Naruto world: The Rise Of The Sand Village

"Cool! You've got powers just like Mardon's!" Barry said, hopping off the treadmill and patting Hardy on the shoulder.

Mardon was the Weather Wizard, capable of manipulating the weather, creating tornadoes, hail, acid rain, and lightning.

But Mardon could be countered by the Weather Wand, while at most, Hardy's wind manipulation could be weakened.

The wind, lightning, water, fire, and earth created by chakra are different from those in the natural world—they only mimic the forms of these energies and substances.

A classic example is that the Ōtsutsuki can absorb water-style jutsu created from chakra, but can't absorb water-style jutsu performed using actual natural water.

"Thanks, Barry, Cisco, and everyone."

Hardy smiled broadly.

…

…

Naruto World.

In the camp.

Hardy's main body and his team had just returned from completing a B-rank mission.

With this team's lineup, they could probably handle even an A-rank mission, but they stuck to B-rank ones to play it safe.

While Baki went to deliver the mission target's head, Hardy quietly opened his panel.

By now, the panel had changed considerably from before.

His luck value had risen a bit in the past few days, reaching 50.33%.

Based on past experience, with the territory gained through his DC world avatar, he should be able to increase it by a few more points over the next month or two as he consolidates his hold.

His personal stats had also changed dramatically.

[Name: Hardy]

[Age: 12]

[Occupation: Ninja (Main), Puppeteer]

[Stats: Nin: 7, Tai: 5, Gen: 5, Wis: 7, Str: 5, Spd: 6, Sta: 6, Seal: 7]

[Lightning Release Ninjutsu: LV1; Wind Release Ninjutsu: LV2; Puppetry: LV3]

The total of the eight ninja stats was 48. This was still a fair bit below the average jonin, but only slightly lower than the lowest jonin stat ever shown in the original series—Temari.

During the Fourth Great Ninja War, Temari had just become a jonin, with a total stat of only 49…

Of course, a ninja's combat power can't be measured by numbers alone. Temari had her three-star fan, which greatly boosted her wind release abilities. Hardy also had his puppet, and when equipped with Dai Ivan, many of his stats could be raised even further.

But Hardy believed that soon, these numbers would change dramatically again.

Shared Ability—this was a power Hardy had never used since unlocking the panel, as it cost luck points and wasn't cheap.

But this time, Hardy felt it was necessary to transfer his DC world avatar's superpowers.

Opening the avatar's sub-panel, he saw two new entries:

[Ability: Airflow Manipulation]

[Ability: Lightning Energy Affinity]

"Well, here's the payment for this mission."

Baki came over with the mission reward to distribute it. Hardy responded absentmindedly, saying a few words here and there. After the distribution was done, he first went to the logistics department to exchange for a few soldier food pills and some high-calorie food, then returned to his own tent.

This was to prepare for the large amount of energy and nutrients that would be consumed after synchronizing abilities in a little while.

[Do you wish to spend 35% of your current Luck Value to synchronize the ability: Airflow Manipulation?]

[Do you wish to spend 15% of your current Luck Value to synchronize the ability: Lightning Energy Affinity?]

Fortunately, his Luck Value was just enough.

[Confirm!]

[Current Luck Value: 0.33%]

Suddenly, the sensation that the avatar in the DC world had experienced reappeared in Hardy's body.

Dizziness, vertigo, weakness, trembling hands and feet!

These were all symptoms of hypoglycemia.

Hardy quickly swallowed a soldier food pill.

But unlike before, when just one pill was enough to make him feel full, this time that feeling didn't come.

The energy bars made by Catherine were actually a kind of black technology too, though compared to other black tech, not quite as "black."

A single bar contained as many calories as four days' worth of meals for an average adult male, whereas a standard soldier food pill from the Naruto world would only replace one meal under normal circumstances. Even the special soldier food pills made by the Nara clan were only about twice as effective.

Even though people in the Naruto world were different from those in other worlds, Hardy's body was still that of a Naruto world person, so the number of cells that needed modification was naturally different.

Hardy swallowed a few more soldier food pills—these things really didn't taste good, and their nutrition was very limited. Long-term use would cause malnutrition.

So, Hardy tore open the packaging of some other foods.

During wartime, eating well was hard enough, let alone during the Second Great Ninja War, when things like potato chips and chocolate were already considered luxuries.

What Hardy ate the most were various canned meats, with some canned vegetables to break the monotony.

*Burp~*

He finished off a whole backpack's worth of food, even swallowing the remaining soldier food pills along with the canned food, finally feeling full.

"The changes to my body are basically complete. I just don't know how powerful my Wind Release and Lightning Release are now without using puppets, or to what extent I can compress wind pressure in the pneumatic device."

Hardy stood up and stretched, his body cracking and popping.

With a casual wave of his hand, the wind automatically lifted the tent flap.

After registering with the camp guards, Hardy headed to the open plain where he had sparred with Kazekaze Chiran last time to begin his experiments.

First up was Lightning Release.

Boar—Goat—Snake!

"Lightning Release: Ground Walk!"

Hardy extended his left hand, trying for the first time to perform the jutsu with one-handed seals.

Thin streaks of lightning leapt from his left hand, spreading across the ground in front of him.

"Very smooth. The power has increased by at least thirty percent compared to before, and I feel like I might be able to perform this jutsu without even forming all three seals, though I'll need to study some related materials," Hardy said with a raised eyebrow, delighted.

The earliest ninjutsu taught by the Sage of Six Paths didn't involve hand seals. It wasn't until Indra began learning ninjutsu that he invented the twelve hand seals to make it easier to perform jutsu and help the body channel chakra.

In theory, if one's chakra control was high enough and they were sufficiently familiar with the jutsu, it was possible to perform a technique with just a single seal with both hands.

In other words, clap your hands and call out the jutsu, and it would work.

Hardy's control over Lightning Release chakra was already up to standard, but his understanding of Lightning Release itself was still lacking.

"And this one!"

Hardy pulled out a ninjutsu scroll from his ninja tool pouch.

This was a jutsu he had previously requested from Kazekaze Chiran: Lightning Release: Thunder Strike.

Compared to Ground Walk, which is used to paralyze enemies in close combat, Thunder Strike is more suitable for mid-range combat. It allows the user to concentrate chakra and strike the enemy along a straight line—the closer the distance, the greater the power.