Chapter 385: A Sage Mode that Amplifies Kekkei Genkai
The time Shinya Matsutani spent in contemplation was longer than Ishiro had imagined. From noon until the sky had completely darkened, Shinya finally came back to his senses with an excited expression.
"Master Ishiro, I have an idea. You've said before that Yang Release manifests as life force, and Yin Release, at its extreme, can also create life. The energy underground has both Yang and Yin. So, is it possible that the person, or god, who created this energy was in the process of creating a life?" Shinya's words left Ishiro dumbfounded. He had thought he was contemplating a solution; who knew his train of thought would run so far?
Ishiro knew the result of this energy from the original story: it simply improved the environment. So, he had never thought in this direction. Ishiro had always believed this energy was ownerless and naturally occurring.
Now, with Shinya's suggestion, Ishiro suddenly felt it wasn't impossible. Could it be an experiment conducted by a sage on the level of the Sage of Six Paths?
From the current situation, if it really was an experiment, then it had surely failed. Ishiro wondered, if this was the embryonic form of a life, could he possibly grant it life? Could the Suna's One's Own Life Reincarnation technique add life to this energy? Could Konoha's Spirit Transformation Technique attach a soul to it? If used as a vessel for the Impure World Reincarnation, could the reanimated body exist for a long time? Ishiro's thoughts drifted, contemplating all sorts of wild ideas, but he dismissed them all himself.
Something that even a sage-level existence couldn't do was not something he should waste his time on.
Shinya didn't care what Ishiro was thinking and continued with his own speculation: "Guessing from the components of this underground energy, it should be a high-level Sage Art created from the combination of Yin Release, Yang Release, and natural energy."
"To form this kind of Sage Art, one would probably need a very high level of mastery in both Yin and Yang Release. According to your words, Master, probably no one in the entire ninja world can achieve that."
"But... I remember you saying, Master, that the cells of Konoha's First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, contain near-perfect Yang Release. Could we use that as a medium to mobilize this energy?"
A thought struck Ishiro, and he suddenly thought of something: the White Zetsu clone. He didn't have any complete First Hokage cells, only the related White Zetsu clones. Although not as good as the original, the Wood Release within the White Zetsu clone did indeed possess a powerful life force.
The current home of Little Saiken and Little Chōmei, the Gedo Statue fragment, might have had some First Hokage cells added to it by Madara Uchiha. But Ishiro couldn't extract them. He estimated that the reason Little Saiken and Little Chōmei were able to take physical form was likely due to the effect of an energy similar to that of the First Hokage's cells.
However, there was surely no such substance left in the Gedo Statue fragment now. The formation of Little Chōmei last time had seemed somewhat difficult. So, the closest thing to the First Hokage's cells that Ishiro had on hand was a White Zetsu clone.
No sooner thought than done. Ishiro gave a few instructions to Shinya, then went to the branch to speak with the person in charge, and then flew back to Iwagakure overnight using the Light/Heavy Boulder Technique. Boosted by Tailed Beast chakra and disregarding the consumption, Ishiro traveled at full speed. It didn't take much time for the round trip, and he soon returned to the Rainbow Ice Wall with a White Zetsu clone.
Next, Ishiro began to follow Shinya's concept, using the Yang Release in the White Zetsu clone as bait and his own sage chakra as a bridge, to start drawing out the natural energy from underground.
Half a month later, cheers from Ishiro and Shinya suddenly erupted from the Rainbow Ice Wall, causing Little Saiken, Little Chōmei, and Kohana, who were playing together, to look over.
"We finally succeeded!" Feeling the continuous surge of natural energy from underground, Shinya couldn't wait to try and collect it, but he couldn't. Just like before, the energy quickly disappeared as soon as it came out.
Ishiro smiled. "Alright, be content. This level is enough for us to conduct experiments."
Ishiro was still maintaining his Sage Mode. After speaking, he stood at the exit point of the underground energy, closed his eyes, and began to sense.
Sure enough, the feeling this time was different.
Before, Ishiro had used Sōsetsu Kazahana's machine to input his sage chakra underground to sense this energy. But now, he was directly experiencing this energy with his body. The sensation now was more direct, clearer.
A long time later, Ishiro opened his eyes. "I think I've understood something."
Shinya looked at Ishiro with an expectant expression. Although his talent was high, he was still young, his strength had not yet developed, and he had not yet begun to practice Sage Art, so the real experiments still had to rely on Ishiro.
Ishiro smiled. "The time was too short, I can't explain it clearly. But I feel that my Sage Mode should be able to make some gains, to go a step further."
Shinya nodded. He quickly calmed his mood and was no longer in a hurry. Seeing this, Ishiro felt a bit envious. Such a disposition was truly covetable, perfectly suited for practicing Sage Art.
A few days later, Ishiro, who had been constantly comprehending the underground energy with his body, suddenly ended his training.
He opened his eyes, formed a one-handed seal, and let out a soft cry: "Porcelain Release: Kunai Rain!"
As soon as his voice fell, a continuous stream of rock kunai was generated out of thin air in a radius of more than ten meters around Ishiro. Then, this overwhelming barrage of kunai immediately shot past the Rainbow Ice Wall towards the outside.
Boom, boom, boom...
The sky-full of kunai struck a distant mountain wall. They were incredibly fast and contained astonishing power. Each impact produced a dull roar. This terrifying round of attacks lasted for a long time before it finally ended.
Shinya had seen this move of Ishiro's before. He knew that the previous Ishiro could not have unleashed such a fast, powerful, wide-ranging, and long-lasting Kunai Rain so effortlessly.
