RedX43
patreon
[Konoha] Chapter 259: Electromagnetic Release!
🕑 Added 2024-12-08 04:30:00 +0000 UTCAt Amegakure, Konan was buried in paperwork in her office when, without a sound, a space-time portal opened behind her.
Shūichi stepped through.
It wasn’t until this moment that Konan noticed something amiss. Startled, her body dissolved into a flurry of white paper, which quickly reassembled in the air.
Seeing it was Shūichi, she sighed in relief but looked puzzled. “You just…”
Her eyes lingered on the closing space-time portal behind him.
Shūichi chuckled. “I just developed a new space-time ninjutsu and decided to test it out.”
“Space-time ninjutsu…” Konan was stunned. “Your teleportation jutsu is also a space-time technique, isn’t it?”
Shūichi nodded. “That one was created by the Second Hokage. However, there are situations where it’s insufficient, so I developed something new.”
Hearing this, Konan immediately thought of Uchiha Obito’s Mangekyō Sharingan ability and assumed Shūichi had created this technique to counter it.
She returned to her seat and resumed her work, her expression neutral.
Shūichi didn’t leave right away. “The New Year is approaching. Do you really need to be this busy?”
“Are you alone this year? Why not come to Konoha with me?”
Konan replied coldly, “Your tactics won’t work on me.”
“I heard you’re engaged to the Fifth Mizukage. Won’t your Konoha girlfriend mind?”
Shūichi smirked, sensing a hint of jealousy. “You should say girlfriends—plural.”
Konan looked up, visibly startled, momentarily at a loss for words.
Shūichi shamelessly added, “As someone destined to unify the ninja world, consolidate all nations, and establish a new world order, isn’t it reasonable for me to have concubines to expand my lineage?”
Konan regained her composure, her tone icy. “I thought you were marrying the Fifth Mizukage to absorb Kirigakure into Konoha.”
Shūichi raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t think you’d interpret it that way. But that’s actually not a bad perspective.”
Stroking his chin thoughtfully, he suggested, “In that case, why don’t we form an alliance through marriage too?”
Konan’s gaze turned frosty, but Shūichi sensed a flicker of emotion beneath her exterior.
Of course, it wasn’t love.
It was purely his perception of her fluctuating thought patterns and brainwaves, thanks to his newly developed Electromagnetic Release.
As expected, it was incredibly useful—though it still needed improvement.
Yes, during his recent Flash of Insight moment, Shūichi had not only perfected his space-time ninjutsu but had also successfully mastered Electromagnetic Release.
Magnet Release + Lightning Release!
Magnetic Fields + Electric Fields!
“Nagato and the others will soon target the remaining Tailed Beasts,” Konan suddenly remarked. “You might not win.”
How stubborn.
Shūichi shook his head. “Konan, in your and Nagato’s eyes, Uchiha Madara is the ultimate enemy. But for me, he isn’t.”
“Besides, you know nothing about the full extent of my power.”
Konan was startled. “You’re saying you didn’t use your full strength during the battle at Kirigakure?”
“That’s impossible.”
Although she hadn’t witnessed the fight firsthand, she’d heard the details from Nagato.
The strength Shūichi displayed in that battle couldn’t possibly have been anything less than his maximum.
Shūichi chuckled. “Did you forget the space-time ninjutsu I just demonstrated?”
“I am a genius, after all.”
Though it’s more accurate to say he was “cheating.”
“So, you all had better work hard. Otherwise, the gap between us will only grow wider.”
“And when the time comes for you to become my assistant, don’t go back on your word.”
As he spoke, a space-time portal appeared behind him once more. Waving at Konan, he said, “Happy New Year in advance. I’ll be off now.”
Before Konan could respond, Shūichi stepped back and disappeared through the portal.
Konan opened her mouth as if to speak but stopped herself, sighing in frustration.
Just then, Nagato entered the room. “His suggestion is worth considering.”
“For our village to merge with Konoha, like Kusagakure did, would be beneficial. You could join Konoha and become one of its high-ranking leaders.”
“Moreover, if Amegakure were to merge with Konoha, the other three Great Ninja Villages—except Kirigakure—wouldn’t want to see it happen.”
Konan frowned. “Nagato, are you losing confidence?”
“Do you truly believe he can achieve what he claims?”
Nagato’s tone was calm. “I trust no one but our own strength.”
“However, from an objective standpoint, he indeed has the power to accomplish it.”
“That said, his methods are too soft.”
“This time, he could have seized Kirigakure outright but chose a more passive approach.”
