Chapter 135: Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere
Kaito began his training. Hiruzen had him start by practicing creating a Vacuum Core with a one-centimeter radius.
After forming the Vacuum Core, he began wrapping it in a thin layer of chakra. This required extremely precise chakra control.
However, thanks to his training in the Senju Taijutsu style, his chakra control was already excellent.
After a few failures, he quickly mastered it.
The next challenge was forming a wind layer around it, and this proved more difficult. The slightest contact between the wind and the chakra membrane would cause everything to collapse. But soon, he successfully created a proper wind sphere.
In Kaito's right hand, a wind sphere rotated steadily. At its center was a thin chakra membrane enclosing a Vacuum Core with a one-centimeter radius. Hiruzen thought with amazement,
This is incredible. He mastered the basic form in less than ten minutes!
Hiruzen said,
"Now throw that sphere at a tree."
Kaito nodded and followed the instruction. After flying ten meters, the sphere suddenly began destabilizing. Kaito observed carefully and muttered,
"The wind layer touched the chakra membrane and air entered the Vacuum Core."
Hiruzen nodded. "That's correct. You need to ensure that even during flight, the wind layer doesn't contact the chakra membrane. You also need to strengthen the chakra membrane without increasing its thickness."
Kaito nodded and resumed training.
For the next seven hours, Kaito continuously experimented with wind flow patterns while trying to reinforce the chakra membrane.
Hiruzen observed from the sidelines. Due to Kaito's dedication and work ethic, he initially watched with approval. However, after seven continuous hours, he sighed.
I thought he'd take a break for breakfast and lunch. Instead, he just grabbed some ration bars and wolfed them down! He didn't even offer me any.
Hiruzen hadn't brought food with him. Several times, he suggested Kaito take a break. However, Kaito would reply,
"Just give me a little more time, Hokage-sama. I think I'm almost there!"
After responding, he'd immediately immerse himself back in practice without even glancing at Hiruzen.
He did speak with Hiruzen a few times, but only to ask about training difficulties. After receiving answers, he'd focus entirely on practice again.
Finally, he mastered the technique! He created another vacuum sphere and threw it into the air. It flew approximately one hundred meters before dissipating.
Kaito looked at Hiruzen, who nodded and said,
"Excellent. Now try it on a tree or boulder."
Kaito nodded and followed the instruction. He formed a vacuum sphere and hurled it at a tree. It struck the trunk and pierced straight through, creating a five-centimeter hole.
He smiled with satisfaction and began creating more spheres. Over the next few minutes, dozens of trees were punctured. However, each sphere collapsed immediately after piercing a tree.
Kaito thought analytically,
This is effective, but if it collapses so quickly after penetrating one target, the lethality is limited. Perhaps creating a larger Vacuum Core would make it more durable...
Hiruzen didn't know Kaito's thoughts. Watching his performance, he said with praise,
"Kaito, you've done excellent work today, but let's stop here."
Kaito looked at Hiruzen and protested,
"But Hokage-sama, I can still train!"
Hiruzen shook his head. "Your chakra is nearly depleted. If you train any more, you might not be able to train tomorrow. The next phase will be equally challenging, so let's stop for today."
Kaito nodded reluctantly. Hiruzen instructed,
"Don't practice the Vacuum technique when I'm not present. And it's best not to use any ninjutsu today. Meditate and recover your chakra as quickly as possible. We'll meet again tomorrow morning at seven."
Kaito nodded and thanked Hiruzen for his guidance.
Hiruzen smiled and left, thinking,
Finally, I can eat something! I didn't expect him to train continuously for so long. His teammates left after a few hours. Yet he completed the basic Vacuum technique in just a third of a day! Kaito has exceptional talent for Wind Release.
He smiled and thought with amusement,
How will Danzo react when he discovers an eleven-year-old learned in eight hours what took him nine days!
After Hiruzen left, Kaito headed to the ninja shopping district. He entered the same clothing store he'd visited a year ago.
Kaito asked the shop owner to make him clothes similar to his current outfit, but tailored to his present size.
The owner took Kaito's measurements and said,
"Young man, you're growing fast—you've grown ten centimeters in less than a year!"
Kaito replied,
"Yes, thank you."
