Chapter 184: I'm Blind, What Is Even Happening Here?
Shiromo didn't refuse Hanabi's request and took her to the newly built indoor training facility in the Amegakure Village.
The indoor training grounds were meant for practicing more technical ninjutsu.
If you wanted to train large-scale destructive techniques, you still had to go outside.
This time, Hanabi had taken the initiative to ask Shiromo to help her train, which made Shiromo think of the Momoshiki "disc" he still had on him. He needed to find some time to see how to extract the Ōtsutsuki chakra inside it.
Ideally, he could use it like a battery and draw from it continuously.
But for now, it would have to stay on hold.
Orochimaru and Senju Tobirama had just finished the Rinnegan account-hijacking project, and the next step was to help treat the old, weak, sick, and disabled.
Kimimaro's and Ringo Ameyuri's illnesses couldn't be delayed, give it a bit more time and both of them would be dead.
Besides, Hanabi's current strength still clearly needed improvement.
Letting Hanabi directly activate the Tenseigan would be like handing a gun to a child.
Just like Daemon in Boruto.
Bad personality, and relying on the "holy remains" of the Ōtsutsuki god, he gained a downgraded version of "Wonder on U" an ability that could reflect any attack from someone who had killing intent toward him.
Not to mention that activating this ability had a huge limitation, you had to touch the opponent first.
But even if you touched them, so what?
Killing intent gets reflected?
Sorry, killing a nasty little brat like you is like pulling the tab on a can of soda. Why would there be any killing intent involved?
Faced with an ability like that, let alone Shiromo, even Uchiha Madara, who had just been criticized by Senju Tobirama for "only bullying the weak," could, with the mindset of "what kind of adult goes all out on a kid" break Daemon's limbs first without any killing intent at all.
This supposedly high-tier, super-special-ability character in Boruto would be dealt with just like that.
Boruto villains and heroes all had this bizarre trait.
Both sides clearly could kill each other, yet they just wouldn't, like kids playing house.
There was absolutely none of that life-or-death tension.
But it made sense.
Boruto was basically a bunch of young kids messing around anyway, how much scheming and strategy could they really have?
Just think about Code, that idiot who created Divine Tree people on his own, only to realize he couldn't control them, and the ones he made were even stronger than him.
So yes, gaining power is fine.
But your mindset has to match that power.
Otherwise, you're just a hilarious oversized baby.
At Shiromo's signal, Hanabi began showing off the new technique she had just developed.
Shiromo and Fū sat in the viewing seats as Hanabi activated the equipment in the training area. Several targets began moving.
Beep beep beep, Hanabi pressed a few buttons, and the targets sped up more and more, sparks even flying from friction underneath.
After setting everything up, Hanabi retreated a long distance and turned her back.
"Byakugan!"
"Lock on!"
"Ha~"
After activating her Byakugan, Hanabi spun around, extending one index finger from each hand and firing at the targets.
The fast-moving targets numbered from 1 to 9 were blown apart one by one.
"Phew."
Hanabi pretended to blow on her fingers, then ran over to Shiromo, lifting her chin proudly.
"Well? Well?"
"Uh… very good."
"There's a member of the Hōzuki clan under Orochimaru. He has a Water Release technique called Water Gun, where he shoots water bullets from his hands."
"After I saw that, I thought I could try something similar."
"I don't have enough chakra yet for Eight Trigrams Air Palm, but fingertip-sized shots are definitely no problem, just need good chakra control."
Hanabi explained how she had developed this new usage.
Shiromo had already talked to her before about combining the Byakugan with long-range attacks.
The Byakugan's basic ability was "lock-on." With that lock-on, you could precisely hit chakra points even in high-speed combat.
But using it only for close combat was a total waste.
You've got built-in aim assist, if you don't play ranged, isn't that just throwing away the advantage?
Yet among the Hyūga clan's current techniques, the only long-range one was Eight Trigrams Air Palm.
And even that wasn't very long-range in reality.
Meanwhile, Hanabi's newly developed "Eight Trigrams Air Finger" compressed chakra, has more than doubled the attack distance.
And because it was smaller, the attack no longer relied on the Air Palm's "impact force," but instead added "piercing."
On top of that, since the energy was compressed, it would explode after hitting a target.
Each shot of Eight Trigrams Air Finger was basically a mini explosive round.
As for the power…
That would depend on Hanabi improving it over time. For now, it was just the basic version.
"This is good. Keep practicing it."
Shiromo praised her.
In Tenseigan mode, it was mostly "turret mode", which needed exactly this kind of long-range combat experience.
"Mm!"
Getting his approval, Hanabi nodded excitedly.
"So what do you want me to train with you on?"
"Of course, close combat!"
Hanabi waved her fists and glanced at Fū beside her.
"Didn't you tell me before? If a ranged fighter gets closed in on, it's dangerous, so I shouldn't neglect close-range combat either."
"Alright, let's do it."
Shiromo had no problem sparring with Hanabi for training purposes and walked straight into the field.
Since it was training, he naturally controlled his strength and speed.
One-shotting Hanabi wouldn't be training, that would just be brainless showing off.
The two started exchanging blows.
The moment Hanabi attacked, Shiromo felt the difference.
Looks like she really listened to him, she wasn't limiting herself to Gentle Fist anymore. That strike was clearly in the realm of Strong Fist.
But, Shiromo raised his hand and flicked it aside with the back of his hand, neutralizing the attack.
"Ah~"
Hanabi let out a soft cry when she got hit.
Which was normal.
She kept attacking.
And then came a series of strange sounds.
As the one involved, Shiromo didn't feel anything weird. Getting hit and making a sound was normal.
And Hanabi wasn't exaggerating, his force was light, so her cries were light too.
But to an onlooker…
From the viewing seats, Fū was thinking,
I'm blind. What kind of proper thing is happening here?
This is so embarrassing.
If she weren't watching them clearly sparring and fighting..."smack" followed by Hanabi going "ah", who would know what they were doing?
Wait!
Fū suddenly realized something.
When Hanabi sparred with her, it wasn't like this at all.
Could it be that last time she used the Seven-Tails' Scale Powder and Hanabi had an allergic reaction?
That wouldn't do!
Hanabi was her beloved family, her precious sister.
"Hanabi, wait there! I'm going to get a medical ninja right now~"
Fū shouted into the field and sprinted toward the door.
"Huh?"
Hanabi froze in the middle of the arena.
Why get a medical ninja? She wasn't injured at all, was she?
(End of this chapter)