Chapter 180: Self-Created S-Rank Technique, Shadow Invisibility Jutsu!
'S-rank Wood Style Technique: Wood Dragon Technique?'
Keisuke's eyes lit up as he looked at the contents of the scroll on his panel.
'I was originally planning to try and farm a B-rank Wood Style jutsu from the White Zetsu, but I ended up getting the B-rank Sage Art, 'Art of False Plantation,' instead. Now I've finally gotten a proper Wood Style ninjutsu, and an S-rank one at that!'
'Unfortunately, this is just the technique itself, not the Wood Release chakra nature. Otherwise, I could use it right away...'
Keisuke knew that Wood Style was a Kekkei Genkai formed by combining Water and Earth style chakra. And since he possessed all six chakra natures—Yin, Yang, Water, Fire, Wind, and Earth—he theoretically had the aptitude to use it. After all, no matter how you traced it back, the fact remained that the future Yamato, who was infused with Hashirama's cells, was indeed able to use Wood Style by fusing water and earth.
'Let's see what's so special about Hashirama's Wood Dragon!'
Keisuke closed his eyes, immersing his consciousness in the contents of the scroll. The description on his panel was just a summary; many more details were hidden within the scroll itself.
'A means of activation that promotes the rapid growth of one's own cells or plant cells... The shape transformation for the dragon form... Found it! The hidden key to the Wood Dragon!'
Near the end of the scroll, he found a crucial description: Wood Style, through the special tissue systems of the "trees" it creates, can have additional jutsu effects added to its internal structure, much like a ninja's own chakra pathway system. Considering the stability of the Kekkei Genkai, these additional techniques are best if they are non-elemental.
In simple terms, the Wood Dragon, and other forms of Wood Style, could be amplified by embedding non-elemental ninjutsu within them.
'And the best way to do that... isn't it fuinjutsu?'
'Wood Style plus sealing techniques... Hashirama definitely did something like that. For example, his... what was it called... Top Transformed Buddha, and the Gracious Deity Gates. Both are Wood Style techniques used to suppress the Tailed Beasts. And he certainly had the means to do it. Wasn't his wife, Mito Uzumaki, the greatest master of the Uzumaki clan's sealing arts?'
Keisuke fell into deep thought. 'Could the reason Hashirama's Wood Style was so special be because he added sealing techniques to it?'
Hashirama had been dead for decades. Keisuke couldn't exactly ask him for guidance. He could only speculate based on the information he had. For now, the fusion of Wood Style and fuinjutsu seemed to be the most likely source of its unique power.
'Although I don't have the means to use Wood Style myself, and I can't perform the Wood Dragon Technique...' Keisuke took a deep breath, a flood of inspiration washing over him. '...That doesn't mean I can't use this method!'
Wood Style's ability to be enhanced relied on the unique biological structure of trees. Keisuke's "shadows" had no such cellular or pathway systems. But that didn't mean he couldn't create a similar chakra circulation structure within them. Yin Release gives form to nothingness. He could absolutely create dedicated "conduits" within his shadows for chakra to flow through, giving them additional amplified effects.
If the Wood Dragon could be combined with non-elemental sealing jutsu, then why couldn't his Shadow Creatures be combined with them as well? And it wasn't as if he was starting from scratch; he had a deep understanding of the human nervous system and a complete model of his own chakra pathways. Once he succeeded in fusing his shadow arts with fuinjutsu, they might one day possess a special suppressive effect against Tailed Beasts, just like Wood Style.
In fact, he was already in the middle of a similar "fusion experiment." 'Speaking of fusing shadow arts with non-elemental ninjutsu... isn't that exactly what my Shadow Invisibility Technique is?'
He was already working on upgrading it. This key insight from the Wood Dragon scroll made him eager to push forward with the experiment for what could very well be his first self-created, S-rank Shadow Secret Art.
Lacquer Eye!
A hint of darkness suffused Keisuke's eyes. His shadow flowed down from the bed like a black waterfall, quickly pooling on the floor of the room. The Yin Release chakra continued to flow, seeping down into the research base below. Numerous Shadow Doppelgangers emerged from the shadows and began their daily research work.
Keisuke himself, however, wrapped his arms around the fragrant, soft Yakushi Nono'o and went back to sleep.
Time ticked by. Yakushi Nono'o's eyes fluttered open. The bespectacled nun stared at the unfamiliar ceiling, her mind still not fully recovered from last night's explosive fireworks. Keisuke, sensing the slight movement beside him, began his daily routine.
"Nono'o-nee-san," he said, hugging her and gently kissing her damp hair. "Why don't we just live here from now on? The orphanage is too small, not convenient for practical combat, and we always have to worry about the children."
"Absolutely not!" Nono'o pulled the thin blanket over herself and hurried out of bed to get washed. "I hadn't even realized until you said something, but it's already very late! I have to get back to the orphanage as soon as possible."
Keisuke silently followed her into the washroom. "Nono'o-nee-san, let's wash together."
By the time they had finished their morning routine, eaten breakfast, and returned to the Kikyo Orphanage, the sun was high in the sky. Nono'o, her legs feeling softer than noodles, tried to act as if nothing was wrong as she slowly walked into the building. She had been worried her unusual state might attract the children's attention, but it was clear that compared to the director they saw every day, the man following behind her was the true center of their universe.
