After a long, eventful day at the training grounds, Gojo returned home feeling a strange mix of exhilaration and frustration.
The excitement of the matches still lingered in the air, but a thought nagged at him: his taijutsu skills weren't up to the mark.
As he settled onto his bed, Gojo decided it was time to confront the truth.
He opened his status panel to review his abilities and progress, hoping to find something to bolster his confidence.
[SYSTEM PANEL]
Name: Senju Gojo
Age: 6
Chakra Reserve: Jounin level
Bloodlines:
- Senju (Intermediate)
- Uchiha (Complete)
- Uzumaki (Intermediate)
Physique: Sage Body (Intermediate)
Special Traits: Golden Sharingan (Mutated)
Bloodline Limit: Sharingan (2 Tomoe, Golden)
Skills: Basic Taijutsu, Chakra Control, Sealing Affinity
Comprehension: Primary
Ninjutsu: Primary
System Points: 33,000
Gojo stared at the screen, feeling the weight of his inadequacies sink in. "Only basic taijutsu?" he muttered to himself.
"I've got a golden Sharingan and a Sage Body, but I still can't fight like I should!"
Gritting his teeth, a sudden thought struck him. "I could upgrade my Senju Bloodline!" With a punch of determination, he set to upgrade his bloodline from intermediate to complete.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: Upgrade Initiated! ]
Cost: 20,000 System Points
He felt a heating sensation as he confirmed the upgrade, a cool river of chakra surging through him.
His body tingled as he realized he was growing taller, and his hair seemed to sparkle more vividly.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: Upgrade Complete! ]
New Chakra Reserve: Kage level
Sage Body: Evolved to Complete!
"This is incredible!" Gojo whooped, bouncing on his bed in joy. "I'm practically Kage level now!"
Suddenly, he noticed a new slot on his status panel had opened up, causing his heart to race. "What's this?" he asked, leaning forward with curiosity.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: New Bloodline Available! ]
Bloodline Name: Wood Release (Sealed)
Cost to Unlock: 5,000 System Points
Gojo's excitement shifted to annoyance. "Seriously? Why do you have to be so greedy?" he scolded the system, feeling slightly exasperated.
[SYSTEM RESPONSE: If you want it, you can buy it. Or you can just shut up and go home.]
"Rude!" he replied, earning a snicker from the system interface.
After a moment of consideration, he shook his head in resignation. "Alright, let's do this."
He spent the points, unlocking the Wood Release bloodline.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: Bloodline Unlocked! ]
With eager anticipation, Gojo retrieved the three wood release techniques his grandfather had gifted him:
---
Name: Wood Style: Cutting Jutsu
Element: Wood
Type: Ninjutsu
Rank: B
Jutsu Prerequisites: ---
Range: Short-Long Range
Description: A versatile technique where the user can produce sharp wooden spikes from their body to either fashion short-range weapons akin to a makeshift sword or use them as long-range projectiles, where the branches' growth can be triggered remotely, skewering the enemy.
---
Name: Wood Style: Hand Tool Manipulation
Element: Wood
Type: Ninjutsu
Rank: C
Jutsu Prerequisites: ---
Range: Short Range
Description: This technique allows the user to transform their hand into a tool. This technique has many variations, such as being made into a key, a shield, and many other forms.
---
Name: Wood Style: Silent Strangle Jutsu
Element: Wood
Type: Ninjutsu
Rank: B
Jutsu Prerequisites: ---
Range: Short-Mid Range
Description: By transforming their arm into a tree, the user can then create multiple branches which will rapidly grow around the target, immobilizing them.
---
"Sweet! This is going to be epic!" Gojo cheered, feeling a rush of adrenaline.
He remembered his earlier matches and their intensity—this would surely give him an edge.
Yet, as he began to practice, he found that learning these techniques, even with his Primary comprehension level, wasn't going as quickly as he had hoped.
He felt the frustration bubble beneath him like an unending pot about to boil over.
"It's still the afternoon," he muttered, and the determination rekindled within him. "I can do this!"
He spent 6,000 System Points to enhance his mastery, giving him half mastery of all three techniques.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: Mastery Progress ]
Techniques Learned:
- Wood Style: Cutting Jutsu – 50% Mastery
- Wood Style: Hand Tool Manipulation – 50% Mastery
- Wood Style: Silent Strangle Jutsu – 50% Mastery
"Awesome! This is getting better!" Gojo grinned, though the realization that his points were dwindling soured the moment.
"But I have to be more careful with these points…"
As Gojo contemplated his diminishing system points, a quick thought flashed through his mind.
"I wonder if there are any good deals in the system shop..."
He lay back on his bed, staring at the ceiling while imagining what items or enhancements could be available.
