In the days that followed, Shiro Gen focused on refining his personal Shiro Gen-ryu sword style.
Sakumo Hatake, having set aside suicide, became extremely low-key.
He would let time wash the rumors thin.
Danzo, watching his plan proceed, allowed himself a smug smile.
"Sakumo Hatake, the White Fang of the Leaf."
"You have force but no wisdom, and no mettle."
"So be a blade for the village and nothing more."
"You are unfit for power."
Passing lofty judgment, he turned to other reports.
"Border skirmishes are growing worse."
"Prices are rising, especially for weapons, explosive tags, and soldier pills. War goods are soaring most."
"It will not be long before war breaks out."
He had prepared for this.
"War is also opportunity."
"With his stained reputation, Sakumo cannot be Hokage no matter what he does on the battlefield."
"Only the Sannin are eligible."
"But Tsunade suffers hemophobia, and Jiraiya is not suitable and does not want it."
"Orochimaru alone threatens me."
"Yet he has a fatal flaw - obsession with forbidden experiments."
"I have a chance..."
"This time, I must not miss it."
Ambition burned across Danzo's face as he clenched his fist.
...
...
One month later.
Shiro Gen-ryu Sword Art: Phantom-Blaze Radiant Blade.
Under Shiro Gen's control, a torrent of Fire chakra compressed along the edge.
BOOM!!!
A detonation bloomed into blinding firelight.
Within that glow hid not only the shine of genjutsu, but chakra honed to a knife's limit.
He cut.
Fire condensed into a six meter arc and shot out faster than sound.
BOOM!!!
The air cracked, waves of sonic thunder rolling with searing heat.
In a spark's span it crossed a hundred meters.
Four trees, each five meters thick, were sliced clean through.
Lingering flames rose into a surging sea of fire.
The last arc struck a fifth trunk.
Heat devoured everything.
Only smoke, ash, and a charred patch of earth remained.
[Fire Release Control (Blue)] -> [Fire Release Dominion (Purple)]
[Fire Release Dominion (Purple): You grasp the principles of Fire-nature transformation and Fire Release jutsu deeply and completely. You possess absolute dominion over Fire chakra. You can cast most Fire Release techniques with a single seal, and the power of your Fire Release jutsu increases greatly.]
"So this is a purple entry."
"Terrifyingly strong."
It felt as if he fully understood Fire-nature transformation and every Fire Release principle.
From now on, Fire held no secrets to his eyes.
With absolute dominion over Fire chakra, he could compress it to extremes, vastly amplifying the Phantom-Blaze Radiant Blade.
He could also more easily improve, fortify, and evolve Armor of Fire and the Fire-Stepping Body Flicker.
Beyond that,
he could cast most Fire Release with a single seal, like the First Hokage clapping his hands and naming the technique that sprang forth.
That was too strong.
If he had chakra on the First's scale, he would already stand just beneath Super Kage.
"Let me test it."
He lifted his blade, asserted dominion, and pressed Fire chakra tighter and tighter.
The glow grew fiercer, the heat more brutal.
In moments,
the ninja blade melted.
"This sword is too poor to withstand the volume and compression of chakra."
"But now, I may not need a sword."
He kept compressing Fire chakra.
Under his control, the dazzling blaze hardened into a blade.
An Eastern sword, not a ninja saber.
"I can compress Fire chakra to substance and forge a sword."
"And its quality surpasses ordinary steel by far."
A skin of flame climbed its surface,
making the Fire blade stronger and far more splendid.
"Good."
"With absolute dominion, I can wield this with ease."
"Shiro Gen-ryu Sword Art - Phantom-Blaze Radiant Blade."
He murmured, then swung.
Without a sound, crimson light erupted.
Like a flash-bang going off.
A ten meter arc tore out faster than sound.
THWIP! THWIP!!!
Thirteen trees fell in severed rounds.
Flames leapt and swallowed them in a breath.
Only ash and burned earth remained.
"Good. Powerful."
"A little polish, and it will be perfect."
"My next task is to use [Fire Release Dominion (Purple)] to upgrade Armor of Fire and the Fire-Stepping Body Flicker."
"Armor of Fire is simple - thicker, tougher fireplate for stronger defense."
"As for the Fire-Stepping upgrade, the work is already half done."
"It just needs a better concept."
He had planned to reference the Crow Clone style to revise Fire-Stepping.
But with [Fire Release Dominion (Purple)] in hand,
a new idea sparked.
Simply dispersing into flames to cast illusions, hover low, sprint fast, or shrug attacks felt too bare-bones.
What if the flames became flame crows?
Cooler, perhaps stronger?
He did not like crows.
What about flame dragons?
Too gaudy, too hollow.
Better yet -
turn flame into Fire swords.
"This is the way. Fire into blades, ten thousand blades to one - perhaps even sword-flight."
"I can weave Shiro Gen-ryu into it as well."
"What to name it?"
"Flame-Sword Phantom Body?"
"That sounds right. Flame-Sword Phantom Body it is."
Eyes bright, Shiro Gen planned how to evolve Fire-Stepping into Flame-Sword Phantom Body.
It would be a Fire secret art.
With [Fire Release Dominion (Purple)] fueling him, inspiration poured like a spring without end.