c22: Mysterious Mask Man
That is, Chakra!
The reason is simple. The remaining four items, no matter which one they are, undoubtedly need chakra to function.
Without chakra, spatial manipulation techniques can't be utilized.
After all, the energy fueling these abilities is chakra, and chakra is a unique energy source from the Naruto Universe.
People from other universes like Earth-616 of Marvel or Prime Earth of DC can't naturally extract chakra at all.
"That's cheating!"
Ryan Wong was helpless and could only choose chakra.
[Selection successful, beginning chakra infusion!]
The ethereal voice of the system echoed, and Ryan felt a sudden surge of heat flowing through his body.
It was warm not painful or overwhelming and surprisingly even a bit soothing.
Then the warmth spiraled down to his lower abdomen, gradually expanding, and eventually his entire body was saturated with chakra!
"This amount!" Ryan exclaimed in disbelief. "It's actually equivalent to the chakra reserves of Minato Namikaze!"
As someone who had once assumed the role of Minato, the Fourth Hokage, Ryan had the clearest understanding of this comparison.
Minato, a legendary shinobi known for his unmatched speed and teleportation, possessed chakra reserves far above average even compared to powerhouses like Thor from Marvel or The Flash from DC.
"This isn't a loss at all! I thought I'd only get the ability to extract chakra!" Ryan's concern turned to elation.
Then he noticed something he hadn't realized before.
"If I can feel Minato's chakra levels, does that mean I can actually use his jutsu directly?"
The idea struck Ryan and quickly grew more compelling.
With all of Minato's memories integrated into his mind, Ryan had theoretical knowledge of every technique Minato had ever used. That meant he knew the mechanics, hand seals, chakra flow, and even timing for each move like a meta-human with both Superman's strength and Batman's intellect.
Thinking this through, wouldn't that mean Ryan could potentially master all of Minato's techniques categorized by the system through practice?
So he immediately tested various abilities: the Transformation Jutsu, Clone Jutsu, Rasengan, Sage Mode, and the iconic Flying Thunder God Technique.
Eventually, he discovered that while both the Transformation Jutsu and Clone Jutsu could be performed flawlessly, the others remained inaccessible.
Summarizing his conclusion, Ryan considered two possible reasons.
First, Ryan Wong lacked refined chakra control, and second, he had no innate aptitude for mastering Sage Mode or the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Rasengan, a jutsu that requires no hand seals, is a direct test of chakra control. Even the Three Body Technique and Shadow Clone Technique demand a decent level of chakra precision.
To be exact, every ninjutsu depends on efficient chakra control.
When it comes to chakra manipulation, Ryan had some natural ability, but it wasn't high enough nowhere near the control displayed by masters like Kakashi or Tsunade.
However, that wasn't a deal-breaker. Chakra control could be improved through rigorous training. Ryan remembered the specific leaf-on-water and wall-climbing drills similar in spirit to the way Batman trained under Ra's al Ghul to hone his agility and discipline.
Sooner or later, he would master Rasengan and other mid-tier jutsu.
So, selecting this ability wasn't a priority.
But Sage Mode and the Flying Thunder God Technique? Those were a different story.
Both techniques demanded not only precision but also rare innate qualities Sage Mode requiring perfect senjutsu-chakra balance and Flying Thunder God relying on spatial awareness and reaction time on par with speedsters like Barry Allen or Marvel's Quicksilver.
Without natural compatibility, they simply couldn't be learned.
So, for future ability selections, Sage Mode and space-time ninjutsu should be prioritized.
At this point, the selection phase ended, and Ryan had already gained a lot!
Not only did he acquire chakra, but he also found a pathway to real power.
Reining in his excitement, Ryan whispered in his heart, "Initiate character draw!"
[System scan complete. Host BUFF has expired. Future extractions will follow standard probability.]
[Special Notice: This system was activated by the host's intense obsession. When drawing characters to play, the host may silently focus on a specific range, and there is a chance the draw will align accordingly.]
What?!
Ryan hadn't expected that normal draws could still be subtly influenced by intent!
Although the explicit wish-fulfillment BUFF was gone, this "weakened" version still acted like a hidden perk—like how the Reality Stone manipulates outcomes in the Marvel Universe without fully rewriting laws.
Had it not been for the system reminder, Ryan might have wasted this potential several times already.
He immediately thanked the system and began the draw, focusing intently and repeating in his mind: "Akatsuki... Akatsuki..."
At this moment, what Ryan needed most was a villain—not necessarily the strongest, but someone with presence, complexity, and a willingness to execute the darker parts of his plan.
[Ding! Character draw in progress...]
As the system responded, a stream of silhouettes flashed through Ryan's consciousness.
Eventually, the mental image froze on a figure cloaked in shadowy black.
A black cloak with red clouds, spiked black hair, and a single eye behind a swirling orange mask marked by yellow and black concentric patterns.
[Ding! Congratulations! You have drawn: The Mysterious Masked Man Obito Uchiha, operating under the alias "Madara Uchiha", manipulator behind Akatsuki's rise in the Naruto Universe!]
The Mysterious Masked Man! Obito Uchiha the one who masqueraded as Madara and orchestrated the Fourth Great Ninja War!
Ryan was taken aback for a moment.
He reflected on his own plans, then remembered how Obito had once used the Nine-Tails to attack Konoha. The thought triggered a grin: "This really feels like I'm about to launch a 'Nine-Tails Rebellion' in the heart of New York."
Fitting indeed.
Obito had arrived at just the right time saving Ryan from having to simulate a fake battle scenario with Minato.
In the Akatsuki, aside from Pain's Six Paths, only Obito could realistically contend with Minato Namikaze.
After all, the presence or absence of space-time techniques marked a massive difference in tactical advantage akin to comparing a standard soldier to someone like Dr. Strange or DC's Zatanna, whose command of dimensional energy redefines combat altogether.
Minato and Obito were prime examples of how battlefield control hinged entirely on spatial manipulation.
---