Besides Kakashi, Obito and Rin Nohara from Minato's team would probably struggle in this Chunin Exams. Rin Nohara's current strength is truly only that of a seasoned Genin, but her Medical Ninjutsu absolutely meets the level of a Medical Chunin.
"Since everyone's here, let's go," Minato Namikaze said, not wanting to waste any more time. He estimated it would take until tomorrow evening to reach Hidden Rain Village, as the Genin's speed wasn't particularly fast.
Minato Namikaze presented the mission scroll, then led them out of Konoha, heading towards the Land of Rain.
This was Uchiha Ling's third time taking this route, so the scenery along the way had already lost its appeal to her. She was more focused on Black Zetsu, who had suddenly appeared in her Curse Power perception.
Since using Sage Art to blow up the second White Zetsu, this was the first time Black Zetsu had appeared. For over half a month, Black Zetsu had been living in constant fear, terrified of being captured by an Ōtsutsuki enemy.
He had even lost the desire to monitor the Rinnegan's vessel, instead hiding at the bottom of the ocean far off the coast of the Land of Water every day, circling the Ninja World once before returning to the Land of Fire only after confirming there was no danger.
He had originally planned to go to Konoha to try and probe Uchiha Ling, but unexpectedly, he happened to encounter Uchiha Ling leaving the village, which made it even more convenient for him to test her.
"Naturally evil Uchiha Ling, since you dare to leave the village, then I'll make some arrangements for you. The last one who dared to scare me like that, the grass on their grave has withered and flourished hundreds of times!"
Black Zetsu was a man of few words but ruthless actions. He quickly went to Konoha to investigate Uchiha Ling's purpose for leaving the village. After learning that she was going to Amegakure to participate in the Chunin Exams, he gave a sinister smile and disappeared from Uchiha Ling's perception.
Uchiha Ling had already sensed that Black Zetsu might be up to something this time, but the opponents in the Ninja World that could make her take them seriously were not ones Black Zetsu could easily enlist.
Although her current Chakra reserves were insufficient to allow her to dominate the Ninja World, she could still escape if needed, as she had no weaknesses.
Uchiha Ling didn't waste any time on the road either. She was pondering the Wind Release Chakra Mode. In over half a year, Uchiha Ling had only managed to increase the duration of her Wind Release Chakra Mode to five minutes.
What can you do in five minutes? It's only a little better than Ultraman, and if she fought intensely, the duration would be drastically shortened, probably only about thirty seconds before she'd be out of commission.
Uchiha Ling always felt that there was something wrong with forcefully controlling and restraining Wind Release Chakra to complete the internal and external circulation. Unfortunately, she had no reference point from the Lightning Release Chakra Mode.
Moreover, it seemed no one in the Ninja World knew the Wind Release Chakra Mode. Was that Wind Release Chakra Mode scroll just made up?
Previously, Uchiha Ling had always thought it was due to insufficient Chakra control, but Uchiha Ling's current Chakra control could be said to be top-tier in the Ninja World.
Although wind is not as volatile as lightning, it also has a tendency to diffuse. While Wind Release Chakra has no will, Uchiha Ling's will cannot always restrain it.
How can I make the wind circulate on its own? Wind is free, unrestrained is its essence. Do I truly understand wind?
"That's right, wind is free, it's agile, it's a wild horse, it's dust, it's the breath by which living beings blow against each other! It's the breath of nature, the circulation of heaven and earth." Uchiha Ling's thoughts were completely immersed in her perception of nature and wind. She seemed to feel the breathing of heaven and earth.
And all this breathing formed the wind, which is affected by heat and cold, circulating and recurring in this world!
"It's circulation, I understand! Free and agile, that is the will of the wind! I'm truly a genius! This is the true meaning of wind!"
Uchiha Ling felt her own Wind Release Chakra begin to undergo a qualitative change. Although the Wind Release Chakra, having previously been refined by three nature transformations, was already very strong and deep green, the Wind Release spiral now returned to its original simplicity, becoming transparent and difficult to detect.
"The will of wind, or perhaps the circulation of wind, or the freedom and agility of wind—they are all wind. So this is the power of my own understanding."
Uchiha Ling felt the gentle breeze that naturally appeared in her hand. It unbelievably lingered in Uchiha Ling's palm, completely resembling the wind in nature.
Uchiha Ling could now perceive the will of the wind within a hundred-meter radius, hear the messages carried by the wind, feel the wind's whispers, and seek the wind's help.
This was the "I think so" level of nature transformation of Wind Release Chakra that Uchiha Ling had comprehended. Now, Uchiha Ling was a part of the wind, and the wind was her friend. Any of her Wind Release Ninjutsu would be accompanied and aided by the wind.
Any approaching enemy would have the wind whisper to her, and when she ran, the wind would no longer obstruct her but instead help her move forward.
"What a wonderful feeling, just like the unity of heaven and man. My affinity for Natural Energy also seems to have grown stronger. There should be no one stronger than me in Wind Release now, right?"
Uchiha Ling's fingertips were entwined with a gentle breeze as she murmured softly, her head bowed. Her changes were completely unnoticed by those around her. If one were to observe Uchiha Ling closely, they would find her body had become ethereal.
"No wonder I couldn't maintain the Wind Release Chakra Mode before. Now it's simple."
Uchiha Ling surrounded herself with almost transparent Wind Release Chakra. The Wind Release Chakra naturally circulated through her body's meridians and Chakra points, with each circulation path being different.
Because the temperature of each Chakra point on Uchiha Ling's body surface was constantly changing, the Wind Release Chakra also changed its entry and exit points. Uchiha Ling did not impose any restrictions; the wind naturally formed a mysterious dynamic circulation.
And when Uchiha Ling entered Wind Release Chakra Mode at this time, her speed increased several times, and her defense became extremely terrifying. Although the transparent Wind Release Chakra Shield on her body surface seemed fragile, its thickness reached over half a meter around her.
Uchiha Ling also understood the difference in defensive principles between the Wind Release Chakra Shield and the Lightning Release Armor. The Wind Release Chakra Shield was actually a kind of colloidal or non-Newtonian fluid. Within half a meter of Uchiha Ling, almost any attack would be buffered and defended, and the faster the attack, the stronger the defense.
However, don't think that a very slow attack could hit Uchiha Ling; Uchiha Ling herself was not an immobile object. Increasing her relative speed with the opponent or simply moving away were both options.
Furthermore, Uchiha Ling, who could control the Wind Release Chakra Shield, could also transform the shield into countless fine wind blades, cutting through anything that dared to invade.
The defensive power of the Lightning Release Chakra Mode comes from electromagnetic repulsion. Lightning Release ionizes surrounding matter and energy, forming a layer of plasma. When an enemy comes into contact with this ionized layer, they will carry an electric field that repels the Lightning Release Chakra Shield, forming a defense based on repulsive force. (Secondary setting)
Having completed the "I think so" level of nature transformation for Wind Release and thoroughly mastered the Wind Release Chakra Mode, Uchiha Ling's strength once again received an epic enhancement.
Previously, Uchiha Ling was only strong in attack power, fast in speed, and had many techniques with no weaknesses. Now, even her defensive power was unparalleled. Although her stamina was not great, in a prolonged battle, she could use the Chakra accumulated in her Yin Seal for several months.
It could be considered barely usable. Now, if Uchiha Ling were given a Tailed Beast or awakened a degraded version of the Senju Body or Uzumaki Body with Sage Body, Uchiha Ling could become a main force in the Fourth Great Ninja War.
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