Chapter 87: The Water Mirror Technique
On the sea vessel, under the dumbfounded gazes of Feiyun, Genichi took out a host of instruments and proceeded to draw blood and extract bone marrow from Hōzuki Seigetsu.
Sarutobi Shinnosuke was also very surprised.
After he was finished, Genichi turned his head and smiled. "You know, Shinnosuke-senpai, I'm also a medical ninja. I often do experiments with Lady Tsunade, so this is very reasonable, right?"
Hearing this, Shinnosuke couldn't help but smile and nod repeatedly. "Reasonable, very reasonable!"
Feiyun couldn't help but ask, "Genichi, is there anything you can't do?"
Genichi packed up his things and stood up. "There's a lot I can't do."
"I can't use Earth, Lightning, or Fire Release."
Feiyun looked speechlessly at Shinnosuke. Is this guy really nine years old?
Shinnosuke smiled. "Feiyun, Genichi is called 'the genjutsu genius who surpasses the Uchiha' by the Cloud ninja."
"Lord Third once said that Genichi's Water Release can surpasses that of the Second Hokage in the future."
Feiyun was shocked again. He had heard the former, but this was the first time he had heard the Third Hokage's evaluation.
Just then, Hōzuki Seigetsu spoke up. "You are Kinoshita Genichi? You're not from the Uchiha clan?"
He had heard of Genichi's name. After all, he had a bounty on his head from the Cloud Village and had been hyped up as a genjutsu genius who surpassed the Uchiha. He had never expected that he would actually possess the Sharingan.
Damn it! If he had known he was facing Kinoshita Genichi, he would absolutely not have fallen for his genjutsu so easily.
Genichi paid no attention to him and turned his head, putting him to sleep with a genjutsu.
Shinnosuke asked, "Genichi, are you returning to the village with us?"
Genichi shook his head. "No, I still have things I haven't finished."
"Senpai, I'll leave this guy to you. I'm going back first."
Shinnosuke didn't say much, just nodded in agreement.
Genichi then formed a seal, summoning his Tiger-Headed Eagle, Torao, from high in the sky. He leaped onto its back. "Senpai, see you back in the village!"
With that, Torao flapped its wings and soared into the sky.
Shinnosuke and Feiyun watched as the giant eagle rapidly flew away. After withdrawing his gaze, Feiyun turned and asked, "Shinnosuke, that guy doesn't look like he's the same age as Asuma at all, does he?"
In Feiyun's eyes, Genichi should have been about the same age as Shinnosuke.
Shinnosuke smiled. "Geniuses are different, of course." And I'm about five years older than them!
Feiyun shook his head. "You're a genius too, but you're not that exaggerated."
Shinnosuke smiled and said nothing, but in his heart, he actually felt the same as Feiyun. For Genichi to have so easily captured the Mist Jonin Hōzuki Seigetsu, whom even he had found difficult to deal with, using genjutsu was indeed a bit exaggerated. Before, he had thought the title of "genjutsu genius who surpasses the Uchiha" was just the Cloud Village deliberately hyping him up to sow discord. Now, Shinnosuke felt that perhaps he was worthy of the name.
...
On Torao's back, Genichi sat cross-legged, contemplating the Water Mirror Technique (Mizukagami no Jutsu) that Seigetsu had used earlier.
In his past life's memory, this jutsu had only appeared once: when the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, had used it against Jinchuriki-mode Naruto and Killer Bee. It had even copied the Tailed Beast's chakra, which was absurd.
Now, having experienced it firsthand, Genichi realized that this jutsu had something in common with his own Kyōka Suigetsu: the principle of reflection in water. Genichi used reflections to construct an extremely realistic illusionary world to compensate for his own shortcomings in controlling the five senses. The Water Mirror Technique also used this point of reflection.
Although Seigetsu had not used hand seals when casting the Water Mirror Technique earlier, copying a ninjutsu with the Sharingan relied on more than just copying hand seals. In fact, hand seals were just one key step. The more crucial part was actually the change in chakra within the body when the ninjutsu was cast.
