บท 17: The Battle Begins

"Ahhh, what a delight!" Luo Lei couldn't contain a moan of pleasure as a smile of satisfaction spread across his face. The warmth coursing through his body was intoxicating, a sensation of power flowing through his veins.

As he admired the moon, he had felt a connection, a subtle but undeniable pull.

Somehow, like Superman under the yellow sun, he could absorb and use moonlight to gradually unlock Homelander's integration template.

"Shame it's so damn slow," he muttered with a hint of frustration.

As if responding to his thoughts, the system replied:

[Ding!.....Congratulations, Host! After five hours of absorbing moonlight, the cells in your body have been significantly strengthened!]

[Homelander's template unlock and fusion progress has increased by 0.3%]

With a thought, he made the transparent attribute panel appear.

[

Host: Luo Lei;

Age: 19 years,

Chakra Attributes:

Fire, Wind, Thunder, Earth, Water, Yin, Yang;

Skills:

Hatake Kenjutsu[Grand Master]

Shunshin no Jutsu[Grand Master]

Kage Bunshin no Jutsu[Grand Master]

Kawarimi no Jutsu[Grand Master]

Suiton[Grand Master]

Raiton[Grand Master]

______

Homelander Template Statistics

Template Level: 32.8%

Constitution: 890

- 89 times more resilient than an average human

Spirit: 385

- 77 times mentally stronger than an average human

Strength: 550

- Capable of easily lifting 11.5 tons

Speed: 480

- Moves between 385 and 435 meters per second

- Equivalent to 1,386 - 1,566 km/h

Heat Vision:

- Reaches between 2800 and 3400 degrees Celsius

- We're talking about temperatures comparable to those found near the solar surface.

Available Template Extraction: 0]

Luo Lei couldn't help but let out a sigh of frustration. "Two damn nights under the moon and only a 0.8% unlock. It doesn't even come close to what I achieved with Pakura in one night."

A lascivious smile crossed his face at the memory.

However, he couldn't deny the progress.

Every aspect of his being —physical, mental, strength, speed, even his heat vision— had been strengthened. Power flowed through his body.

His eyes turned towards the moon, an idea forming in his mind. "I wonder... would a full moon speed up the process?" As he contemplated the silver orb, a revelation hit him.

"...Kaguya Ōtsutsuki," he murmured in awe. "That damn goddess sealed in the moon. Must be the reason I can absorb power."

For a moment, his thoughts flew. If he could subdue Kaguya, perhaps he could complete the template in one fell swoop.

But reality hit him quickly: he wasn't strong enough yet, and he hadn't even unlocked the ability to fly.

"Bah! Why worry?" He stretched lazily, a carefree smile on his face. "I've never been very ambitious anyway. As long as I'm strong enough, no one will be able to stand in my way. I'll do what I please, when I please."

...

Dawn broke over Kikyoyama, the sky clear and cloudless, as if nature itself held its breath before the imminent carnage.

With a deafening roar, Konoha's forces launched from their camp.

Orochimaru, at the front, shouted, "Forward! Today we'll write history with Suna's blood!"

Sunagakure's scouts, alert and prepared, sent the alarm in a matter of seconds.

The Suna camp exploded into activity, thousands of shinobi emerging like a tide of sand and steel.

The two armies converged at the foot of Bellflower Mountain, facing each other across a vast battlefield.

In the rear of Suna's army, Rasa scrutinized the enemy lines. "There they are," he growled with contempt. "Orochimaru, and that bastard Luo Lei by his side."

He turned to Chiyo and Ebizō, his eyes shining with fierce determination. "Listen well," he ordered, his voice low. "I'll personally take care of Orochimaru. You two... make Luo Lei pay for every drop of Suna blood he has spilled."

A cold smile appeared on his face. "If we manage to contain those two, victory will undoubtedly be ours." His confidence was obvious, fueled by Suna's overwhelming numerical superiority. More than 3,000 ninjas against Konoha's meager 1,000. "We've bet everything on this battle," he continued. "Only the jinchūriki remains in reserve. Everything else... everything we are, is here."

Chiyo and Ebizō exchanged looks loaded with determination. "Understood, Kazekage-sama," Chiyo responded, her voice trembling with barely contained rage.

"We'll show that brat the true power of Sunagakure."

Ebizō nodded, his eyes fixed on the distant figure of Luo Lei. "New hatred and old grudge," he murmured. "The White Fang's apprentice will pay for the sins of his master... and his own."

As they planned their strategy, confident in their numerical superiority and in the secret agreements with Kumogakure and Iwagakure to keep Konoha's other forces busy, a sense of sinister anticipation invaded them.

…..

On the other side of the battlefield, Orochimaru and Luo Lei observed their enemies.

Orochimaru, with his snake eyes fixed on the enemy line, leaned towards Luo Lei.

"Luo Lei-kun," he murmured, his words barely audible over the murmur of the troops, "do you see that man with short brown hair? That's Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage." His eyes narrowed. "And those two elders by his side... they're Chiyo and Ebizō. Don't underestimate them."

He paused, as if savoring the memory he was about to share. "During the Second Shinobi War, we Sannin, along with your master, massacred an entire unit of Sunagakure." A cruel smile appeared on his lips. "Your master, in particular, took the lives of Chiyo's son and daughter-in-law. Imagine the hatred they've been cultivating all these years."

Luo Lei, far from looking worried, let out a low and dangerous laugh. "Oh? Seems like I'll have quite an enthusiastic welcome committee."

Orochimaru nodded. "We're outnumbered, Luo Lei-kun. You and I will be under immense pressure." His voice became more intense. "But if we manage to suppress their leaders, if we can neutralize their high-level power, victory will be ours."

"Suppress?" Luo Lei's voice was loaded with disdain. He turned to Orochimaru, his eyes shining with a cruelty that made even the Sannin inwardly shudder. "No, Orochimaru. Suppression is not enough. Only total annihilation will ensure that there are no... future complications."

Before Orochimaru could respond, Luo Lei moved.

In an instant, in a flash of speed that left everyone gaping, he disappeared from his position. He reappeared at the front of Konoha's army.

________

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