Konan pondered. “If Konoha were to annex Kirigakure now, the other three Great Ninja Villages would immediately form an alliance, which would work to our advantage.”
“Although we are cooperating with him, we are still competitors.”
Nagato understood this well, but he also wanted to destabilize Shūichi’s plans. Hence, his suggestion for Amegakure to integrate with Konoha—to stir tensions among the major villages.
Nagato had learned much from Shūichi.
Moreover, regardless of who ultimately prevailed between them, their shared goals would be realized.
This was a win-win strategy.
Of course, it was also a way to protect Konan.
If… if he were to lose and die in battle, Konan would still carry on Yahiko’s dream.
The reason behind Nagato’s suggestion stemmed from a deep-seated doubt about his own strength.
“Prepare for it next year,” Nagato said. “Right now, Shūichi’s influence over the ninja world is overwhelming. The other villages don’t dare oppose Konoha.”
“But if our village integrates with Konoha like Kusagakure, the dynamics among the other villages will change. This will also benefit our plan to seize the Tailed Beasts.”
Konan’s expression changed. “Isn’t that too hasty?”
“Besides, with Shūichi’s intelligence, he’ll surely see through your plan.”
At this moment, Konan felt a sudden wave of unease.
Nagato’s tone remained calm. “This is an open strategy.”
“Konan, you don’t need to dwell on the past. We are walking toward the future.”
“I believe Yahiko would want you to make such a choice.”
Konan’s inner turmoil deepened.
---
At Konoha, near the training grounds outside the Forest of Death, Shūichi stepped out of his space-time portal. His attention immediately turned to the Tag Tree.
He activated the tag [Lord of Space-Time].
> Space-Time Talent increased by 100%, Mental Energy increased by 100%, Nerve Reaction Speed increased by 100%, and Constitution increased by 100%. As the Master of Space-Time, freely traversing through dimensions became second nature to you.
As the tag’s effects took hold, Shūichi could feel the transformation.
His sensitivity to space-time became sharper, and his mastery of the newly developed space-time portal technique significantly improved.
Among the enhancements, the boost to his mental energy and physical constitution was most notable due to his already high starting point.
Previously, after obtaining Senju Hashirama’s Sage Body, his chakra reserves surpassed those of the Nine-Tails. With the recent doubling, Shūichi estimated that his chakra capacity was equivalent to three Kuramas.
As his physical transformation completed, Shūichi raised his hand slightly.
The next moment, fine particles of magnetic iron began to rise from the ground, floating into the air and converging into an iron sword.
Electromagnetic Release!
This was fundamentally different from his earlier Magnet Release.
Both his Magnet Release and those of the Third and Fourth Kazekage utilized chakra to magnetize and draw iron or gold from the ground, forming iron or gold sand for combat.
However, their techniques required chakra contact with the target material.
Shūichi’s Magnet Release had already gone a step further by mastering magnetic fields.
Now, his Electromagnetic Release elevated this even further.
Without injecting chakra into the ground, he used pure electromagnetic energy to extract iron from the earth remotely and form iron sand.
Not just iron—he could now manipulate other colored metals as well.
Experimenting bit by bit, Shūichi’s smile grew broader.
There was a touch of Magneto in his demeanor.
“From today onward, all metals—iron, steel, or otherwise—are under my control. Carrying such weapons is tantamount to suicide.”
With a slight movement of his fingers, the kunai in his weapon pouch floated out, swimming through the air like a fish.
“Next step: the Railgun.”
Shūichi retrieved the kunai, disassembled the iron sword in mid-air, and reformed it into small iron pellets the size of a thumb.
Taking one in hand, arcs of electricity began to dance across his body, concentrating along his right arm with a crackling sound.
Mastering Electromagnetic Release, Shūichi realized that constructing a railgun might not be as difficult as he initially thought.
“Hmm, I need a target.”
With a thought, a stone giant rose from the ground 200 meters away.
In the next instant, propelled by electromagnetic force, the iron pellet shot out like a bullet, smashing into the stone giant’s chest with immense kinetic energy, splitting it in half.
“Not bad.”
Shūichi grinned. “Though my aim is a bit off.”
He had aimed for the giant’s head.
Of course, this was just his first attempt.
After some thought, Shūichi created a shadow clone to test various defensive techniques against the railgun’s power.
Takemikazuchi Thunder Armor!
Hive Shield!
Individually, none of the defenses could withstand the railgun at such close range.
As he continued experimenting, Shūichi’s precision and control improved. The projectiles’ initial velocity became faster with each attempt.
