Its formidable regenerative ability was incredibly difficult to handle in actual combat. Most long-range ninjutsu failed to connect, and the few that did lacked the power to finish it off. Left with no choice, Kakashi was forced into close-quarters combat. Fortunately, while the monster was fast, it still couldn't quite catch him.
Its entire body was a weapon. If one hadn't witnessed its birth, they might mistake it for some kind of artificial human or biological war machine.
After defeating and killing it the first time, it quickly reformed. The second time, a moment of carelessness from both Kakashi and Mei allowed Kakashi to be struck once. After that hit, they held nothing back, dispatching it for the second time with maximum speed.
They dismembered the monster, incinerating most of the pieces with Lightning Release. Seizing the moment before anything else bizarre could happen, Kakashi and Mei made their retreat.
"What was that monster?"
Planning to use the cover of night to leave the Land of Hot Water immediately, the two dashed through the forest canopy. Mei couldn't help but ask Kakashi.
"I don't know. Its exact nature is impossible to comprehend. As for the 'Jashin' they worship, I have no idea what that is either."
"I never imagined such evil techniques existed in this world."
"There's far more unknown in this world than known. It's not really surprising for things we've never seen before to surface."
Remembering the injury he'd sustained and the blood drawn earlier, Kakashi summoned the system as a precaution.
What are the prices for Intermediate and Advanced Healing Potions?
Intermediate Healing Potion: 2.4 Chakra Units (CU)
Advanced Healing Potion: 4.8 Chakra Units (CU)
Current Chakra Balance: 3.9 CU
Maximum Chakra: 5.3 CU
Finally, he thought with some relief, my maximum capacity broke 5 CU. That should be about one-twentieth of Naruto's...
Confirm exchange for Intermediate Healing Potion.
A wave of emptiness washed over him, his spirit weakening slightly. A small vial, about half the size of the basic healing potion, appeared in Kakashi's hand.
Based on its size, it couldn't hold more than 150 milliliters.
So expensive, he lamented inwardly. One potion costs almost half my maximum chakra.
Sighing helplessly, he focused on moving forward. Discerning their direction was difficult in the poor light, but with the aid of their senses, the pair still moved towards the Land of Lightning at high speed. If they could reach the border before dawn, they might catch the shift change among the Kumogakure shinobi and sneak into the country unnoticed.
Once inside the Land of Lightning, they wouldn't encounter such bizarre cults. The people and the hidden village of that nation were known for their fierce, pragmatic spirit. They didn't believe in superstitions or false gods, only in their own strength. Furthermore, their fighting style—a direct, brute-force approach—suited Kakashi's preferences perfectly.
If he had been born in the Land of Lightning, the silver-haired boy felt he would be considerably stronger than he was now.
Peaks towering into the clouds constantly echoed with the roar of thunder. Legend told of one valley where the thunder never ceased, year-round, a trial only extremely powerful Lightning Release users could endure and emerge from.
Kakashi found the idea of it being that difficult to leave the valley hard to believe, unless the lightning was somehow artificially controlled. Nonetheless, it had to be an excellent place to train Lightning Release; the Raikage himself must have trained there.
Right now, his Raikiri felt unworthy of its name. It needed to accomplish the feat of severing real lightning to truly prove the technique's power.
The thought of challenging the raw might of nature sent a thrill through him. Lost in thought for a moment, Kakashi suddenly felt a searing pain shoot through his thigh. He lost his footing and tumbled from the ten-meter-high branch, crashing headfirst onto the ground below.
"Hss..."
A wound, deep enough to reveal bone, slowly split open on his thigh, widening continuously as if an invisible, sharp blade was carving through his flesh.
"Kakashi!"
Mei was instantly at his side, looking down at the boy writhing in pain on the ground, her eyes filled with panic. She immediately fumbled for the miraculous potion in her possession.
"My... bag... the small vial..." Kakashi gasped out.
Her hands trembling, she frantically retrieved the Intermediate Healing Potion from his pack. She pressed her hands firmly against the wound on Kakashi's thigh, trying desperately to staunch the flow of blood.
But copious amounts of blood still seeped through the gaps between her fingers. Kakashi pushed her hands away.
"Don't press... you'll really kill me if you keep pressing..."
Exchanging for the intermediate potion earlier had truly been a wise choice. Kakashi downed it in one gulp. The system's healing potions had saved him quite a few times now; in terms of sheer utility, they were more reliable than having a dedicated medical team tagging along.
The wound on his thigh began knitting itself closed at a speed visible to the naked eye, but just as it did, a new gash abruptly appeared on his arm.
Kakashi clutched his left arm with his right hand, instantly understanding what was happening.
"That monster... it's still not dead? Damn it!"
Regretting their hasty departure and failure to obliterate every last piece of flesh, he summoned the system again.
Is there any way to remove a curse?
Recommendation: Rule Breaker
How many CU?
Exchange requirements not met. Requires prior exchange of Character: Caster Medea (3000 CU).
Get lost.
So much for relying on the system. Kakashi had a thousand complaints he wanted to voice but couldn't. He could only brace himself for the next wave of agony.
Thanks to the potion, his thigh was already healed, and his arm was recovering rapidly. At this rate, perhaps each new injury could be healed before the next attack manifested.
After the attacks on his limbs ceased, a fist-sized hole abruptly materialized in Kakashi's abdomen. The successive waves of agony blurred his consciousness. He fought desperately to stay awake. Beside him, Mei couldn't stop the tears streaming down her face, frantically wiping them away with her hands, smudging her face like a tear-streaked kitten.
"Don't cry... it's not that big a deal..."
In an instant, heralded by a puff of white smoke characteristic of the healing process, the hole in his abdomen vanished, restored completely.
"See...? Told... you..."
The final target, inevitably, was his heart.
Even though he had braced himself, Kakashi couldn't withstand this level of pain. Before he could finish his sentence to Mei, his eyes rolled back into his head, and his head slammed heavily onto the ground. Blood welled up and spilled from his throat.
Theoretically, a person doesn't die instantly when their heart is pierced. They might survive for a few minutes, possibly even half an hour. During that window, with timely intervention and repair, survival is possible.
Host is facing lethal threat. System has utilized 1.2 CU from Host's reserves to block this attack.
Just before losing consciousness, Kakashi heard the system's notification. His entire chakra pool was instantly drained, and he succumbed to the darkness, falling unconscious.
"KAKASHI!!!"
Tears streaming down her face like pear blossoms in the rain, the young woman hoisted the boy onto her back. Feeling his faint, shallow breathing behind her, she sprinted towards the Land of Lightning border with desperate speed.
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