Chapter 477: Transparent World Growth
"Shisui, you fought well! I knew you could win!" Obito was practically glowing the moment he saw Kakashi lose.
What Obito feared most was a future where Kakashi won and he lost.
Now Kakashi had lost, and Obito could not possibly beat Might Guy. They were in the same boat. Neither of them had the right to mock the other.
Then another thought hit him, and his grin widened even more.
"No, I can still criticize Kakashi. He can't refute me for two weeks."
Kakashi cast Obito a flat glance. He had lost, but Obito would not have it easy either. Obito was guaranteed to lose to Might Guy.
When that happened, Obito would be trapped under a mountain of theory test papers. He would probably study until his brain spun, then need two weeks just to recover.
"Even though I lost, I gained a lot from this fight," Kakashi thought.
His biggest mistake was assuming Shisui's genjutsu would not affect him.
Shisui had proven it in real combat. Transparent World could not ignore every genjutsu. The reason Shisui's genjutsu had not worked before was simple. It had not been strong enough.
A new idea flashed through Kakashi's mind.
"Maybe I can use this to train Transparent World."
If Shisui kept using genjutsu on him while he maintained Transparent World, and Kakashi kept dispelling it, it might increase his dispelling speed. It might also sharpen Transparent World's fine control over his internal chakra.
Kakashi felt it was worth trying.
If it failed, he would only waste a little time.
If it worked, the reward would be massive.
"Now only Guy is left," Shisui said, turning his gaze to Might Guy.
He had beaten Obito in the previous internal battle, and now he had defeated Kakashi. Only Might Guy stood between him and the top.
Of course, Shisui was not arrogant. He did not believe he could defeat Might Guy using the Eight Gates stacked with Rock Breathing Chakra Mode.
Might Guy was not only terrifyingly strong, he also countered Shisui in some ways. The genjutsu Shisui excelled at would be hard to use against someone who trained the Eight Gates.
Even if the outcome was almost certain, Shisui still intended to fight with everything he had, carve the defeat into his memory, and train until he could surpass it.
After healing Shisui's injuries, Mugetsu spoke calmly. "Obito, Guy, prepare for battle."
Obito took a deep breath, then stepped into the arena with the expression of someone walking toward his own execution.
What was coming was coming.
Might Guy laughed and followed him in, sunlight flashing off his bright white teeth.
"Kakashi," Rin said quietly, noticing his sudden focus. "Are you okay?"
Kakashi blinked, then asked a question that seemed unrelated. "Rin, does Obito bring his camera to the South Border Forest?"
Sometimes a picture was far more convincing than words.
"I have seen him bring it," Rin answered after thinking carefully. "But it looks like he doesn't bring it every day."
Kakashi nodded. He formed hand seals and created a shadow clone, sending it off to find Obito's camera. His main body remained seated, watching the arena.
"Battle start!" Mugetsu announced.
The instant Mugetsu's voice fell, Obito did not hesitate. He pushed his breathing to the extreme and entered Flame Breathing Chakra Mode.
In a normal fight, Obito would use a few standard Fire Release techniques to test the waters.
But against Might Guy, Obito feared something far worse. He feared getting beaten senseless by the Fifth Gate stacked with Rock Breathing Chakra Mode before he could even show what he had learned.
Might Guy was the type to go all out at the slightest provocation. Obito could not afford to be slow.
"Eight Gates, Gate of Opening, open! Gate of Healing, open! Gate of Life, open! Gate of Pain, open!"
Might Guy was just as decisive. He opened four gates in a row.
A surge of chakra exploded outward, and his presence skyrocketed.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Obito drove his chakra hard. Flames ignited around his hands and feet as he charged straight in.
Obito knew normal Fire Release ninjutsu would never reliably hit Might Guy, so he chose a different approach. He focused on Fire Release taijutsu.
Might Guy, like Obito, had not mastered Armament Haki Secret Technique. He had not even touched the concept yet. Obito hoped that every punch and kick wrapped in scorching flame might produce an unexpected effect.
"Fists and feet with flames?" Might Guy muttered, eyes bright. "Then I'll use this."
He pushed his breathing to the extreme.
"Rock Breathing Chakra Mode, activate!"
