Chapter 218: The Calm After the War

Chapter 218: The Calm After the War

For Iwagakure, the Third Great Ninja War had ended long ago. If Ishiro weren't an advisor and didn't occasionally receive intelligence about the war, he would have thought the ninja world had been at peace for a long time.

Today, during a break in training, Ishiro was looking through an intelligence report. It stated that Konoha had withdrawn its troops from the Land of Whirlpools, but Orochimaru had remained.

Moreover, judging by his posture, he intended to stay in the Land of Whirlpools for an extended period. The intelligence personnel speculated that Orochimaru was planning to block the path of any Mist ninja invasion.

Ishiro, however, knew that Orochimaru's human experimentation had begun.

In the original story, Orochimaru only began human experimentation several years later, but now Orochimaru's research had clearly advanced ahead of schedule. And this time, Orochimaru was conducting experiments in the Land of Whirlpools, without the many scruples he had in Konoha as in the original story.

Ishiro was actually somewhat expectant about what Orochimaru might research.

The Wood Release user Yamato from the original story was a product of Orochimaru's research during this period; he wondered if it would be successful this time as well.

At the same time, Ishiro was thinking about another matter. In the original story, Orochimaru experimenting on Konoha ninjas caused public outrage, but this time, experimenting on Land of Whirlpools civilians, Ishiro feared Konoha ninjas might no longer reject Orochimaru.

Should he find an opportunity to help Orochimaru? Scientists should just focus on research; why be bound by Konoha's rules and regulations? Wouldn't it be better for him to defect sooner?

Seeing Ishiro spacing out, Han walked over and asked, "Advisor Ishiro, did something happen?"

Ishiro shook his head and said, "Nothing happened, just some of Konoha's Orochimaru's actions are puzzling. Never mind, let's try my Lightning Release Rasengan again."

After speaking, Ishiro flew into the air, looking down from above, preparing to activate the ninjutsu.

Han shouted, "Alright!"

Before his voice fell, a Tailed Beast Chakra Cloak appeared on the surface of his body.

In mid-air, Ishiro extended his right hand, instantly forming a Rasengan. Then, Ishiro infused Lightning Release into it; this was something Ishiro had accomplished after two months of effort.

Next, Ishiro waved his hand and threw the Lightning Release Rasengan towards Han.

Han, well-practiced, maneuvered his Tailed Beast Chakra Cloak to meet the Lightning Release Rasengan.

Boom~~

After a violent explosion, Han's chakra cloak was only slightly diminished, and Han himself was completely unharmed. Ishiro was somewhat speechless, feeling quite embarrassed. A ninjutsu he had spent two months developing had no effect whatsoever against a Jinchuriki.

However, Han's progress was indeed rapid. The current Han could already slightly mobilize the Five-Tails' chakra without any side effects.

Don't underestimate this. Setting aside the attack power increase from this bit of Tailed Beast chakra, the defensive power alone was enough to make Ishiro envious.

Ishiro's offensive ninjutsu were all targeted at ninjas. Against Han, who was clad in a Tailed Beast Chakra Cloak, he basically had no good methods.

Including the Water Cutting Technique, Mountain Earth Jutsu, and Porcelain Release, these methods Ishiro used against ninjas were mostly ineffective when used against Han. Although the Water Cutting Technique could cut through the Tailed Beast Chakra Cloak, the cutting speed was too slow, giving Han ample time to dodge.

Among all of Ishiro's techniques, only Chidori could penetrate Han's thin Tailed Beast Chakra Cloak at close range.

But Ishiro was not good at close combat!

So Han gave Ishiro an idea: should he devise a powerful single-target long-range offensive ninjutsu? At the very least, he needed a ninjutsu that could break through defenses, otherwise, his shortcomings were too obvious.

Back when Ishiro was on a mission with Kitsuchi and encountered Kyō Minazuki, who had enveloped himself in Ice Release defense, he had experienced that feeling of helplessness.

Today, facing Han, it was like that again; this was the second time.

If there were enough time, allowing him to upgrade his main Water Release ninjutsu further should enable him to break Han's Tailed Beast Chakra Cloak.

Unfortunately, there still wasn't enough time.

Although Ishiro felt frustrated, he had no intention of changing. Combat power was never his primary pursuit; his foremost goal had to be life evolution.

After reaffirming this thought in his mind, Ishiro said to Han, "Senior Han, you'll be picking disciples tomorrow. Are you ready?"

Han nodded and said, "I'm ready."

Han's preparations were very thorough. A few months ago, after Ishiro had given Han his entire collection of ninjutsu, Han had been full of confidence about taking disciples.

These past few days, Han had gone over the files of this graduating class again and again. Apart from personally verifying them at the Ninja Academy, Han had done everything he could.

Ishiro smiled faintly. He knew Han's situation very well; he had just asked casually to make conversation.

The two chatted a bit more, and then Ishiro prepared to absorb natural energy.

Over the past two months, Ishiro's Sage Jutsu training could be said to have progressed by leaps and bounds. Ishiro first mobilized a trace of natural energy to conduct fusion experiments. This process was naturally completed after more than ten days of practice.

