Haruki took a deep breath, suppressing the excitement within his body.
Heavenly Restriction was good in every way, but perhaps due to the influence of his physique, Haruki vaguely felt himself developing into a battle maniac.
This went against his principle of fighting if he could, and running if he couldn't. Therefore, Haruki forced himself to calm down when he got caught up in a fight lest his battle enthusiasm ever erode his rationality, leading him to his own demise.
Icy air mixed with rainwater rushed into his lungs, and Haruki's scalding blood slowly began to cool. Unlike his cooling blood, the Cursed Energy within Haruki's body began to flow at high speed.
He clenched his fists, and Cursed Energy continuously compressed within his body.
The blue Cursed Energy covering his fists suddenly became dazzling, like burning ice flames.
Haruki's gaze locked onto Hanzo, and his figure once again vanished from his spot, moving even faster than before.
Hanzo narrowed his eyes, precisely capturing Haruki's every movement.
In a blink of an eye, Haruki had already arrived in front of Hanzo.
Hanzo detected a subtle difference. The same attacking posture, but the power was different. A dangerous aura was brewing.
Now!
Haruki's eyes suddenly burst forth with astonishing brilliance.
He threw a punch. The surging and roaring Cursed Energy, an instant before the punch connected with Hanzo, achieved a 'one-millionth of a second' level of ultimate synchronization with the impact force.
Hanzo's pupils constricted. The space in front of him was forcibly distorted.
Black Flash silently appeared in front of Haruki's fist.
"What is that?"
"Such incredible speed!"
"No!"
"Even more terrifying is his strength."
"Even space is being distorted."
"…"
The surrounding ninjas were dumbfounded, watching the scene unfold before them.
What Haruki had used was Black Flash!
A spatial distortion phenomenon caused by the ultimate coincidence of Cursed Energy and physical striking force. Its power is 120 times that of a normal Cursed Energy strike.
Hanzo's calm eyes finally changed. He extended his armored arms to defend, covering them with Chakra.
Bang!
Haruki's fist slammed hard into Hanzo's arms.
The ground beneath Hanzo's feet slightly cracked. The armor on his arms shattered inch by inch, emitting a grating sound of disintegration.
The armor fell to the ground, revealing Hanzo's arms covered with tiny bloodstains. Blood seeped from the wounds, instantly diluted by the rain.
He was injured!
Hanzo was somewhat incredulous.
"Sensei!"
Haruki ran to Hanzo's side and immediately healed Hanzo's wounds. His eyes were filled with distress over Hanzo's injured arm.
In Hanzo's eyes, the injury on his hand wasn't even considered an injury. But Haruki was so serious about it.
Hanzo looked at Haruki, who was diligently tending to his arm wound, and a warmth surged through his cold heart.
Is this what it feels like to have a disciple?
[Ding!]
[System detected Hanzo's affection value +1000]
[Your companion Cursed Spirit Rika's rank has increased to 60.1%]
Haruki's mind was filled with his heroic posture from just now.
He said to the system, the only one he could share with in his mind, 'Did you see that? I just shattered Hanzo's old turtle shell with a Black Flash.'
[…]
Thinking of Haruki's punch just now, Hanzo's eyes gleamed. "Haruki, how did you do that just now?"
Hanzo's arm wound healed quickly, and Haruki looked at his hands in confusion. "I... I don't know... I just thought in my heart that I wanted to show sensei my progress, I couldn't disappoint sensei, and then... my body was filled with power..."
His voice revealed a hint of apprehension.
[Ding!]
[System detected Hanzo's affection value +1000]
[Your companion Cursed Spirit Rika's rank has increased to 60.2%]
"This is your power." Hanzo said, looking at Haruki.
This child was more talented than he had imagined.
He soothed Haruki's emotions, "Learn to master that feeling you just had, and you will become stronger."
Looking at Hanzo's trusting gaze, Haruki seemed to draw strength from it, and he nodded seriously. "I will, sensei."
[Ding!]
[System detected Hanzo's nostalgia value +2000]
[Your Cursed Spirit Choso's rank has increased to 36.6%]
Hanzo had to admit, Haruki was too much like him when he was young.
Hardworking, persistent, longing to be trusted...
"Continue training." Hanzo said.
Haruki had already seen the effect of Black Flash. It was time to try Divergent Fist.
Haruki looked at Hanzo with gratitude. This time, he was serious.
Besides Hanzo, who else would be willing to be his punching bag without complaint?
Hanzo naturally saw the emotion in Haruki's eyes, and he couldn't help but let out a long sigh in his heart.
This child, Haruki, was too kind. As a ninja, kindness was not necessarily a virtue.
Hanzo's brow furrowed, and a sharp light shot from his eyes.
He was Haruki's teacher, and he would guide Haruki to become a mature ninja and not a kind ninja.
[Ding!]
[System detected Hanzo's affection value +1000]
[Your companion Cursed Spirit Rika's rank has increased to 60.3%]
Haruki: "…"
What was Hanzo imagining now?
He couldn't care too much, he was eager to try Divergent Fist.
He charged at Hanzo again, his speed undiminished, Cursed Energy gradually covering both fists.
Haruki first threw a right punch, with a piercing shriek, aiming for Hanzo's chest.
Hanzo's eyes were sharp, his right palm covered in Chakra, precisely meeting Haruki's right fist.
Just as the right fist was about to collide with Hanzo's palm, Haruki threw a left punch towards Hanzo's abdomen.
The main point was to feint and attack elsewhere. However, Haruki's left fist was still enveloped by Hanzo's palm.
Haruki's two attacks were blocked by Hanzo, but the vigilance in Hanzo's heart had not dissipated.
His combat intuition told him something was wrong.
Bang!
Hanzo's premonition came true. A dull explosion sounded from beneath his skin.
A tearing pain came from Hanzo's hands. His body trembled, an invisible force brutally struck his hands, and the powerful impact and collision caused his palms to be blasted into a bloody mess.
If he hadn't reacted extremely quickly to block with Chakra, his hands might have completely exploded.
Hanzo looked at Haruki's hand, with shock in his eyes. Haruki's fist was clearly intercepted by him.
Why was he still injured?
Where did the force that injured him come from?
When his palm exploded, he had even released Haruki's hand.
Hanzo's tightly furrowed brows suddenly relaxed. A flash of insight struck him, and he had an explanation.
"Is it a delayed strike effect?" Hanzo mused.
Hearing Hanzo's self-questioning, a hint of surprise quickly flashed in Haruki's eyes.
Hanzo had guessed correctly. After a physical strike hits, the Cursed Energy effect is delayed, causing a secondary strike.
This is Divergent Fist!