Chapter 29: A Display of Power

"Die!" Ren roared, driving the Chidori deep into the serpent's skull. With a final surge of chakra, he forced the lightning to erupt internally. The giant snake convulsed violently, a final, agonized hiss escaping its jaws before it crashed to the ground, lifeless.

***Ding! Host eliminates Giant Summoned Serpent. Reward: 2,000 Points.***

***Host's Psychic Beast eliminates Giant Summoned Serpent x2. Reward: 2,000 Points.***

The second snake, rushing the Six Paths King, was swiftly dispatched by the beast's bladed arms in a few brutal, efficient strikes. Ren felt another influx of points.

*So, war really is the fastest way to earn points,* Ren thought, a grim satisfaction settling over him. *In just a few minutes, I've earned almost as much as in years of grinding. And the fact that I get half the points for what Erha kills... that changes everything.* A ruthless strategy began to form in his mind.

"Not bad, Erha! All that size isn't just for show!" Ren called down, a hint of genuine praise in his voice.

"Hmph! Shut up, brat!" the beast rumbled back.

"Tch. Still the same bad temper," Ren chuckled. "Listen, we're splitting up. Go find more Sand and Sound ninja. Hunt them down. You can go as wild as you want."

"Oh? Hahaha! Now you're speaking my language!" the Six Paths King roared, its excitement palpable. "You scum! Watch as this great one crushes you all!"

"Just remember the rule!" Ren shouted after it. "No Konoha shinobi! Understood?"

"Understood! Understood! So nagging! I'm off!" With a final bellow of "My blades are thirsty!", the massive psychic beast bounded away, its thunderous footsteps fading as it sought new prey.

*That guy...* Ren sighed, shaking his head. *Well, let him rampage. It'll only net me more points.*

"System, what's my current point total?" he asked.

***Ding! Host's total points: 9,643. Open the Exchange Interface?***

"Not yet." Ren's attention was pulled away as a squad of Sand ninja emerged from a side street, their eyes locking onto him with lethal intent. "System, is there a way to gauge an opponent's strength?"

***The Host can exchange for the 'Analytic Eye.' It will digitize and assess the strength of any target and relay the data.***

"The Analytic Eye. Exchange it."

***Ding! Analytic Eye. Item Type: Talent. Item Level: C-Rank. Cost: 500 Points. Confirm exchange?***

"Confirm."

A warm, tingling current flowed from his core into his eyes, causing a brief, dry heat that subsided as quickly as it came. When he looked at the approaching Sand ninja again, translucent data superimposed itself over his vision, listing their approximate chakra levels and rank.

***Two Special Jōnin. Six Chunin.***

*A bit troublesome, but nothing I can't handle. They'll make good test subjects.*

"Damn it! He's the one who killed our summoned serpents before they could breach the inner village!" one of the Sand ninja spat, his voice thick with anger. The snakes, channeled by several ninja working in concert, were meant to be a spearhead into Konoha's heart. Their early destruction was a significant blow.

"Don't even think about escaping!" another yelled, as the six chunin fanned out, encircling him while the two jōnin took up flanking positions, sealing his escape routes.

On a nearby rooftop, Kakashi and Might Guy watched the scene unfold, having chosen to observe rather than intervene.

"That boy is in trouble. Should we go support him, Kakashi?" Guy asked, his body tensed.

"Not yet. Wait," Kakashi replied, his single eye fixed intently on the masked ANBU below. The use of his Chidori was a mystery that demanded an answer.

*Heh. Trying to surround me? Perfect.* A cold smirk spread behind Ren's mask. As the six chunin lunged at him simultaneously, kunai gleaming, he brought his hands together in a single, swift seal.

"You want to besiege me? I was hoping you would!" he taunted. Then, as the kunai were mere inches from his body, he spread his arms wide.

"Lightning Release: Chidori Stream!"

A torrent of electricity exploded outwards from his entire body, a crackling dome of blue-white energy. The six chunin cried out as the current seized their muscles, freezing them in place, their bodies seizing and smoking.

