Chapter 178: Returning to Amegakure
The mark disappeared?
Flying Thunder God marks only vanish after someone becomes the Ten-Tails' jinchūriki.
Uchiha Hikari's Yachihoko marks work the same way.
Simply absorbing chakra can't remove them, just like the mark on Nagato's body, which he couldn't absorb even with the Preta Path.
As for why the marks disappear after becoming the Ten-Tails' jinchūriki, there are multiple factors involved. One of them is the sublimation and reconstruction of life itself, a qualitative leap.
Terumi Mei's two earlier forms clearly boosted all her base stats quite a lot, but that still didn't count as true sublimation.
Only the second form, the Primal Reversion Primordial Sea Mode catalyzed by Shiromo, could be considered genuine transcendence.
At that point, she finally shed the flaw of being high offense but low defense in her normal state.
As for whether it was stronger or weaker than a Ten-Tails jinchūriki, that was honestly hard to say.
The Ten-Tails jinchūriki was terrifying because of its near-absolute suppression over anyone a tier below.
Complete negation of ninjutsu, plus Truth-Seeking Orbs that pierced defenses and dealt true damage.
But against Shiromo and his followers who used natural energy?
Your ninjutsu immunity, what does that have to do with my senjutsu?
Truth-Seeking Orbs are Yin-Yang Release, still within the category of ninjutsu. Sure, they can destroy any chakra-based constructs and defenses, but what does that have to do with natural energy?
At that point, it stopped being about special mechanics and became a pure stat check.
"I know what's going on with the mark. I'll explain it on the way back later. By the way, did you feel like you couldn't use Fire Release in that kind of weather just now?"
Shiromo asked Hikari.
"Yeah."
Uchiha Hikari nodded seriously.
"The rain wasn't just heavy, it felt really oppressive. I tried a little, and I really couldn't use it. Though Amaterasu still worked normally, just with reduced power."
"Then there's no problem."
Shiromo was now certain the Primordial Sea Mode he gave Terumi Mei was the real deal.
Amaterasu could still be used because it wasn't an ordinary Fire Release to begin with.
The Primordial Sea's fire-sealing effect, like the Ten-Tails jinchūriki's ninjutsu immunity, wasn't some absolute rule-based lockdown of everything.
In the games, under the torrential rain of Primordial Sea, even Ho-Oh's Sacred Fire couldn't be used.
But in normal world lore, rain obviously wouldn't be able to seal something like Ho-Oh's Sacred Fire.
That made sense.
"Sealing Fire Release?"
Terumi Mei's eyes lit up, then she suddenly remembered that the neighboring Land of Fire's Hokage village barely had anyone who actually specialized in Fire Release, and she immediately pouted.
But if she truly mastered that mode someday, would she even care about ordinary ninjutsu anymore?
That Origin Pulse Shiromo had used while controlling her body was easily the strongest Water Release she had ever seen, or even heard of, in her entire life.
If she hadn't clearly felt that it was Water Release, she would've thought it was Ōnoki's Dust Release.
Water Release attacks were usually either high-pressure cutting streams, which weren't as convenient as Wind Release, or massive waves of impact, which still weren't as straightforward as Earth Release.
Water Release's biggest advantage has always been versatility and ease of form transformation.
But that move just now?
Power, speed, and range, all far beyond normal ninjutsu.
All stats at 60 meant trash, mediocre at everything, good at nothing.
All stats at 120 meant a perfect all-rounder with no weaknesses.
"Have you found someone to learn Flying Thunder Formation yet?"
Just as she was about to part ways with Shiromo's group, Terumi Mei suddenly asked.
Didn't they go to Konoha's Chūnin Exams earlier specifically to get Flying Thunder God from Konoha, so the allied villages could travel and communicate faster?
"I'll have to go back and ask."
Shiromo shrugged, he didn't actually know.
"Then right now you're going to…?"
Terumi Mei looked confused.
Did that mean Shiromo and the others still had to slowly sail back to the mainland, then cross the Land of Fire on foot?
"Oh, that won't be necessary."
Under Terumi Mei's puzzled gaze, Shiromo's group boarded a boat and left the island.
Terumi Mei, meanwhile, looked down at the blue orb set into her lipstick, planning to hurry up and finish her work so she could find a quiet place to train.
As for sparring partners?
Wasn't the Six-Tails jinchūriki back already?
No way she was going to let him freeload.
Kurotsuchi Raiga returned to the village with the Kirigakure troops.
If he'd still had even a shred of ambition before, thinking about reclaiming his Ninja Sword and restoring his glory, now he was completely obedient.
This world had gone insane.
He'd be better off quietly teaching at the ninja academy.
Between dozens of Susanoo, Wood Release golems, and world-ending Primordial Sea Mode…
What was he supposed to do with a crappy lightning blade?
It wouldn't even be good enough to trim Susanoo's nails.
The thought of facing enemies like that, or even enemies of teammates who fought like that, instantly killed any desire to be one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
To hell with this sword.
Whoever wanted it could take it.
He was going back to the village to become a teacher, get married, and have kids.
But at that point, Raiga suddenly remembered the weird question Shiromo had once asked him.
With how vicious he was, could he really get cuckolded?
Impossible. Absolutely impossible!
....
Shiromo's group sailed to the Land of Waves and met Kisame, who was stationed there.
Kisame used the ring to contact Amegakure headquarters.
In Amegakure's laboratory, Senju Tobirama was notified and forced to pause his experiments.
He was originally annoyed, but the moment he heard Shiromo was coming back and needed him to pick them up, all his irritation vanished.
Perfect timing.
They'd made some new discoveries and wanted to discuss them with Shiromo.
So before Flying Thunder Formation was fully operational, Impure World Reincarnation Tobirama became their temporary mode of transportation, teleporting everyone back to Amegakure one by one.
"Go for a checkup first."
After arriving, Shiromo pointed Ringo Ameyuri toward a section of the facility.
Standing at the medical station was a gentle blond woman with glasses, dressed in a classic white medical director's coat, holding a clipboard.
"Hello."
The moment Ringo Ameyuri saw her eyes, she stiffened nervously.
She had just seen those eyes not long ago, the unique eyes of Impure World Reincarnation.
Good grief.
Was Amegakure some kind of ghost village?
Why were even the medical staff dead people?
"Please write down your name and a general description of your condition so I can determine what kind of examinations you need."
Yakushi Nono smiled warmly and handed her the clipboard.
Impure World Reincarnation truly was a dream-fulfilling jutsu of the highest level.
"Oh, okay…"
Ringo Ameyuri picked up the pen and began writing.
When it came to the illness section, she had no idea what to put, so she simply wrote: "Shiromo said I have a terminal disease."
"Terminal illness?"
Seeing those words, Yakushi Nono's expression softened with concern. She gently led Ringo Ameyuri into the testing room and began the examinations.
...
Over on the other side.
"I heard Shiromo-kun brought back another child with a terminal illness like Kimimaro this time?"
Orochimaru asked.
"Yeah. Why? You called me over so urgently, don't tell me that's what this is about?"
Shiromo replied curiously.
So what exactly had they discovered?
(End of this chapter)