"Nara-aniki is here!"
"Big Brother Nara, did you really beat the Tsuchikage?"
"Big Brother Nara, when are you going to be the number one ninja in Konoha? Is it today?"
The grand tales of the Shadow of Darkness's exploits had, after some time, spread throughout the village. In Kikyo Castle, the Nara clan's "home base," Keisuke's name was now even more famous than that of the current clan head, Nara Shikaku.
He casually handed out some candy he had bought on the way and skillfully avoided answering any of the children's questions. Once the crowd of kids had dispersed, he finally found a moment of peace. While he had been dealing with them, Nono'o had found a chair to sit on. At her feet, a vibrant "little golden-haired" toddler was crawling around.
"This little one?" Keisuke walked over, looking at the child curiously. "Is this Chino?"
"Me!" Little Chino seemed to know her name well, responding immediately. But then she grabbed onto Nono'o's pant leg and buried her head, seemingly shy.
"Chino can say many words now," Nono'o said, bending down to pick her up and place her on her lap. "Isn't that right, Chino-chan?"
"Mama," Chino giggled. After calling out Nono'o's name, she turned her head, looked at Keisuke, and quickly shouted, "Big Brother!" She then immediately turned back and buried her face in Nono'o's chest.
"She's a very cute and pretty child," Keisuke said, pulling up a chair and sitting beside them. Although he still had many things to do, for now, just sitting here and listening to Nono'o chat about everyday things was a wonderful mental respite.
As if they were of one mind, Nono'o began to talk about the recent changes at the orphanage: how the number of children had increased due to the war; how the fried chicken shop was still doing booming business and they were considering an expansion; how Yakushi Kabuto had now learned the Mystical Palm Technique and would occasionally help her treat the townspeople...
Though they were all trivial matters, Keisuke listened with great interest. The nerves that had been constantly taut from the battlefield began to unwind with each word. If not for his size, he would have liked to curl up in her lap like Chino and listen to her stories.
He had no intention of interfering in most of the orphanage's affairs, but when he heard Kabuto's name, he couldn't help but interject. "Nono'o-nee-san, how has Kabuto been recently?"
"Kabuto is probably the most obedient and sensible child in the orphanage," Nono'o had just said, when Chino, in her lap, let out an indignant huff, forcing her to quickly placate the toddler. "Chino-chan is very obedient and well-behaved too."
Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. Just as she was consoling the jealous Chino, Kabuto himself walked over from the kitchen.
"Director, today's fried chicken is all marinated—"
He stopped mid-sentence, his eyes falling on Keisuke. A huge smile instantly spread across his face. "Nara-aniki, you're back!"
Now it was Nono'o's turn to be jealous. "This is the one. Even living here, he's always thinking about you."
"Nono'o-nee-san, you're just like Chino," Keisuke teased, and was immediately met with a double glare from both the big and small figures.
"Ahem." He cleared his throat and looked at Kabuto, pretending nothing had happened. "Kabuto, you've grown taller, and you look more energetic."
"Nara-aniki," Kabuto said, hurrying over. "When did you get back?"
"Last night, very late," Keisuke said, ruffling his hair. "I can tell you've been practicing the technique I taught you very diligently."
He could clearly see that Kabuto's breathing pattern was already in sync with the Sage Clan Guidance Technique. In other words, over the past few months, the boy had successfully integrated it into his daily life. His talent for sage arts was truly impressive.
"Yes!" Kabuto nodded seriously. "The jutsu you taught me is amazing. I feel like I have endless energy every day, so I can help the Director even more."
"Just as Nono'o-nee-san said, Kabuto." Keisuke rummaged through his pouch and took out a pair of sunglasses. "These are just ordinary tactical glasses, but they've been with me through many battles. Now, they're yours."
Before Kabuto could even reply, Nono'o lightly smacked Keisuke's arm, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "Is this how you give a gift? Keisuke, Kabuto is nearsighted."
Giving sunglasses to a nearsighted person... she didn't even know what to say.
"Thank you, Nara-aniki," Kabuto said, accepting the gift with great solemnity. He didn't much care about whether he could wear them or not. "One day, I'll become a great ninja, just like you!"
Keisuke spent the better part of the morning at the orphanage. Then, a memory from his Shadow Doppelgangers flowed into his mind, and several new notifications appeared on his panel.
[S-Rank Technique: Shadow Invisibility Jutsu]
[Description: An ultimate Yin-style invisibility ninjutsu created based on [Shadow Secret Art], [Camouflage Technique], and [Art of False Plantation]. No hand seals required, instant cast.]
[Effect: Creates a biomimetic film of water molecules using Yin Release chakra, which then absorbs natural energy from the atmosphere and the earth to completely seal off all traces of the user's presence and render the entire body transparent. Undetectable by either the naked eye or chakra sensing.]
[Evaluation: I come with the shadow, and with the shadow I depart.]
[Having self-developed an S-rank technique [Shadow Invisibility Jutsu], your [Ninjutsu] and [Wisdom] stats have been increased!]
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