Chapter 421: A Painful Realization

Chapter 421: A Painful Realization

Chapter 421: A Painful Realization

As the gun barrel aimed, Danzo suddenly felt a foreboding sense of danger. As a powerful ninja, he had a natural instinct for sensing threats.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The rapid and terrifying sounds were accompanied by a series of sparks, and bullets with an eerie sheen rained down on Danzo, targeting his vital points. The speed was so fast that even the clan heads, whose average strength surpassed that of elite jōnin, were left in awe.

So fast!

Feeling a chill run down his spine, Danzo burst into incredible speed, vanishing from his original position.

Although the others' praise may have been exaggerated, his taijutsu skills were indeed formidable, capable of easily overpowering Sasuke during the latter's time in Akatsuki.

Before he even landed, new bullets were already spraying out with sparks, their terrifying impact and speed forcing him to dodge around the arena.

Not only that, the bullets he had previously avoided seemed to have a life of their own, turning to pursue him with undiminished momentum. The metallic storm, gleaming in the sunlight, unleashed a sharp and lethal metal tempest.

Lu Ke, with the reaction speed of an ordinary human, swiveled the gun barrel. The weapon, free from recoil and overheating, continuously spewed flames, showcasing a brutal and beautiful display of violence.

Homage to the Gatling Buddha, the pure uranium bullets, spinning three thousand six hundred times in a single breath, bringing great compassion to all beings!

Isn't this thing more effective than shuriken or kunai?

Danzo, sprinting at top speed, broke into a sweat. He closely observed the Scientific Ninja Tool in Lu Ke's hands during his brief moments of escape.

He had never seen such a method of launching projectiles. Just the speed alone revealed the lethal power of these small iron pieces, which also possessed tracking capabilities. Even more alarming was the terrifying rate of fire.

In just a few breaths, the metal storm behind him had formed, becoming a visible torrent that relentlessly pursued him, boxing him in.

Is this just the basic model of a Scientific Ninja Tool?

Danzo felt a sense of absurdity. His legs continued to exert force, chakra flowing through his body, but he still felt the tearing pain in his limbs. While a ninja's burst of speed was strong, it was difficult to sustain.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

The closest bullets caught up to him the moment he slowed down, easily slicing through his skin, taking pieces of flesh with them, and causing a burning pain.

"Oh, you're quite the performer, aren't you?"

Seeing the blood splatter, Tsunade's face paled slightly, and her body trembled.

While it was satisfying to see Danzo, who always opposed her, in such a dire situation, her hemophobia had not been cured, and the sight of blood still filled her with fear.

"Tsunade-sama..."

Shizune quietly approached and supported Tsunade, her face showing concern. Tsunade, knowing she had to maintain the Hokage's dignity, straightened her body and squeezed Shizune's hand to indicate she was fine.

"That's quite an impressive ninja tool. I remember the candidate for Head of the Ninja Tools Department, who isn't even a ninja, right?"

Uchiha Fugaku, who had unknowingly activated his Sharingan, could not hide his surprise. Despite Danzo's level of physical prowess and chakra usage, he was still powerless against the attack.

Behind them, Itachi, who had been silently observing, spoke softly.

"The power, range, and endurance are all remarkable, and the speed is also impressive. An ordinary jōnin would find it difficult to avoid, especially with the projectiles having tracking capabilities... The rate of fire is astonishing and would likely become a deadly weapon on the battlefield."

Shisui Uchiha also looked serious. "It's not just that. The total amount of metal fired by the Scientific Ninja Tool exceeds its own volume. I didn't see him reload the tool at any point, so there must be some special technique..."

He hesitated before suggesting a possibility. "Perhaps Space-Time Ninjutsu?"

At this, the clan heads around them turned their attention.

Space-Time Ninjutsu was considered the strongest S-rank technique in the ninja world. The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, was famous for his "Flying Thunder God Technique."

It was this technique that allowed Minato to achieve remarkable feats during the Great Ninja War, surpassing the then-inevitable Orochimaru and taking the position of Hokage.

"No, it's not Space-Time Ninjutsu."

Hiashi Hyuga, who had activated his Byakugan, spoke calmly, not wanting the Uchiha clan to steal all the limelight.

