There shouldn't have been any place for Shigure to learn these kinds of ninjutsu.
And yet—he could perform them. With just a single hand seal. A simple one at that.
There was no complete sequence of hand signs, which likely meant Shigure had developed these techniques himself.
After all, without access to traditional instruction, Shigure couldn't have learned proper ninjutsu in the usual way. But from Sarutobi Hiruzen's perspective, the essence of ninjutsu wasn't overly complicated.
Take the Water Dragon Bullet Technique, for example: modify the nature transformation, shape the chakra into a dragon, and amplify its momentum—that's it. That's the entire principle.
Shigure had extraordinary nature transformation ability, and his chakra control was monstrous. It wasn't too far-fetched for him to create his own version of the Dragon Bullet Technique.
And it wasn't just that one. Other techniques, too—if you grasped their principles, they weren't impossible to replicate. With enough time and intuition, one could master them.
But still—
"The Dragon Bullet Technique can be rationalized... but that clone—did that brat really create his own variant?"
Shigure's clone didn't resemble a standard one.
At that moment, Hayate, standing nearby, spoke up.
"Maybe it's a modified version of the Shadow Clone Technique."
Shadow Clone?
Hiruzen froze. "Who taught him the Shadow Clone…"
He trailed off midway, suddenly realizing: Hayate himself knew the Shadow Clone Technique. For a jōnin—or even a special jōnin—that technique wasn't classified anymore.
But he hadn't expected Hayate to actually pass on such a dangerous jutsu to Shigure.
It might be nothing for a jōnin—but for a child?
If Shadow Clones were overused, the chakra strain could be fatal.
"Hayate, you—"
Before the Third Hokage could finish, Hayate bowed in apology.
"I'm sorry, Lord Third. I taught it to him because he truly wanted to learn. But I warned him—again and again—that Shadow Clones are not to be used recklessly."
Hiruzen sighed.
He understood Hayate's perspective. If he had a genius like Shigure in his own household, he might have done the same. Of course Hayate would want to help him grow stronger.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Suddenly, Shigure unleashed a flurry of ninjutsu.
Barrier Wall. Chaotic Wave. Wave Palm. Dragon Charge. Flowing Blade. Healing Technique. Waterfall Technique. Hidden Mist. Body Flicker.
One after another.
Each technique drew gasps from the watching group.
Even the Barrier Wall—something so basic—was transformed in Shigure's hands. It wrapped tightly around his body, forming a high-speed rotating barrier. A protective dome spinning with such intensity that even an A-rank jutsu might struggle to penetrate it.
Some of the jutsu Shigure used were ones that even Hiruzen had never seen before.
Take the Dragon Impact Bomb: though the chakra dragon he formed was smaller than usual, the impact was terrifying. It blasted through several thick stone pillars as if they were made of paper.
Its sheer power wasn't inferior to the Second Hokage's Water Severing Wave—though Shigure's Dragon Charge was more of a one-off projectile, rather than a blade-like continuous slice.
Still, the destructive force was undeniable.
Then there was the Flowing Blade, a technique where Shigure infused flowing chakra into his sword, dramatically enhancing its cutting power.
Even the Third Hokage had never considered such an application.
One jutsu after another—some familiar, some entirely novel—poured out from Shigure like an endless tide.
The astonishment on the faces of the three observers deepened with each technique.
"Is this what Shigure is truly capable of?"
"Is this the kid's real strength?"
"At his age… he's already wielding this much power…"
Even Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage, might not have been this terrifying at Shigure's age.
And the sheer scale of chakra radiating from the boy—it was monstrous.
Unbelievable.
Had he not witnessed it with his own eyes, Hiruzen would never have believed that a child could become so… inhuman.
And then—Shigure did something that left all of them utterly shaken.
He began to gather two chakra natures at once: Wind Release and Water Release.
He was... going to combine them?
Was he seriously attempting to create a Kekkei Genkai—Ice Release?
That kind of feat—fusing chakra natures to awaken a bloodline limit—wasn't something a child his age should even dream of doing.
That was a Kekkei Genkai, for heaven's sake!
And yet, before their stunned eyes, Shigure seamlessly merged Wind Release and Water Release, and the result—
The temperature plummeted.
Frost spread rapidly across the ground, creeping over leaves, stones, and even the surrounding mist.
Seeing the cold vapor rising, the Third Hokage stood frozen.
"Since when… did awakening a bloodline limit become something this simple?"
Was this real?
He raised both hands and rubbed his eyes, as if trying to wake from a genjutsu.
But no—he wasn't hallucinating.
It was real.
"Monster... This kid is a monster!" Hiruzen muttered in disbelief.
His voice snapped Kakashi and Gekkō Hayate out of their daze.
The five Anbu behind them looked at one another, equally stunned.
This... this was how a genius trains?
Creating a Kekkei Genkai as if it were second nature—like breathing?
"A genius... Shigure is a true genius!" Hayate couldn't hold back his joy. The brighter Shigure's future, the more hope there was for the Moonlight Clan.
But Kakashi frowned slightly.
"Genius? That word doesn't cut it anymore. This… this is beyond genius. I never thought I'd get to witness the successful creation of a bloodline limit with my own eyes."
As things finally began to settle, Shigure's form shimmered—and vanished.
He had only reappeared for the fusion attempt. Given his terrifying chakra control and precise nature transformations, it was clear that Shigure had practiced this repeatedly.
The success wasn't a stroke of luck—it was inevitable.
Suddenly, Kakashi recalled what Zabuza had once called Shigure: a demon.
"He really is Konoha's demon... a demonic genius!"
At the time, Zabuza's words implied that Shigure was more fearsome than the monsters on the battlefield.
Now, that nickname—The Demon of Konoha—took on a far deeper and more terrifying meaning.
"A monster like him is a blessing for Konoha," Hiruzen said, unable to suppress a proud smile.
Just as Kakashi and Hayate were about to respond—perhaps to praise Shigure even further—
The chakra around Shigure suddenly dispersed.
The frost stopped spreading. The mist calmed. The air grew still again.
Then a mechanical voice echoed in Shigure's mind:
[Great Sage: Data collection complete. Bloodline limit fusion criteria met.]
[Beginning fusion calculation. Returning bodily control to the host.]
With that, the Great Sage began its computations, and Shigure's eyes slowly fluttered open.
To him, it felt like only an instant had passed.
But in that brief moment—within the starry void of his consciousness—Shigure had gained something tremendous.
Suddenly, a rush of overwhelming memories surged into his mind.
Too many. Too fast.
Shigure's vision darkened—and his body collapsed.
"Shigure!"
Kakashi rushed forward instantly—but someone was faster.
The Third Hokage stepped in and caught Shigure before he hit the ground.
Kakashi looked down at his empty hands... stunned, and a little embarrassed.
...
TN:
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