Naruto evolution system

Chapter 129: Escape

Four days passed in the blink of an eye.

Despite Black Zetsu's patience, his failure to subdue Baishi after all this time made him uneasy. Increasing the intensity of his mental invasion, Zetsu pressed on.

However, as time dragged on, Baishi's Mental Resistance continued to grow. Thanks to the dual pressure from Zetsu and the Nine-Tails, his evolution progressed faster than expected. Now, he was nearing a breakthrough.

---

Half a day later, the Nine-Tails, sounding weary, spoke up:

"Baishi, do something. If this keeps up, we're both going to be done for."

Over the past four days, Baishi had gradually shared key bits of information with the Nine-Tails to keep it cooperative. The fox had realized that Zetsu indeed posed a threat, not just now, but in the future as well.

This revelation softened the Nine-Tails' attitude toward Baishi, prompting it to work together with him to resist Zetsu's mental onslaught.

However, this cooperation was born out of necessity rather than submission. Once the crisis passed, the Nine-Tails intended to revert to its usual defiant demeanor.

Baishi wasn't concerned. All he needed was for the Nine-Tails to avoid causing trouble for now. Its assistance had already improved his chances far beyond his original expectations.

At this moment, Baishi didn't respond to the Nine-Tails' plea. Instead, he remained silent, patiently watching the progress bar for Mental Resistance as it edged closer to completion.

---

But while Baishi remained quiet, Zetsu broke the silence.

"You two might as well give up."

Zetsu's voice, icy and emotionless, echoed in Baishi's mind.

A massive surge of spiritual energy slammed into Baishi's mind like a tidal wave, attempting to overwhelm him entirely.

Feeling the impact, Baishi's face turned pale. He immediately channeled his full strength into his Mental Resistance, even at the cost of mental exhaustion.

Finally, the first wave was repelled.

"Interesting…" Zetsu murmured, intrigued.

Undeterred, he unleashed wave after wave of mental assaults.

Baishi's Mental Resistance acted as an unyielding bulwark, withstanding each onslaught like a boulder against crashing waves. Yet even the sturdiest rock can be worn down over time.

Baishi felt his mental defenses weakening, his mind battered and scarred.

The sheer force of Zetsu's assault exceeded anything Baishi had encountered before.

'This old schemer… he was holding back all along,' Baishi thought grimly.

Zetsu must have been accumulating mental energy for this decisive moment. The intensity of the attack left Baishi and the Nine-Tails struggling to hold their ground.

If not for his quick reflexes and willingness to overdraw his mental reserves, Baishi knew he would have already fallen.

But even with his current resistance, he couldn't withstand Zetsu indefinitely.

Unbeknownst to Zetsu, however, Baishi's Mental Resistance was on the verge of a breakthrough.

The incremental increases he experienced during evolution paled in comparison to the massive leap that came with a level-up.

When the progress bar finally hit 100%, Baishi's mind was flooded with a refreshing clarity.

A glance at his status confirmed it: Mental Resistance had ascended to IX (0.1%).

---

The transformation was immediate.

Baishi's newfound resilience allowed him to stave off Zetsu's invasive energy with ease. Though Zetsu's presence still lingered, Baishi could now endure for days, if not weeks.

But Baishi wasn't interested in prolonging the battle. Taking advantage of his strengthened defenses, he made his move.

Effortlessly breaking free from Zetsu's grip, Baishi smirked as he felt the oppressive force dissipate.

"You…" Zetsu's voice betrayed rare surprise.

Before Zetsu could react, Baishi had already locked onto a Flying Thunder God marker in his mountain hideout.

In an instant, he vanished from the battlefield.

---

Back in his mountain hideout, Baishi didn't linger. Without hesitation, he activated the Flying Thunder God once more, jumping to a marker even further away.

He repeated this process several times until he found himself standing in the middle of the ocean.

---

Rising from the waves, Baishi gathered chakra beneath his feet, allowing him to stand atop the water's surface.

Looking around, all he could see was endless blue, where the sea met the sky in an indistinguishable blur.

For the first time, Baishi let out a weary sigh.

"Where the hell am I?"

Baishi had no idea where he had ended up. His last marker had been placed on a large fish years ago.

The sudden ambush by Zetsu had rattled him more than he cared to admit. Now, standing amidst the vast ocean, he finally had a moment to process the ordeal.

If not for the timely breakthrough in Mental Resistance, he might have become Zetsu's puppet.

Realizing the narrowness of his escape, Baishi made a decision: he would lay low in the ocean for a while.

Zetsu, for all his cunning, was not well-versed in navigating the sea. This isolation would provide Baishi with a rare opportunity to fortify his abilities.

His top priorities were enhancing his sensory skills and further improving Mental Resistance.

With heightened senses, Baishi could detect Zetsu's movements before another ambush occurred. Meanwhile, greater mental resilience would render Zetsu's spiritual techniques ineffective.

But Baishi also knew that the best defense was a good offense.

While ninjutsu was largely ineffective against Zetsu, illusionary techniques—or genjutsu—might hold the key.

However, Zetsu's mental strength posed a significant challenge. Standard genjutsu would likely be ineffective, while advanced illusions often required complex conditions or extended casting times.

As Baishi pondered his next steps, a thought struck him.

Reaching into his pocket, he retrieved the glass vial containing Obito's Mangekyo Sharingan.

Staring at the eyes, he muttered, "Maybe I can put these to good use after all…"

With a faint smile, Baishi stowed the vial and began walking across the ocean.

If he was going to stay out here for a while, he needed to find a proper place to settle down.

(End of Chapter)

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