The bandit loot yielded << RYO: 4,200 >>. As Kaito healed his bruises, Jiraiya paced grimly. The urgent summons came via Elder Toad Kosuke: Hyūga disappearances in Konoha, Danzo suspected. Jiraiya's fist clenched. "Danzo... that rotten root."
He turned to Kaito, urgency sharp in his gaze. "Konoha calls. I must go." He summoned Gamakichi. "Toad watch. He trains. Harvests moss. Practices seals and that suicidal teleport. Does not leave. Sit on him if needed."
Gamakichi puffed up. "Got it! Though sitting sounds messy..."
Jiraiya faced Kaito, voice low and intense. "This isn't a vacation. Danzo moving... it's a symptom. The rot deepens. I'm needed to expose it. Your part hasn't changed." He gestured at the mountains. "This is your forge. Level 40 is your pass. You just hit << Level 12 >> –" Kaito checked his interface, confirming the EXP surge:
<< STATUS: Shade (Kaito Ryusaki) >>
<< Level: 12 (Genin - Rogue) >>
<< EXP to Next Level: 3,200/8,000 >>
<< HP: 280/280 >>
<< Chakra: 150/150 >>
<< Stamina: 200/200 >>
<< RYO: 4,200 >>
<< Attributes: >>
<< STR: 11 | AGI: 21 | VIT: 17 | INT: 25 | CC: 19 | PER: 20 (Effective) -> 24 >>
<< Traits/Skills: Hiraishin Fragment, Tactical Fuinjutsu (Rank E), Phantom Lash Trap, Void Step (18s) >>
<< Titles: Ghost in the Stone, Sealweaver Pioneer >>
Jiraiya emphasized. "Solid Chunin-level control, earned wrestling with seals and space-time. Push it further. Refine the Phantom Lash. Master marking for Hiraishin. Don't teleport without me. Practice until it costs half. Understand?"
Kaito nodded. "Train. Harvest. Stay put."
"Exactly." Jiraiya handed over a moss-delivery scroll and a clear crystal token. "Gamakichi handles the broker weekly. Focus here. Break this only if the mountain collapses on you." His final look was piercing. "Don't make me regret this, Shade. The shadows darken. I need a ghost ready. Level 40. Then next steps." He vanished in a swirl of leaves.
The Solitary Crucible & The First Chunin:
Kaito embraced the isolation. His routine: Fuinjutsu refinement, Hiraishin mark grinding, perilous moss harvests, and core training under Gamakichi's watchful (if often napping) eye.
One afternoon, weeks later, as Kaito meticulously etched a Hiraishin formula onto a river stone (<< Chakra Cost: 95 >>), a cosmic chime echoed across his awareness:
<< World Notification! >>
<< Player 'Ares_Vanguard' (Ares Guild) has achieved Rank: Chunin! First Player to reach this milestone! >>
<< Reward: 10,000 EXP, Title: 'Pathfinder Vanguard' (+5% EXP Gain), TECHNIQUE ROULETTE SPIN! >>
Kaito paused, the chakra flow stuttering slightly. Someone beat me. The name screamed elite guild backing – resources, coordinated grinding, likely clearing high-risk dungeons or village exams he couldn't access. A flicker of competitive frustration warred with cold calculation. They play a different game. But I walk a different path.
Gamakichi cracked an eye open. "Huh. Loud noise. Someone else finally stopped tripping over their own feet? About time the humans caught up."
Kaito grunted, refocusing on the stone. The notification was a reminder: the world moved fast. He couldn't afford to lag. He poured renewed intensity into his training.
Refining the Edge & The Halfway Mark:
Phantom Lash → Phantom Snare: Using << INT: 25 >> and << CC: 19 >>, he reworked his trap: Reduced Temporal Bind duration (0.3s), cut chakra cost 30%, replaced the spike with a Chakra Disruption Burst on arrival (non-lethal disorientation). << World Notification! >> << Anonymous Player has refined Unique Fuinjutsu: [Phantom Snare Trap]! >> << Reward: 2,000 EXP >> << TECHNIQUE ROULETTE SPIN! >> (Hide name, spin, gain << Shadow Clone Technique (Basic) >> – costly but valuable).Hiraishin Mastery: Mark etching became a brutal dance of control. << Chakra Cost: 150 → 120 → 100 → 90 >>. << World Notification! >> << Anonymous Player achieved 'Proficient' Hiraishin Mark Creation! >> << Reward: 3,000 EXP >> He scattered marked kunai, practicing sensing their unique spatial signatures. << Hiraishin Sensory Perception Unlocked! >>Integrated Training: Shadow Clones (one clone distracting raptors during harvest), Void Step chains over crevices, Earth Wall platforms under Gamakichi's lazy critiques. Steady EXP flowed.
The Summit:
One dawn, after creating three Hiraishin marks in rapid succession for << Chakra: 270/300 >>, Kaito felt the surge.
<< LEVEL UP! Shade is now Level 20! >>
<< Rank: Chunin (Field Designation - Rogue) >>
<< Title: 'Mountain Ghost' Unlocked! >> (+10% Stealth/Resourcefulness in Wilderness)
<< Attribute Points (40): >>
STR +5 (16) - FoundationAGI +10 (31) - Core evasion/speedVIT +8 (25) - Vital for costsINT +7 (32) - Fuinjutsu/tacticsCC +10 (29) - Paramount (Hiraishin/Sage)PER +0 (Base 20 -> Effective 30) - Already supreme
<< Chakra: 400/400 >> << Stamina: 300/300 >> << Void Step Cooldown: 15s >>
He stood on a wind-scoured peak. Level 20. Chunin. Halfway. His control brushed Jonin levels. He was no longer surviving; he was becoming the weapon forged in solitude.
Gamakichi yawned. "Huh. Thorny bush just grew some actual claws. Chunin, eh? Took you long enough. Don't get cocky – the real nasty beasts notice claws." He settled back. "Keep at it. Pervy Sage'll be back smelling of trouble and cheap sake."
Kaito gazed over the endless peaks, a Hiraishin kunai cold in his hand. The shadows deepened, but the ghost grew sharper. Level 40 wasn't a dream; it was the next ascent. He'd reach it before Jiraiya returned, ready for the darkness. The training never stopped.