Yōkō left Konoha using the Ephemeral Technique, arriving at a remote forest outside the village.
He opened the forbidden jutsu scroll for the Flying Thunder God.
The first line in the scroll read: Absolutely do not attempt the Flying Thunder God Technique without a talent for space-time ninjutsu.
Space-time ninjutsu talent?
Yōkō didn't know if he had that or not.
The second line: Once practice fails, the body may be torn apart.
Yōkō touched his neck.
Torn apart, body severed from head... doesn't seem too scary.
He had the Evil God's immortal body. Like Hidan in the original story, he wouldn't die even if his head was cut off.
Coupled with the Hydrification Healing Technique and the Senju clan's top-tier recovery ability, this risk was nothing.
Since the risk was bearable, he might as well try. What if he did have space-time ninjutsu talent?
Following the description on the jutsu scroll, Yōkō first learned the Flying Thunder God Formula.
The Flying Thunder God Technique uses two Flying Thunder God Formulas to mark two spatial coordinates, then instantly impacts the formulas with a massive amount of chakra to open a passage between the two coordinates.
The specific cursed seal of the Flying Thunder God Formula didn't matter; it could be designed by the user. The Second Hokage's and Namikaze Minato's formulas from the original story looked different in appearance.
After carving the Flying Thunder God Formula onto his body, Yōkō created two Shadow Clones to help with cleanup.
If I end up decapitated, at least the clones can help piece me back together.
Yōkō took out a kunai and carved the Flying Thunder God Formula onto it.
Once carved, Yōkō threw the kunai towards a large tree opposite him.
The preparation was quite simple.
Yōkō closed his eyes and began to sense the Flying Thunder God Formula on the kunai not far away.
After sensing for several minutes, he perceived nothing. Then, Yōkō tried channeling chakra into the Flying Thunder God Formula carved on his body.
After adding chakra, the Flying Thunder God Formula finally provided feedback.
The Flying Thunder God Formula on the kunai also manifested chakra.
As the chakra increased, Yōkō sensed the residual chakra on the kunai's Flying Thunder God Formula.
The Flying Thunder God Formula on his body marked one spatial coordinate, Point A.
The Flying Thunder God Formula on the kunai marked another spatial coordinate, Point B.
Yōkō gathered chakra and violently rushed it towards spatial coordinate A.
When the chakra was sufficient, the space folding channel opened!
Yōkō suddenly found this feeling familiar, somewhat like being Reverse Summoned.
When he was Reverse Summoned, he was summoned by Hakuji's chakra, instantly appearing at a distant summoning formula.
However, the Reverse Summoning Technique only has one spatial coordinate.
The Flying Thunder God Technique has two spatial coordinates, requires self-operation throughout, is more precise, and the difficulty is multiplied.
Yōkō's figure vanished instantly.
He felt himself pass through a spatial channel.
This interface was composed of the two spatial coordinates, front and back.
His body instantly appeared beside the Flying Thunder God Formula on the kunai.
"Huh? Did it succeed? Sss! No! Why do I feel pain in my butt?"
The two Shadow Clones hurriedly grabbed Yōkō's lower body and rushed to his side.
One Shadow Clone said, "How can your butt hurt? Your butt is still over there."
The other Shadow Clone said, "Hurry up and connect the main body! Any longer and the intestines will spill out!"
Yōkō's miserable state was like when Tsunade was cut in two by Uchiha Madara in the original story.
The powerful recovery ability of the Sage of Six Paths Body, stacked with the Evil God's immortal body, allowed Yōkō's upper and lower body to quickly reconnect.
Yōkō finally understood the danger of this technique.
When he traversed between the two spatial coordinates, the speed was too fast, and he couldn't ensure his entire body moved together.
The feeling was like his head had already moved from Point A to Point B, and his consciousness had completed the journey.
But his lower body was left behind at Point B, and he was completely unaware of it.
His consciousness traveled first and simply couldn't control the movements of his lower body.
