Chapter 178: Darling, Please Relocate

"That seemed... a bit conspicuous."

Staring at the circular hole punched through the clouds, Tenzo felt this teleportation method wasn't exactly covert.

"It doesn't really matter," Habara countered, not particularly bothered by the sight overhead. "Even if this teleportation formation is a one-time use deal, employing this support system just once in the most critical battle is enough to change the course of a war."

He elaborated, "Firstly, it's difficult to pinpoint the exact teleportation spot just based on cloud patterns. Secondly, even if they find the sealing formula, so what? They can smash it after the fact; the teleportation is already complete. And thirdly..." Habara grinned faintly. "I hope that one day, the mere sight of this pillar of light will be enough to make enemies turn tail and flee. Otherwise, why call it 'Daigo's Peerless Radiance'?"

"Kakashi-senpai, what do you think?" Tenzo asked.

"Mm-hmm, makes sense," Kakashi replied vaguely.

His response was dismissive, not because he agreed with Habara and Tenzo, but because he hadn't actually heard what they were saying. He was somewhat lost in thought, staring blankly at his own hand, as if he were about to grasp something, or perhaps already held it.

So this is the Perceptive Experience Method?

Only Kakashi himself truly understood the thoughts hidden within his heart.

No wonder Habara wanted Kakashi to act as his "air purifier." With Kakashi's help, Habara had indeed mastered Water Release chakra nature transformation in an incredibly short time, becoming a ninja proficient in all five elements at a young age. Outsiders might mistake Habara for some kind of prodigy, but people like Kakashi understood that some individuals mastered the five nature transformations through exceptionally clever shortcuts.

Those with Kekkei Genkai, let alone Kekkei Tōta, inherently possessed advantages over ordinary ninja. Even disregarding their bloodline abilities, they naturally wielded two or even three nature transformations, putting them ten, perhaps even twenty years ahead in the typical training cycle... But that was beside the point. Kakashi now understood that the experiential learning method was highly effective. The Flying Thunder Formation Technique, after all, was derived from the Flying Thunder God Technique.

"So, the experiment was a success?" Kakashi finally asked, snapping back to attention and addressing Habara, who had already been resting nearby for some time.

"Well, none of us died, so... yeah, I'd say that counts as a success."

Hearing Habara mention that, Kakashi and Tenzo suddenly recalled a certain someone's despicable act of applying armor only to himself before the teleportation began. But... fine. As Habara said, the experiment was successful, and everyone survived. They couldn't really fault him now.

"So, how do we get back to Konoha?" Kakashi asked next, secretly hoping to experience that flying sensation of long-distance teleportation again.

"How do we get back? We walk, obviously. You didn't think we could just teleport back, did you?" Habara retorted, exasperated.

"...Huh? We can't?" Kakashi was puzzled. What was the logic in being able to come but not return?

"Can we?" Habara deadpanned, studying Kakashi's expression. He realized they genuinely thought the teleportation was a round trip and sighed. "The current 'Flying Thunder God Formation Network' has a few key characteristics. First, each teleport consumes a massive amount of chakra. Second, the teleportation is strictly one-way. This is related to the seals we deployed being directional formulas. Therefore, the process is irreversible."

"Why not set up two-way formulas?" Tenzo inquired.

"Why didn't you get a perfect score on your college entrance exam?" Habara shot back.

Tenzo: "..."

"Ahem," Habara cleared his throat. "What I mean is, the difficulty of setting up one-way formulas versus two-way formulas is vastly different. The latter is far more complex. Even if we wanted to achieve two-way travel, it would be better to deploy a second set of directional formulas. But the problem is, Daigo's chakra-launching equipment is all located in Konoha... In short, two-way teleportation is complicated."

Tenzo nodded, indicating he understood.

"Being able to instantly travel from Konoha to the Land of Fire's border is already significant enough," Kakashi mused. "Comparatively, the return trip to Konoha isn't as urgent. Even if two-way travel becomes feasible later, it will never be a routine method... Regardless, activating such a technique will always consume enormous amounts of chakra."

If Kakashi easily went toe-to-toe, seemingly evenly matched with opponents in combat, his intellect, most of the time, far surpassed theirs. Whether it was combat IQ during a fight or strategic foresight at other times, Kakashi excelled.

Truly worthy of becoming Konoha's Sixth Hokage.

"Well said, excellent analysis. So, you understand what we need to do next, right?" Habara couldn't help but nod in agreement.

"What is it?" Kakashi's mind was already racing with ways to improve the teleportation network.

"Obviously, we start walking back to Konoha. What else?"

"..."

Alright, maybe Kakashi's intelligence wasn't that high after all.

Upon their return to Konoha, Habara, Kakashi, and Tenzo learned of the "negative consequences" of their experiment. It had blasted a large hole through Konoha's main protective barrier and the wider-reaching sensory barrier. The "piercing" effect had been intense.

Of course, the barrier damage wasn't caused by the three shinobi physically breaking through. The Flying Thunder Formation Technique was a space-time ninjutsu; they vanished from Konoha and simultaneously appeared at the border. It involved spatial folding and penetration technology – how could it possibly damage Konoha's barriers? The breach had been caused by Daigo's concentrated chakra beam used to initiate the transfer.

Yet, even though the barrier suffered significant damage, requiring considerable effort from the Barrier Team to repair, the Third Hokage was ecstatic. Upon hearing news of the successful test, Hiruzen couldn't stop beaming. Among the three systems Habara had conceptualized, this long-distance teleportation technology was the Hokage's absolute favorite.

It couldn't be helped. The effects of the Flying Thunder God Formation Network were immediate and tangible, offering a massive strategic advantage in warfare without disrupting Konoha's existing structures. Of course, the Hokage loved it.

As for the barrier penetration issue? Let it pierce. It wasn't a major problem. If actual wartime conditions arose, the village would undoubtedly prioritize activating this convenient battlefield support system. The integrity of the barrier would become secondary.

By this point, the Integrated Information Thought Entity, the Chakra Infinite Library, and the Flying Thunder God Formation Network – the three core systems – had all undergone basic testing and construction. These trials had achieved a degree of success, proving the viability and utility of all three components.

Furthermore, because all three systems relied entirely on Daigo, her importance was thrown into sharp relief. In comparison, Habara had merely brainstormed some wild concepts; he was responsible for the imaginative leaps, while Daigo provided all the practical, real-world support.

Regardless, the time had come. Daigo's main body needed to be transferred to the hidden domain within Nameless Mountain.