Might Guy's breathing rhythm shifted sharply. The chakra in his body began to burn faster and faster. As Rock Breathing Chakra Mode fully activated, his aura surged again.
"Fire Release: Flame Fist!"
Obito lunged. A burst of flame flared at his right fist, and the fire already clinging to his knuckles intensified under the reinforcement of his chakra. As he swung, sparks scattered through the air.
Might Guy met the punch without panic. He gathered chakra into his own fist and drove it forward.
Boom!
The moment their fists collided, the flames around Obito's fist exploded outward, scattering fire in every direction.
At the same time, Obito felt a terrifying force slam into him.
He fought back with everything he had, trying to stop it.
It was unstoppable.
After three seconds, Obito could not hold on anymore.
Thud!
He was launched like a cannonball, crashing through several thick trees before finally stopping.
Kakashi, already in Transparent World, had predicted this outcome. At the perfect moment, he pulled out the camera and captured the scene.
"Cough, cough. As expected of Guy. His strength really is insane," Obito said, getting up quickly and coughing twice.
He had expected this, honestly. It would be strange if a Fire Release shinobi could win a straight taijutsu exchange against a pure taijutsu monster.
Obito's goal had never been to overpower Might Guy directly. He wanted to burn Might Guy's fist through repeated clashes, slowly trading damage for a tiny opening.
Obito stared at Might Guy's fist, expecting to see burns.
Instead, he saw none.
Might Guy's fist was only slightly red, like it had been scalded by hot water.
Obito's eyelids twitched.
"Rock Breathing Chakra Mode, combined with the most basic chakra protection, can reach this level?"
He had heard Mugetsu say Rock Breathing Chakra Mode boosted defense, but he did not know it would be this effective.
If Armament Haki Secret Technique was stacked on top of that, could someone really stand in ninjutsu like it was a warm bath?
"Leaf Hand Blade!"
Might Guy ignored the slight sting in his palm. He gathered chakra and swung, launching a transparent surge of air toward Obito.
"You're dreaming if you think that'll work on me," Obito said, activating his Three Tomoe Sharingan. He dodged easily.
He dealt with Mugetsu's Leaf Hand Blade often. Might Guy's was good, but it was nowhere near Mugetsu's.
But it was a feint.
In the next instant, Might Guy flickered and appeared beside Obito.
"Fire Release: Orochi Nagi!"
The flames Obito had been gathering surged outward, ready to swallow Might Guy.
Obito had secretly accumulated chakra while dodging. Might Guy had long range options, but close combat was still his strongest domain, and it was where he preferred to fight.
His opponent was too strong. Obito had to think.
"Leaf Dragon God!"
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Might Guy released his chakra and spun violently. A green dragon formed in an instant, tearing through the flames and lunging at Obito.
"Great Flame Ring, Flame Emperor!"
Obito retreated with everything he had left. He gathered the last of his chakra and forced out his final Fire Release.
Flame Breathing Chakra Mode let him complete nature transformation instantly. The moment he raised both hands, terrifying flames erupted, and an enormous fireball condensed between his palms.
Flame Emperor was the strongest Fire Release Obito currently had. It was also the most chakra hungry.
In most battles, he could only use it once.
Seeing that fireball rush toward him, Might Guy chose to cancel Leaf Dragon God and retreat rapidly.
He could have used Leaf Dragon God combined with Rock Breathing Chakra Mode to block Orochi Nagi head on, but trying to tank something like Flame Emperor would be reckless.
Rumble!
A terrifying heat wave swallowed the area around Obito, turning it into a sea of fire. The ground became scorched earth. Trees turned to ash under the brutal temperature.
Chakra exhausted, Obito sat on the ground and nodded in satisfaction at the devastation.
This way, he did not lose too badly.
He had injured Might Guy.
He had only lost because he ran out of strength.
"Guy wins," Mugetsu announced.
"This Fire Release is very youthful!" Might Guy laughed, pulling Obito to his feet and giving him a thumbs up. "It would be even better if it were a bit faster."
"Haha, that's just how Flame Emperor is," Obito said, scratching his head.
In Obito's eyes, Flame Emperor was basically a super sized Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique. Big range, big power, average speed, hard to land.
