Chapter 66: Taijutsu Dog
"What... are you doing?"
Kael was so stunned that he forgot all about the pain from the lightning. Looking at Watanabe Musashi's forced attempt at being "cute," his brain completely short-circuited, and his words came out jumbled.
Watanabe Musashi instantly realized his mistake. He snatched his head back, his old face flushing from red to pale, then to a sickly green. He'd just embarrassed himself in front of a bunch of animals!
He stopped the flow of lightning chakra, not daring to even look around. He could feel the scorching, judgmental stares of Kael's summons drilling into his back.
The summons exchanged shocked glances.
Wind Eagle: "There's nothing scarier than an old man trying to be cute."
Goldie (Insight Pup): "Hiss! This guy Watanabe is on another level. I feel like he's a threat to my position..."
Earthen Beetle: "I can't watch this."
Silence was more potent than any words. The awkwardness was more suffocating than any taunt.
"Ahem..." Watanabe Musashi cleared his throat, drawing Kael's gaze. He immediately looked away, forcing a laugh. "Well, if there's nothing else, I'll just... be going..."
He turned to flee but was grabbed by Kael.
"Hey, what are you doing? We just got started, and you're leaving?"
"Ha... haha..." Watanabe Musashi gave him an awkward smile. "Aren't we done? I... have something to do back home. The sun's out, I need to... uh... bring in my laundry..."
He couldn't stand to be in this place for one more second.
Kael's mouth twitched. He looked up at the hazy, blurry sun, which was barely brighter than the moon. He couldn't feel an ounce of heat from it. What laundry are you bringing in?!
He knew Watanabe Musashi's pride had taken a serious hit, so he decided to stop teasing him. He turned to Goldie, who was thoroughly enjoying the show.
"Huh???"
Feeling Kael's gaze, Goldie froze, his entire body going rigid. He slowly turned his little head, his eyes wide with terror.
Kael tilted his head. "What are you looking at, you stupid dog? Get over here."
"Woof, woof, woof? —Why me?" Goldie yelped in despair.
Kael grinned. "'Cause you're the one I want?"
His face hardened as he snapped, "Stop dawdling. Hurry up!"
He then looked back at Watanabe Musashi, only to pause. The man was now watching Goldie with an amused expression, having transitioned from "the embarrassed" to "one of the crowd."
"Uncle Watanabe, just one more time," Kael prompted.
"Oh, oh, right! Of course!"
[Lightning-Nature Chakra]+[Insight Pup]= ???
[Compatibility]70%
[Material: Lightning-Nature Chakra, Quality (Blue)]
[Creature: Insight Pup, Rank (E+)]
[Synthesis Success Rate]200%
[Chakra Required]100
[Synthesize?]
[Yes]
"Okay, Uncle Watanabe, that's enough," Kael said.
The synthesis had begun, and he had no plans to sacrifice his life force for a second synthesis anytime soon. He turned to look at Goldie, who was slowly being enveloped in lightning, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"It only required 100 chakra. That means the cost is based on the creature's rank, not the material's. That's good..."
"This..." Watanabe Musashi stepped closer, his eyes wide with wonder as he observed the expanding ball of lightning.
"Another large-type summon? This would be perfect to make up for my lack of frontline combat power," Kael mused.
It was a known fact in the Shinobi World that the bigger the creature, the more powerful it tended to be. Beings like Fukasaku and Shima from Mount Myoboku, Katsuyu from the Shikkotsu Forest, and Manda from the Ryuchi Cave were all incredibly powerful. Kael didn't expect Goldie to become a behemoth on that level, but an increase in size was definitely a good thing.
After about ten seconds, the lightning, which had expanded to five meters in diameter, began to contract and dim, revealing a ferocious beast crackling with blue electrical arcs.
Little Gray: "So what? It's just a giant version of Goldie."
The formerly soccer-ball-sized puppy was now a giant, demonic-looking hound, four meters long and two and a half meters tall. Other than its size, its color and appearance hadn't changed much.
Goldie lifted its powerful new limbs, looked at them, and its eyes filled with despair.
"It's over! I'm not cute anymore...!"
Kael, however, examined its powerful legs and streamlined body, his eyes glowing. "What a beast!"
[Summoning Beast: Insight Pup]
Rank: C
Species: Canidae Mammal
Attribute: Lightning, Light Affinity
Abilities:
Light Absorption (Passive): The Insight Pup's eyes have evolved to absorb and store light energy.
Inferiority Glare: When activated, anyone looked at by the Insight Pup will feel inexplicably inferior and be compelled to attack it furiously.
Disarming Cuteness: Reduces the target's rationality by 30%.
Solar Flare: The Insight Pup's eyes can shoot two beams of "holy light," causing wide-area blindness and burning damage. If focused to a single point, it can fire two pin-sized, high-temperature rays that can pierce and melt an enemy's body. However, this extreme focus will also damage its own pupils.
Lightning Style Chakra Mode (Pseudo): Activates the body's cells, dramatically increasing movement speed and defensive capabilities.
Hell Stab: Four-Fingered Spear Hand: The Insight Pup charges the enemy at high speed, using the four claws of its foreleg to inflict penetrating damage. It uses extreme lightning-nature chakra to super-activate its body, making it even faster and stronger than a standard Lightning Style Chakra Mode.
System Evaluation: I may not be human, but damn, you're a real piece of work!
"Holy crap! This is a dog version of the Raikage!" Kael couldn't hold it in. He was stunned and, at the same time, exasperated. The art style of the Shinobi World was about to be completely broken. A dog could now use Lightning Style Chakra Mode and the Third Raikage's ultimate taijutsu, the Hell Stab!
"Even masters of Lightning Style like Sasuke and Kakashi couldn't use the chakra mode because they couldn't release chakra from all their tenketsu points at once, but Goldie can! It's only a 'Pseudo' version, and its Hell Stab is limited to four fingers because of its physique, but the power must be terrifying! My god! Goldie went from a cute mascot to a full-blown taijutsu specialist! Everyone in the Shinobi World is going to think this is the Third Raikage's dog..." Kael muttered.
While he was reading the system notifications, Watanabe Musashi couldn't resist walking over to Goldie, patting its solid muscles, his admiration obvious. No man can refuse a cool, powerful dog. Unless he's not a man.