"Maybe I can exchange some points for training equipment or a training dummy that can magically counter my moves?" he pondered.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: New feature unlocked Shop Access Available! ]
Shop Items:
1. Training Dummy: 3,000 System Points
2. Chakra Amplifier Bracelet: 10,000 System Points
3. Taijutsu Manual: 5,000 System Points
"Training Dummy? Perfect! Just what I need to test my new techniques," he thought. Quickly, he selected the dummy.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: Item Purchased! ]
Item: Training Dummy
Remaining System Points: 2,000
"Now I can really train!" Gojo exclaimed, a determined smile spreading across his face. He dashed outside, eager to test out his new abilities.
---
Outside, the sun gradually sank below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple.
As Gojo positioned the training dummy, he could hardly contain his excitement.
"Here we go!" he shouted, transforming his arm into a wooden blade using the Wood Style: Cutting Jutsu.
With a powerful swing, he released a sharp wooden spike that cleaved through the dummy, splintering it into pieces. "SPECTACULAR!" Gojo shouted, feeling the rush of success.
"That was great! Now for some finesse!" he murmured, quickly transitioning to Wood Style: Hand Tool Manipulation.
He morphed his hand into a wooden shield just as the remnants of the dummy began to scatter, shielding him from the wayward splinters raining down as he collapsed.
"Whoa!" he yelped, barely catching himself as he looked down at the makeshift shield. "Maybe I should work on my aim a bit more!"
With giggles breaking out in the nearby bushes, he turned to see his friends watching. Sakura and Ino were peeking with wide grins from behind a tree.
"Wow, Gojo! You're really getting into it!" Sakura exclaimed, bouncing lightly as she watched him practice.
"Yeah! Soon, you'll be slicing sandwiches with that thing!" Ino added, laughter spilling from her lips.
"Amazing journey from operational wannabe to a stick-wielding warrior!" Gojo bantered back, striking a ridiculous pose while standing in a superhero stance.
"Feast your eyes! You have just witnessed the Chunin level talent being unleashed!"
"More like overwhelmed!" Ino teased, and the two girls burst out laughing.
"Let me show you how it's really done!" Gojo continued in a mock-serious tone, launching into a sequence of exaggerated battle moves, swinging his "blade" around with gusto.
"Oh, do I need to adjust my imagined 'perfect fight' sketch for you?" Ino asked, raising an eyebrow playfully. "Or should I call the stationery department to order a fresh roll for your glorious moves?"
"Hey! I'll take your criticism eventually," Gojo laughed, genuinely flattered by their attention even if it was lighthearted banter.
Then, Hinata shyly stepped forward. "C-could I try?" she asked hesitantly, glancing between Gojo and the remains of the dummy.
"Of course! Just remember to control your chakra flow, and you'll be perfect!" Gojo encouraged, stepping aside with a bright smile.
Hinata took a deep breath, her resolve hardening as she focused on the dummy. Concentrating deeply, she formed her hands carefully and released a simple yet focused chakra burst.
"H-Here I go!" she whispered, but instead of an attack, a beautiful flow of flowers erupted, engulfing the training area in vibrant hues.
"Wha—Hinata! That's not how you use a weapon!" Gojo exclaimed, staring in awe at the unexpected transformation.
"Oops! I-I apologize!" Hinata stammered, heart racing. "I thought maybe..."
"But that's so cool! You could totally support with distraction strategies like a master ninja florist!" Gojo cheered, impressed with her unique approach.
Sakura burst into laughter, her giggles filling the air. "Who knew you possessed hidden skill in floristry, Hinata?"
"W-what? I wasn't trying to make a statement!" Hinata turned crimson as she fidgeted with her fingers.
Ino leaned against the tree, snickering. "You're destined to become the best Misty Flower Shinobi! Next thing we know, we'll have a ninja gardener alliance!"
Relieved laughter filled their circle of friends as they teased Hinata, who, surprisingly enough, started to ease up and smile along.
Gojo clapped his hands together, a grin stretching across his face. "Okay, enough fun! Let's gear up and really hit those techniques, or else tomorrow I'll end up fighting a flower army! And that's no good for reputation!"
As the night wore on, they took turns training, sharing techniques, and keeping the laughter loud and infectious.
Each moment of camaraderie deepened their friendships and emboldened Gojo's spirit.
In the back of his mind, Gojo contemplated his future battles, his newly unlocked powers, and the possible challenges that lay ahead.
But for tonight, all that mattered was the joy of training with friends, laughter echoing around them as they embraced the lightheartedness of youth.
The sun set completely, and the scene was painted with countless stars, a cosmic reminder that greatness lies not just in power alone, but in bonds shared with friends and the joy of overcoming obstacles together.
---
Chapter 32 Ends