"The internal structure of that tool is very complex, but the key lies in those strange patterns on the surface. The natural energy in the air is attracted by part of these patterns, serving as the power source and producing new projectiles."

Using natural energy from the air... isn't that the principle of Senjutsu?

Senjutsu is not far behind Space-Time Ninjutsu in terms of power, and it is extremely difficult to learn. Currently, in Konoha, only Jiraiya knows it, and he is not yet proficient, requiring the assistance of the summoning toads from Mount Myōboku to enter it smoothly.

Is this so-called Scientific Ninja Tool that powerful?

Everyone fell into deep thought.

...

Danzo, forced to burst into action again, glared at Lu Ke, their eyes meeting.

His deep, sea-like eyes held a casual mockery, as if he were playing a game to pass the time, or cruelly crushing a lowly insect with malice.

There was no mistake; this kid was definitely up to something. That gaze could not belong to an ordinary ninja craftsman. He was treating Danzo like a toy, toying with him!

At that moment, Danzo felt a chill run through his body, overwhelmed by an inexplicable, vast fear.

He almost cried out, wanting to run behind Asuma Sarutobi for protection and to end this test.

Lu Ke raised an eyebrow, surprised by Danzo's sensitivity. A faint smile appeared on his lips, filled with mockery and derision.

The "Red Priestess's" "Provocation"!

Danzo, consumed by fear, felt an endless frustration fill his mind, pushing away the terror and filling him with a desire for conquest and destruction. His mind was filled with one thought.

Kill the person in front of me!

With red eyes, he quickly turned, formed hand signs, and took a deep breath.

"Wind Release!"

A powerful wind projectile shot from his mouth, colliding with the metal storm and causing a violent explosion. The strong gust forced the spectators to either look away or cover their eyes.

Seizing this opportunity, Danzo, whose body was riddled with small bullet holes but not seriously injured, quickly formed hand signs at Lu Ke.

"Wind Release!"

Several sharp wind blades sliced through the air, heading straight for Lu Ke. The large attack range was impossible to avoid with a human's reaction speed.

No one had time to react to the sudden attack.

Boom!

The giant wind blades rained down, engulfing half the arena, including Lu Ke, with a deafening sound and a cloud of dust.

"Danzo, what are you doing!"

Tsunade, who had just realized what had happened, turned cold, stomping her foot. The terrifying force of her stomp caused the training ground to crack and sink around her.

Danzo, coming to his senses, did not look good either. He didn't understand why he had such a strong urge to kill, but the damage was done, and there was no going back. He replied coldly.

"Since it's a test, it should be comprehensive. We need to consider the possibility of the target being attacked while using the ninja tool."

He snorted, displaying his injured body. "That Scientific Ninja Tool is too dangerous. It's understandable that I couldn't control my strength in such a critical situation."

"You did this on purpose!"

Tsunade's forehead veins bulged, nearly driven to madness. "Do you even realize what you've done? You've destroyed a possibility for Konoha!"

The performance of the Scientific Ninja Tool had far exceeded expectations, and Lu Ke was still so young, with infinite potential. He could undoubtedly create even more powerful ninja tools, offering a bright future...

"A possibility that can be so easily destroyed is not worth keeping... Besides, this person was your own decision."

Danzo sneered, looking at Asuma Sarutobi.

"Third Hokage, you should believe it was an accident, right?"

He was confident Asuma Sarutobi would stand by him, not just because of their friendship but because he had done so many dirty deeds for him over the years. They were almost bound together, and he felt indebted for forcing him to hand over the Root Division.

"About that..."

Asuma Sarutobi, smoking his pipe, looked troubled.

He had seen the potential of the Scientific Ninja Tool, a revolutionary invention that could benefit Konoha. He was angry at Danzo's actions, but the damage was done...

Just then, a pale green wind blade silently sliced through the dust, aiming straight for Danzo's groin.

Clack!

Danzo heard something drop and felt an unprecedented, intense pain.

He opened his mouth in confusion, looking down to see his black robe stained with blood, a small, severed limb on the ground with a clean cut, as if sliced by the wind blade.

With a thud, he collapsed, his consciousness overwhelmed by the pain.

