Chapter 25: Gravity Control! New Moon
"Looks like it worked, hahaha!"
Nagato, sweating profusely and panting, couldn't help but laugh out loud. He seemed even happier than Shiromo.
"It succeeded."
After landing back on the ground, Shiromo sat down with a bitter smile. His body's natural energy was completely depleted, and every cell was desperately absorbing the surrounding natural energy.
Abilities are typically divided into two categories: active and passive.
Passive abilities are similar to lock-on skills; in most cases, the effect is beyond the user's control. Since they cannot adapt to changes in the environment or battle situations, they are easily exploited once their pattern is understood. However, the advantage of passive abilities is that the user doesn't need to worry about being instantly killed before they can activate them.
For example, even with the strength of the Otsutsuki clan during the Boruto era, there remained an insurmountable gap between them and Otsutsuki Kaguya, who ate a Chakra Fruit. That gap was her passive immunity to all ninjutsu damage.
This immunity was also evident in Six Paths Madara and Six Paths Obito.
The Otsutsuki clan's ability to absorb ninjutsu, or even the Rinnegan's ability to absorb ninjutsu, required active use.
Madara could deliberately avoid using it, allowing himself to be hit in the chest by Dust Release, letting the Five Kage admire Hashirama's face.
Otsutsuki Isshiki was still injured by a simple Rasengan because of Naruto's overwhelming numerical advantage in Baryon Mode.
In other words, no matter how powerful an actively used ability is, it still requires the user's awareness of the situation.
Otherwise, it would be like Shisui using Kotoamatsukami on Danzo and was instantly defeated by a sneak attack that gouged out his eye.
Shiromo was fully aware that both time erasure and the resulting future foresight required active use.
And Shiromo had just used it.
He had specifically confirmed that Shinra Tensei wouldn't injure him or awaken his abilities, and he then deactivated it.
Unexpectedly, Nagato had suddenly gotten excited and unleashed Chibaku Tensei.
As Shiromo had mentioned before, he originally planned to have Itachi help with the experiment, but his natural energy had been depleted, and he only replenished it on the way back.
Using his first awakening of King Crimson (time erasure) as an example, combined with the results seen through the Epitaph (future foresight), Shiromo confirmed he had enough natural energy. What he was lacking was the power of the Rinnegan.
That didn't matter.
He could simply go to Iwagakure first, continuing to accumulate natural energy along the way. Anyway, further enhancements to time erasure wouldn't make much of a difference, and the required natural energy would gradually increase.
For high-speed combat, the optimal duration of Epitaph's effect was between ten and thirty seconds into the future. After all, viewing future scenes also took time.
He should save the natural energy for later, when he could awaken new abilities.
Unexpectedly, Nagato was willing to risk his life to "help" him. If Shiromo had enough natural energy, he wouldn't have refused Nagato's willingness to sacrifice himself.
The problem was, he didn't have enough.
Under Shinra Tensei, as long as Nagato didn't foolishly use Super Shinra Tensei, it was perfectly sufficient.
Chibaku Tensei was a complete qualitative change.
Fortunately, Shiromo's ability awakening requirements weren't too strict. The higher the initial consumption, the higher the initial strength. Since the initial energy consumption was lower now, the initial strength of the ability was also lower. It would need to be gradually strengthened with natural energy later.
Just now, Shiromo had released his entire body to replenish natural energy while focusing all his energy on a single point. Finally, he had awakened his ability.
---
After resting for a moment, Shiromo stood up and then floated into the air under Nagato's watchful gaze.
"This is it: gravity control. The range is still a bit small. I call this ability, New Moon." ( Father Pucci's Stand is called C-Moon, Full Moon, See Moon)
Shiromo named his ability after Stand abilities from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, though there are still some differences.
First, Shiromo doesn't have a physical Stand like Limbo. (Madara's Rinnegan ability)
Second, while the abilities are similar, there may be subtle differences that need further research.
Third, mortal Stand users can easily unleash terrifyingly powerful Stands with little to no consumption, relying mostly on their mental energy. However, Shiromo requires energy to use any ability.
Fourth, the precision of Shiromo's abilities increases with his proficiency, and their duration increases with his natural energy reserves. There's no fixed value.
"A new moon? That's fitting. Legend says the Sage of Six Paths created the moon using Chibaku Tensei."
Nagato smiled with relief as Shiromo explained his abilities. His efforts hadn't been in vain.
For Nagato, the Rinnegan was not only a "gift" but also a burden. The gravity representing godly power, now manifested in another companion thanks to his help, made Nagato feel much lighter.
"So how did the core of Chibaku Tensei disappear just now?" Konan asked curiously.
"The core was right in front of me. I touched it, causing its gravity to flip, and it disappeared."
Shiromo picked up a stone, activated New Moon, and the stone instantly shattered before mysteriously re-forming. The stone's original interior had completely flipped into its outer layer.
"Impressive. If this worked on a person..." Konan praised.
"It's alright, but it has no effect on you, Konan-nee."
Shiromo tossed the stone aside and smiled.
"Me?" Konan blinked, thought for a moment, and tapped her chin. "Even if I activated the Shikigami Dance, being flipped by gravity would tear me apart, right?"
Konan's paper transformation was terrifying, similar to elemental transformation. It was on the level of immunity to most damage in the ninja world. The only limitation was her chakra reserves.
If Chakra doesn't run out, it's hard to get injured.
Not many people knew this.
"You just need to turn the area being attacked into a Möbius strip."
"What strip?"
"...Go in."
Upon hearing Shiromo's request, pieces of paper appeared on Konan's smooth cheeks, and she entered the Shikigami Dance state.
It's a pity Konan wasn't related to the Otsutsuki clan; otherwise, Shiromo would have liked to test this "angel" to see if he could awaken the Heaven's Door.
"That's it."
Shiromo plucked several pieces of paper from Konan's body and formed a Möbius strip in the air.
"Since it only has one side, gravity won't work, no matter how it flips."
Shiromo thoughtfully explained.
Konan's expression was somewhat blank as she slowly reached out and grabbed the paper ring. Was Shiromo really revealing his weakness so easily? It seemed only she could achieve such restraint.
While Konan was lost in thought, Shiromo approached Nagato.
"Nagato, do you still harbor hatred for Konoha?" Shiromo asked.
"Hmm?"
Nagato hadn't expected Shiromo to ask that.
After a few seconds of hesitation, Nagato replied, "Does the strategist want to say something for Konoha? My personal hatred has long since vanished, but vanishing my hatred is useless. People can't understand each other; the only way is to make them feel pain..."
"Stop."
Seeing Nagato about to launch into a long speech, Shiromo quickly cut him off.
"You misunderstand. I have no intention of saying anything for Konoha."
(End of this chapter)