Naruto Card King

Kanbaru was stunned, and then he died.

Haruto Saito's combat strategy shattered Kanbaru's understanding of "fearless warriors." Even death squad ninjas didn't completely abandon defense in battle—they weren't afraid to die, but they still fought with a strategy. But Haruto... What kind of insane strategy was this?

The crescent-moon-shaped blade of Kanbaru's scythe pierced into Haruto's side, but at that very moment, Haruto's entire body transformed into a deadly porcupine.

Shoulders, elbows, wrists, underarms, knees... Bone spikes shot out from every part of Haruto's body, piercing Kanbaru's torso with over a dozen razor-sharp spears of bone.

A golden glow erupted from Haruto's embrace.

"Ding! Host has successfully killed an enemy beyond their rank. Reward: One random B-rank Ninjutsu card!"

Haruto's face was pale as he released his grip, his bone spikes retracting back into his body. Kanbaru's corpse slid lifelessly to the ground, his wide, unblinking eyes still staring into the void, unable to rest in peace.

To be honest, Haruto hadn't originally planned to risk his life in this battle. But Kanbaru had been too persistent, too troublesome.

Haruto had been forced to "cheat" to take him down. It was a reckless move—if he had miscalculated, he could have easily gotten himself killed. But in that moment, he hadn't cared.

Floating in front of him were over a dozen glowing cards, the loot from Kanbaru's death.

Blood was still pouring from Haruto's body. The scythe was still lodged in his side; he hadn't even removed it yet.

Ignoring his wounds, he once again asked in his mind, "Spirit, what exactly is a BOSS Card?"

"Ding! Answering host's question," the Card Emperor Spirit responded. "A BOSS Card is a special card that can only be used in a battlefield environment. Upon activation, it will randomly select an enemy combatant within the battlefield range and transform them into an Elite BOSS."

"So, I was right!" Haruto's eyes gleamed with understanding. He had suspected that the BOSS Card was related to creating powerful enemy bosses, but he hadn't been sure how it worked.

Now, he knew.

The card would assess the battlefield, randomly select an enemy, and elevate them into a BOSS.

Flipping his wrist, Haruto retrieved the dark red card from his inventory.

The card's back was adorned with a swirling crimson pattern, and the front simply bore the word "BOSS" in bold letters—no additional text, no further explanation.

Haruto examined it carefully, then asked, "What are the benefits of defeating a BOSS? Increased drop rates?"

"Correct," the Card Emperor Spirit confirmed. "Defeating a BOSS-rank enemy significantly increases loot drop rates. Additionally, BOSS enemies will drop more special cards."

"Then," Haruto's eyes sparkled with excitement, "can I use a Double Drop Rate Card on a BOSS?"

"Ding! Host is in critical condition. Please administer treatment immediately!"

"Ah… right." Haruto sighed, glancing down at his wound. The scythe embedded in his side had inflicted a severe laceration. If not for his Shikotsumyaku (Dead Bone Pulse) bloodline limit—giving his bones the hardness of metal—he might have been cleaved in half.

Gripping the scythe's handle, Haruto slowly pulled it free. The moment the blade left his flesh, blood gushed out in a torrential stream.

Haruto felt light-headed. This was really bad!

Without hesitation, he retrieved a Healing Card from his inventory, biting down on it and swallowing.

Technically, he could have used his Healing Palm Technique, but the wound was too severe. If he attempted to heal it manually, he risked bleeding out before the jutsu could take full effect.

As the Healing Card dissolved into shimmering energy, his torn flesh rapidly mended before his eyes. Relief flooded his body as he took a deep breath.

"Now," he asked again, "can I use a Double Drop Rate Card on a BOSS?"

"Yes," the Card Emperor Spirit confirmed. "However, host should be aware that some BOSS-rank enemies already have extremely high drop rates. Using a Double Drop Rate Card in such cases may cause the drop rate to exceed 100%, leading to wasted potential."

"Some BOSSes? What do you mean by 'some'?"

"BOSS enemies come in different tiers. The current BOSS Card in host's possession is a basic-tier card. If host acquires higher-tier BOSS Cards, stronger BOSS enemies can be created."

"Got it."

With that conversation settled, Haruto glanced down at his side. The wound was fully healed. Healing Cards worked faster and more effectively than any medical ninjutsu.

He quickly collected Kanbaru's dropped loot, retrieved his discarded Heavy Mountain Blade, and then crouched beside Kanbaru's corpse, searching through his belongings.

Soon, Haruto found a thick pouch filled with bundled ryo notes. Without even counting them, he pocketed the money.

Jōnin were always wealthy—far richer than Elite Chūnin. The difference in mission commissions alone was vast.

For example, the Elite Chūnin Haruto had fought earlier wielded decent swords, but their weapons had been easily shattered by his Heavy Mountain Blade. Kanbaru's scythe, on the other hand, was not only undamaged but still razor-sharp, showing no signs of wear despite the intense battle.

Haruto added the scythe to his inventory.

That made six.

Five Elite Chūnin. One Jōnin.

The dense fog still enveloped the battlefield. Haruto could faintly hear distant explosions, battles raging in different directions. Thanks to his enhanced perception, he could detect these sounds where most other shinobi could not.

He activated his Byakugan.

Bringing his hands together in a seal, his pupils widened, turning a pale, ghostly white. Veins bulged around his eyes.

Uchiha Iwa was still running with Uchiha Mikoto, while Saji and another Sunagakure Jōnin pursued them relentlessly. Meanwhile, Uchiha Tohu had stopped running and had begun to fight back. Hidden within the mist, his Sharingan gave him an edge, allowing him to strike from the shadows. Against two Jōnin and three Elite Chūnin, he had already taken down one enemy.

Haruto had to admit—Uchiha warriors were insanely fierce.

Most Uchiha Jōnin had at least one technique capable of instantly killing an opponent, assuming they could successfully land it. The infamous Uchiha Genjutsu, cast through the Sharingan, was a deadly trump card.

Shifting his gaze again, Haruto spotted the six Hyuga clan members. They had retreated to the edge of the mist-covered battlefield, staying out of direct conflict.

"Hm…" Haruto deactivated his Byakugan and pondered for a moment. He then turned his attention back to the BOSS Card in his hand.

Once activated, the card would randomly select an enemy to become a BOSS. That randomness was a huge risk. If Saji was chosen, Haruto wasn't sure he could handle him—Saji was an Elite Jōnin, far above Haruto's current level.

"Well, my luck isn't that bad," Haruto muttered with a grin.

Without hesitation, he raised the BOSS Card to his mouth and bit down, shattering it into glowing fragments.