Judging by the time, there were still about six or seven hours until sunset.
Shigure wondered—could he complete the calculation by then with enough training?
As he continued to focus on dual-nature transformation, the progress of the internal computation noticeably accelerated.
[Great Sage: Based on the host's current state, if this condition is maintained, calculation will be completed in five hours.]
That was good news.
Of course, maintaining a perfect state of focus wasn't easy. Shigure wasn't a machine—he was human. Even with the same jutsu, no shinobi could unleash it with exactly the same power twice in a row.
Still, it was just five or six hours. If he gave it his all, he should be able to hold out.
Time passed slowly as he immersed himself in the training. Fire and Wind chakra flickered in each hand as he continued to push his nature transformation.
After only an hour, the intensity of both chakra natures had nearly doubled.
This kind of progress was far quicker than relying solely on passive skill enhancement.
And naturally, a stronger chakra nature meant more powerful ninjutsu.
The fact that this practice not only accelerated the Great Sage's calculation but also enhanced his elemental transformation made it feel incredibly worthwhile to Shigure.
He was investing the same amount of time but getting returns in both areas.
Moreover, the feedback was immediate and tangible, making it easy to stay motivated. He maintained his focused condition with relative ease, despite the strain.
Four hours later...
[Great Sage: Calculation complete.]
[Congratulations, host. You have acquired a new skill: Multitasking.]
In that moment, new information flooded Shigure's mind.
At the same time, his body underwent a subtle change—one he could clearly feel.
After finishing his training on nature transformation, Shigure was eager to test out the newly acquired skill—Multitasking.
He began with something simple: drawing a circle with one hand and a square with the other simultaneously.
To his surprise, it wasn't awkward at all. His hands moved smoothly, independently, and without delay.
"It really works!"
"What about releasing two ninjutsu at the same time?" he wondered.
With that thought, Shigure acted without hesitation.
"Fire Style: Dragon Bullet!"
"Wind Style: Beast Wave Palm!"
Boom!
Swish!
A torrent of flames surged behind him, forming a mighty fire dragon that roared toward the stone pillar ahead. At the same time, Shigure thrust his palms forward—wind howled outward in a flurry of slicing blades.
The fire dragon struck first, smashing into the stone pillar and sending fragments flying. An instant later, the wind blades sliced through the remains, leaving nothing but rubble behind.
He had truly released both ninjutsu simultaneously—not in sequence, but at the exact same moment.
Shigure could clearly feel the miraculous effect of Multitasking.
Without hesitation, he drew his ninjatō, Zangetsu, and assumed a stance. With one hand, he focused on his breathing technique, while the other began weaving hand seals.
"Water Style: Great Waterfall Technique!"
This was the jutsu he had previously analyzed from Zabuza. Now, he was going to test its full power.
With a roar, a massive column of water erupted from beneath Shigure's feet, surging forward like an unstoppable tidal wave.
At the same time, his breathing-based swordsmanship exploded into motion.
Clang!
Boom!
A stream of concentrated power burst from his blade, slicing through every stone pillar in his path. Immediately after, the raging waters of the Great Waterfall Technique surged forth and swallowed the shattered remains whole.
Shigure stood atop the tallest stone pillar, gazing down at the chaotic torrent now flooding the rocky clearing.
This ability to perform two actions at once—it was simply extraordinary.
Even in the middle of executing a sword technique, he could still cast powerful ninjutsu without delay or loss in effectiveness.
This meant he could fight with his blade while simultaneously unleashing ninjutsu to control the battlefield—an invaluable advantage in real combat.
"Perfect."
Still gripping his blade, Shigure turned toward a massive boulder in the distance.
"Breathing Technique – Third Form: Flowing Dance!"
"Fire Style: Dragon Bullet Technique!"
A ferocious dragon surged from beneath Shigure's feet, its twisting body coiling forward as it roared toward the distant boulder.
At the same time, Shigure's figure vanished—his form blurred into afterimages as he dashed forward, using the dragon's back as a stepping path.
In the next instant, his blade intersected with the massive rock—
Boom!—petal-like explosions erupted across the surface just before the dragon collided with it in full force.
Bang!!
A deafening roar echoed as the boulder shattered into a storm of debris, gravel scattering in all directions.
Shigure landed lightly and turned around, gazing at the destruction he had wrought.
"So strong…" he muttered with awe.
"This move should be renamed—Breathing: Third Form – Dragon Flow Dance, Revised."
With the ability to multitask, combining swordsmanship and ninjutsu, his attacks had become fluid and deadly.
Performing a technique like Dragon Bullet while simultaneously executing a breathing-style sword technique—it wasn't as simple as it looked.
Shigure took a deep breath, then narrowed his eyes slightly.
But what happens if I use two Kekkei Genkai at the same time?
Gripping Zangetsu tighter, he activated his Boil Release.
Ssssshh—!
Scalding steam hissed from his body, and heat shimmered from the edge of his blade.
As chakra surged within him, Shigure forced the second transformation: Ice Release.
Hissss—!
Cold air billowed out from the right half of his body, coiling downward like mist. The left side exhaled white steam that drifted upward.
Unlike steam, which naturally rose, the dense cold air sank in silence.
In that moment, two distinct wings—one of heat, one of frost—seemed to form behind him. Steam hissed from the left edge of his blade, while frost crystalized along the right.
The image was powerful—but fragile.
It lasted no more than three seconds.
Suddenly, Shigure's body spasmed. A powerful force surged inside him, and he almost coughed up blood.
He immediately dispersed both chakra releases, panting slightly.
Shigure frowned.
"Isn't this supposed to be multitasking? Why can't I maintain two Kekkei Genkai at once?"
[Great Sage: It's not that you can't do it, nor that the host lacks the skill. The issue is the interference between the two Kekkei Genkai. When activated in their raw forms, they disrupt each other, making sustained use impossible.]
So I can't even maintain them in their basic activated state?
Shigure took a moment to process the information.
Then he raised Zangetsu again.
"Boil Release – Heat Breath Blade!"
Steam surged from the blade as the familiar heat returned.
Next, he shifted his focus to a rock in the distance.
"Ice Release – Freezing Moment!"
In a flash, the rock froze over, frost creeping along its surface in seconds.
Yet the Heat Breath Blade in his hand remained stable—unaffected by the cold technique he cast.
"So that's the key… If I try to maintain both Kekkei Genkai in an active state, they conflict. But if I cast them as separate ninjutsu, they don't interfere."
[Great Sage: Precisely. And the next step toward Kekkei Genkai fusion is learning to balance both at once. Mastering dual-nature transformation is the foundation.]
Shigure nodded slowly, eyes glittering with understanding.
...
TN:
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