Chapter 163: The Intangible Shadow!
"By simply utilizing the natural energy that fills the earth?"
Nara Keisuke scanned the description for the "Art of False Plantation," his eyes instantly locking onto the key phrase.
"This B-rank technique... is it a Sage Art, the same type as the Longsword of the Sky!?"
The realization sent a jolt of pleasant surprise through him. He had honestly expected to get a Wood Style jutsu from the White Zetsu's scroll. After all, the great Hashirama was a genius who had elevated Wood Style to an art form, using it for everything from construction, binding, and imprisonment to grafting, paralysis, creating clones, and general landscaping. His repertoire was as diverse as it was complete.
Among the many Wood Style jutsu, the most difficult could reach SSS-rank (like the Sage Art Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands, which bordered on a Kekkei Mōra), while simpler ones included the Wood Clone, Wood Transformation, and Wood Substitute techniques. Keisuke had never anticipated that a B-rank scroll from a White Zetsu would yield a Sage Art.
"Compared to the Longsword of the Sky, the Art of False Plantation is significantly more powerful!"
Keisuke recalled the effects of his other Sage Art. "The former can only be used to manipulate ninja tools, but the latter can directly cover the body with natural energy to conceal one's presence."
This wasn't his first time acquiring a method of concealment. For example, there was the advanced Yin Release technique he had created based on his shadow arts and the Camouflage Technique—the Shadow Invisibility Technique. But just like its predecessor, while Shadow Invisibility could hide his presence and make his body transparent, it couldn't completely erase the tracks he left behind. Furthermore, a sufficiently skilled sensor ninja could still perceive the Yin Release chakra he used to maintain it. Overall, while the jutsu was widely applicable, it had its limits.
But the Art of False Plantation was different. This technique used natural energy to completely mask one's presence while simultaneously blocking all forms of chakra perception. Just looking at its effects, he could feel how powerful it was.
"Transparent invisibility, complete presence concealment, and blocks chakra sensing..."
An image of the Second Tsuchikage, Mū, suddenly flashed through Keisuke's mind.
"If I first use the Shadow Invisibility Technique to become transparent, and then use the Art of False Plantation to completely hide my presence... the result would be no less terrifying than the Second Tsuchikage's perfect invisibility!"
The Zetsu, with a new mind at the helm, spoke up. "So, what did you get from the scroll?"
"A B-rank technique, the Art of False Plantation," Keisuke "muttered to himself." "It's not a Wood Style Kekkei Genkai, so I won't need the Zetsu for this experiment. It seems I'll have to wait until next time to get closer to mastering Wood Style."
The White Zetsu shrugged. "Well, if you don't need me for anything, I'm going to go lie down."
Keisuke waved a hand, telling it to do as it pleased. The White Zetsu's abilities were too unique; it could absorb chakra and travel through the earth, making it a high flight risk. Keisuke wasn't ready to lose this "living research material" just yet. A captive that could periodically provide B-rank scrolls and held immense research value was hard to come by. For now, he could only use his Shadow Manipulation Technique to keep its original consciousness sealed and prevent any accidents. He would have to figure out a more permanent solution after returning to the village.
True to its word, the Zetsu immediately lay down flat. Keisuke, meanwhile, began testing the effects of his new jutsu.
The Shadow Doppelganger that had been hosting his consciousness silently dispersed, and Keisuke's main body deactivated the Flat Shadow Technique, rising up from the ground.
"I was lying down for a long time..."
He stretched, loosened his muscles, and then focused on the details of the new technique. Perceiving natural energy was no longer difficult for him. He quickly gathered a ball of it from the earth and, following the scroll's instructions, spread it evenly around his body, completely hiding his chakra signature.
"It's easy to use, not difficult at all," Keisuke noted, getting a feel for the jutsu. "And since it uses natural energy, the drain on my own chakra is extremely low."
After gathering enough data, he deactivated the jutsu and began the second phase of his experiment.
"First, Shadow Invisibility!"
He used his Yin Release chakra to turn his body transparent, then gathered a ball of natural energy, covering his entire form and masking the chakra fluctuations.
"Next, the Art of False Plantation!"
With both techniques active, he called out, "White Zetsu!"
The Zetsu that had just lain down got up painfully. "What a pain! Didn't you say you were done with me—Master, where did you go?"
"You can't see me right now?"