It felt like the same template.
That was why Obito rarely used it in real combat. He usually preferred Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet.
Flame Emperor consumed too much chakra. Unless he was facing a crowd, it was not cost effective.
But even against a crowd, there was a problem. In a chaotic battlefield, how could he dare to burn that much chakra at once? One mistake, and danger would arrive immediately.
Obito believed Flame Emperor would only become truly practical when his chakra reserves were large enough that he could throw it around like Great Fireball Technique.
Obito walked up to Kakashi, chest out and chin raised.
Even though he lost, he had lost with more dignity than Kakashi.
Kakashi did not injure Shisui, but Obito injured Might Guy. Win.
Kakashi lost because of a strategic mistake. Obito only lost because he ran out of strength. Win.
Obito reviewed the results and concluded that compared to Kakashi, he had achieved a complete victory.
Then his eyes narrowed.
"Kakashi, why do you have my camera?"
Kakashi held it calmly. "I'm just helping you record some life."
For some reason, Obito felt an ominous chill crawl up his spine.
"Give me back my camera," Obito said, reaching out.
"I'll return it after I develop the photos." Kakashi lifted the pictures he had taken, showing Obito, but did not return the camera.
Obito stared at the photos, stunned.
In the picture, Might Guy was frozen in a perfect punching stance.
Obito was airborne, flying backward, with a broken tree in the background.
Even worse, green leaves were stuck all over Obito, perfectly capturing the moment of impact.
But what truly destroyed Obito's soul was his face.
The speed of his flight had distorted his expression into something unrecognizable.
Obito tried to snatch the camera back so he could delete everything.
He was exhausted.
Kakashi was not.
There was no chance.
"Go develop them quickly." Kakashi handed the camera to his shadow clone.
The clone said nothing. It sprinted at full speed and vanished from Obito's sight in an instant.
Obito could only watch helplessly as the figure shrank into the distance and disappeared completely.
Hatred boiled inside him.
If he had not used Flame Emperor at the end, he definitely would have had enough strength to snatch the camera back.
Today, both Obito and Kakashi suffered losses, in their own ways.
After a short break, Shisui and Might Guy stepped into the arena for the final internal battle.
"Eight Gates, Gate of Limit, open!"
Might Guy roared, opening the Eight Gates straight to the Fifth Gate.
A massive wave of violent chakra burst out, enhancing his body.
Might Guy was good at learning from mistakes.
Kakashi had lost to Shisui's genjutsu, so Might Guy immediately entered his current normal limit, the Fifth Gate, the moment the fight began.
With the Fifth Gate open, the chakra in Might Guy's body was already wildly unstable. Forget someone else controlling it, even Might Guy himself could not control it. All he could do was use crude physical reinforcement by gathering chakra into specific parts of his body.
Even so, Might Guy did not immediately enter Rock Breathing Chakra Mode.
His body was not strong enough yet. Using both simultaneously would injure him from excessive pressure. If he could avoid it, he would.
"Leaf Great Whirlwind!"
Might Guy gathered chakra into his leg and launched a whirlwind kick at Shisui.
Shisui gathered chakra into his eyes and activated his Three Tomoe Sharingan. After reading the movement, he dodged sideways and threw a flaming shuriken at Might Guy.
"Leaf Hand Blade!"
Might Guy's kick missed, and he used the opening to launch a transparent air surge, shattering Shisui's flaming shuriken.
Shisui's blood red Sharingan pulsed with chakra as he tested a genjutsu on Might Guy.
"Leaf Strong Whirlwind!"
As Shisui expected, the genjutsu had no effect at all. Might Guy charged in with even greater force.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Shisui formed hand seals quickly and exhaled a massive fireball, forcing Might Guy back.
"At this difficulty, even boosting with ninja tools won't be enough. Then I'll try Obito's style." Shisui prepared to abandon genjutsu.
The Fifth Gate did not make Might Guy truly immune to genjutsu. The problem was simply that Shisui's genjutsu was not strong enough.
Freezing Might Guy for even a fraction of a second was far harder than freezing Kakashi.
Shisui adjusted his breathing rhythm. His Flame Breathing became sharper, more focused.
