Chapter 118: Transformation Master, Power of the Tailed Beasts

Before he knew it, the sky had darkened, and Shūichi Hoshita's crow clones dispelled, their memories flowing back to him.

In his study, Shūichi shifted his gaze away from the technique formula on the scroll.

"What an incredible binding technique... and the Transcription Seal too."

He recalled his genjutsu duel with Shisui Uchiha.

Without a doubt, one's mental strength and willpower play a crucial role in resisting genjutsu—what could be described as genjutsu resistance.

This conclusion comes from understanding the principles behind genjutsu.

Let's set aside techniques like Tsukuyomi, Infinite Tsukuyomi, Izanagi, and Izanami for now.

Regular genjutsu works by disrupting the target's chakra flow to interfere with their five senses.

Genjutsu cast without the Sharingan can be broken by correcting the disrupted chakra flow.

Moreover, it's important to note that when someone's chakra is in an intense, raging state, it becomes extremely difficult for genjutsu to take hold.

For example, back in the Hidden Hot Water Village, when facing A in his Lightning Release Chakra Mode, Chihiro's genjutsu was practically useless.

The reason was that in this state, A's chakra system was so powerful and violent that Chihiro's genjutsu couldn't affect it.

Beyond the future Fourth Raikage A's Lightning Release Chakra Mode, those with immense mental strength, willpower, or extraordinary chakra control also have strong genjutsu resistance.

These individuals possess such fine control over their own chakra that regular genjutsu has difficulty disrupting it—or if disrupted, they can instantly correct it without even needing to form hand seals.

Shūichi, with his talents in ninjutsu and genjutsu, and his chakra control abilities, is among the very best in the shinobi world.

His mental strength and willpower are even more impressive.

Without such traits, he wouldn't have been able to master the Fire Release Chakra Mode.

Thus, he can easily dispel normal genjutsu, and often prevent his chakra flow from being disrupted in the first place.

But Sharingan-based genjutsu is quite different from regular genjutsu.

Though it similarly disrupts chakra flow, the Sharingan uses eye contact to cast its illusions.

Since the eyes are often referred to as the window to the soul, the Sharingan's genjutsu can directly invade the mind through the eyes, attacking from within.

This makes it subtle and difficult to detect—even Jinchūriki can fall prey to it, though they can break free relatively quickly.

For example, when the Fourth Raikage A was caught in Uchiha Madara's genjutsu, it bypassed his powerful and violent chakra system through his eyes.

In Shūichi's understanding, regular ninjutsu attacks a shinobi's chakra system from the outside, while the Sharingan attacks from within.

The difference in effectiveness is clear.

"And, the Sharingan can directly target a person's mind."

Today, Shūichi had truly experienced the power of the Sharingan's genjutsu.

Shisui's Shackling Stakes Technique, which he had set as a trap using the Transcription Seal, directly targeted the mind of Shūichi's crow clone.

It pinned the clone's mental energy, rendering it unable to control its body.

This was much more direct and effective than merely disrupting chakra flow to achieve control.

"Orochimaru must've been one-shotted by Itachi's technique in a similar way."

As he pondered, Shūichi also thought of Tsukuyomi.

That Mangekyō Sharingan technique targets the mind as well, but on an even more terrifying level.

The fact that Kakashi endured the mental torture without breaking down showed that his willpower was incredibly strong.

"That brat Itachi was ruthless, even to his former superior..."

Shūichi couldn't help but gripe, but he also wondered—if Tsukuyomi were used on him right now…

After carefully evaluating, Shūichi realized that, in his current state, he wouldn't be able to break free from Tsukuyomi as he had done with Shisui's Shackling Stakes Technique.

The two techniques were simply not on the same level.

"Shackling Stakes only pinned my mind once, momentarily."

Shūichi reflected, "But Tsukuyomi creates an entire mental space, where Uchiha Itachi has absolute control as the master, while Kakashi had only his mental strength to resist, without being able to use chakra."

"This is clearly an asymmetric fight, so even with my mental strength and willpower, it would be impossible to shatter the mental space of Tsukuyomi."

He couldn't help but think—how could he counter it?

