The Glutton devoured madly, though its efficiency wasn't particularly fast.
Still, during the process of swallowing, the Great Sage's analysis speed began accelerating.
It was like a progress bar flashing before Shigure's eyes, each word leaping forward one at a time.
Now, however, the rate of increase surged rapidly.
This growth in speed made Shigure's excitement rise as well.
The tailed beasts were about to be fully analyzed. Would he gain special skills from them?
50%...
78%...
99%...
Even though the analysis itself wasn't slow, because Shigure was so focused on the progress, time seemed to drag unbearably.
[Analysis complete.]
[Congratulations to the host for mastering a new skill: Magnet Release.]
[Magnet Release: Possesses the power of sealing and can generate magnetic force, allowing control of metals such as iron sand.]
"…Magnet Release?"
So analyzing Shukaku only gave him a Kekkei Genkai?
That wasn't what Shigure had expected at all.
Too little!
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining a new skill: Yin Release Nature Transformation.]
"Yin Release…?"
Yin-natured chakra?
Shigure froze, puzzled. How could tailed beasts even master Yin Release transformations?
Great Sage, answer.
[Strictly speaking, tailed beasts do not have physical bodies. They are lifeforms of chakra. By utilizing Yin Release transformations, they can temporarily manifest states similar to physical bodies with the aid of their vast chakra.]
So by analyzing tailed beasts, he could master Yin Release transformations?
…That explanation made sense, Shigure admitted.
But what was the actual use of Yin Release transformations?
He didn't know a single Yin Release technique.
[Great Sage: Yin Release utilizes the power of Yin—born from spiritual energy that governs imagination—to give form to nothing.]
Shigure's lips twitched. Could anyone actually understand that explanation?
"Creating something from nothing… Doesn't that mean I can create anything?"
[Great Sage: In theory, yes.]
"In theory means not really!"
[Great Sage: Correct. Yin Release stems from spiritual energy. Based on the host's spiritual energy, you cannot create 'anything.']
"…So if I can't make anything, what's the point of mastering Yin Release transformations?"
[Great Sage: When incorporated into any ninjutsu, Yin Release greatly amplifies its scale—by several times, or even dozens of times.]
"…It can integrate with ninjutsu?"
Shigure blinked. "If it can integrate, then can Yin Release combine with other elements to form a new Kekkei Genkai?"
[Great Sage: No. Kekkei Genkai are born from entirely new chakra transformations. Fusing Yin Release with elemental chakra doesn't create new transformations—it only magnifies existing ninjutsu.]
"…So Yin Release is basically useless?"
Shigure sighed. He'd been looking forward to Yin Release, but it turned out to be nothing more than a multiplier.
Still… the extent of amplification mattered.
Curious, Shigure casually formed a cloud of mist. A second later, it dispersed, and his eyes widened.
Snow clouds formed instantly in the air.
Before, he'd had to force them out slowly, like squeezing milk. Now, they condensed in an instant.
That was too fast.
[Great Sage: With Yin Release integrated into Ice Release—Control of Ice and Snow—the range increases to 970 meters.]
"…Nearly one thousand meters?"
His previous limit had only been around 300 meters.
If that was the case, then Yin Release was far more useful than he had first thought.
[Great Sage: Yin Release improves the scale of techniques. By contrast, Yang Release transformations are speculated to be the core of power amplification.]
So Yin expanded the scale, while Yang boosted the power.
Shigure nodded. That meant his next goal was Yang Release.
He already possessed Yang-natured chakra.
He had obtained it earlier when analyzing the Palm Sage Jutsu, though he hadn't yet mastered the nature transformation.
"Great Sage, can you analyze Yang Release nature transformation by referencing Yin Release?"
[Yes.]
[Estimated time: 48 hours.]
"…Only 48 hours? That's not too bad." Shigure nodded in agreement.
[Should analysis begin?]
"No need to rush. We'll start later."
[Glutton: Partial devouring complete. Congratulations to the host for obtaining One-Tailed Shukaku's chakra.]
"…Huh?"
The Glutton finished devouring so quickly?
But… the One-Tailed Shukaku was still there!
[Great Sage: The Glutton has currently devoured 3% of Shukaku. Estimated time to completely devour: 17 hours.]
"Seventeen hours just to devour Shukaku…?"
On second thought, that wasn't too bad. The Akatsuki required several days to seal a tailed beast. His Glutton was only operating at 10% of its full power, and even so, it needed just 17 hours to consume an entire tailed beast. That wasn't long at all…
"…Still, it looks like I won't be able to completely devour it."
Shigure felt a little speechless. If he couldn't consume a tailed beast entirely, then what was the point?
[Great Sage: Even at 3% devoured, the host can access the Tailed Beast's chakra.]
[Estimated amount: equivalent to the total chakra of ten jōnin.]
"…Huh?"
Ten jōnin's worth of chakra sounded like a lot, but for Shigure, it wasn't much at all.
[Great Sage: Tailed Beast chakra is far more potent than ordinary chakra.]
That was true—but still, it would eventually run out.
Shigure suddenly froze. Wait. If it's consumed, can it recover afterward?
[Great Sage: Yes.]
If it could recover, then why did the Glutton consume the essence directly?
The Great Sage's reply was calm.
[Tailed Beasts lack a true origin point. You may understand it as seizing their essence.]
"…So that's how it works."
Shigure thought back to Kinkaku and Ginkaku of the Hidden Cloud. The two had once been trapped inside the Nine-Tails' stomach for days. By eating its flesh, they had acquired its chakra.
If chakra were something that disappeared completely when used, then when the brothers were later resurrected by the Impure World Reincarnation, they shouldn't have been able to use the Nine-Tails' chakra anymore.
And yet they could.
That meant they had forcibly taken a portion of the Nine-Tails' chakra for themselves—just like Shigure was doing now with Shukaku, through the Glutton.
"…Interesting."
"Glutton, devour as much as you can."
[Tailed Beast Chakra]
[One-Tail: 3%]
[Attribute: Sand]
"…Sand?"
Shigure blinked. Since when was 'sand' a chakra nature?
[Great Sage: The Tailed Beasts differ from humans. Their entire bodies are composed of chakra. Each Tailed Beast has unique characteristics that manifest as special chakra properties.]
[For example: due to his special constitution, Gaara is able to channel sand-attribute chakra. Combined with his Sand Techniques, this power far surpasses that of previous Kazekage.]
...
TN:
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