Obito had failed, but that did not mean the tactic itself was impossible.
Might Guy, wary of genjutsu, kept his Eight Gates at the Gate of Limit. Under normal circumstances, he only used Rock Breathing Chakra Mode with the Fourth Gate.
If he became desperate, he would use it anyway. But the window before desperation was Shisui's only chance.
When Might Guy charged again, Shisui did not dodge. He did not use ninjutsu to defend.
Instead, he circulated his breathing to the extreme, entered Flame Breathing Chakra Mode, and let the chakra in his body burn faster.
"Fire Release: Leaf Whirlwind!"
Shisui condensed chakra into his legs and unleashed a swirling kick wrapped in scorching flames, striking toward the oncoming Might Guy.
Bang!
Shisui was sent sliding backward, instantly knocked eight meters away by the sheer power of Might Guy's kick.
Might Guy only had to step back slightly.
"Shisui's Fire Release feels much weaker than Obito's," Might Guy thought, feeling heat linger in his foot.
In the previous match, even with Rock Breathing Chakra Mode and chakra protection, exchanging blows with Obito had injured him.
This time he did not have Rock Breathing Chakra Mode active, so he had used more chakra to reinforce himself, yet Shisui's Fire Release was weaker than expected.
It made sense after a moment.
Fire Release taijutsu required Flame Breathing Chakra Mode first. Shisui had only mastered it recently. Being weaker than Obito was normal.
Might Guy remembered the detail, but he did not underestimate Shisui.
Shisui's Fire Release under Flame Breathing Chakra Mode was still dangerous.
And Shisui still had Armament Haki Secret Technique in reserve.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Flower Claw Crimson!"
Shisui spat flames while throwing shuriken. The blades passed through the fire, becoming fire dyed, like small burning meteors.
It looked like Shisui had given up on taijutsu exchanges and was reestablishing distance to fight with Fire Release.
Swoosh, swoosh!
Might Guy burst chakra again and again, weaving across the field to dodge while closing the distance, hunting for an opening.
Phoenix Sage Flower Claw Crimson was far stronger than a standard Phoenix Sage Fire Technique. Even with Rock Breathing Chakra Mode, Might Guy would not casually take it head on.
"Rock Breathing, full concentration!"
"Leaf Strong Whirlwind: Extreme!"
Might Guy pushed his breathing to the critical point, then entered Rock Breathing Chakra Mode to maximize his physical ability.
He seized the opening in Shisui's offense, gathered a terrifying amount of chakra into his leg, and kicked at Shisui.
Even with Flame Breathing's speed, at this distance Shisui would not have time to release heavy techniques like Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet or Great Flame Ring, Flame Emperor.
"The chance is here," Shisui thought, watching Might Guy step into the trap.
From the moment he entered Flame Breathing Chakra Mode, Shisui had been acting.
His Fire Release was not as strong as Obito's, but it was not as weak as what he had shown.
The core of the Fire Release he mastered was flame compression, something Shisui was extremely skilled at.
He used Might Guy's unfamiliarity with Fire Release taijutsu and Fire Release techniques to mislead him.
Even so, this alone was not enough.
Shisui had not exaggerated too much. If his Fire Release suddenly jumped from weak to absurdly strong, Might Guy would suspect immediately.
Shisui still had another weapon.
Armament Haki Secret Technique, boosted by the Bent Spoon.
As the earliest disciple to master Armament Haki Secret Technique, Shisui's Armament Haki was widely considered the strongest among Mugetsu's disciples. Everyone was wary of it.
They had all returned from the battlefield. They all understood its strength.
Hidden power in Fire Release, paired with unexpected Armament Haki, that was the opening Shisui had been waiting for.
This was his only chance.
Flame Breathing Chakra Mode consumed chakra.
Armament Haki consumed chakra.
The Bent Spoon consumed chakra.
If this did not win, it meant he would lose.
"Fire Release: Blazing Impact!"
Intense flames erupted from Shisui's body. Most of them compressed and concentrated around his shoulder.
Then a jet black layer of Armament Haki covered that shoulder.
Boom!
Bang, bang, bang!
Might Guy's Leaf Strong Whirlwind: Extreme collided with Shisui's full power Fire Release, triggering a violent explosion.
