Chapter 71: Senjutsu Energy
In the world of ninjas, where chakra is the foundation of power, the strength of nearly all shinobi is raw and unfiltered, radiating from within. This is determined by the very nature of chakra itself. Formed by refining both spiritual and physical energy within a ninja's body, chakra flows and is stored in a remarkably simple manner before being released through ninjutsu. As a result, most ninjas with sensory abilities can perceive the chakra within their opponents and use it to gauge their strength.
For example, when facing Rasa, the Kazekage, even the jōnin of Sunagakure could faintly sense the surging chakra within him, even if he didn't make a move. This was proof of his overwhelming power. The same could be said for the high-ranking officials of Sunagakure currently gathered in the Kazekage's office.
Chiyo, Ebizō, Pakura, Michikawa, and his wife, Karura—all of them were ninjas capable of taking on hundreds, even thousands, by themselves. Their sensory abilities were exceptionally sharp, honed through years of experience. Yet, at this very moment, as they looked at Rasa sitting before them, they all felt something strange.
Although the Kazekage was right in front of them, their senses returned an eerie emptiness, as if there were nothing there at all. Or rather, it felt as if the person sitting in the Kazekage's seat was an ordinary man—one who possessed not even a single trace of chakra.
Was that possible?
Of course not. And considering that Rasa had arrived an hour late to this meeting, there could only be one explanation. Something had happened to Rasa, something even they were unaware of, preventing them from sensing his chakra.
In that moment, everyone's gazes were fixed on the Kazekage in astonishment. However, neither Chiyo, Ebizō, Pakura, nor Michikawa questioned him further. Ever since the surprise attack on Konohagakure, Rasa had already given them far too many unexpected surprises.
In truth, it wasn't just them who were shocked. Rasa himself was equally astounded by the changes in his body. After an hour of experimentation and acclimatization, he had come to a basic understanding of his transformation.
Simply put, he could no longer refine or use chakra. That meant all chakra-based ninjutsu and even his Bloodline Limits were beyond his reach. However, as a substitute, he could now directly absorb and store the Senjutsu Energy of nature itself as his new source of power.
Yes—Senjutsu Energy.
That was the name Rasa had chosen for this world's primordial, verdant energy. And to replace his former Bloodline Limits—his Magnet Release, his Sand Manipulation, and his Vaporization Technique—Rasa had consumed two Chakra Fruits from the God Tree: the Magnet-Magnet Fruit and the Sand-Sand Fruit, granting him a new form of power.
He called it Senjutsu Limit—a Bloodline Limit that utilized Senjutsu Energy instead of chakra. After consuming the two Chakra Fruits, Rasa regained access to Senjutsu Limit: Magnet Release and Senjutsu Limit: Sand Manipulation.
To be honest, even now, Rasa wasn't entirely sure—had he grown stronger? Or weaker?
Although Senjutsu Limit: Magnet Release and Senjutsu Limit: Sand Manipulation felt noticeably stronger than their original Bloodline Limits when Rasa tested them, there were significant changes to consider.
First, he no longer needed to refine chakra or fuse two different chakra natures to create magnetism for controlling gold dust. Instead, the process was completely bypassed—his Senjutsu Energy inherently carried magnetism. This not only saved him the effort of refining chakra, reducing energy consumption and making control more convenient, but it also expanded his ability to manipulate metals. He was no longer limited to controlling gold dust—he could now manipulate the Iron Sand that the Third Kazekage had once been so proud of.
Second, Senjutsu Limit: Sand Manipulation granted him an elemental ability, allowing him to ignore most taijutsu in this world. This compensated for his previous weakness in close combat, giving him a significant advantage against physical fighters.
Finally, because Senjutsu Energy was fundamentally different from chakra, Rasa discovered that ordinary genjutsu no longer worked on him. This eliminated his greatest weakness—his susceptibility to illusions. However, he was still unsure whether he could resist dojutsu like the Sharingan, which operated on a higher level of complexity.
Of course, Senjutsu Energy didn't come without drawbacks.
The biggest issue was that all of his previously mastered Five Elements Ninjutsu, Sealing Techniques, and Clone Techniques were now completely unusable. This left Rasa feeling somewhat restricted, as he lost many tactical options in battle and could now rely only on his two Senjutsu Limits.
Additionally, despite the power of his elemental ability, this was still a world governed by ninjutsu and the Five Elemental Affinities. This meant there were still techniques capable of countering him, especially those that exploited elemental weaknesses or required intricate chakra manipulation.
Fortunately, some fundamental abilities of special energies were retained. The Curse Mark power from Shukaku's chakra, as well as abilities from the Dragon Vein chakra—such as inorganic reincarnation, matter transformation, accelerated regeneration, and chakra absorption—remained functional through Senjutsu Energy.
However, one unfortunate loss was the power of Star Release chakra, which had completely disappeared. This meant that, aside from Pakura, Michikawa, Baki, and Yashamaru, Star Release Mode had become a thing of the past.
Still, overall, Rasa felt that he had become stronger.
Because no matter what world one was in, physical strength was the foundation of everything. And just like the spiritual energy (qi) in cultivation novels, Senjutsu Energy possessed incredible vitality, continuously nurturing and strengthening his body.
With the powerful life force of Senjutsu Energy nourishing him, Rasa hadn't expected to develop a body as invincible as the monsters from One Piece. However, he hoped to at least achieve a physique comparable to Hashirama Senju's Sage Body.
Additionally, chakra-based techniques were completely ineffective against the Otsutsuki clan. Fighting them with chakra was like tossing meat buns at a dog—utterly useless. But with Senjutsu Energy, the situation was different. Now, Rasa had a way to confront the Otsutsuki in the future.
Yet, there was one more unknown factor to consider: Rasa's maximum capacity for Senjutsu Energy was only half of what his chakra reserves had been. While he could replenish his energy by absorbing Senjutsu Energy from nature, the natural energy in this world had only just begun to recover. Aside from the area around the God Tree, where the concentration was higher, the rest of the ninja world remained barren, making regeneration painfully slow.
Fortunately, as Rasa continued to use the Kāma Seal to absorb and convert chakra into Senjutsu Energy, the world's Senjutsu Energy concentration would slowly rise. However, as a reincarnator, Rasa was determined not to depend on external sources of power. True strength, he believed, could only come from within.
Therefore, he needed to overcome his body's limits to store even more Senjutsu Energy. Using the Kāma Seal to enhance his physique seemed like the most obvious solution—but Rasa was someone who preferred to rely on himself. After all, the God Tree had already taken his chakra without his permission, which had left him greatly displeased.
Now, only one plan remained in his mind—perhaps he could treat Senjutsu Energy like spiritual energy (qi) in cultivation novels and train it as a cultivator would. But NOPE! He didn't want to become some sect's elder with an inflated ego, cleaning up the mess after his subordinates. Besides, that task was for the future.
Right now, with war looming, his immediate priority was managing the village.
As these thoughts settled in his mind, Rasa gently tapped his fingers on the desk, bringing everyone's attention back from their shock.
"Apologies for the delay. Now, let's get down to business."