CH 13 The chase
Chapter 13: The Chase
Kai moved through the forest like a wraith, his enhanced speed carrying him swiftly and silently over the uneven terrain.
The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the forest floor, but Kai's sharpened senses allowed him to navigate effortlessly.
His mind was focused, his body humming with the energy of the stats he had absorbed earlier.
The system's new limitation—absorbing only 20% of a stat higher than his own—hadn't slowed him down. If anything, it had made him more strategic, more deliberate in his choices.
He knew he couldn't rely on overwhelming power alone anymore. He had to be smarter, faster, and more ruthless than his enemies.
His next target was another ninja squad, one he had been tracking for the past hour. They were moving through the forest on a routine patrol, unaware of the predator stalking them from the shadows.
Kai's lips curled into a faint smile as he closed the distance.
---
Thirty Minutes Earlier
Juzo and his team arrived at the scene of the massacre, their expressions grim as they took in the carnage.
The bodies of the special jonin and the genin lay scattered across the forest floor, their blood staining the earth. Juzo knelt beside the special jonin's body, his cold eyes scanning the wounds.
"This wasn't a quick fight," one of his team members, a tall woman with sharp features, remarked. "The kid made him work for it."
Juzo nodded, his jaw tightening. "He's getting stronger. Faster. And he's not holding back."
Another member of the team, a burly man with a scar running down his cheek, crouched beside one of the genin. "The kid didn't even hesitate. These two were begging for their lives, and he cut them down like they were nothing."
Juzo stood, his gaze sweeping the area. "He's not just a kid anymore. He's a threat. And if we don't stop him now, he's going to become something far worse."
The tall woman crossed her arms. "Do you think he's heading for another squad?"
"Yes," Juzo said without hesitation. "He's hunting. And he won't stop until he's taken down as many of us as he can."
The burly man cracked his knuckles. "Then we'd better find him before he does."
Juzo's eyes narrowed as he focused on the faint trail of chakra left behind by Kai. "He went this way. Let's move."
The team nodded, their expressions hardening as they prepared to pursue their target.
They moved swiftly, their years of training allowing them to cover ground quickly and silently. But even as they closed the distance, Juzo couldn't shake the feeling that they were already too late.
---
Back to Kai
Kai crouched in the branches of a tall tree, his eyes locked on the ninja squad below.
There were four of them—one jonin from the Land of Water, one chunin, and two genin—moving through the forest with the casual confidence of those who believed they were safe.
Kai's instincts flared, his Bloodrager ability heightening his senses. He could hear their quiet conversation, smell the sweat on their skin, and feel the faint pulse of their chakra.
The jonin was clearly the leader, his movements precise and his chakra reserves substantial. This would be a tougher fight, but Kai welcomed the challenge.
[Name: jonin
Age: 34
Rank: Jonin
Strength: 82
Speed: 90
Stamina: 67
Constitution: 17
Intelligence: 14
Chakra: 103
Affinity: water
Abilities: water dragon jutsu, water bullet jutsu, body flicker, water clone, water wall jutsu]
He dropped from the tree, landing silently behind the squad. The jonin was at the front, his eyes scanning the forest for threats.
The chunin and genin followed close behind, their hands resting on their kunai pouches.
[Name: chunin
Age: 34
Rank: chunin
Strength: 74
Speed: 56
Stamina: 48
Constitution: 11
Intelligence: 10
Chakra: 60
Affinity: Earth
Abilities: stone bullet jusu, body flicker, clone jutsu, stone wall jutsu]
Kai moved like a shadow, his kunai flashing in the fading light. The chunin didn't even have time to react before Kai's blade sliced through his throat. The jonin spun around, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the threat.
"Get back!" the jonin barked, his hands already forming a series of hand seals. "Water Style: Water Bullet Jutsu!"
A barrage of high-pressure water projectiles shot toward Kai, forcing him to leap back to avoid being hit. The two genin scrambled to create distance, their faces pale with fear.
Kai landed lightly on his feet, his expression calm. The jonin was strong, but Kai had faced worse.
He darted forward, his speed a blur as he closed the distance. The jonin's eyes widened in surprise, but he managed to block Kai's kunai with his own.
The clash of metal rang out, and the jonin pushed back with all his strength. "You're fast, kid," he muttered, his voice tight with strain. "But you're not fast enough."
Kai didn't respond. He feinted left, then darted right, his movements unpredictable. The jonin blocked the strike, but Kai's foot lashed out, catching the man in the ribs and sending him stumbling back.
The two genin tried to intervene, but Kai was already on them. His kunai flashed, and the first genin fell, his throat slit before he could even scream.
The second genin turned to run, but Kai's kunai found his back before he could take more than a few steps.
The jonin roared in anger, his hands forming another set of seals. "Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
A massive dragon made of water erupted from the nearby stream, its roar echoing through the forest as it surged toward Kai. Kai braced himself, his enhanced strength and speed allowing him to leap out of the dragon's path just in time.
The water dragon crashed into the trees behind him, sending a spray of water and debris into the air.
As the water settled, Kai charged forward, his kunai aimed straight for the jonin's heart.
The jonin barely managed to block the strike, but Kai's momentum carried him forward, driving the man to the ground. With a swift motion, Kai plunged his kunai into the jonin's chest, ending the fight.
Kai stood over the bodies, his breathing steady, his expression cold. He knelt beside the jonin, his hands moving quickly as he activated his stat absorption.
[System Notification: Stat Absorption Activated.]
[Target: Jonin (Speed: 90)]
[Absorbing 20% of Speed stat…]
Kai felt a surge of energy as the jonin's speed 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: 120 → 138
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.)]
Kai then turned to the chunin, absorbing his stone wall jutsu as well.
[System Notification: ability Absorption Activated.]
[Target: Chunin (ability: stone wall jutsu )]
[Absorbing: stone wall jutsu…]
Another surge of memories flowed through Kai as the chunin's stone wall jutsu was transferred to him. His brows tightened, his head feeling an uncomftable tingle. The system updated his stats once more:
[Name: Kai
Age: 12
Rank: Special Jonin
Strength: 58
Speed: 138
Stamina: 41
Constitution: 15
Intelligence: 11
Chakra: 60
Affinity: Earth
Abilities: stone wall jutsu
Bloodline: Bloodrager (Transform into a powerful raging beast)
System Function: Stat Absorption (Steal stats and abilities from defeated enemies.)]
Kai's lips curled into a faint smile. He was growing stronger with every fight, every kill.
But his instincts suddenly flared, a warning screaming in his mind.
He ducked just as a kunai flew past his head, embedding itself in a tree behind him.
Kai spun around, his eyes narrowing as he saw Juzo and his team emerging from the shadows.
Juzo's expression was grim, his cold eyes locked on Kai. The tall woman and the burly man flanked him, their weapons drawn and their chakra flaring.
"You've been busy," Juzo said, his voice low and dangerous.
Kai straightened, his kunai still in hand. His smile widened, a flicker of madness in his eyes. "I'm just getting started."
Juzo's face darkened as he felt the aura radiating from Kai. It was powerful, almost overwhelming, and it sent a chill down his spine.
This wasn't the same boy they had been chasing. This was something far more dangerous.
"Surround him," Juzo ordered, his voice tight with urgency. "Don't let him escape."
The team moved quickly, forming a tight circle around Kai. But Kai didn't move. He stood perfectly still, his smile never wavering, his eyes gleaming with a predatory light.
The hunt was far from over.