The purple-tier skill Root Pulse was a special type of light-based attack technique.
Although it existed as an independent skill region, the difficulty of cultivating this Water Release was extremely high.
Within the current ninja system, light-beam–type Water Release techniques were exceedingly rare.
Even with the glasses system performing reconstruction and predictive calculations, it took an enormous amount of time before a viable simulation video could be derived.
To cultivate Root Pulse, merely mastering the Water-attribute chakra was far from sufficient.
One also needed to grasp Yin-attribute chakra transformation.
Yin energy—born from imagination and spiritual force—creates form from nothing.
Yang energy—born from physical vitality and life force—grants life to form.
Yin and Yang attributes, much like Wind, Fire, Water, Earth, and Lightning, were chakra nature transformations.
They were fundamentally different from the later concepts of Yin–Yang Release or Yin–Yang Power—this was purely a matter of chakra attribute change.
Konoha possessed a far deeper understanding of Yin and Yang attributes.
With its many secret-technique clans and comprehensive research archives, its foundation was far stronger than Sunagakure's comparatively thin records.
The Nara clan's secret techniques bore some resemblance to Root Pulse—
The difference lay in the medium: one used shadows as a mold, the other used seawater.
Based on the limited data available, cultivating Yin–Yang chakra transformation required specialized methods.
Sunagakure did possess fragments of relevant records, but to truly practice Yin–Yang attribute transformation, the only viable options were either seeking help from major clans or turning to Orochimaru.
Yin–Yang chakra transformation, along with information on natural energy, was knowledge Orochimaru possessed in abundance.
However, engaging in trade or cooperation with Orochimaru was never a simple matter.
Thus, Root Pulse cultivation had to be shelved for the time being.
For now, Shiraishi focused on fully integrating Ballad of Bubble Phantom and Steam Explosion into his Water Release system.
Truth be told, Shiraishi began to feel that he had an uncanny affinity with the Second Mizukage—
Their techniques and combat styles were strikingly similar.
Over the next period of time, Shiraishi spent most of his days at the Ninja Academy, conducting extensive equipment and system testing.
Due to the Kazekage's reduction of active personnel slots, much of the academy's facilities were left unused.
Taking advantage of this, Shiraishi established multiple laboratories.
On this particular day, one of the laboratories was conducting a special test.
Inside a dim corridor, Shiraishi—dressed in a white coat—stood with several assistants, holding a data sheet and recording observations.
At his signal, the assistants activated the Dragon-Form Engraving Device.
At the center of the laboratory, three small tri-mirror units floated in the air, continuously collecting and analyzing data.
These units were derivative devices of the Scarlet Control Mirror, originally developed by the Second Kazekage and later modified by Shiraishi.
The puppet-control function had been removed entirely.
In its place, computational and analytical capacity had been massively reinforced.
As electrical components were fed into the system, the three mirrors emitted brilliant light.
Moments later, a dragon-shaped apparatus beneath them began to activate.
Once raw materials were loaded, the two regeneration cores within the dragon's eyes suddenly ignited.
They transformed into a pair of eerie pupils, glowing dark red—
—and in the next instant, detonation tags began pouring out in rapid succession.
"Success. Detonation-Tag Engraving."
After a long period of research, Shiraishi's team had finally completed their first fully functional prototype.
Detonation-tag engraving had been researched by every major village.
Most existing methods resembled crude printing techniques combined with chakra infusion by the user.
Such tags could be produced quickly, but their power was extremely weak.
During the Battle of Kikyo Mountain, Sunagakure had used precisely this type of low-quality replicated detonation tags, whose destructive force was severely limited.
In contrast, the detonation tags carried by most jōnin were either personally infused with chakra or entirely handcrafted—making their explosive power vastly superior.
During the Kikyo Mountain battle, Sunagakure expended one hundred billion detonation tags, effectively burning through nearly all strategic stockpiles accumulated over two years.
As a result, supplies at the Revelation Mountain Range and the Kirigakure front became dangerously strained.
Shiraishi's team solved the most critical bottleneck in detonation-tag production:
stable, high-quality chakra infusion.
By applying the regeneration-core principles provided by Sasori of the Red Sand, they elevated detonation-tag quality by an entire tier.
Over the next ten-plus days, the team worked continuously.
The first stockpile was completed.
"Captain… these detonation tags…"
Kitajima Jūjin—wearing a purple robe today—no longer bothered maintaining his elegant demeanor.
Staring at the piles of detonation tags covering the floor, his eyes shone brightly.
"You printed all of these yourselves? How long did it take?"
"One week."
"Only one week… and you already have one million detonation tags."
Each crate held twenty thousand tags.
There were over fifty crates present, well over a million in total.
Kitajima Jūjin quickly calculated market prices while testing explosive output.
The results shocked him.
Their power far exceeded that of traditional small-workshop tags and was on par with Konoha-produced detonation tags.
Previously, detonation-tag production, transport, and regulation were monopolized by Sunagakure's logistics division and used solely for internal supply.
After Kikyo Mountain, however, Sunagakure's reserves were clearly insufficient, forcing the village to purchase from private workshops.
The Kitajima family's trade network primarily operated in the Rain Country and Fire Country.
They rarely handled domestic Wind Country trade.
But now—
This was a golden opportunity for arms trading.
The Daimyō could not interfere in ninja-village arms commerce.
Such industries were traditionally controlled by the Kazekage or the Elder Council.
Given Shiraishi's current backing, he was fully qualified to enter this market.
Shiraishi did not concern himself with how the Kitajima family would distribute the tags.
He needed money—vast amounts of it.
Equipment development and calibration consumed enormous funds, and detonation-tag production was simply a well-timed way to cash in on wartime demand.
"Konoha will definitely need these basic detonation tags," Kitajima said excitedly.
"Cloud Village is also stockpiling—clearly affected by Kikyo Mountain. And the Rain Country, the Hot Water Country…"
The Third Shinobi World War had every village preparing for escalation.
Standard military consumables like detonation tags were guaranteed sellers.
The Kitajima family had long coveted this industry, but production capacity had always been the limiting factor.
Now, Shiraishi had changed everything.
"Captain, would you be interested in partnering with the Kitajima family to establish a factory?
Mass production of detonation tags."
The proposal tempted Shiraishi.
He was not worried about the Kitajima family uncovering the device's secrets—
The regeneration core was Sasori's pinnacle technology, far beyond the comprehension of ordinary ninja.
Moreover, Shiraishi had embedded failsafe seals within the cores.
Any tampering would immediately trigger the hidden Azure Flame, destroying everything.
Still, Shiraishi hesitated.
Partnering too closely with the Kitajima family risked binding himself too tightly to them.
They already pestered him endlessly about developing body-modification techniques—
A truly exhausting prospect.
Kitajima Jūjin, however, sensed something odd.
Today's Captain Shiraishi felt… different.
As if responding to Kitajima's probing chakra, Shiraishi's eyes suddenly turned crimson.
The pupils seemed to resonate with an unseen mechanism.
Within the blood-red reflection, vast streams of analytical data and simulation overlays appeared.
This was clearly not ordinary eyesight.
Under that scarlet gaze, Kitajima stumbled backward in alarm.
"Don't be afraid," Shiraishi said calmly.
"It's only a clone."
A glowing-eyed puppet clone robot…
Kitajima Jūjin swallowed.
The more time passed, the more unfathomable this captain became.
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