Seeing Kakashi's excitement, Shinji smiled inwardly but kept his expression neutral.
Everything was part of his plan. He wanted this exact reaction, as it would prompt the village to eagerly send Hidden Leaf shinobi into "Takamagahara" one after another.
Soon, Shinji dispelled the dojutsu.
After exiting "Takamagahara," Kakashi instinctively checked the time and realized only five minutes had passed in reality, though his body felt like he'd spent at least twenty minutes inside.
This prompted a soft exclamation from Kakashi: Ehh?
Shinji explained: "I sped up the time flow in 'Takamagahara.' If the time flow matched the real world, it would be too wasteful!"
…
Kakashi fell silent.
When Shinji had described controlling matter and time in "Takamagahara," Kakashi had thought it was an exaggeration. He hadn't expected Shinji could actually manipulate the time flow inside.
Testing the waters, Kakashi asked: "One-fourth?"
Shinji nodded: "As expected of Kakashi-sensei!"
The time flow in "Takamagahara" had indeed been set to one-fourth of the real world's speed. Most people wouldn't have perceived it as clearly as Kakashi did.
"One-fourth…" Kakashi murmured, pausing. "So, four hours of training in 'Takamagahara' equals just one hour in reality. That efficiency is terrifying!"
Shinji replied casually: "It's decent."
In truth, one-fourth wasn't the limit of "Takamagahara."
If he disregarded the cost to his dojutsu, Shinji could push "Takamagahara" to the level of Tsukuyomi, where a moment could feel like a lifetime. But there was no need for that.
After repeated trials with Mumei, they found that maintaining a one-fourth time flow struck the optimal balance between saving time and conserving dojutsu energy.
Kakashi suddenly asked: "Shinji, does using this technique consume a lot of dojutsu power?"
Shinji paused before answering: "It's manageable. I've been using it for years, and my dojutsu power can still handle it. The consumption isn't too heavy."
"That's great!" Kakashi exclaimed, thrilled.
After parting with Shinji, Kakashi immediately headed to the Hokage Building.
Learning that Kakashi had experienced "Takamagahara," Tsunade quickly gathered the village's leadership to hear his report.
In the Hokage's office, Kakashi faced their expectant gazes and said: "Shinji's 'Takamagahara' is a dojutsu of immense strategic value. If used properly, it could significantly boost our chances of victory in the final battle against the Akatsuki!"
Homura Mitokado questioned: "Kakashi, isn't that a bit exaggerated?"
Skepticism appeared on the others' faces as well.
The final battle between the Five Great Shinobi Villages and the Akatsuki would shape the future of the shinobi world. No matter how enigmatic a Mangekyo dojutsu was, it seemed unlikely to single-handedly alter the course of such a war.
Facing their doubts, Kakashi remained calm. Instead of arguing, he recounted his entire experience in "Takamagahara."
After hearing his account, everyone furrowed their brows.
The ability to freely alter environments, enemies, and even time flow sounded unbelievable.
If these words hadn't come from Kakashi, they would have thought the speaker had lost their mind.
The Third asked gravely: "Kakashi, are you certain you weren't under a genjutsu?"
Kakashi shook his head: "I can't be certain."
The group showed some disappointment.
But Kakashi continued: "However, one thing I'm sure of is that I gained real combat experience against Hiruko. Those memories are vivid, and I can't tell if they're real or not. They're just… there, lingering in my mind!"
Shikaku asked: "How realistic was the Hiruko created in Shinji's 'Takamagahara'? How close was it to the real Hiruko?"
Kakashi replied: "Based on my knowledge of Hiruko, I couldn't distinguish the 'Takamagahara' version from the real one. During the fight, it felt like I was facing the actual Hiruko! The battle confirmed many of my earlier theories. Hiruko isn't without weaknesses—we just hadn't found them before. If I get another chance in 'Takamagahara,' I'm confident I can pinpoint his vulnerabilities!"
Kakashi's conviction began to sway the group.
All eyes turned to Hiashi, standing nearby.
Hiashi said: "I've checked with my Byakugan. Kakashi isn't under any genjutsu, and his body is completely normal."
Koharu Utatane sighed: "Could it all be true? Is Shinji's 'Takamagahara' really this powerful?"
Tsunade cautioned: "Don't underestimate a Mangekyo Sharingan dojutsu!"
Koharu said: "If that's the case, we could use Shinji's 'Takamagahara' to develop perfect strategies tailored to each Akatsuki member!"
The Third nodded and asked Kakashi: "How many people can Shinji's 'Takamagahara' accommodate? What about dojutsu consumption?"
Kakashi answered: "I haven't confirmed the capacity yet, but Shinji mentioned that the dojutsu consumption isn't significant. He's been using it for years without experiencing the dojutsu depletion Sasuke has."
Tsunade tapped the desk lightly, drawing everyone's attention, then asked: "What do you all think?"
Koharu was the first to speak: "If Shinji's 'Takamagahara' can help us win the war against the Akatsuki, we should make full use of it!"
Homura agreed: "Indeed!"
The Third remained cautious: "I suggest a small-scale trial first to confirm its safety before rolling it out on a larger scale."
"Agreed!"
"I'm in favor!"
"Good idea!"
The others voiced their support.
Seeing the consensus, Tsunade made the decision: "Kakashi, the task of recruiting the first batch of testers is yours. Select the personnel!"
"Yes!" Kakashi responded.
The Third added: "The first batch's mission is to thoroughly evaluate Shinji's 'Takamagahara,' so focus on that when selecting candidates."
Tsunade chimed in: "Also, communicate well with Shinji. Even if the dojutsu consumption is low, it's still a Mangekyo-level technique!"