273-Twenty
With that, he turned back to his clones, who were making remarkable progress in their training. The clones worked tirelessly, each one attacking their assigned task with unyielding focus, summoning and dispelling the gates in rapid succession.
The Rashomon Gates appeared in perfect formation, solidifying with immense weight before dissipating into nothingness, only to reappear moments later.
Renjiro could feel his chakra ebb and flow, his reserves replenishing as each clone dispelled and sent their knowledge back to him. Every cycle brought him closer to full mastery, the familiar chakra signature of the jutsu becoming like second nature.
Hours passed, and with each gate summoned and released, Renjiro felt his connection to the jutsu grow more refined. His body ached, his chakra reserves stretched thin from the repeated summoning and exertion, but his determination never wavered. The clones continued, driving themselves further until the results were flawless.
After five long hours, Renjiro felt a shift. The final gate shimmered into place with a completeness he hadn't sensed before, its presence exuding the same unwavering strength as the previous two. He let out a slow breath, knowing that he'd done it—the mastery was his. He had command over the Rashomon Gates.
With a flick of his fingers, he dispelled his clones in a sweeping wave, his body jolting as the accumulated knowledge and experience poured back into him.
It was an overwhelming rush, but as the last of it settled, he felt whole, each piece of insight and chakra control locking into place as though it had always been there.
"All right," he said quietly to himself, his eyes glinting with satisfaction.
"Time for the real test."
He drew his hands together, fingers moving through the familiar seals with practised grace. Snake, Horse, Ram, Monkey, Tiger, Boar, Dog. With a final hand sign, he slammed his palms down on the earth, channelling the chakra with renewed vigour.
"Boom!"
Seven Rashomon Gates erupted from the ground in a perfect line, each one towering and unyielding, their surfaces gleaming with the weight of their defence. They stood side by side, identical in size, power, and intensity, each one exuding the same dense aura that seemed to ripple through the very air around him.
Renjiro stepped back, his Sharingan whirring to life as he studied each gate in turn. The strength radiating from them was palpable, the seven gates aligned like an impenetrable wall.
'I could always work on reducing the hand sign needed, but overall, this is good.'
His lips curled into a grin, the sheer scale of what he'd accomplished filling him with pride. He had done it. The Rashomon Gates were his to command.
But even as he admired the Jutsu's completion, a new thought wormed its way into his mind, one that stirred his curiosity even further.
"What if… what if I used my sealing techniques to enhance the gates even more?" He muttered, half to himself, his fingers already itching to begin experimenting.
His knowledge of fuinjutsu was quite vast by now, and he knew that, in theory, he could incorporate seals to modify the gates—perhaps strengthening them, altering their properties, or even adding offensive capabilities.
The idea thrilled him, the possibility of elevating an already formidable jutsu to unprecedented levels. He chuckled softly, his gaze drifting across the seven gates once more. There was so much potential here, and he could already feel his mind racing with the ways he could make this jutsu truly his own.
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Meanwhile, back in Konoha, the night had fallen in a cloak of quiet shadows. The village was silent, most of its residents already tucked away in their homes, but in the depths of the village's research division, a faint light flickered in one of the labs which was more primitive but modern according to the time.
Inside, the dim glow of lamps cast eerie shadows across the walls, illuminating shelves lined with glass vials, each one containing substances and compounds with names so obscure they seemed more like dark secrets than science.
A lone figure worked meticulously over a table strewn with scrolls, ink, and various chemicals. His eyes were sharp, his movements precise, every flick of his wrist a testament to his singular focus. The figure scribbled notes with a thin smile, seemingly unbothered by the late hour.
The quiet was suddenly broken as the door creaked open, and a second figure stepped into the room. The air thickened, a tension settling as the newcomer's presence filled the lab. The figure looked up, his gaze narrowing with a glint of amusement as he recognized the figure.
"If someone saw how hard you were working," the man murmured, his voice low and edged with derision, "they wouldn't know how thoroughly you tortured that poor soul to death."
"What's wrong with being committed to my experiments, Danzo-sama?" the figure replied, feigning innocence as he set down his brush. "I am, after all, a hard worker."
Danzo's single visible eye twitched, his expression barely concealing his irritation. The figure's words dripped with insincerity, a mocking undertone that Danzo didn't miss.
"Then work harder on your character, Orochimaru," Danzo remarked coolly, taking a step closer.
"Especially if you still aim for the title of Fourth Hokage."
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