The perceptive ability of the Sharingan and its dynamic vision were only a superficial part of it. Perceiving the flow of chakra was its true core. To be able to cast a corresponding ninjutsu just by memorizing the hand seals, one would have to be a genius among geniuses. And even then, when faced with an A-rank ninjutsu, it would be impossible to directly copy it just by relying on the hand seals.
For the casting of a ninjutsu, hand seals were not essential, but nature transformation was fundamental. Therefore, for copying a ninjutsu, the change in chakra was the most critical part. This was why, when Kakashi fought Momochi Zabuza and copied the Water Dragon Bullet Technique (Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu), he was able to cast it simultaneously, even starting after him. It was naturally not as simple as just copying hand seals.
So, the fact that Seigetsu had cast the Water Mirror Technique without hand seals didn't have much of an impact on Genichi. The lack of hand seals to assist just meant that he would have to spend more time contemplating the mysteries of the chakra transformation.
Unfortunately, a secret technique like the Hydrification Technique (Suika no Jutsu) could not be copied by the Sharingan. Because the time it took to switch the body to a hydrated state was too short. Not only were there no hand seals, but the insight into the internal changes of the chakra was also far from sufficient, thus it could not be copied.
Furthermore, Genichi also noticed that the water nature transformation inherent in a secret technique like the Hydrification Technique was different from the commonly mastered water nature transformation. He speculated that the reason the Sharingan couldn't copy various hereditary secret techniques was because of this uniqueness in their nature transformation. For example, the Nara clan's shadow techniques belonged to Yin Release, but they were clearly different from conventional Yin Release nature transformation. The Yamanaka clan's Mind Body Switch Technique also belonged to Yin Release, but it was not a genjutsu. Instead, it had many similarities to the S-rank ninjutsu, the Spirit Transformation Technique, and was remarkably similar in principle. The same was true for the Akimichi clan's Expansion Jutsu.
Whether it was ninjutsu or genjutsu, the prerequisite for casting it was to first master the nature transformation. This was fundamental. And the same was true for copying with the Sharingan.
After returning home, Genichi let Torao go and find its own food, while he himself went back to his study to continue contemplating the Water Mirror Technique. He felt this jutsu was very good and worth copying.
Before he knew it, the New Year had arrived. Konoha Year 45 had passed, and Year 46 had begun. It had been almost five years since Genichi had awakened his past life's memories.
The first day of the New Year was very lively in the small town. Genichi also took a rare day off from training and wandered around the town with Ina, experiencing the bustling atmosphere of the normal world.
In Konoha Village, Shizune leaned against a corridor pillar, staring blankly at the fireworks blooming in the sky.
Behind her, Tsunade crossed her arms and snorted lightly. "That guy is perfectly safe, don't worry!"
Shizune came back to her senses, a little happy. "Lady Tsunade, do you have news of Genichi?"
Tsunade nodded slightly. "Shinnosuke came back two days ago. He said he ran into him near the East Sea."
Shizune breathed a complete sigh of relief, but the longing in her heart surged up even more like a tide.
"Shizune, Shizune!" A voice came from outside.
Shizune looked at Tsunade. "It's Rin!"
Tsunade waved her hand. "Go on!"
Shizune nodded, then ran out the door.
Outside, it wasn't just Rin Nohara. Kurenai Yuhi, Sarutobi Asuma, Kakashi, and Might Guy were also gathered there. Now that they had graduated from the Ninja Academy, it was a rare occasion for them to get together.
After greeting each other, Asuma said, "Shizune, have you heard any news about Genichi?"
Shizune nodded and smiled. "I just heard from Lady Tsunade. He's traveling near the East Sea!"
Might Guy said, "The East Sea! He actually went so far away. By the way, if we take a mission over there next time, do you think we'll run into him?" As he spoke, Guy pinched his chin in serious thought.
Shiranui Genma said lazily, "Guy, the probability of that is too low."
"But, Asuma, what's the situation with that guy Genichi?"
Asuma said, "It was my older brother who ran into him on a mission. I hear he's become even stronger!"
Ebisu pushed up his sunglasses. "I was just thinking, will he become the youngest Jonin in Konoha's history?"
(End of Chapter)
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