[Ding! Detected that the host has caused massive destruction in the Land of Earth—serpent disaster, insect plague—the methods were utterly appalling, but the effect was astonishingly good. The daimyo of the Land of Earth has already begun pressuring Iwagakure. Special reward: Taijutsu +5.]
[Ding! Detected that the host has employed inhumane tactics in the Land of Earth, delivering a deeply disgusting blow to Iwagakure. Currently, Tsuchikage Ōnoki has a splitting headache. Special reward: Ninjutsu – Fire Release: Great Fire Destruction.]
Well, well… Gekko Chizan figured the rewards this time wouldn't be small, but he didn't expect them to be this direct.
Taijutsu—no need to explain. That was his weak spot; however much it improved, he'd gladly accept it. But the key was, once again, he got gifted another of Madara's Fire Release cheats: Great Fire Destruction.
This was the Fire Release ninjutsu Uchiha Madara used during the Fourth Great Ninja War. He would gather chakra in his throat, then exhale a fireball that descended like a meteor. When it landed, flames spread and turned the area into a sea of fire. It could instantly ignite an entire forest, its destructive power even greater than Great Fire Annihilation.
These past days, he had improved by leaps and bounds—not only gaining new ninjutsu but also strengthening his attributes.
Right now, Gekko Chizan felt that even without Chōmei's strength, he could already touch the edges of Kage-level.
[Gekko Chizan]
[Konohagakure, Gekko Clan Jōnin, Jinchūriki (Seven-Tails)]
[Kekkei Genkai: Transparent Release (perfect mastery), Crystal Release (initial mastery)]
[Ninjutsu: Multi Shadow Clone Technique, Eight Gates, Flying Thunder God Technique, Fire Release (Fireball, Phoenix Fire, Great Fire Annihilation), Earth Release (Earth Flow Wall, Headhunter Jutsu), Wind Release (Protective Wind, Great Breakthrough, Wind Cutter), Hidden Shadow Snake Hands, One Thousand Years of Death (power +11%, spiral trait), Summoning (Snakes), Fivefold Rashōmon. Sealing Techniques, Formation of Ten Thousand Snakes (improved).]
[Senjutsu: Ryūchi Cave Senjutsu (not activated), Natural Energy (basic)]
[Tailed Beast: Chōmei, affinity 100%, Tailed Beast Transformation progress: 100%, Tailed Beast Bomb (mastered, optimization progress 40%, active skills: Held Form, Compressed Bomb)]
[Strength: 77]
[Speed: 80]
[Chakra: 96]
[Physique: 82]
[Ninjutsu Amplification: 10, increased power and nature transformation of ninjutsu]
[Taijutsu: 66]
[Genjutsu: 79]
[Hand Seals: 84]
Looking at these stats—though somewhat imbalanced—he was absolutely powerful. Just one more step, and he'd truly reach Kage-level strength.
"Chizan, what are you laughing at?"
"Oh, right—should we keep going? I still feel like my scale powder can be strengthened even further, so the bugs we attract will be even more aggressive!"
Chōmei had completely gone crazy now. Over these past few days, Gekko Chizan had learned an awful lot of strange insect-related knowledge.
He had seen every kind of bug—deadly poisonous ones, endless swarms—just to set up insect plagues. For days, he could barely stomach food.
And just when he managed to eat a little, Chōmei started again, scaring him into shouting to stop.
"Stop! Chōmei! Enough already, that's plenty."
"If we keep this up, I'm not sure I'll be able to hold it together myself."
Ugh, trypophobia! Bugs everywhere... Suddenly, Gekko Chizan felt as if all he saw were insects. Even the food before him lost its taste.
"Tch, boring. I haven't even played enough yet."
"But Chizan, you just set this up and leave? How do you even know if it's effective?"
Gekko Chizan didn't answer.
On the road, the smile on his face never faded. After all, he already knew his setup worked. The rewards were the best proof.
"Hm? Iwagakure shinobi?"
All of a sudden, Gekko Chizan noticed quite a number of ninjas wearing Iwagakure forehead protectors entering the village. There were dozens of them.
And leading them—a massive, muscular figure. Wasn't that Kitsuchi?
Kitsuchi... The iron fist that shook the world, controlling the earth itself to crush his enemies.
He hadn't expected the disasters in the Land of Earth to be so bad that Ōnoki even recalled him to deal with the mess.
Tsk, tsk. Just for a few snakes and bugs? Was that really necessary?
Originally, Gekko Chizan's plan had been to force Iwagakure to pull some shinobi back to defend, but given that the disasters weren't really that exaggerated, he only expected some chūnin or genin to be reassigned.
But clearly, he had underestimated his own scheme.
He hadn't thought it would force even Iwagakure's elite jōnin to return. Heh.
Looking at those Iwa-nin, Gekko Chizan couldn't help but let the corners of his mouth curl up once more.
"Chizan, judging by that grin, I can tell—you're planning trouble again."
"Targeting that bunch of shinobi, huh? Hah! Chizan, just look at them and look at you. You're nothing but a skinny beanpole!"
Gekko Chizan: ...Do you hear yourself? Are those even words a person should say?
Chōmei: Or is it possible... I'm actually a bug?
"My build is perfectly balanced for attracting women! And for the record, I do have abs—eight of them!"
Being mocked for his physique, Gekko Chizan felt thoroughly displeased.
Come on, he had grown over the years too—standing 1.8 meters tall, his muscles sharp and defined. Hmph! The figure of a lady-killer, no doubt!
"Tsk, tsk. Chizan, you're just jealous."
"What? Jealous of him? Don't make me laugh. I'm just curious, that's all."
In truth, what Gekko Chizan was thinking about was what kind of disaster these people had come to handle.
Should he make a move? By now, he had already decided that yes, he would stir things up. After all, Chōmei's careless words had annoyed him.
"Chōmei, let's go. We'll wait outside the village. I'm guessing they're here to buy something to fight the snakes and insecticide to deal with the bugs."
It had to be said, Gekko Chizan's observation was sharp. Sure enough, the first place Kitsuchi's group headed to was the pharmacy.
At this time, returning to the Land of Earth only to stop at a pharmacy? Heh. Of course, it was for the serpent and insect disasters.
But things were never that simple.
Come to think of it, it was lucky Gekko Chizan had gone to this eastern village of the Land of Earth, close to the border with the Land of Grass. Otherwise, he wouldn't have witnessed this at all.
"Oh? Nice! That means we get to stir up more trouble. I love it!"
"Come on, let's go, quick! Tell me what bugs you want—I'll make sure to give them a grand surprise package!"
Gekko Chizan was speechless, simply shutting out Chōmei's chatter as he slipped out of village and perched on a tree nearby, waiting for Kitsuchi's group.
He waited half a day, until night had fallen, before they finally came out.
"Damn it, how long does it take to buy something? So slow, dragging their feet forever."
"Once we reach the spot, you'll see how badly I mess you up!"