However, when layering defenses like Hive Shield, Wood Release, and Takemikazuchi Armor, the current railgun couldn’t penetrate them all in one shot.
Still, Shūichi knew this wasn’t his limit.
After all, he had only just begun to master Electromagnetic Release.
“There’s another issue—the durability of ordinary iron sand pellets is lacking.”
After several tests, Shūichi identified several areas for improvement.
“Truth-Seeking Orbs… No, short-range Truth-Seeking Orbs might work.”
He considered using Yin-Yang Release to create materials similar to Nagato’s black rods as projectiles.
Until he mastered Yin-Yang Release or created Truth-Seeking Orbs, he would need to forge specialized ammunition.
With a preliminary plan in mind, Shūichi left the task to his shadow clones.
For now, his goal was to develop the railgun in stages, tailoring its power for different enemies and scenarios to avoid unnecessary energy waste.
---
Returning to his study, Shūichi shifted his thoughts back to the Tag Tree.
Having acquired [Lord of Space-Time], he was now only two tags away from synthesizing [God of Ninjutsu]: [Taijutsu Master] and [Body Flicker Master].
The former had already been triggered, with its techniques developed to the second stage.
However, [Body Flicker Master] had yet to be triggered.
Shūichi pondered briefly. He had already developed an S-rank Body Flicker Technique.
Would creating another technique immediately complete the tag, as it had with [Tracking Master]?
Shūichi shook his head and set it aside for now.
His focus shifted to completing [Taijutsu Master] first.
“Breath of Flame, Breath of Thunder... next is Breath of Earth!”
Shūichi had been mulling over this idea for some time.
If Breath of Flame suited most medical-nin, providing a basis for Tsunade’s techniques, and Breath of Thunder was ideal for elite medical-nin, then the advanced stages—starting with Breath of Thunder—were tailored specifically for him.
Breath of Flame served as a foundation, burning life force to unleash powerful strength and paving the way for Breath of Thunder.
Breath of Thunder enhanced reaction speed and mobility in all aspects.
As for Breath of Earth, what Shūichi sought was raw strength!
“Increasing strength can be achieved by altering one’s density, thereby increasing mass—similar to the Ultra-Added-Weight Rock Technique, but without relying on Earth Release transformation.”
Shūichi mused to himself, “It’s challenging, but not impossible.”
“After Breath of Earth… Breath of Wind will focus on defense.”
Breath of Wind, unlike traditional Wind Release, would utilize air currents for defense, manipulating airflow as a shield.
Shūichi’s mind raced as he refined his ideas. By the time he snapped out of his thoughts, night had already fallen, and the aroma of food wafted in from outside.
He stood up and walked to the kitchen, where Asuka was busy preparing a meal. Sensing his presence, she turned to smile at him. “New Year’s is almost here. Shouldn’t we go pick up Pakura?”
Shūichi shook his head. “Pakura is spending this New Year at the Daimyō’s estate. The base has a lot of new members.”
The newcomers included the Yuki mother-and-son duo, Suigetsu Hōzuki, Kimimaro, and the recently joined Zabuza Momochi.
Pakura had decided to stay at the base to celebrate New Year with them.
“I see.”
Asuka looked a bit disappointed.
She enjoyed the lively atmosphere of having everyone together at home.
“A few more kids would be nice,” she thought wistfully.
Pakura’s absence prompted her to ask, “What about Mei? Will she come for New Year?”
Shūichi considered it. “I’ll ask her after dinner.”
Asuka smiled. “Bring Tenka over too!”
Shūichi chuckled. “Whatever you say.”
Hearing this, Asuka’s eyes crinkled with joy.
---
After dinner, Shūichi headed to Kirigakure.
Mei Terumī was still in her office when he arrived, and she couldn’t hide her surprise. “Why are you here?”
Shūichi smiled. “I’m here to bring you home for New Year’s.”
Mei blushed slightly. “Really… is that okay?”
Shūichi chuckled. “Of course! Director Nonō and Asuka will be happy to have you.”
“Really?”
Mei’s face lit up with joy. “When do we leave?”
Despite knowing that Shūichi was something of a playboy, Mei still hoped for acknowledgment from his family, especially from the unique presence of Nonō Yakushi.
“Right now,” Shūichi said, winking. “Just leave a clone here and pack your things.”
Mei froze momentarily before clenching her thighs slightly.
(End of Chapter)
Comments
Sil3nt
With these girls reactions and the fact they all get along, my boy must be laying the wood properly. And I am not talking about wood release lmao. I guess that should be expected though since dudes body has pretty much reached the peak of mortal limits and is knocking on god hood.