After all, it's unrealistic to assume he could avoid eye contact with Sharingan users forever.

And there were Uchiha like Shisui, whose Mangekyō Sharingan genjutsu abilities had already surpassed the need for eye contact.

Could the only solution really be to continuously enhance his mental strength and willpower?

Shūichi wasn't convinced.

If that were the case, techniques like Tsukuyomi and Kotoamatsukami would be unbeatable.

Not to mention Infinite Tsukuyomi.

"Infinite Tsukuyomi..."

As Shūichi was lost in thought, he heard some noise outside.

It was Nonō Yakushi and Asuka returning.

Shūichi gathered his thoughts, stood up, and walked out of his study.

...

Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, half a month had gone by.

One afternoon, while Shūichi was climbing a cliff with weights strapped to him, he suddenly heard Might Guy shouting.

Looking down, Shūichi saw Guy at the base of the cliff, flailing his arms wildly, looking extremely excited.

With one last push, Shūichi reached the top of the cliff. He then swiftly descended by running along the cliff face, his body parallel to the ground.

Upon reaching the bottom, he looked at the elated Guy and asked, "Guy! What's got you so excited?"

Guy, still waving his arms in excitement, exclaimed, "A taijutsu master!"

"Shūichi, we have a taijutsu master here in Konoha!"

Shūichi was confused.

A taijutsu master?

Could there be a taijutsu master in Konoha even more skilled than Guy's father or the future Might Guy himself?

Shūichi had no recollection of such a figure.

Guy, still animated, continued, "Shūichi, this person is amazing!"

"How about we go and ask him for guidance together?"

Curious and intrigued, Shūichi and Might Guy left their training ground and headed toward the place Guy mentioned. From a distance, they spotted two people.

One was a middle-aged man, short and stocky, with a mustache and wearing sunglasses. The other was a sturdy-looking young man, and the two of them were sparring.

At a glance, it was clear that the man with sunglasses had incredible skill in taijutsu.

Shūichi was quietly amazed—he had never heard of such a person in Konoha before. Could this man be another unknown like Guy's mentor?

As Shūichi and Guy approached, the two sparring men noticed them and immediately stopped.

"Apologies for interrupting, sir!" Shūichi quickly bowed in respect, and Guy followed suit.

The man with sunglasses glanced at them and said, "This is a public place; there's no need to apologize."

"However, since you're here now, we'll move somewhere else."

With that, he turned to leave, gesturing for the young man with him to follow.

Guy quickly bowed again and apologized, "I'm really sorry, sir! I only came over because I saw your incredible taijutsu and wanted to learn from you."

Shūichi added, "Guy is also a taijutsu practitioner, and he holds great respect for your skills, sir."

"Of course, I too have a deep interest in taijutsu, which is why we intruded today. May I ask your name, sir? I would like to formally apologize in the future."

The man with sunglasses shook his head. "No need to apologize. As for my name... just call me Chen."

"Now, we need to get back to our training."

Before they could say anything else, Shūichi pulled Guy back. "Master Chen, we won't disturb you any further!"

With that, Shūichi and Guy left.

Guy, looking puzzled, asked, "Shūichi, aren't we going to ask that master for guidance?"

Shūichi shook his head. "Master Chen already has a student, and it's clear he doesn't wish to take on any more. It's best we don't bother him."

Guy looked disappointed and regretful. "Shūichi, I saw one of his moves earlier—it was definitely on the level of a secret technique!"

Shūichi patted Guy on the shoulder and smiled. "Guy, you have to believe in yourself. You can create your own secret techniques too!"

"Besides, I noticed that Master Chen wasn't wearing a Konoha forehead protector. He might not even be part of our village."

"But Guy, what exactly did you see in that taijutsu technique?"

Guy scratched his head, embarrassed. "I... I only saw a dragon!"

A dragon?

Shūichi's eyes narrowed as a faint memory surfaced.

The Leaf Dragon God!

Could it be that the technique was a taijutsu secret art?

Shūichi pondered, "So, Guy, that dragon was formed purely by physical strength?"

Guy nodded firmly. "Yeah, it definitely wasn't created by chakra."

