After completing the hidden storyline mission to collect rare metals, Kirito and Tenten returned to the inn to regroup with Guy and the others.
Since they were scheduled to depart for the Fire Daimyō's mansion at dawn, both Kirito and Tenten, having spent most of the night busy, quickly turned in for the night.
The next morning, Guy's team rose early, washed up briefly, and began preparing to depart.
"Tenten, how are you holding up after last night?" Guy asked with concern.
Tenten waved a hand, indicating she was fine. "All good, I've recovered. Besides, I didn't really do much last night." As she said this, her gaze drifted over to Kirito. Her eyes shimmered subtly.
During last night's operation, she'd barely lifted a finger, while Kirito had handled the dual-headed giant mole beast entirely on his own. Although the dim lighting had obscured the full details, she could tell that whatever that creature was, it wasn't something to be trifled with. What amazed her even more was how effortlessly Kirito had taken it down.
Sensing her gaze, Kirito offered a calm smile and nodded slightly, signaling that he was in good shape. Although he had just come off a battle, it hadn't cost him much. It wasn't that the enemy was weak, it was Kirito's unique combat style. After several probing attacks proved ineffective, he decisively switched to his trump card: a sniper rifle. Two precise shots, both directly to vital points, and the threat was eliminated.
To an outsider, it might have seemed simple, almost too simple. The entire fight ended in an instant. But don't mistake that for overwhelming power. That sniper rifle was, by far, the most lethal weapon in Kirito's arsenal. Firearms relied on the element of surprise. Had those two shots failed to kill the target, Kirito would have had no choice but to grab Tenten and make a swift retreat.
The group resumed their journey through the heart of the Fire Country. Given the location, the chances of encountering enemies were extremely low. And with someone like Might Guy, one of Konoha's top Jōnin, leading them, danger was practically nonexistent.
The journey was peaceful, almost boring. Kirito spent much of it reflecting on his own abilities. Last night's fight may not have been intense, but it had taught him quite a bit. As an assassin, his throwing weapons technique was already exceptional, possibly even reaching master level.
Kirito estimated that in all of Konoha, there were probably fewer than five ninja who could surpass him in shurikenjutsu. Perhaps even the legendary Uchiha Itachi, known for his godlike throwing technique, wouldn't be far ahead. Of course, he had yet to encounter anyone who truly outclassed him in that area.
However, the battle had also revealed a glaring weakness, one he hadn't thought much about before.
His throwing accuracy was exceptional, yes, but the actual damage of each attack was limited. For instance, during the fight against the twin-headed mole, he had landed precise hits on its skull from a blind spot. His aim had been perfect, yet the creature hadn't died. The problem wasn't accuracy, it was power.
If the impact wasn't strong enough, then even a hit to a vital point wouldn't be fatal. Back at the Ninja Academy, throwing classes had always prioritized accuracy over strength, and for good reason. With ranged weapons, landing a hit was more valuable than raw power. After all, a weak strike that hits is better than a powerful one that misses entirely.
Still, combat experience was the best teacher. Kirito now had a clearer sense of his own strengths, and his shortcomings.
He had the accuracy, but lacked power. Going forward, he would need to address that gap. He resolved that his next system-granted attribute points would be invested in Strength. With higher Strength, even a small weapon could punch through defenses and deal fatal damage, a true one-hit kill.
As for his sniper rifle, it had finally demonstrated its full destructive potential. Judging by the mole's durability, Kirito estimated that the M700 light sniper rifle could pierce through even an Earth-Style Wall at a distance of a hundred meters.
In the shinobi world, summons were known as living tanks, most jutsu struggled to fatally wound them. But Kirito's rifle, so long as it struck the right spot, could inflict critical damage.
Against human targets? At 100 meters, no, even within 50 meters, with a bullet speed of 777 m/s, there were probably few shinobi alive who could dodge in time. At most, they could avoid a fatal hit, but to fully evade such an attack? Nearly impossible.
That's the true advantage of modern weaponry: single-shot velocity, beyond the reflexes of human perception. Of course, a sniper rifle was meant for one kill per shot, if the first bullet didn't take out the enemy, there wouldn't be a chance for a second.
Which is why, for now, Kirito saw Strength, Stamina, Agility, and Endurance as his four core stats in urgent need of improvement.
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200 P.S = 1 Extra Chapters