Then it became simple: Ishiro slowly increased the amount of natural energy participating in the fusion.

Now, Ishiro could already fuse thirty percent of the natural energy that entered his body.

It should be mentioned here that absorbing natural energy is dynamic. If Ishiro stayed within the natural energy seal, natural energy would continuously flow in.

The thirty percent Ishiro mentioned was also dynamic, meaning: if the speed at which natural energy entered Ishiro's body was 1, then Ishiro's fusion speed was 0.3.

Originally, when Ishiro's fusion speed could also reach 1, his Sage Jutsu training would be considered complete.

But Ishiro was not satisfied with this slow progress. Today, Ishiro was going to conduct a new experiment.

It was still the same small valley. After Ishiro entered the natural energy seal, he sat on a wooden board. He nodded at Ikura, then closed his eyes and began to prepare.

After a short while, a large amount of natural energy began to pour in from the back of Ishiro's hands. Ishiro was not flustered at all; he was already accustomed to this kind of training. Ishiro began to fuse the natural energy step by step.

Outside, Ikura timed it and had several Anbu lift the wooden board under Ishiro. Then, the group slowly left the natural energy seal area.

Ishiro, fully focused on fusing natural energy, did not notice anything. Although the plan was devised by Ishiro himself, and the time to move him out of the natural energy seal area was also calculated by Ishiro himself, at this moment, Ishiro's concentration was not on anything else.

After leaving the sealed area, Ikura, who had been guarding Ishiro's side holding a black rod, breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Ishiro had not petrified.

It seemed the calculations were correct.

Once outside, the natural energy being absorbed by Ishiro immediately stopped. After another ten-odd minutes, having completely fused all the natural energy that had entered his body, Ishiro opened his eyes.

"This feeling." Ishiro carefully experienced the changes in himself. Only two words could describe it: powerful.

Ishiro could feel his body filled with strength, feeling that every move he made had extraordinary power. Yes, this was Sage Jutsu.

Without needing to test, without needing extra judgment, Ishiro understood that he had succeeded. The current him was Iwagakure's Sage Ishiro.

Ishiro tilted his head up at a 45-degree angle, making an expression of looking down on the world.

Ikura said, "Alright, stop fooling around. Stand up straight first."

"You got it." Ishiro nimbly stood up.

Ikura looked at Ishiro's face and asked, "Training successful?"

At this moment, some light blue, strange markings appeared on Ishiro's face. Ikura had heard Ishiro say before that the sign of Sage Mode was the sage markings on the face.

Ishiro nodded.

Ikura turned to the Anbu squad and said, "Go and invite Lord Tsuchikage and the other two Advisors. Tell them Ishiro has succeeded."

"Yes," the Anbu squad replied and left.

After a short while, Ōnoki, Saka, and Mei arrived at the small valley. All three carefully examined the markings on Ishiro's face.

Mei said, "It really succeeded." She was the happiest because, before this, as the one in charge of finances, she had felt the most pained among them all.

Every experiment Ishiro conducted consumed a large amount of the village's funds. Ishiro's success finally allowed her to see an end to this expenditure.

Saka's focus, however, was different. He said, "I remember you saying, Ishiro, that the simpler the sage markings, the more proficient the Sage Mode. Aren't your markings too many? They almost cover your entire face."

Ishiro rolled his eyes and said, "Senior Saka, I just learned it, and it was achieved through a shortcut. The amount of natural energy absorbed wasn't much either. Success was a fluke; I should be the worst sage in history."

Ōnoki said, "No matter what, success is what matters. From now on, our Iwagakure finally has a trump card that can be passed down."

The others nodded. It hadn't been easy for Iwagakure. Many geniuses born in Iwagakure had faded into obscurity because they couldn't find a suitable path.

Every additional foundation Iwagakure gained meant more hope for future ninjas.

Seeing everyone a bit sentimental, Ishiro immediately said, "I've more or less succeeded; all that's left is the issue of proficiency. So, who's next?"

Ikura thought for a moment and said, "Lord Tsuchikage should go first. Lord Tsuchikage is more suitable than me."

This wasn't Ikura being modest, but a fact. Practicing Sage Jutsu required the fusion of three types of energy, and Ōnoki had more experience in this than anyone.

Logically, Ōnoki was the most suitable person to train in Sage Jutsu; Ōnoki should have originally been scheduled before Ishiro.

However, when it came to the desire for Sage Jutsu, Ishiro's was the strongest. Plus, Ōnoki was too busy, unlike Ishiro who had plenty of time to carefully analyze every detail. That was why Ishiro had gotten this advantage.

Ōnoki nodded. He was also a little excited. No matter what, this was Hashirama Senju's greatest asset back then. Ōnoki hadn't expected to be able to train in Sage Jutsu in his lifetime.

Ishiro took out a complete set of documents and handed them to Ōnoki: "Lord Tsuchikage, these record all the steps, precautions, and my insights regarding Sage Jutsu training."

"Our village's Sage Jutsu training system isn't perfect yet; it's far inferior to the Three Great Sage Regions. But we also have an advantage, which is stability. Our Sage Jutsu training steps are clear, and the danger is very low. Even if one fails to learn it, it won't cause any irreparable loss."

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