After hearing this, Shūichi speculated, "Then it must have been created by manipulating the air with pure physical force."

"To control the air outside your body with just your own power—that's definitely a secret technique-level ability!"

As he spoke, Shūichi glanced back at the spot where Master Chen and his student were.

What an extraordinary person.

However, he was slightly disappointed that his system didn't trigger the Taijutsu Master tag.

...

Back at the cliff, Shūichi and Might Guy resumed their respective training.

This afternoon, it was just the two of them.

With everyone graduating and more missions piling up, it became increasingly difficult to gather for group training with Kakashi and the others.

But personal training is inherently a solitary path.

The real competition isn't with others, but with oneself.

As Shūichi's physical strength continued to improve, his training constantly pushed beyond previous limits.

These days, whenever he wasn't out on missions, he would regularly train with weights, especially during physical exercises.

Training without weights would simply take too long to unlock his potential.

As the sun set, Shūichi, after parting ways with Guy, began to wonder if he should incorporate the Lightning Release Chakra Mode into his training to tap into his body's potential through the power of lightning.

"But the physique of the Raikage isn't exactly stylish..." Shūichi thought to himself with mild disdain.

...

When he got home, he fed his pet crows, then his white tiger, and afterward, soaked in a bath while recalling all of his shadow clones.

As soon as he absorbed the memories of the clone practicing the Transformation Jutsu, his heart leapt with joy.

Finally, the conditions were met.

The Tag System had activated.

Shūichi immediately activated the tag, and it became effective at once.

In an instant, he experienced a flood of understanding, as if a veil had been lifted from his mind.

With a mere thought, Shūichi transformed into a grass carp and splashed into the bath, swimming around.

Due to his experience handling fish frequently, Shūichi had long since been able to transform into a fish and swim in water.

But this time, it was entirely different.

Now, he possessed the ability to breathe underwater like a real fish.

This was something he had never been able to do before.

"Amazing!"

After transforming back into a human, Shūichi couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

Immediately, another thought crossed his mind: "What would happen if I transformed into a tailed beast?"

"Would I gain vast amounts of chakra? Probably not..."

Without hesitation, Shūichi got out of the bath, dressed, informed Asuka that he was stepping out, and hurried out the door.

Before long, he arrived at a secluded spot in Konoha. After using a listening technique to ensure no one was around, he activated the Transformation Jutsu.

With a loud puff, a massive figure appeared on the grass.

The Four-Tails!

"Just as I thought..."

Shūichi didn't feel any change in his chakra reserves.

However, he did feel a new power surging within him.

Lava Release!

"Excellent!"

Grinning, Shūichi reverted back to his human form, causing the Lava Release ability to disappear.

But there wasn't an ounce of disappointment.

Because by transforming into the Four-Tails, he found it much easier to sense and control the Lava Release than when he had to rely on the Four-Tails' chakra.

Before, he had to draw out the Lava Release power from the Four-Tails' chakra.

Now, by becoming the Four-Tails himself, he could directly harness the Lava Release power, making learning and mastering it infinitely easier.

"This is an unexpected surprise!" Shūichi wanted to burst into laughter.

The Transformation Master tag was far more powerful than any other master tag he had unlocked, and it was well worth the four or five years it took to achieve.

Calming himself down, Shūichi transformed into the Four-Tails once more.

Inside his belly, the Four-Tails' chakra formed a small version of the tailed beast itself, its eyes wide with shock.

"This brat..."

"What's going on?"

"How is this possible?"

The Four-Tails couldn't comprehend how this kid could transform into it, possessing the same Lava Release and chakra nature as itself.

How was this even possible?

"Hey, brat, how are you doing this?"

The Four-Tails couldn't help but shout.

But Shūichi ignored it, fully focused on the power of Lava Release.

Now, the Four-Tails sealed within him was nothing more than a glorified battery.

After about half an hour, Shūichi finished his training, ready to head home for dinner. But he paused, his mind racing.

"Tailed beasts can restore their strength by absorbing natural energy. This is an innate talent for them..."

Shūichi's heart began pounding with excitement.