"I can hear your voice, and I can pinpoint your location by the sound of it." The pained look on the Zetsu's face was replaced by one of fascination. "But with my eyes alone, I can't see anything... I'll call another clone over."
Soon, another Shadow Doppelganger was pulled over by the Zetsu.
"First, use your own sensory abilities to check if there's anyone else around," the Zetsu instructed the clone.
"Seriously? So some clones are better than others now?" the doppelganger grumbled, but extended its senses anyway. "There's nothing! Are you messing with me?!"
"No, this is a proper experiment," the Zetsu replied, gesturing to it again. "Now use the Lacquer Eye and sense the spiritual energy in the area."
The doppelganger gave the Zetsu a suspicious look but activated the technique. "Still nothing!"
"This is fantastic!" Keisuke's voice came from thin air, and his figure shimmered back into existence.
The doppelganger looked at the spot where the voice had come from in surprise. He turned and activated his senses again. "As long as you're not in a transparent state, if I'm not looking directly at you, I can't sense you at all! It's like your very existence has been erased."
The doppelganger quickly turned back to face its creator. "Master, what other fun new toys did you get?"
"You'll find out next time," Keisuke said, waving them both off. "You two get busy. I'm going to go play by myself."
The doppelganger and the Zetsu looked at each other and sighed in unison.
"This invisibility effect is insane!" Keisuke sat down cross-legged and began his research. "But this composite jutsu is still too cumbersome to use. Why can the Art of False Plantation only use natural energy from the earth? That has to be changed! If I can use the natural energy that's everywhere to make myself completely transparent and block all forms of chakra perception... if I can really push the Shadow Invisibility Technique to that level, will it become my first self-developed S-rank jutsu?"
Keisuke immediately threw himself and his clones into the intense mental work. The "energy source" for the Art of False Plantation was quickly modified. The White Zetsu needed to rely on the earth because of its innate ability to travel through it. Keisuke, however, didn't need to stay underground. Based on the principles of his Longsword of the Sky technique, he soon modified the jutsu's energy source from "natural energy in the earth" to "natural energy in the earth and the atmosphere."
"Next up is integrating natural energy control directly into the Shadow Invisibility Technique!"
Keisuke lost himself in the mental exertion. Time trickled by. The sun set, and twilight enveloped the land. The Shadow Doppelganger he had left in the Konoha camp suddenly dispelled, sending its memories across the distance to the remote forest.
"The main forces and Minato's team are back!"
Receiving the memory, Keisuke pulled himself out of his research and dispelled the other clones. Taking the Five-Tails Jinchuriki and the White Zetsu with him, he rode his Shadow Creature back to the main camp.
A resounding victory, of course, called for a celebration. The Konoha camp was bustling with noise and activity. Before landing, Keisuke didn't dispel the Shadow Creature. Instead, he had it use the newly improved Shadow Invisibility and Art of False Plantation combo. An imperceptible "sky-prison" of shadow was thus created high above the camp.
He casually disembarked and dropped into the crowd of ninja below, where he was met with an expectedly massive roar of cheers and congratulations.
"Nara-sama!"
"The Shadow of Darkness of Konoha!"
Having crushed the Iwagakure front line and completely turned the tide of the war in the Land of Grass, Keisuke's prestige in the camp was at its zenith. If a vote were held right now for the Fourth Hokage, it was likely that not even Orochimaru and Minato combined could compete with the man who had single-handedly ended the war on this front.
'Shadow of Darkness? What a lazy nickname!' Keisuke put on a formulaic, commercial smile, dealing with the enthusiastic Konoha ninja. 'Whatever... as long as they don't call me 'Black Beast,' I can even live with 'Shadow-kun'!'
He quickly found his own small group.
"Captain!" Shisui, Retsu, and Shizune greeted him in unison.
"Relax. It looks like the rest of your mission went smoothly!" Keisuke waved to his three team members. His gaze drifted to a nearby spot where the four members of Team Minato were gathered, a picture of warmth and harmony.
"Minato-senpai's Body Flicker is incredible!" Shisui said with a thumbs-up, his praise genuine. "My own is still a long way from his level."
"That's why he's the Yellow Flash, and you're Shisui of the Body Flicker," Keisuke joked, accepting a rice ball from Retsu. "Thanks, Retsu... huh?"
[Eating... [Precision] +1]
[[Precision]: A-]
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