Boom!
The ground of the training field instantly cracked open.
Facing Jugo, who had entered a berserk state, Suigetsu Hozuki—having just gained new power and brimming with extreme confidence—was the first to charge in.
"Hehehe! Everyone is watching, so I'll use you for my debut!"
Suigetsu let out a strange laugh, his right arm muscles suddenly expanding as he swung his blade down hard at Jugo's back.
"Water Release: Great Water Arm Technique!"
"Die!"
However, in the next second.
Jugo, in his berserk state, didn't even turn his head.
He merely relied on instinct to swing his hand back.
Boom!
The air shattered.
A terrifying shockwave arrived even before his fist did.
Bang!
With a loud crash, Suigetsu's pride and joy, his Great Water Arm, was instantly smashed into a cloud of mist.
He himself was sent flying by the brute force like a swatted fly, slamming hard into the wall and creating a massive crater.
He then turned into a puddle of liquid, slowly sliding down the wall, unable to reform his human shape for a long while.
"What!"
Zabuza's pupils constricted, but there was no turning back.
"Die!"
The Kubikiribocho in his hand, wrapped in fierce killing intent and fueled by the momentum of his sprint, slashed down hard, aiming straight for Jugo's neck.
Clang!!
The sound of clashing metal rang out, and sparks flew.
Jugo simply used his cursed seal-transformed shoulder to take the blow head-on.
The blade, capable of cleaving through rock, struck his gray keratin layer and left only a shallow white mark.
The immense recoil caused the webbing between Zabuza's thumb and forefinger to split open.
Before he could pull the blade back, Jugo's keratin-covered hand had already grabbed the spine of the sword.
Whoosh.
Then, like cracking a whip, he sent Zabuza and his sword flying.
He slammed heavily into the wall, landing right beside the still-oozing Suigetsu.
"Earth Release: Earth Mausoleum Dumpling!"
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"
The Sound Four attempted to provide support with ninjutsu.
"Roar!!!"
But Jugo merely let out a roar, and the waves of chakra erupting from his body were like a passing typhoon.
Not only did it disperse their ninjutsu, but it also sent all four of them flying, rolling away in a sorry state.
In just one encounter.
This group of powerhouses—who had just unlocked the first level of the Gene Lock and believed they had been reborn—was mercilessly crushed.
This wasn't just a normal rampage.
It was the dual overlay of Sage Transformation and the Gene Lock.
Sage Transformation granted him endless natural energy and an indestructible body, while the Gene Lock completely unleashed his combat instincts.
This allowed Jugo to vent this power in the most efficient and savage way possible.
He didn't need complex hand seals or flashy ninjutsu.
With just pure strength, defense, and speed, he was an unmatched existence.
"What... what kind of monster is this?!"
Sakon clutched his chest, watching the rampaging figure with a face full of terror.
Even though everyone had unlocked the first level, why was the gap so massive?
In less than a minute, everyone who went up to challenge him had been sent flying by the berserk Jugo, some even nearly losing their lives.
The entire training field was a mess.
Naruto sat up high, watching this scene with a calm expression, clearly having anticipated this result.
"It seems the Gene Lock is a percentage-based enhancement. Since the gap was already significant, after both sides were enhanced simultaneously, the gap has actually widened even further."
The chasm between mortals and born monsters was not so easily crossed.
"I'll buy some time."
A white figure cut into the battlefield as if teleporting.
After unlocking the Gene Lock, Haku's speed was extreme.
He didn't need hand seals, or even to create Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals; relying solely on his body's explosive power, he left afterimages in his wake.
Swish, swish, swish!
Dozens of ice senbon pierced with pinpoint accuracy toward all of Jugo's acupuncture points.
Cling-clang!
However, all the senbon were deflected by Jugo's thick keratin layer.
"Physical attacks are ineffective... then I'll restrict his movements!"
Haku's eyes narrowed, and he pressed one hand to the ground.
Crack!
An icy chill erupted, and massive ice pillars shot up from the ground, forming a sturdy ice prison that froze Jugo firmly inside.
The moment Jugo was trapped...
A figure appeared behind him like a phantom.
Kabuto adjusted his glasses, his Chakra Scalpel emitting a faint blue glow.
"I feel it, the weak point in his chakra flow."
Kabuto precisely sliced in, directly severing the tendons in Jugo's right arm.
However, before Kabuto could even celebrate, he saw Jugo's severed tendons writhing and reconnecting at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"Roar!"
Jugo shattered the ice on his body and threw a backhand punch at Kabuto, who was behind him.
Kabuto's expression changed.
Relying on the crisis warning brought by the Gene Lock, he rolled backward in a miserable state, barely dodging the blow.
"This won't work..."
Kabuto pushed up his crooked glasses and retreated, cold sweat streaming down his face.
"His defense is extremely high, he has this absurd recovery ability, and on top of that, this massive amount of chakra... he's practically immortal."
He watched Jugo rush toward the fallen group again, his fist filled with killing intent about to descend.
"Stop... right there!!"
A sharp, feminine cry rang out.
Watching her companions about to be hurt, Karin felt her urgency overcome her fear.
Four golden Adamantine Sealing Chains burst out from her body once more, and with the sound of tearing air, they tightly bound Jugo's four limbs.
Creak!
The sprinting Jugo came to a sudden halt, forcibly stopped in his tracks by the four chains.
The unique sealing properties of the Adamantine Sealing Chains even caused Jugo's chakra to stagnate for an instant.
"That little girl..."
Tsunade watched this scene, her eyes full of amazement.
"To actually suppress a monster like this head-on? Is this the power of the Uzumaki Clan?"
"I... I caught him!"
Karin gritted her teeth, cold sweat streaming down her forehead.
It was her first time using this power; her chakra control was severely lacking, and her stamina was draining rapidly.
"Roar!!!"
Jugo struggled frantically, his terrifying brute strength pulling at the chains.
"It's no good... his strength is too great..."
Karin's feet carved two deep grooves into the ground as she was dragged across the floor by Jugo.
Finally, Karin's stamina was exhausted, and the chains shattered instantly.
Jugo broke free from his restraints, filled with endless rage.
His massive fist, accompanied by a whistling wind, smashed straight toward Karin's face.
"Karin!"
Haku screamed in terror.
Bang.
A dull thud sounded.
However, the anticipated pain did not arrive.
The gale blew messily through Karin's long red hair, and she opened her eyes, trembling.
A figure stood in his path.
"The farce is over."
Kimimaro looked at the out-of-control Jugo before him, his eyes indifferent.
"Jugo, it's time to sleep."
The air seemed to solidify.
Jugo's heavy fist, carrying the force of ten thousand tons, was firmly held back by Kimimaro's single hand, unable to advance even a fraction of an inch.
"Get lost!!"
Jugo let out a violent roar, the chakra jet nozzles on his back emitting a sharp screech as he attempted to crush the obstacle before him with even more violent power.