Chakra is controlled by consciousness. Any part of the body other than the consciousness, if it lags for even an instant and stops outputting chakra, would cause the body to separate.
In other words, every part of the body must release chakra during the Flying Thunder God traversal, continuously opening the spatial channel between the two nodes.
Truly a forbidden jutsu. Failure in training is terrifying.
Without some talent, relying solely on hard training just makes the corpse pieces more and more fragmented.
He couldn't practice anymore today. Time to rest. He could try the feeling of dismemberment again tomorrow.
Yōkō returned to the Tsurugetsu Izakaya.
"I'm back!"
Kyōi hurried out from the back yard, first carefully looking Yōkō up and down. She said, "Why were you gone for so long this time? Konoha has been eventful lately, even the Third Hokage's son sacrificed himself. I don't ask for you to become a Jōnin, I only ask that you live well, that you survive every mission."
Yōkō said with a smile, "Don't worry. I've been going to the border outpost forts recently. The missions there are very safe, and the pay isn't bad either. This time I brought back a full 100,000 Ryo for you!"
For Kyōi, knowing nothing was the best state.
Kyōi said, "The izakaya is very profitable; we make about 200,000 Ryo every month. You don't need to give me this money; use it all to buy Explosive Tags. Take the money the izakaya earns too. The child and I don't have big expenses. But when the child starts at the Ninja Academy and begins taijutsu training, we'll need quite a bit of meat."
Listening to Kyōi's chatter, Yōkō felt warmth in his heart. Of course, he very much wanted to feel the warmth of an embrace. Being warm inside and out together was true warmth.
After a night of intimacy, Yōkō left the izakaya the next day refreshed and in high spirits.
Today's Jōnin Commander meeting was the most special one for Yōkō.
The assembled Jōnin had arrived early.
The leadership entered the Jōnin Commander meeting room last. Among them, the final member of the leadership was the unfamiliar yet familiar Lord Fox!
Unfamiliar, because Lord Fox had previously sat in the first row.
Familiar, because Lord Fox was now Konoha's public face.
Among Lord Fox's battle achievements, 'frontally slaying a Tailed Beast' was the most dazzling.
Lord Fox's strength had already surpassed the Kage-level.
While ordinary Jōnin were helpless against Tailed Beasts, Lord Fox could already kill them.
Nara Rokaku presided over the meeting. He said, "The first agenda item: as you can see, the Hokage-sama has appointed the new Head of the Anbu, Fox, and the Deputy Head of the Anbu, Black Ant. Every ninja village has its peaks and its valleys. Our Konoha Village is undoubtedly in a valley. In the flames of every war, Konoha always faces sacrifice and death, and Konoha also gives rise to war heroes forged in fire. As long as we uphold the Will of Fire, we will inevitably return to our peak."
Sitting on the podium, looking at the more than two hundred Jōnin in the meeting room, Yōkō thought, I've finally become part of the leadership too.
I've finally taken Yellow Dog's seat.
"The second agenda item..."
Successful Heads of the Anbu remained silent during the general meetings and did not express opinions on the village's specific affairs.
The Head of the Anbu was the village's deterrent force in the shadows. Even if there were important matters, they would not be discussed in the Jōnin Commander meeting.
After the meeting ended, Yōkō glanced discreetly at Danzo's retreating back.
Night.
In the Root base, Danzo walked out of the darkness and arrived at the center of the cross-shaped bridge.
Someone had entered the Root barrier.
This method of slow entry wasn't an invasion; it carried the purpose of a meeting.
Danzo sensed the visitor and saw Yōkō wearing his fox mask.
Yōkō's gaze was complex, carrying expectation and temptation:
"Lord Danzo, just as Orochimaru once cooperated with you, I wonder if there is a possibility for us to cooperate as well?"
Danzo never leaves the village, holed up in Konoha. That's not good for his legs. Yōkō still hoped Danzo could get out and about more.
***
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(End of Chapter)