My Techniques are a bit off

One Week Later

Refine chakra, form seals, release—

"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"

"Boom!" A puff of white smoke rose, but nothing happened.

"Figures, it won't work," Link muttered, sitting down with a sigh. He popped a soldier pill into his mouth, trying to restore his strength.

Every ninjutsu had a standard for successful activation. For example, even Sasuke, during his first attempts at the Great Fireball Technique, managed to produce a small puff of flames.

But for Link, things were different. If he couldn't meet the required chakra threshold, the technique would fail outright. The chakra would dissipate in a puff of smoke, and nothing would happen.

The reason was simple: his chakra reserves were insufficient. He had been trying to modify the mutated jutsu to lower its chakra consumption.

However, B-Rank jutsu like Earth-Style Wall, Earth Flow River, or Earth Flow Divide consumed nearly 80-90% of his chakra. Without using any trump cards, their practicality was effectively zero.

Using such a jutsu once would leave him needing food and rest. After sleeping to recover his energy, he could attempt it again the next day.

For days, Link had been trying to reduce the chakra consumption, but the mutated jutsu seemed to have a will of its own. If the chakra provided didn't meet the standard threshold, the jutsu simply wouldn't activate.

While standard jutsu could sometimes be cast at lower power with less chakra, Link's mutations required a strict minimum. Any amount below the threshold would result in failure; any amount above, and the technique would activate at full power with no further effort or adjustment on his part.

[So, this is what it means to fight as a ninja using chakra as the ultimate currency.]

He sighed inwardly but wasn't upset. Gains always came with trade-offs; perfection was a fantasy.

"Boss!"

Link heard Iris's loud voice from a distance.

[Strange, where's Ami?] He glanced up casually, though his heart was already wary. For days, the two of them had been inseparable, yet now Iris was here alone…

Something felt off.

[The chakra is wrong!]

Reacting instantly, Link formed seals with both hands.

"Whoosh!"

The approaching "Iris" suddenly sped up, moving almost faster than the eye could see. As they charged, a blue-white glow of chakra erupted from their palm.

"Smack!"

The glowing hand struck Link's raised arm, causing his muscles to go numb instantly.

[Chakra Scalpel… Who is this guy?!]

Without hesitation, Link grabbed his own head with his left hand and flung it backward while raising his leg to kick the attacker.

"Bang!"

The transformation technique was undone, revealing a cloaked ninja wearing a fox mask. They crossed their arms to block Link's kick.

[My leg's numb too…]

Even as his head flew backward, Link realized that his leg muscles had been severed by the Chakra Scalpel as well. This medical ninjutsu was devastating in close combat—just a touch was enough to sever muscles and tendons. A few hits could render most opponents completely incapacitated unless they had extensive medical knowledge.

"Poof!"

Link dispelled his Shadow Clone mid-air, and his body reassembled. His arms and legs were instantly restored. Before hitting the ground, he rapidly formed seals—

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

"Such an intriguing Kekkei Genkai…" The fox-masked ninja commented, observing Link. "Does it adapt to different jutsu?"

"No wonder you're called Konoha's most surprising prodigy."

[That outfit… and that Chakra Scalpel…] Link's mind raced.

"Why not join us?" The fox-masked ninja's voice turned enticing. "We can provide you with any jutsu you wish to learn—even forbidden techniques…"

Refine chakra, form seals, release—

"Shadow Clone!"

Without letting the enemy finish, Link glanced down. The shadow beneath the fox-masked ninja began to writhe and rise at an unnatural angle, aiming directly for their lower body.

"Thunk!"

The ninja, seemingly prepared, flinched slightly. They endured the sudden loss of stamina, leaping away while fending off the shadow's strike, sending it flying backward.

[If it's him, one shadow isn't enough…]

Link's expression grew grim. It was time to reveal his trump card.

Refine chakra, form seals, release—

"Transformation Jutsu: Super Link Mode, Level One!"

Pouring over 90% of his stamina into the jutsu, Link's body began to swell, almost like it was being inflated.

"Rip—Crack!"

His clothes tore as his body expanded, except for his disproportionately small head, which remained unchanged. He now stood over two meters tall, though his proportions remained short-limbed and stout.

"Huff."

Link exhaled deeply. This wasn't just about size—his transformed body generated significantly more chakra.

Had he used a bit more chakra, he could have expanded his clothes too, but facing a formidable enemy, practicality outweighed modesty.

"Slash!"

Meanwhile, the shadow and the fox-masked ninja clashed fiercely. The ninja's Chakra Scalpel tore through the shadow like butter. Within moments, the shadow had lost two arms and a leg.

Yet even with only one leg remaining, it continued to resist fiercely, showcasing Link's impressive taijutsu capabilities.

Refine chakra, form seals, release—

"Rumble!"

The ground trembled as countless glowing yellow fragments coalesced into a massive, ten-meter-long Mountain Drake. It rose beneath Link, carrying him skyward.

"Whoosh!"

The dragon's wings beat furiously, kicking up a fierce windstorm as it ascended.

"Slash!"

The fox-masked ninja decapitated the shadow, but their breathing grew labored. Looking up at the massive beast and its hulking rider, their eyes narrowed behind the mask.

"Truly a troublesome brat."

"Roar!"

The Mountain Drake let out a deafening bellow, its voice filled with delight at finally unleashing some of its potential. At Link's command, its massive maw opened wide.

"Buzz!"

A colossal boulder materialized and hurtled downward, covering a radius of over ten meters around the fox-masked ninja.

"Boom!"

The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the ground, upturning earth and filling the air with dust and debris.

The fox-masked ninja escaped just before being struck, disappearing into the chaos.

Sitting atop the dragon, Link refrained from wasting any more chakra on attacks. Instead, he waited silently for Konoha's Anbu and other to arrive.