The ground beneath them shattered from the impact. Gravel and dirt blasted outward. Dust swallowed the field.
The disciples watching stared in shock.
They had thought this match would have no suspense.
"Why isn't Guy using Rock Breathing Chakra Mode from the start?" Obito could not help complaining.
If Might Guy used it immediately, he could sweep Shisui aside.
But when fighting Obito, Might Guy had activated Rock Breathing Chakra Mode at the beginning.
"Shisui's camouflage was too good," Kakashi sighed. "Guy fell for it completely."
Because he feared genjutsu, Might Guy kept himself at the Gate of Limit. Shisui then deliberately showed weakness, making Might Guy believe he could finish the battle without using Rock Breathing Chakra Mode.
Since the Gate of Limit stacked with Rock Breathing Chakra Mode would injure his body, Might Guy naturally avoided activating it unless necessary.
"What a powerful Iron Mountain Impact," Might Guy said as the dust began to clear.
He stood there, limping.
Shisui lay on the ground.
The instant Might Guy sensed something was wrong, he pushed past the critical point and entered Rock Breathing Chakra Mode. Relying on raw defense and brute strength, he forced his way through Shisui's attack and counterattacked.
It was fortunate that Rock Breathing Chakra Mode was not as flexible as other Breathing Techniques. It was straightforward physical enhancement.
If it had been another Chakra Mode, he probably would not have had time to use ninjutsu at all.
"So this is what it means for one strength to overcome all techniques," Shisui thought.
No matter how carefully he calculated, even stacking Flame Breathing Chakra Mode and Armament Haki Secret Technique, Might Guy had shattered it with a single kick.
"The gap in raw power is too big," Kakashi said quietly, shaking his head.
Right now, Shisui's raw power should be second, slightly higher than Kakashi's and Obito's, but not by much.
Might Guy, in first place, had already pulled far ahead.
Kakashi felt that if Might Guy's body became even stronger, and he could maintain the Gate of Limit alongside Rock Breathing Chakra Mode as a constant state, then even Teacher Chen, Konoha's strongest taijutsu user, would likely lose to Might Guy.
"Guy wins."
Mugetsu announced the final result and began treating Shisui and Might Guy.
"Ugh, just destroy me," Obito groaned. "Who invented test papers anyway?!"
Now that the internal battles were over, the punishment alone was enough to make him suffer.
But thinking about how he would go through this again in three months if he did not improve immediately also lit a fire in him.
Before the next internal battle, he swore he would master Armament Haki Secret Technique.
"Those injured in battle should rest properly," Rin reminded him gently. "Don't rush into training."
Then she returned to her jōnin special training.
Rin had no desire to join the internal disciple battles right now. Even Obito and Kakashi, who were eliminated in the first round, could overwhelm her easily.
Rin only wanted to finish her training, pass the jōnin assessment, and become a jōnin.
Kakashi rested briefly, then went to Mugetsu to ask about the feasibility of his Transparent World training plan.
Breathing Technique was developed by Mugetsu. That meant Mugetsu understood Transparent World better than anyone.
Kakashi did not want to train blindly. Wasting time was one thing. Making a mistake could be far worse.
"You can try it," Mugetsu said after thinking for a moment.
In the Demon Slayer world, Transparent World was considered a realm. Once someone reached it, the ability itself was the same across users. There were no differences. True combat power still depended on each person's body, skill, and other capabilities.
Mugetsu initially believed his localized Transparent World would be similar, only with an added benefit of improving chakra control.
However, after he obtained a second perfect level Breathing Technique, Transparent World changed.
Its external perception range expanded.
Perception itself became more detailed.
And the ability to precisely manipulate internal chakra became stronger.
Later, Mugetsu tried using Transparent World more often to train it.
He did not know if it was because his Transparent World was already strong enough, or if the method was flawed, but the effect was almost negligible.
Even so, Mugetsu was certain Transparent World could continue to grow.
What they needed next was more experimentation, more tests, more proof.
With Mugetsu's confirmation, Kakashi approached Shisui, whose injuries were already healed.
"Shisui, do you have time now? I want your help verifying an idea," Kakashi asked.