Before the paralysis could wear off, Ren's arms morphed, transforming into six giant, spectral serpents that shot forth from the electrical field. They struck with viper-like speed, each one clamping its fanged maw around the neck of a paralyzed chunin.

There was a series of sickening crunches.

The electrical field vanished. The serpentine arms retracted. Six bodies crumpled to the ground.

***Ding! Host eliminates 6 Chunin. Reward: 12,000 Points!***

It had taken only seconds. The two Sand jōnin could only stare, utterly stunned, their minds refusing to process the sudden, brutal slaughter of their entire squad.

"Kakashi! What was that? Was that still Chidori? How did it change form?" Guy gasped, his usual volume dropped to a shocked whisper.

Kakashi was silent for a moment, analyzing. "I see... So that's it," he murmured, his voice low. "He distributed the chakra across his entire body, using the Chidori's principles to electrify himself. He traded the technique's piercing power for a wider area of effect. It can function as both an offensive shock and a unique form of absolute defense... To understand and adapt Chidori to this degree... His talent is frightening." His eye narrowed further. "And the technique that finished them... that was Orochimaru's Hidden Shadow Snake Hand. He's mastered my technique and one of Orochimaru's secret jutsu. Just who is he?"

"You... you bastard! How dare you?!" one of the Sand jōnin finally found his voice, pointing a trembling finger at Ren.

Ren let out a cold, mocking laugh. "Hmph! If you come to kill, you must be prepared to be killed. Did you expect me to stand still and make it easy for you? Idiots!"

"Damn you! I'll kill you!" Enraged, one of the jōnin—a Special Jōnin by the system's assessment—drew a kunai and charged. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ N0veI.Fiɾe.net

"Good. Come on!" Ren sneered. In a blur of motion, he drew the tantō from his back and met the charge. He closed the distance instantly, the short sword flashing in a horizontal slash aimed for the man's throat.

*Nani?! So fast!* The Special Jōnin barely had time to raise his own kunai in a desperate parry. The force of the impact vibrated up his arm. "Gah! Damn it!"

"Heh." Ren pressed down with his sword, forcing the man to grit his teeth and strain against his strength.

"Bastard!" the other jōnin yelled, seeing his comrade in trouble. He began forming hand seals, preparing a ninjutsu.

*Tch.* Noting the second opponent's actions, Ren abruptly changed the angle of his blade, swiping upwards to force his current opponent to duck. Seizing the opening, Ren pivoted and launched a powerful kick into the man's guard. The Sand ninja crossed his arms to block, but the force was tremendous, lifting him off his feet and sending him skidding backwards.

"Wind Style: Vacuum Bullet!" the second jōnin finished his seals, firing several compressed orbs of air at Ren.

Ren leaped high into the air, the wind bullets passing harmlessly beneath him. While airborne, he hurled his tantō like a kunai at the first jōnin, who was still recovering his footing. The man was forced to dodge, buying Ren a precious second.

His hands flew through another set of seals as he landed. The familiar, piercing screech of a thousand birds filled the air once more.

*Chidori!*

He landed and immediately pushed off, the Chidori in his hand acting like a rocket, propelling him toward the kicked jōnin at blinding speed.

"Be careful! That's the lightning jutsu that killed the snake! Don't let him get close!" the second jōnin warned, already forming more seals.

The targeted jōnin, seeing Ren charge from a distance, held his ground, a false confidence swelling within him. "Hmph! The same trick again? It's powerful, but its range is short! Just keep your distance and it's useless!" he shouted, preparing to jump back at the last second.

But Ren had no intention of closing the final gap.

A cruel smile twisted his lips behind the mask.

"Lightning Style: Chidori Sharp Spear!"

The brilliant ball of lightning in his hand elongated violently, morphing into a blinding, crackling lance of pure energy that shot forward, extending far beyond its normal range. It crossed the remaining distance in an instant, a spear of inevitable death aimed directly at the heart of the overconfident Sand jōnin.

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