There was only one reason for such a change: the Porcelain Release had been enhanced by sage chakra. Before, Ishiro's sage chakra could only enhance conventional ninjutsu, but it couldn't amplify Kekkei Genkai ninjutsu. But now, he had finally crossed this threshold.
Shinya was stunned for a moment, then immediately asked, "Master Ishiro, did you succeed?"
Ishiro nodded. "That's right. I understand how to use sage chakra to perform Kekkei Genkai."
The two discussed for a long time, with Ishiro explaining his understanding to Shinya in great detail.
Finally, Ishiro said, "Shinya, when we go back to the village this time, you should come with us. Learn Sage Mode first, then come back here to research."
"Yes," Shinya replied. He was already prepared for this. Seeing Ishiro being able to conduct experiments personally while he could only watch these past few days had been unbearable. He had already made up his mind: this time, he would definitely learn Sage Art when he returned to the village.
Ishiro and Shinya put away the White Zetsu and closed the newly opened underground energy channel. Since they knew the method, they could just reopen it next time. Then, the two of them, along with the two Tailed Beasts and one ninja cat, returned to the branch together.
Over at the branch, Akino Atsumi had already completed the setup of the transportation device and had successfully established contact with the village. It was just that Ishiro had been training in Sage Art, so Akino and her party had not returned but had been waiting for him.
"Master Ishiro, this Heavenly Transfer Technique is not much different from the technology mastered by Kumogakure. It can teleport items to a fixed point over a long distance, but the items must be sufficiently durable," Akino explained the situation of the transportation array to Ishiro.
"Currently, we can only place the items to be transported into this kind of special box. Otherwise, the items will be destroyed during long-distance transport."
After speaking, she handed a box to Ishiro.
Ishiro ignored the box and said to Akino, "Currently?"
Akino smiled faintly. "Yes, currently. We have an advantage over Kumo. We have a lot of reference data."
"We have the Flying Thunder God markings of both the Second and Fourth Hokage, various materials written by the Fourth Hokage himself, especially the introductory materials. We also have the complete Flying Thunder God training scroll."
"In addition, when that Obito Uchiha invaded the Tsuchikage's building last time, he also provided us with a lot of data, which is very useful. Most importantly, there is still a large amount of data in the sealing jutsu from Uzushiogakure waiting for me to analyze."
"I suspect that there must be some special runes inside that are used to offset the crushing force of space-time transport. Give me some time to analyze these materials properly, and I will definitely be able to find the key."
Ishiro was overjoyed and nodded. "Keep it up. As usual, this will be another S-rank mission record. In the future, after you find a way to overcome the spatial crushing force, I'll add another S-rank jutsu record."
Akino's eyes curved into crescents, and she nodded with a smile.
Just then, a chakra fluctuation suddenly occurred on the transportation array in front of them. Then, a box identical to the one in Ishiro's hand appeared out of thin air.
"Huh? The test is over. Why is something else being sent over?" Akino naturally walked over, picked up the box, and opened it.
Inside was a scroll, and on the outside was written a line of words: For the Fourth's eyes only.
Akino was startled. She realized that this was not a test item, but real intelligence. She hurriedly handed the scroll to Ishiro. "Master Ishiro, this is an intelligence scroll for you from the village."
Ishiro was taken aback. He took it and opened it. Inside was written: Konoha and Suna are in secret contact, possibly planning to join forces against an enemy. The specific target is unknown.
Ishiro frowned. This shouldn't be happening. Why would Konoha choose this time to stir up trouble?
"At a time like this, even I don't dare to cause trouble!" Ishiro was somewhat puzzled.
After thinking for a while and failing to understand the reason, he said to Akino, "We'll return to the village immediately."
"Yes," Akino replied.
Soon, the original party, plus Shinya Matsutani, rushed back towards Iwagakure at top speed.
To increase their speed, Akino, Sōkai's trio, and Little Saiken and Little Chōmei all rode on Ishiro's porcelain platform. Shinya's ninja cat, Kohana, also wanted to get on but was slapped off by Ishiro. Such a good opportunity to lose weight, and you're not taking it? Still thinking of hitching a ride?
On the way back, Ishiro handed over control of the porcelain platform to a shadow clone, while his main body sat on the platform and began to try to enter Sage Mode in a normal state.
Ishiro had wanted to try this right after he had finished his comprehension at the Rainbow Ice Wall. It was just that he was already in Sage Mode at the time, so he hadn't tried. Now that he had the chance, he could see the effect.
Away from the natural energy seal, the natural energy in the outside world was much sparser. Ishiro tried several times at first without any progress. But slowly, as his mind relaxed and his excitement subsided, he finally felt the natural energy gathering in his body.
After another moment, the natural energy that had been rapidly converging on Ishiro's body suddenly stopped. At the same time, Ishiro, who was sitting on the porcelain platform, snapped his eyes open.
At this moment, the sage markings on his face were no longer complex; only some remained around his eyes, similar to Naruto's face during the Pain invasion of Konoha.
The instant Ishiro opened his eyes, the jonin in the team all felt the sudden surge of presence from his side and cast puzzled glances. Even two of the Anbu squads that were secretly protecting them came over to check the situation. When they saw that the person emitting the powerful aura was Ishiro, they dispersed and returned to the shadows.
Ishiro was, after all, not a beginner in Sage Mode. He quickly retracted his aura and signaled for everyone not to mind him and to continue on their way.
Shinya, however, quickly walked over and asked excitedly, "Master Ishiro, can you enter Sage Mode in the outside world now?"
Ishiro gave him a faint smile.
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