The scene was quiet for a few seconds before Asuma Sarutobi rushed forward anxiously.

"Danzo! Danzo, are you okay!"

"Hisss~"

Seeing the severed part, all the men present sucked in a breath, instinctively clenching their legs, their faces pale as they watched the dust clear.

On the massive gash left by the wind technique, Lu Ke appeared unharmed, surrounded by a substantial golden light. In his right hand was a smaller version of the "Scientific Ninja Tool" that had just fired the wind blade.

Tsunade, snapping out of her anger, quickly approached and thoroughly checked him. "Lu Ke, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"I'm fine."

Lu Ke forced his gaze away from the gruesome sight and pointed to the jade talisman hanging around his neck, carved with strange patterns.

"This is a basic defensive ninja tool. It can sense malice and protect the body from harm, and it can passively trigger, automatically activating when faced with a powerful attack."

Protective talismans were something Lu Ke liked to make in many worlds, though basic, they were suitable for gifting.

"Wow, a very practical ninja tool!"

Tsunade's eyes lit up. With such lenient trigger conditions, even if the defensive power was weaker, it was still excellent. To resist Danzo's wind technique was truly a godsend!

Knowing that a ninja's physical strength without chakra was not much better than an ordinary person's, sometimes a single explosive tag could take a life...

She shook her head and looked at the small iron block in Lu Ke's hand. "What's this? You used this to release the technique just now?"

"The basic model of the m1917 Smith & Wesson Handgun, the Life Reverser. I call it the Ninjutsu Kaleidoscope."

Lu Ke raised the handgun and explained. "In simple terms, this tool has six different bullets, each inscribed with a corresponding technique. Just pull the trigger to release the technique. The Wind Release: Vacuum Blade was one of them."

"Does that mean ordinary people can use it?"

"Of course."

"Can any technique be inscribed? How difficult is it to make, and can it be mass-produced? What about the other five..."

"Tsunade! Let's discuss the details of the Scientific Ninja Tool later. First, treat Danzo; he's losing a lot of blood!"

Asuma Sarutobi interrupted them anxiously.

It wasn't that he wasn't interested in Lu Ke's powerful Scientific Ninja Tools, but Danzo's face was pale, and he looked like he was about to die.

Lu Ke, hearing this, immediately showed a guilty and awkward expression, apologizing profusely.

"I'm really sorry. Danzo-sama's technique was too dangerous, and I couldn't control my strength..."

These words echoed Danzo's earlier statement, clearly full of meaning. Even Asuma Sarutobi, with his thick skin, was momentarily speechless, awkwardly turning away and continuing to urge Tsunade.

Tsunade crossed her arms, lazily shrugging. "Can't help it. You know I have hemophobia."

"Then Shizune..."

Tsunade's face darkened. "You want her to treat that kind of wound?!"

Asuma Sarutobi's lips twitched, knowing how much his student disliked his old friend. He sighed, picked up the severed limb, and prepared to rush Danzo to Konoha Hospital.

"Actually, Third Hokage, I can help treat him."

Lu Ke stepped forward, raising his gun. "This tool has the Medical Ninjutsu 'Mystical Palm Technique' among its six prepared techniques, which can heal injuries."

Hearing that even medical techniques requiring precise chakra manipulation could be performed, even Asuma Sarutobi, concerned for his friend's life, was momentarily stunned, his mind racing.

A storage ring more convenient than scrolls, a "Gatling" that even ordinary jōnin couldn't resist, a defensive tool that could resist Danzo's wind technique, and a unique tool that could even release medical techniques. Perhaps there were more, and this was just the beginning...

Asuma Sarutobi took a deep breath, smiling kindly, his tone gentle.

"Good boy, Danzo was in the wrong, and I will make it right. Thank you for your help."

"You're too kind. It was just a test, and it was all an accident. I wouldn't blame Danzo-sama."

Lu Ke smiled, raised the handgun, and without giving Sarutobi a chance to react, pulled the trigger. Green light shone on Danzo, and the bleeding wounds instantly healed.

Asuma Sarutobi was momentarily stunned, sighing inwardly as he discreetly threw away the severed limb.

Sorry, old friend...(End of Chapter)

Chapter end