Qianyu opened the exchange store as he moved, scanning for a suitable sensing ability.
He currently had only 1,310 Witness Points. His options were limited.
He ignored any sensing ninjutsu that required learning. That would need the system to take over his body for simulated training—impossible mid-mission. He needed something he could use now.
Abilities ready for immediate use were expensive.
Take the hearing of Thunder Breathing user Zenitsu Agatsuma—far beyond human norm. It cost a full 10,000 Points. That hearing was absolute pitch among absolute pitches. It could catch breath, heartbeat, the flow of blood. With focus, it could even glimpse a person's thoughts.
Ten thousand points? Out of reach.
After searching, he finally found it.
Observation Haki (First Stage). Price: exactly 1,000 Points.
Observation Haki allowed the user to keenly sense the "presence" of others. It could read the location and number of enemies outside one's line of sight, even predict their next move in the instant to come.
Its functions were many: perceiving attacks, predicting actions, sensing a lifeform's strength, detecting emotions and thoughts, locating objects beyond view.
It could even foresee the future.
But Observation Haki was tied to mentality. It required calm to use reliably. In moments of emotional turmoil or lost reason, it failed.
Calm wasn't a problem for Qianyu.
This first stage, however, only allowed reading the location and number of hidden enemies, with a limited range.
But it had growth potential. He could train it himself, or buy the next stage later.
Qianyu spent the 1,000 points.
Exchange successful.
He froze for a moment.
His mind felt… clear. Uncluttered.
Every rustle of leaves, every shift of wind was now within his perception.
Through Observation Haki, he pinpointed the two Cloud ninja groups closing in. He even got a vague sense of their strength.
Seven on the left. Seven on the right. Fourteen total. Most were Chunin. Three or four felt a bit stronger—Special Jōnin level.
He issued the order. "Minato Namikaze!"
"Here!"
"Take five men. Ambush and eliminate the seven Cloud ninja about 100 meters to our left. One is a Special Jōnin. Can you do it?"
Minato blinked. He'd just reported enemies on the right flank, with unknown numbers.
How did Qianyu know about the left group? The exact number? Even the rank?
The Sharingan? But Qianyu's eyes were normal, and the Sharingan couldn't see through trees.
"What are you doing?" Qianyu's voice snapped like a whip. "We have no time! Answer me! Can you do it or not?!"
Minato snapped back to focus. "I can!"
"Pick your team. Move out, now!"
Minato quickly chose five familiar shinobi and led them toward the left flank.
Qianyu formed a Shadow Clone. To the remaining ninja, he commanded, "Follow my clone. Continue the advance. I'll handle the right flank."
Before the words finished echoing, he was gone—a Body Flicker.
He found the seven Cloud ninja fast.
Sharingan activated. Target locked: the two Special Jōnin at the front.
"Thunder Breathing: Fourth Form – Distant Thunder!"
Lightning erupted from his body. He shot forward like a bolt, a blur of aimed violence.
WHOOSH-CRACK!
The seven Cloud ninja turned at the thunderous sound. Too late.
Qianyu closed the distance. His blade flashed.
A high-speed slash.
One Special Jōnin's head left his shoulders.
The others reacted.
"Cloud Style: Forward Slash!"
"Cloud Style: Reverse Slash!"
"Cloud Style: Crescent Moon Slash!"
The remaining Special Jōnin drew his sword. "Cloud Style: Flame Slash!" Fire chakra infused the blade, erupting in a wave of heat.
Qianyu's hands flew through three seals.
Six attacks hit him.
POOF.
A log replaced him, sliced to pieces.
Qianyu stood on a branch above, hands already weaving another sequence.
"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!"
From his throat, he vomited a torrent of flame—a tidal wave of fire that swallowed the forest floor.
The inferno was too vast. The six Cloud ninja had no choice. They leaped into the air.
Qianyu's blade was already aimed.
"Thunder Breathing: Fifth Form – Heat Lightning!"
A searing, jagged arc of lightning shot from his sword.
ZZZRAAAK-THOOM!
Two Cloud ninja in mid-air… vanished. The lightning bored clean through their torsos.
Hands back to seals.
"Earth Style: Earth and Stone Dragon!"
The earth itself roared to life. Soil and rock surged, forming a monstrous, coiling dragon. It lunged at another ninja.
The man swung his sword, shearing off part of the dragon's earthen head. It didn't matter. The earth simply reformed, swallowing him whole and plunging him into the sea of fire below.
The last three landed on a thick branch.
The Special Jōnin's hands moved. "Fire Style: Fire Dragon Bullet!" A stream of fire shot from his mouth.
Qianyu's seals finished. Hands at his mouth.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
A massive orb of flame met the stream, consumed it utterly, and roared onward.
The Special Jōnin flickered away, barely dodging.
Qianyu's gaze shifted.
To the last two Cloud ninja.
They felt his stare. Saw the crimson Sharingan. A cold spike of dread shot through their hearts.
He moved. They raised their blades, desperate.
Their swords… connected. They hit him.
But there was no resistance. No impact. His form wavered, like a mirage.
A sharp pain blossomed in their necks.
Blood fountained. Hands clutched at the gashes as they toppled from the branch, down into the flames.
Qianyu's spinning tomoe slowed. Stopped.
One left.
The Special Jōnin hid deep in a dense canopy, not daring to breathe.
It had all happened so fast. A seven-man team… reduced to just him.
The mission was a failure. He had to retreat. Now.