Iwagakure's training ground was not difficult to find.
This was mainly because Naruto's Kagura's Mind Eye could cover the entirety of Iwagakure.
In a corner of the training ground, Naruto was carefully studying the cultivation methods for Dust Release.
Dust Release is a Kekkei Tōta, formed by the fusion of three chakra nature transformations: Wind, Earth, and Fire.
It is a powerful Ninjutsu that surpasses ordinary Kekkei Genkai.
Its principles are extremely complex.
Naruto frowned slightly when he read the requirements for chakra control.
At this moment, he realized something was wrong.
In the original story, when Naruto was practicing the Rasengan, he once complained to Kakashi about a problem.
"In that case, I'd need one eye to look left and one eye to look right!"
Kakashi's solution was to use Shadow Clones to assist.
That was how Naruto learned to use Rasengan.
But now a new problem appeared.
If the chakra control required for Rasengan could be described as "one eye looking left while the other looks right,"
then the chakra control required for Dust Release was more like "one eye looking left, one eye looking right, and a third eye looking upward."
Of course, humans don't have a third eye—this was just a metaphor.
Naruto sighed.
"Even if someone masters three chakra nature transformations at the same time, and they happen to be the correct ones for Dust Release, they'll still get stuck at this step."
No wonder that after so many years, the number of Dust Release users in Iwagakure remained pitifully small.
Was it because they refused to teach it?
No.
It was because the difficulty of learning it was absurdly high.
It was similar to the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Why did the Fourth Hokage list Flying Thunder God as a forbidden technique?
First, it placed extreme demands on the user's physical condition.
Very few people could control their bodies during high-speed teleportation.
And more importantly—
It was simply too powerful.
Yes, it was powerful, efficient, and incredibly cool.
But Minato Namikaze didn't forbid it because he wanted to monopolize the technique.
On the contrary, he desperately hoped that someone in the village could inherit it.
After witnessing its power, nearly ninety percent of Konoha's ninja tried to learn Flying Thunder God.
Unfortunately…
None of them succeeded.
Worse still, many talented young ninja wasted their best training years on a technique they were fundamentally incapable of mastering.
To prevent further losses, Minato Namikaze had no choice but to seal the technique inside the Scroll of Seals.
Dust Release was exactly the same.
Its chakra control requirements had reached an abnormal level.
Over the years, only a handful of Tsuchikage ever mastered it.
Countless people tried—only a few succeeded.
That alone proved its terrifying difficulty.
No wonder Kurotsuchi had smiled so happily when she heard Naruto wanted to learn Dust Release.
The cultivation method in Naruto's hands would most likely become nothing more than scrap paper.
"What should I do…?"
Naruto fell into deep thought.
"Although I possess multiple chakra nature transformations due to my bloodline and system, my chakra control still doesn't meet the requirements."
"Am I supposed to use Dust Release the same way I used Rasengan back then?"
Naruto frowned.
If that was the case, the limitations would be severe.
Rasengan's greatest advantage was its instant activation.
Yet Naruto had turned it into a complicated process—first summoning Shadow Clones, then forming the Rasengan.
That completely negated its original advantage.
Dust Release would be the same.
Although Dust Release was undeniably powerful, if Naruto had to first summon Shadow Clones before using it, the technique would become a burden.
Against truly powerful opponents, no one would give him time to prepare Dust Release.
In high-level combat, it would be far more efficient to unleash a single Massive Rasengan.
"Wait…"
Naruto shook his head.
"Now isn't the time to worry about practicality."
When he first learned Rasengan, he also relied on Shadow Clones.
But as his mastery increased, he eventually no longer needed them.
The same logic could apply to Dust Release.
First, he would use Shadow Clones to perform Dust Release.
Then, through repeated practice, he would gradually deepen his mastery until he could release it on his own.
That was a viable cultivation path.
"Shadow Clone Technique."
Naruto formed a hand seal with one hand.
Two Shadow Clones appeared beside him.
The three exchanged glances—no words were needed.
The clones already understood the original body's thoughts.
Following the information in the scroll, Naruto began his first attempt.
The main body stood in the center, while the two Shadow Clones stood to his left and right.
The main body handled the Fire nature transformation—the one he was least familiar with.
The left clone handled Wind, and the right clone handled Earth.
The three raised their hands simultaneously, forming a semicircle.
According to the prescribed sequence and chakra output, they began releasing chakra.
On the first attempt, the three streams of chakra fused under their control.
A faint white light appeared between their palms.
It steadily grew larger.
Finally, a thumb-sized circular white barrier formed.
Seeing that the timing was right, Naruto activated Dust Release.
The white barrier shot toward a wooden training stake.
Midair, it expanded to the size of a soccer ball.
Everything within its range began to disintegrate at the molecular level.
Bang! Bang!
The two Shadow Clones dispersed into white smoke.
Naruto stared at the training stake, now hollowed out by the miniature Dust Release, his eyes widening.
"It… succeeded?"
As he observed the result, Naruto began to evaluate the difficulty of Dust Release.
He needed two Shadow Clones, and the range was still limited.
During the process, the main body only handled the fire transformation and activation.
To use Dust Release alone, he would need extensive training.
Fortunately, when Shadow Clones disperse, all their experience returns to the main body.
Each attempt would slowly increase Naruto's proficiency.
To perform Dust Release alone, Naruto would eventually need to:
Use Fire chakra with one hand
Use Wind chakra with the other
Simultaneously release Earth chakra instinctively through his body
All while maintaining perfect control.
Just thinking about it made his scalp tingle.
Still, Naruto had no intention of giving up.
Then, a rather interesting idea occurred to him.
"What if I use Nine-Tails Chakra to perform Dust Release?"
Kurama's chakra was fully under Naruto's control, and its shape could be freely altered.
He could condense two miniature chakra arms on the surface of his body, using them to assist in releasing Dust Release.
A slow smile spread across Naruto's face.
"This might actually work."
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