CH 12 The first strike

Chapter 12: The First Strike

Kai dropped from the tree like a shadow, his kunai gleaming in the sunlight. The special jonin's instincts screamed a warning, but it was too late. Kai's blade sliced through the air, aimed straight for the man's neck. 

The special jonin twisted at the last second, his years of experience saving him from a fatal blow. The kunai grazed his shoulder, drawing blood, but the man was already moving, his hands flying through a series of hand seals. 

"Water Clone Jutsu!" he barked, and two identical copies of himself materialized from the surrounding moisture. The clones flanked Kai, their movements mirroring the original's as they closed in. 

Kai's senses sharpened, the passive effects of his Bloodrager ability kicking in. His vision became clearer, his hearing more acute, and his instincts screamed at him to move. He ducked under a swing from one clone, his body moving with a fluidity that surprised even himself. His stats—strength, speed, and stamina—felt amplified, as if the blood in his veins was singing with power. 

But this wasn't the full transformation. This was just the edge of what the Bloodrager could do. 

The special jonin's eyes narrowed as he assessed Kai. "You're just a kid," he muttered, though the tension in his voice betrayed his unease. "But you move like a seasoned fighter. Who trained you?" 

Kai didn't answer. He didn't have time for words. The two water clones lunged at him, their movements synchronized. Kai sidestepped the first, his kunai slashing through its torso. The clone dissolved into water, but the second was already on him, its fist slamming into his side. 

Pain flared through Kai's ribs, but he gritted his teeth and pushed through it. His enhanced constitution dulled the worst of the blow, and he retaliated with a swift kick that sent the clone stumbling back. 

The special jonin watched from a distance, his hands already forming another set of seals. "Water Bullet Jutsu!" he shouted, and a barrage of high-pressure water projectiles shot toward Kai. 

Kai's instincts screamed at him to dodge. He leaped to the side, the water bullets tearing through the ground where he had just stood. His enhanced speed and reflexes were the only things keeping him alive, but he knew he couldn't keep this up forever. 

The genin, who had been frozen in shock, finally snapped into action. One of them drew a kunai and charged at Kai, his movements clumsy but determined. Kai's eyes flicked toward him, calculating. 

"Stay back!" the special jonin barked, but it was too late. 

Kai moved like a predator, closing the distance between himself and the genin in an instant. His kunai flashed, and the genin crumpled to the ground, clutching a deep gash in his arm. The other two genin hesitated, their courage faltering. 

The special jonin's expression darkened. "You're fast, kid. But speed alone won't save you." 

He slammed his hands together, and the air around them grew heavy with moisture. "Hiding in the Mist Technique!" 

A thick fog rolled in, obscuring everything within a ten-meter radius. Kai's enhanced senses strained against the mist, but even his sharpened vision could only make out vague shapes. He crouched low, his kunai at the ready, his instincts screaming at him to stay alert. 

The special jonin's voice echoed through the mist, taunting him. "You're out of your depth, brat. You might have some tricks, but you're still just a child playing at being a ninja." 

Kai's jaw tightened, but he forced himself to stay calm. Anger would only cloud his judgment. He needed to think, to outsmart his opponent. 

The sound of footsteps reached his ears, faint but distinct. His enhanced hearing picked up the subtle shift in the air as the special jonin moved through the mist. Kai's instincts guided him, and he spun around just in time to block a strike from the man's kunai. 

The clash of metal rang out, and Kai pushed back with all his strength. The special jonin's eyes widened in surprise as he realized just how strong Kai was. 

"What the hell are you?" the man muttered, his voice tinged with fear. 

Kai didn't answer. He couldn't afford to. The mist was thinning, and he needed to end this before the special jonin could regroup. 

He feinted left, then darted right, his movements a blur. The special jonin barely had time to react before Kai's kunai found its mark, slicing through the man's side. 

The special jonin staggered back, blood dripping from the wound. His hands moved to form another seal, but Kai was already on him, his kunai aimed straight for the man's heart. 

The mist cleared just as the special jonin fell, his body hitting the ground with a dull thud. The remaining genin stared in horror, their leader's death leaving them paralyzed with fear. 

Kai turned to face them, his expression cold and unreadable. His Bloodrager ability hummed beneath the surface, a quiet reminder of the power he could unleash if pushed too far. 

"P-please," one of the genin stammered, holding up his hands in surrender. "We don't want any trouble. We'll leave and never come back!" 

Kai's expression didn't change. His cold, calculating eyes locked onto the genin, and for a moment, the forest seemed to hold its breath. The genin's pleas fell on deaf ears. To Kai, they weren't innocent children—they were tools of the system that had destroyed his village, his home, and the only person who had shown him kindness. 

"You shouldn't have come here," Kai said, his voice low and devoid of emotion. 

The genin exchanged terrified glances, their bodies trembling as they realized what was coming. One of them turned to run, but Kai was already moving. His enhanced speed carried him forward in a blur, his kunai flashing in the sunlight. 

The first genin didn't even have time to scream. Kai's blade sliced across his throat, and the boy crumpled to the ground, his lifeblood pooling beneath him. The second genin froze, paralyzed by fear, as Kai turned to face him. 

"P-please…" the boy whispered, tears streaming down his face. "I don't want to die…" 

Kai's expression remained impassive. He didn't see a child begging for his life—he saw another obstacle, another potential threat. In his mind, mercy was a luxury he couldn't afford. Not in this world. Not after what had been taken from him. 

Without a word, Kai drove his kunai into the genin's chest. The boy gasped, his eyes wide with shock, before his body went limp and collapsed to the ground. 

Kai stood over the bodies, his kunai dripping with blood. His breathing was steady, his hands steady, his mind steady. There was no guilt, no hesitation, no remorse. This was the path he had chosen, and he would walk it without looking back. 

He knelt beside the special jonin's body, his hands moving quickly as he searched for anything useful. He found a small pouch of rations, a few kunai, and a scroll detailing basic water jutsu. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. 

As he stood, a notification from his system appeared in his vision: 

[System Notification: Stat Absorption Activated.] 

[Target: Special Jonin (Speed: 57)] 

[Absorbing Speed stat…]

Kai felt a surge of energy as the special jonin's speed stat was transferred to him. His body felt lighter, his movements sharper. The system updated his stats: 

[Name: Kai 

Age: 12 

Rank: special Jonin 

Strength: 58 

Speed: 63 → 120

Stamina: 41 

Constitution: 15 

Intelligence: 11 

Chakra: 60 

Affinity: Earth

Abilities: None 

Bloodline: Bloodrager (Transform into a powerful raging beast) 

System Function: Stat Absorption (Steal stats and abilities from defeated enemies.)]

Before Kai could fully process the change, another notification appeared: 

[System Notification: Trial Period Ended.] 

[You have grown strong enough to no longer require full stat absorption.] 

[New Rule: You may now only absorb 20% of a stat that is higher than your own.]

[ System has hated too much Energy]

[ System conscious will now enter a deep sleep]

Kai's lips curled into a faint, almost imperceptible smile. The system's new limitation didn't bother him. If anything, it was a challenge—one he was more than willing to accept. 

He turned and walked away, his mind already racing with plans for his next move. The hunt was far from over, and Kai would not rest until every last one of them had paid for what they had done. 

The forest fell silent once more, the only sound the soft crunch of leaves under Kai's feet as he disappeared into the shadows. 

——

Author notes:

Are u guys likeing the fan fic so far ?

Any ideas for the story would be appreciated 👍