He had to try!

In his Four-Tails form, Shūichi clasped his hands together, focusing to the extreme, and let instinct guide him.

Sure enough, he soon sensed a flow of energy.

His perception expanded outward, and the amount of energy he felt grew immense, as if he were submerged in an infinite ocean.

This energy flowed into his body, absorbed and converted into physical stamina.

His strength quickly recovered, and by controlling this energy, it was transformed into the unique chakra of the Four-Tails!

"The speed of this recovery is unbelievable..."

"I wonder, could I store the Four-Tails' chakra?"

With a thought, Shūichi directed the refined chakra into the Eight Trigrams Seal in his belly.

It worked!

Gurgle, gurgle!

The Yin Seal on his abdomen rapidly filled up.

The Four-Tails could only stare in stunned disbelief as chakra identical to its own, yet beyond its control, poured into Shūichi's seal. Its mind was utterly blown.

Shūichi, satisfied with the experiment, stopped and returned home, though his thoughts were still racing.

"By transforming into a tailed beast, I can harness its power and absorb natural energy."

"In this state, it's much easier to master the bloodline limits of each tailed beast and eventually learn how to sense natural energy."

"However, absorbing natural energy now could still be risky... I need to research and practice more."

Shūichi quietly pondered, "Sage Mode is different from a tailed beast's ability. The tailed beasts convert natural energy into stamina, which is then turned into chakra, much like how the God Tree absorbs natural energy to produce chakra fruits."

"But Sage Mode is a balance of natural energy, stamina, and spiritual energy..."

Suddenly, Shūichi thought of the formula inscribed on the Tostuka sword.

"Looks like this year's 'Flash of Insight' has found its target..."

...

When Shūichi returned home, Nonō had already come back from the Konoha Hospital, and Asuka had finished preparing dinner.

As the family sat down to eat, Nonō remembered Shūichi mentioning his idea to establish a research base. She said, "Shūichi, why don't we propose building the base under the name of Konoha Hospital?"

Shūichi chuckled, "That could work. I doubt Lord Third Hokage would refuse."

"But I have an even better plan."

Asuka, intrigued, asked, "What's the plan?"

"It's a secret!" Shūichi replied mysteriously. "You'll find out soon enough."

If Konoha funded the research base alone, it wouldn't be ideal.

They needed a secondary investor, and the Daimyō of the Land of Fire would be a perfect candidate.

Researching the power of the tailed beasts and developing tailed beast weapons—how could the Daimyō resist?

Would Hiruzen Sarutobi object?

Why would he, if the Daimyō was willing to fund a research base for Konoha?

...

After dinner, Shūichi left a shadow clone to continue practicing the Flying Thunder God Technique while he went out to further explore the power of Lava Release.

When he finished his training around 9 PM, he couldn't help but glance in the direction of his teacher Minato Namikaze's home.

He had to admit, he was beginning to eye the Nine-Tails.

"Each tailed beast has unique powers, and the more tails, the closer they are to the Ten-Tails' strength."

As he walked, Shūichi thought to himself, "The Nine-Tails is closest to the Ten-Tails and provides the most comprehensive boost to a shinobi."

"The Four-Tails' chakra enhances Lava Release, Earth Release, and Fire Release, and it has some healing capabilities, but it's nowhere near as powerful as the Nine-Tails."

"Naruto's Yang Nine-Tails chakra can even boost Wood Release... If my theory is correct, the Nine-Tails' power could act as a substitute for Hashirama's Yang Release, giving ordinary Wood Release the same strength as Hashirama's."

"In other words, the Yang Nine-Tails chakra could infuse Wood Release with life."

"The One-Tail's Magnet Release and sealing abilities, the Two-Tails' Fire Release, the Three-Tails' Water Release..."

"It looks like I'll need to collect chakra from all the tailed beasts. By transforming into them, I can better understand their powers!"

"Maybe even..."

Shūichi suddenly had a wild idea.

What if he created nine miniature tailed beasts inside himself?

And then somehow transformed into the God Tree... Could that lead to an understanding of the root power of the God Tree or even the Ten-Tails?

(End of Chapter)

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