Chapter 29 - Upgrade

*Huff* *Huff* *Huff*

Ryu gasped for breath as the torrent of memories came to an end. His thoughts were scattered, and his emotions uncertain. He had just experienced several brutal years of a stranger's life as if they were his own. The torturous training felt so real that he could even sense phantom pain from the wounds.

He had always been confident about his own identity, but this experience left him questioning his sense of self. If he absorbed all the memories of the people in the clinic and lived through each one like this, could he lose himself? Would he become an amalgamation of all these different lives? Ryu pondered the age-old question of nature versus nurture, realizing that in this battle, nurture often emerged victorious.

Experiences are what set humans apart from one another, making each person unique. A person raised in a harsh environment might become hardened by their experiences, while one nurtured in a gentler setting could grow up to be more tender-hearted. Ryu wondered what would happen if countless disparate experiences were to clash within a single mind. Could he handle the emotional turmoil of it all? The mere thought sent shivers down his spine.

The increasing intensity of the battle outside snapped Ryu out of his reverie. He had to decide quickly: stay and fight or escape. Normally, Ryu would have chosen to flee amidst the chaos, but something was different this time. He had just experienced years of torment at the hands of the Mist in a matter of seconds, and he couldn't let it go. Rage ignited within him at the thought of the cursed village still standing, and his path became clear. He would annihilate every single one of the Anbu outside.

But before Ryu could act, he needed to understand the changes that had occurred in his eyes. He could vaguely grasp their abilities; his left eye could see the unseen, while his right eye held knowledge. Carefully examining his own eyes with his left, he activated his right eye to gain insight into his Mangekyo and its abilities. Among the flood of information, one crucial detail caught his attention: the potential for blindness. Ryu quickly devised a plan to preserve his vision by mentally recording his eyes' current state, intending to restore them if his sight began to fade.

Armed with his newfound knowledge of the Flicker Jutsu and other techniques gleaned from the years of Anbu training, Ryu concealed his presence and entered the battlefield outside. Activating his left eye, he channeled enough Chakra to survey the entire area. Blood seeped from his eye, but he disregarded the pain as he assessed the situation. The Mist had gained the upper hand over the clinic's forces. Daisuke was locked in combat with a formidable opponent, a man with a lean, muscular build, disheveled brown hair, and piercing black eyes. The man wielded a Katana of exceptional quality—superior even to the one crafted by Ryu's father.

The clash between Daisuke and the man was a dazzling display of skill and power. Daisuke's speed, amplified by his Flicker Jutsu, allowed him to dart around his opponent like a specter, striking with lightning-fast precision. But the man remained resolute, countering each of Daisuke's rapid assaults with well-timed parries.

Daisuke launched a barrage of attacks, striking at his opponent countless times per second. The man seemed rooted in place, unable to move, but every few moments he managed to retaliate. He slashed at nearby trees or other objects that Daisuke used to propel himself, steadily whittling down his opponent's footholds. Though Daisuke fought valiantly, he was gradually being pushed back, and the clinic's forces had it even worse.

The clinic's forces were undoubtedly comprised of elite fighters, but when faced with the full might of the Mist, they found themselves outmatched. The enemy had shinobi of equal skill, and though the clinic's weapons were better, the Shinobi there hadn't seen real combat in years. That in itself caused some disparity, not to mention the formidable Anbu captain and the enigmatic Riku. The latter was currently engaged in battle with Daisuke.

Ryu assessed the situation and realized they were in dire straits. He wondered about the identity of the man fighting Daisuke, thinking that if he could defeat him, Daisuke could easily handle the remaining enemies. With this plan in mind, Ryu employed his right eye's ability to observe Riku. He used only a small amount of Chakra, cautious not to absorb too much of Riku's memories dangerously. However, he discovered something intriguing: Riku seemed to know a great deal about him, even displaying a sense of familiarity with Ryu's father.

This odd revelation piqued Ryu's curiosity, and he decided to delve a little deeper. Channeling more Chakra into his eye, he delved further into Riku's past, uncovering more of his memories. Eventually, Ryu stumbled upon a shocking sight: the memory of Riku ruthlessly killing Haru.

The revelation hit Ryu like a tidal wave, filling him with a mixture of anger, disbelief, and the desire for vengeance.

"...So he's the one..." Ryu mumbled, tears streaming down his face as fury overwhelmed him. He was determined to exact revenge on Riku with his own hands, but he knew he had to level the playing field first, considering Riku's impressive S-class skill level. To achieve this, Ryu devised a two-step plan.

First, he completely absorbed all of Riku's memories, intent on using Riku's own techniques against him. It seemed fitting, after all, to vanquish him with the very skills he'd honed. Next, Ryu recalled the experiments conducted on Akina and their effects. Chakra is the fusion of physical and mental energy, so by training both aspects, one can increase their Chakra pool. Ryu wondered if the process could work in reverse.

With the goal of developing a strong enough body to face Riku, Ryu used his left eye to thoroughly examine himself, and then his right eye to learn about everything he observed. In mere seconds, he acquired knowledge about every aspect of his body, eventually discovering what he sought.

Ryu found the body's natural healing mechanisms and transformed his body so that these abilities were exponentially stronger, enabling him to heal from almost any injury instantly. He knew he'd need this extraordinary healing factor to endure the upcoming confrontation.

Ryu was aware of Riku's enormous Chakra pool, but he wasn't daunted. He transformed his own Chakra pool to be triple the size of Riku's, confident that this advantage would tip the scales in his favor. However, as soon as the transformation was complete, Ryu was assaulted by intense, searing pain.