The owner smiled warmly. "I saw you in the Chunin Exams. You performed brilliantly! Congratulations on your victory."
Kaito nodded his thanks. After finishing the measurements, the owner said,
"I have something else to show you. Most ninja purchase this from me."
Kaito asked curiously,
"What is it?"
The owner picked up a box and opened it, removing what appeared to be chainmail.
Kaito took it and examined it closely. It felt extremely sturdy!
Without chakra enhancement, it should block incoming shuriken and kunai. This would also reduce damage from projectiles thrown directly at him.
Combined with his chunin vest and shirt, ordinary shuriken would probably struggle to cause harm. Of course, other parts of his body would still be vulnerable.
The owner began explaining, "This is upper body mesh armor, it's—"
Kaito interrupted, "I want two sets of this as well."
The owner nodded. "Alright, it'll take about a week to prepare everything. Come back then."
Kaito nodded and left.
The next day, Kaito began warming up again, waiting for Hiruzen's arrival. Hodaka, Mieko, and Hiruzen all arrived before seven.
The group split up as before, with Hiruzen's real body remaining with Kaito.
Hiruzen instructed,
"First, review what you learned yesterday. Use a few vacuum spheres on that boulder."
Kaito followed the instruction, throwing several spheres at the boulder in succession. The first pierced most of the way through, and the second penetrated completely.
Hiruzen said,
"Very good. After yesterday's training, what conclusions have you drawn about the Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere?"
Kaito thought for a moment. "In terms of penetration, it's extremely powerful. However, the Vacuum Core collapses quickly after hitting the first target. So even though this technique can pierce any defense, it can't harm anything positioned behind that defense."
He looked at Hiruzen and continued,
"I wonder if increasing the Vacuum Core's size could solve this problem."
Hiruzen replied,
"Good analysis, but no. Once the Vacuum Core begins absorbing material, it collapses rapidly."
Kaito frowned thoughtfully.
I don't remember clearly, but Danzo's Vacuum techniques seemed able to continue after piercing obstacles. Why doesn't mine work that way?
Seeing Kaito frowning in concentration, Hiruzen smiled. He said,
"However, there is a method to solve this problem—to make the Vacuum technique last longer and strike multiple targets along its path."
He extended his right arm toward a tree. "Watch closely."
Kaito carefully observed the vacuum sphere forming in Hiruzen's palm. His brow furrowed. The Vacuum Core looked different, but he couldn't determine how.
Hiruzen launched the sphere. It pierced through the tree but maintained its form and continued forward.
Kaito's eyes widened as he watched the sphere penetrate thirteen trees before finally collapsing with a burst! He simply exclaimed,
"Incredible!"
Seeing Kaito's reaction, Hiruzen smiled with satisfaction. Kaito asked,
"The Vacuum Core looks different—what did you do?"
Hiruzen extended his arm forward. "Observe more closely."
A small Vacuum Core slowly formed in Hiruzen's palm, creating a one-centimeter radius core. Then a thin chakra layer wrapped around it.
However, instead of wind forming around the chakra membrane, another vacuum layer began forming!
As this outer vacuum formed, chakra extended from the inner membrane. The outer vacuum completely surrounded the inner core but was divided into six equal segments.
Between these six segments, chakra also flowed. Moreover, within these six vacuum chambers, thin chakra threads resembling veins branched throughout.
Hiruzen walked toward a nearby tree. "Come with me and observe carefully what happens when it contacts the tree."
Kaito followed. Hiruzen slowly pressed the Vacuum Core against the tree trunk.
The wood began disintegrating and was absorbed by the vacuum chambers. But after entering, the material was redirected toward the chakra between the chambers. Upon entering the chakra flow, it was expelled from the Vacuum Core entirely.
Kaito was astonished. "The absorbed material is ejected. So the Vacuum Core is preserved. And the innermost core isn't affected at all."
Hiruzen dispelled the jutsu and nodded.
"Exactly. This way your Vacuum Core lasts much longer. Once you master this, enemies will have to dodge your technique entirely, because blocking it with objects becomes nearly impossible."
Kaito nodded and smiled.
"This looks incredibly lethal! Thank you, Hokage-sama!"
Hiruzen smiled. "Now you try creating such a Vacuum Core."
Kaito nodded and began training.
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