Beside a Konoha Farmland
Sakura watched the three of them working in the field, her thoughts gradually drifting towards ninjutsu related to Storm Release.
Currently, Sakura had only figured out one way to use Storm Release: a laser beam. However, the power of the Storm Release laser wasn't unlimited. Against someone like Kimimaro, its effectiveness was greatly reduced.
Ultimately, it was the Lightning Release within the Storm Release that was responsible for the attack, while the Water Release controlled the shape of the lightning, allowing the penetrating power of the Lightning Release to be better utilized, with a slight amplification from the Water Release.
If she wanted to develop new jutsu, Sakura believed she wouldn't be more capable than the Second or Fourth Hokage. Therefore, Sakura could only try to apply Storm Release to existing, mature ninjutsu.
Sakura couldn't remember what ninjutsu were originally used with Storm Release; she had no reference information.
Considering using Storm Release chakra to perform existing ninjutsu, Sakura first thought of the Rasengan. A Storm Release Rasengan... But it didn't seem very meaningful. The destructive power of Storm Release itself wasn't less than the Rasengan, and the Rasengan required close combat.
Then, Sakura thought of the Shadow Clone Technique. She wondered what the effect would be if she used a Storm Release clone. Currently, each of the different chakra natures had their own elemental clone techniques, so what would a Storm Release clone be like...?
Thinking of this, Sakura got up from the grass and started to experiment. She naturally knew the Shadow Clone Technique, but she hadn't used it often before due to her limited chakra reserves.
She formed the hand seals, synthesized Storm Release chakra, and then released the Shadow Clone Technique.
Unlike the puff of smoke that usually accompanied the Shadow Clone Technique, specks of light constantly emerged from Sakura's body and then rapidly coalesced in the air. Soon, a clone with the same body shape as Sakura formed...
Only... Sakura looked at this clone, her expression turning troubled. This clone didn't look like a clone at all. It had no face, no color, and was entirely a bluish-white.
It was like a human-shaped doll made of light. The clone just stood there dumbly, not moving. Sakura didn't understand what was going on. Had she failed?
Sakura reached out to touch the clone. To her surprise, her hand went straight through it. Sakura was a little speechless. Was this just a clone made of Storm Release chakra...?
"Hello," Sakura tried greeting the clone.
"......."
"Hi," Sakura continued to speak to the clone, but the clone didn't react.
"......"
Seeing the unresponsive clone, Sakura was a little depressed. Was it impossible to create a successful clone simply by changing the type of chakra used? Did she need to develop the hand seals for a Storm Release clone herself...?
Frustrated, Sakura had no choice but to dispel the clone and try again. However, when she dispelled the clone, the clone's memories flowed into Sakura's brain.
Sakura was surprised to find that in the perspective returned from the clone, she could clearly see her main body greeting her, but there was no thought...
Sakura had used Shadow Clones before. When a Shadow Clone's memories returned to the main body, the thoughts and considerations the clone had during its existence would also return to the main body. But the Storm Release clone didn't have this.
The Storm Release clone seemed to function only like a video recorder, able to transmit what it saw back to the main body but lacking the ability to think. Had she still failed...?
Undeterred, Sakura tried again. Just like the first time, the resulting Storm Release clone stood before her dumbly, without any movement.
When she touched the clone, it was still as if it had no substance, and Sakura's hand passed right through. Sakura couldn't help but feel discouraged. What use was this clone? It was inferior to even the basic Clone Technique.
"Sit down," Sakura said irritably to the clone. To her surprise, the clone actually moved and obediently sat down on the grass.
"Uh......" Sakura was momentarily stunned, not reacting immediately to the clone's movement...
What was going on? Sakura quickly dispelled the clone, and the clone's memories flowed into her mind. Sakura carefully sensed the memories returned from the clone and suddenly felt a sense of enlightenment.
The clone indeed had no thoughts, but it could react to Sakura's commands through sound. Sakura quickly created another clone to experiment.
Sakura issued a series of commands, and the Storm Release clone responded to all of them. However, it was a bit troublesome. Relying on sound to distinguish commands didn't seem very useful, and it also didn't seem to have any attack power.
Could she make the clone react by silently thinking the commands? Sakura tried this, but the clone in front of her didn't react at all.
"Ninjutsu development really isn't that easy..." Sakura had been messing around for a while without any progress. She left the Storm Release clone standing there and lay down on the grass, staring blankly.
..............
Suddenly, Sakura seemed to think of something, and she mentally gave the Storm Release clone another command. This time, the Storm Release clone reacted. Sakura immediately became excited; it was indeed possible.
Sakura thought that chakra could carry a person's spirit, which was why Shadow Clones could have the main body's thoughts. However, Storm Release chakra didn't carry thoughts. So, she tried to transform ordinary, non-elemental chakra into Storm Release chakra. Then, Sakura perceived that the clone and her own Storm Release chakra had established a resonance.
Trying to mentally issue a command, the moment Sakura's intention arose, the clone reacted, just like using her own arm...
Sakura stood up. If the clone had no attack power but could be passed through, then the clone could also pass through walls. After being dispelled, it could also transmit memories back. So, this could be a reconnaissance ninjutsu.
She controlled the Storm Release clone to walk towards a large tree nearby, to test whether it could pass through the tree.
As soon as she thought of it, the Storm Release clone walked towards the large tree, which was thick enough that it would take two people to hug it...
BOOM
Sakura stared blankly at the tree. A human-shaped hole had appeared in the middle, and the remaining connected parts of the trunk were insufficient to support the weight of the entire tree. It crashed to the ground.
"This isn't 'no power'; this is a humanoid weapon, isn't it?" Sakura called the Shadow Clone back to her side and carefully examined it.
Carefully touching the clone's body again, Sakura observed closely and discovered that her hand wasn't actually passing through the clone. Instead, when it came into contact with the clone's body, the surface of the clone's body automatically avoided contact with Sakura...
"This........" Although Sakura didn't understand the principle, it didn't diminish her current excitement.
The Storm Release clone was like a handy weapon, its entire body possessing the cutting power of Lightning Release, and it was also immune to physical attacks.
Sakura wasn't a scientist and didn't have a spirit of deep research. As long as the ninjutsu could kill people, that was enough. If she really wanted to understand it, she could capture Orochimaru after the Fourth Shinobi World War and have him do the research for her.
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