After Mugetsu's approval, Kakashi felt even more confident the method could work.
Shisui would practice genjutsu on him, improving Shisui's genjutsu.
Kakashi would improve Transparent World, or at worst gain more experience dispelling genjutsu.
Either way, neither of them would waste the other's time.
Shisui, who had been replaying the battle in his mind, paused and nodded. "As long as it doesn't take too long."
He still needed time to train. He could not spend all day helping Kakashi test ideas.
"It won't take too long," Kakashi said, briefly explaining the concept. "You use genjutsu on me while I maintain Transparent World, and I dispel it as fast as possible. You get practice, I get practice."
"This is basically continuous genjutsu pressure while you maintain Transparent World," Shisui said thoughtfully. "Should it be the same intensity as the internal battle, or stronger?"
Then Shisui continued, almost casually, "If I recover and keep feeding chakra into my ninja tool at the same time, I can use genjutsu much stronger than I could in actual combat."
"Shisui," Kakashi said, surprised. "You weren't using full strength in that battle?"
"That's not what I mean." Shisui shook his head and took out the Bent Spoon. "This ninja tool amplifies the power of Yin Release ninjutsu when chakra is fed into it. Outside combat, I can pour in as much chakra as possible to get a larger boost."
"A ninja tool that enhances Yin Release," Kakashi said, immediately understanding.
No wonder Shisui sometimes seemed to use fewer techniques yet still drained his chakra.
A lot of it had been going into the tool.
"Let's start with the same intensity as the internal battle," Kakashi decided after thinking.
He wanted to take it step by step. Starting too intense could cause problems.
Shisui nodded.
He gathered chakra into his eyes while also feeding chakra into the Bent Spoon.
Then he met Kakashi's gaze.
Kakashi entered Transparent World.
Shisui cast genjutsu.
Kakashi dispelled it as quickly as possible.
Again and again they repeated the cycle.
When they grew tired, they rested, then resumed other training.
Obito noticed their strange behavior and muttered, confused, "When did Shisui and Kakashi get so close? They're just staring at each other. They're not even doing anything else."
Obito did not understand it, but he did not object either.
He still had his own goal.
Master Armament Haki Secret Technique.
Afternoon came.
Mugetsu went to Tsunade's home first and cooked a meal for her. While he was at it, he prepared extra portions for Kushina and Minato, then sent a shadow clone to deliver Minato's share.
After dinner, Mugetsu returned home and finalized the ANBU training plan.
The training would officially begin in five days.
He needed to organize the subjects he would teach and develop any techniques that still were not complete.
The core subject was Darkness Breathing Technique and its advanced secret techniques.
That would be the key content, and Mugetsu would use it to earn class rewards related to Breathing Techniques.
The advanced secret technique for Darkness Breathing was a burst skill Mugetsu developed by referencing the principle of the Demon Slayer Mark.
Its effect was straightforward.
Consume a certain amount of chakra.
Temporarily enhance the user's overall ability, greatly boosting strength, speed, and more.
Mugetsu named it Darkness Burning Technique.
Its power was nowhere near the true Demon Slayer Mark, but Darkness Burning had two major advantages.
Low threshold.
Easy training.
It was worth remembering that Mugetsu had taught Kakashi and the others for a long time, yet only three disciples could currently activate their corresponding Chakra Modes.
That alone proved how difficult Chakra Modes truly were.
Next came nature transformation.
Previously, Mugetsu had developed five D rank ninjutsu for the Five Great Natures to use for teaching. Later, he created upgraded C rank versions.
This time, Mugetsu planned to develop all the B rank versions and teach them to the ANBU.
At present, he had completed Fire Release: Fireball Sea Technique, Wind Release: Vacuum Slash, and Water Release: Water Severing Wave.
Only Earth Release and Lightning Release remained.
That was mainly because Mugetsu's lightning and earth nature transformation proficiency was slightly worse than his other two, and he had fewer ideas for how to build the B rank techniques.
In the end, Mugetsu decided to draw inspiration from Pseudo Darkness for Lightning Release and Earth Rising Spears for Earth Release, building on the experience of those who came before him.
Two days before the training officially began, Mugetsu completed the development of every technique and finished the detailed teaching plan.
.....
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