Konoha cat breeder

Chapter 158: The Final Curtain Call

"That's it?"

Tonari's face was laced with mockery, but inside, he was overjoyed.

This technique was derived from his infiltration mission with Orochimaru into Kumogakure. It involved a unique application of the Lightning Release Chakra Mode, which he had further customized to suit his own needs.

After years of refinement, his mastery of the technique was now on full display.

The sense of invulnerability as attacks failed to penetrate his defense was immensely satisfying.

Setsugo's face darkened further at Tonari's taunt, and he immediately began forming hand seals.

"Try this! Ice Release: Exploding Ice Crystals!"

Setsugo extended his hands, spitting out chunks of ice larger than a fist.

This time, Tonari refrained from blocking directly. Drawing his short blade from his waist, it ignited in a fiery red glow, slicing cleanly through the first chunk of ice.

For a brief moment, Tonari hesitated, seeing how easily the ice shattered. But then, an ominous sense of danger washed over him.

Looking up, he noticed Setsugo smirking.

Boom!

The shattered ice chunks exploded. There were no flames or shockwaves, but the shards scattered at high speed, each piece more deadly than the last.

Tonari leapt backward, narrowly evading the deadly spray.

But this was just the beginning. Setsugo had spat out dozens of such explosive ice chunks, all poised to detonate at any moment.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The courtyard resounded with consecutive explosions. The small enclosed space, surrounded by Setsugo's Demon Ice Mirrors, limited Tonari's maneuverability, making the situation increasingly perilous.

---

At that moment, heavy footsteps echoed from the staircase.

A rotund figure in luxurious nightclothes emerged, rubbing his sleepy eyes. The Minister of Finance mumbled in irritation, "I paid you so much—can't you handle this faster? It's the middle of the night, and I need my rest!"

Both Tonari and Setsugo turned to look at the minister.

Their reactions were vastly different.

Setsugo's face turned even darker as he barked, "Get back upstairs if you don't want to die!"

Tonari, however, immediately perked up. This was the exact target of his mission—the Minister of Finance of the Land of Water.

Annoyed by Setsugo's outburst, the minister huffed and began waddling back upstairs, muttering about filing a complaint with Kirigakure once this ordeal was over.

Seeing the target, Tonari wasted no time.

"Summoning Technique!"

In a puff of smoke, a silver-furred cat, about the thickness of an arm, appeared at his feet.

"Silver, that's our target. Take him down!"

Silver nodded and sprang into action.

"You will not!" Setsugo roared, positioning himself between Tonari, Silver, and the staircase.

But Tonari had planned for this.

"Time to showcase the results of my hard work," he said, his tone calm but resolute.

Suddenly, Tonari's aura surged. A spiraling energy radiated from him as he shifted into a horse-riding stance.

"Eight Gates: Gate of Opening—Open!"

Tonari's eyes narrowed as the veins at his temples bulged visibly.

The Eight Gates were a forbidden jutsu that Tonari had learned from Might Duy after years of relentless training. It unlocked the natural limitations on chakra within the body, unleashing strength several times greater than normal at the cost of physical damage.

Now, with his training and enhanced physique, Tonari was ready to harness its power.

"Gate of Healing—Open!"

Tonari's muscles surged with vitality as the second gate activated, compensating for the fatigue caused by the first.

"Gate of Life—Open!"

His skin turned crimson, and a faint green aura enveloped his body. His strength and speed climbed exponentially.

Satisfied with the balance of power and risk, Tonari refrained from opening the more dangerous fourth gate. While his body could handle it, he wasn't willing to gamble with long-term consequences.

---

In mere seconds, Tonari's power soared to new heights.

Clenching his fists, he relished the raw strength coursing through him.

"Every time I use the Eight Gates, I'm tempted to get addicted to this feeling," he mused.

Unlike Might Duy, Tonari also benefited from a significant chakra boost when activating the gates. Combined with his Lightning Chakra Mode, his abilities reached a terrifying level.

Setsugo, meanwhile, watched in disbelief as Tonari transformed before his eyes.

---

"Silver, go!"

With a shout, Tonari drew his blade.

The sheer force of his slash forced Setsugo to dodge, leaving a gap in the Ice Mirror formation.

Seizing the opportunity, Silver darted through.

Tonari followed up by cleaving through the nearest ice mirror, though the strike left a small chip on his beloved blade.

Setsugo gritted his teeth, realizing the gravity of the situation.

"This kid isn't just talented—he's a monster."

Desperate, Setsugo executed a final gambit.

"Ice Release: Demonic Ice Shards!"

The mirrors began spinning rapidly, launching black ice shards in all directions. Anything they touched froze instantly.

But to Tonari, the deadly barrage seemed slow. With his enhanced perception and control, he danced through the storm of ice, avoiding each shard with ease.

Setsugo's heart sank as Tonari closed the distance with astonishing speed.

"This... This is impossible!"

Tonari's voice cut through the chaos, dripping with derision.

"That's it?"

Setsugo's eyes widened. This was the last thing he heard before Tonari's blade pierced his chest.

---

Steam rose as Tonari's fiery chakra evaporated the blood and ice from his weapon. Setsugo's lifeless body slumped to the ground.

Tonari exhaled, sheathing his damaged blade with care.

"Thank you, old friend. You've served me well."

He paused for a moment, gazing at the worn weapon. Its final battle had been an honorable one.

"Time for you to rest."

Turning to the wrecked courtyard, Tonari pulled out a scroll and sealed Setsugo's body.

"An Ice Release user, huh? This'll make an interesting study," he muttered.

Though not obsessed with bloodline limits, Tonari saw them as valuable research materials.

---

"Tonari, up here!" Silver's voice called from the upper floor.

With a quick leap, Tonari ascended to the Minister's chambers.

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