konan were standing right in front of him, she wouldn’t be able to tell it was a disguise. This was the charm of the White Zetsu version of the Transformation Technique.
As for Nagato, that was a different story; the Rinnegan was too powerful to compete with.
After reverting to his original form, Byakuya began practicing the Spore Technique. After forming seals with his hands, he compressed paper clones to the size of mung beans and hid them in the surrounding forest, making them extremely hard to detect.
Byakuya tried to sense them himself and nodded in satisfaction.
Without exceptional sensory abilities or dōjutsu, it would be difficult to detect the shadow clones hidden using the Spore Technique. Combined with the Disguise Technique and Mayfly Technique, the effect was excellent.
Additionally, with White Zetsu’s inherent Wood Release abilities, Byakuya wondered if the previous assessment of White Zetsu's strength was too low.
Superb transformation techniques plus the Mayfly Technique and Wood Release bloodline—this undoubtedly amounted to jōnin-level strength.
At least it was much stronger than a certain elite jōnin who only knew how to use vegetation.
But then again, not all White Zetsu had this level of power. Among all White Zetsu, perhaps only Shiro had such strength; the others were just simple-minded dummies.
Otherwise, the hundred thousand White Zetsu army would have flattened the Five Great Ninja Villages many times over.
Suppressing his desire to rant, Byakuya started practicing the third new ability—the legendary Wood Release, known for bringing peace to chaotic times.
Speaking of Wood Release, Byakuya immediately thought of techniques like Top Transformed Buddha, Flower Tree World Descend, and Wood Dragon and Wood Human Techniques.
These techniques shared a notable characteristic: they were immensely powerful and didn’t require hand seals. Only a hand sign to perform and game is on.
Byakuya tried it out, shouting at the air in front of him.
“Wood Release: Top Transformed Buddha Technique!”
“Wood Release: Flower Tree World Descend!”
“Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique!”
Hearing the echoes in the air, Byakuya felt a bit embarrassed before he began to honestly perform a few simple Wood Release techniques that appeared in his mind.
Techniques like the Four Pillars House Technique and Cutting Technique.
These techniques were successfully performed. Byakuya managed to create a small wooden house with three rooms and a living room in the clearing, and a Flower Tree World Descend technique covering the area of a basketball court.
The Cutting Technique also accurately hit the prey trying to escape in the forest.
Cleaning up the traces left by the Wood Release, Byakuya started a fire to cook, feeling a sense of wonder.
The basics of Wood Release are indeed just basics. Besides a few fundamental Wood Release techniques, he couldn’t use any advanced Wood Release techniques at all.
Of course, this was also because he hadn't mastered Sage Mode.
After all, what is truly powerful isn’t Wood Release itself, but Hashirama Senju. Asura's reincarnation combined with Sage Mode trained to its peak earned him the title of the God of Shinobi.
With such a skill set and abilities, he could use Fire Release to incinerate mountains and boil seas.
After being underwhelmed by the basics of Wood Release, Byakuya didn’t have high hopes for the basics of Yin-Yang Release either. It was just as he expected.
The basics of Yin-Yang Release he received were only enough for him to create black rods.
These black rods were quite handy; even at the final stage, they remained a valuable ability. However, just like Wood Release, they couldn’t be used openly.
Although Nagato could also create black rods, it wouldn’t make sense for Byakuya to use them more frequently than Nagato.
After skinning and bleeding the captured prey, he sprinkled barbecue seasoning on them.
As the food was cooking, Byakuya, who hadn’t done so in a long time, opened the system panel to see how much his strength had improved.
[Name: Byakuya]
[Age: 13]
[Current Affiliated Organization: Akatsuki]
[Chakra Nature: Water, Earth, Wind, Yang, Yin]
[Ninjutsu: Three Basic Techniques, Basic Kunai Throwing Technique, Wind Release Techniques, Water Release Techniques, Paper Release (Intermediate), Transformation Technique, Spore Technique, Mayfly Technique]
[Kekkei Genkai: Basic Wood Release, Basic Yin-Yang Release]
[Bloodline: Uzumaki Bloodline]
[Personal Evaluation: Newly-entered Kage-level. Can easily crush most ninjas, but stands little chance of escaping when facing true powerhouses]
Glancing at the system panel, Byakuya’s gaze fell on his personal evaluation.
From being an ordinary Chunin before obtaining the system to now being at the threshold of Kage-level within less than a year, he had made significant progress.
But did he really have Kage-level strength?
Byakuya doubted it. Most of his abilities were defensive with hardly any offensive techniques, yet he was still rated as a Kage-level strongman.
Since when did Kage-level become so cheap in the ninja world?
At the very least, one should be able to last a few rounds against Hashirama or Madara Uchiha to be considered a Kage-level powerhouse.
However, the last few lines of the system's evaluation were quite accurate: in the face of true powerhouses, he had very little chance of even escaping.
This was the harsh reality of the ninja world. He couldn't afford to relax for a moment and had to be extremely cautious.
After all, as his strength increased, he encountered more powerful individuals, such as Danzo, the Darkness of the Shinobi World, the elderly Madara Uchiha, and the recently departed Black Zetsu.
Munching on a skewer of grilled meat, with his face shining from the grease, he still had plenty left over.
Not wanting to waste any, Byakuya packed up the remaining grilled meat and headed back to the Akatsuki base.
As soon as he returned to the base, he ran into Akane.
(AN: Again, Akane is Karin’s mother. I changed her name from Karen to Akane.)
Akane looked Byakuya up and down, then said anxiously, “Lord Byakuya, where did you go? The envoy sent by Hanzo has already left.”
“I went to eat…”
Byakuya took out the grilled meat and, while sharing it with Akane, said, “This grilled meat is really good. You should try it but don’t eat too much. I want Yahiko and the others to have some too.”
Akane took the grilled meat and asked, “Lord Byakuya, aren’t you concerned about the envoy's visit? That’s an envoy from Hanzo, a legendary figure whose strength surpasses the Five Kage.”
His strength surpasses the Five Kage? That’s just the Five Kage being humble. Heck, even the current Hokage could humble the so-called Demi-god of Amegakure.
Suppressing a sarcastic remark, Byakuya said to Akane, “Whether or not Hanzo’s envoy visits has nothing to do with us. That salamander who hides in his lair all the time is no longer the demigod of the ninja world.”
Pausing, Byakuya seemed to think of something and added, “However, if Hanzo is willing to cooperate sincerely, the Akatsuki can consider it.”
Hearing Byakuya’s words, Akane’s face stiffened slightly.
When did Lord Byakuya become so bold as to dismiss even the demigod Hanzo? But considering Lord Byakuya’s age and strength, he indeed had the right to be proud.
