Chapter 88: Water Transformation and the Summoning Jutsu
Coastal town, the third day of the New Year.
In the courtyard, Genichi's palm faced outwards. A stream of water gushed forth and rotated at high speed to form a water mirror, which reflected Uzumaki Ina on the other side as she performed the Golden Chain Seal (Kin sa Fūin).
A figure leaped out from the mirror and performed the same Golden Chain Seal. The chains, like golden willows, collided and then both collapsed.
Ina's eyes widened. "Lord Genichi, is this a newly developed jutsu?"
Genichi said with a faint smile, "No, I copied it from a Mist ninja with the Sharingan. It's called the Water Mirror Technique (Mizukagami no Jutsu)."
"This jutsu can reflect an identical opponent who can perform the same ninjutsu, just like a copy."
It was the first time Ina had seen such a ninjutsu. She couldn't help but exclaim, "Amazing!"
Genichi was also very satisfied. He then said, "Ina, go and buy some materials for making soldier pills. We'll be setting out again in a while."
Ina nodded, then asked, "Lord Genichi, where are we going?"
Genichi looked to the east. "Out to sea!"
"Let's go and see the Land of Water!"
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, half a month had passed.
On this day, the two of them checked out of their rented house, left the coastal town, and took a sea boat to the Land of Water. That night, they stayed on an island belonging to the Land of Water, and the next day, they arrived on the main island.
In a port town, Genichi and Ina, with backpacks on, looked like ordinary tourists, wandering among the small food stalls and sampling the delicacies.
For half a month, the two of them wandered through the streets and alleys of the prosperous towns of the Land of Water.
"Lord Genichi, are we just here to taste the food of the Land of Water?"
After eating until her stomach was round again, Ina couldn't help but ask after they returned to their inn.
Genichi asked with a smile, "What, don't you like it?"
Ina shook her head. "It's not that, it's just..." She couldn't quite put it into words.
Genichi chuckled lightly. "We're traveling, of course we have to see the different sights of various places."
"But I did get an idea for a new jutsu."
Ina exclaimed, "You have an idea for a new jutsu already?"
"What kind of ninjutsu is it? Water Release?"
Genichi nodded. "You could say that."
"A transformation jutsu based on Water Release."
Ina was puzzled. "Transformation Jutsu (Henge no Jutsu)?"
"Why would you want to develop a transformation jutsu?"
Genichi asked with a smile, "You remember the Water Mirror Technique (Mizukagami no Jutsu), right?"
"And what is the easiest point to see through in a normal Transformation Jutsu (Henge no Jutsu)?"
Ina answered quickly, "Chakra!"
"Everyone's chakra is different, each with its own characteristics. If it's a sensory ninja, it's very easy to identify."
"And even if you're not a sensory ninja, you can still sense and identify it if the other person's chakra is leaking."
"Secondly, there's intelligence... The Transformation Jutsu (Henge no Jutsu) can only change one's appearance and voice, but certain habits and personal information will expose you."
"So, the Transformation Jutsu (Henge no Jutsu) can only deceive an enemy for a short time."
Genichi nodded. "That's right."
"We won't talk about the intelligence aspect for now; that's not something a transformation can make up for."
"But the chakra... that's not necessarily impossible."
Ina's eyes lit up. "Lord Genichi, you mentioned the Water Mirror Technique (Mizukagami no Jutsu). It copies an identical opponent, even their ninjutsu is the same, and their chakra too. This means a water-based transformation could even imitate chakra."
Genichi nodded. The reason this idea had suddenly occurred to him was actually because he wanted to try and infiltrate the Village Hidden in the Mist. In terms of transformation jutsu, the strongest in the shinobi world should be White Zetsu. By absorbing chakra, he could transform so perfectly that not even the Byakugan could tell the difference; he could only be identified through intelligence. Yamato's transformation was also unique, performed with his Wood Style.
The Water Mirror Technique (Mizukagami no Jutsu) made Genichi realize that using Water Release to perform a transformation jutsu might have unexpected effects. Of course, an idea was just an idea. Whether the effect of the developed jutsu could reach the level he imagined was still unknown.
But what was the harm in trying?
The next day, the two of them left the town and continued towards the Village Hidden in the Mist, constantly stopping and starting. They ate, drank, saw different local customs, and memorized the geography, but they did not forget their training.
By the end of January, the two of them had arrived at the town closest to the Village Hidden in the Mist, and the Water Transformation (Mizu Henge) had finally been developed by Genichi.
Inside an inn, Genichi formed the "Zen" seal. Water vapor condensed around his body into a stream of water that wrapped around him, and then, with a poof, he was enveloped in smoke.
When the smoke cleared, Genichi had transformed into Uzumaki Ina. The real Ina opposite him looked him over carefully but could not see any flaws.
Genichi then flared his chakra. A dense chakra directly manifested outside his body, blooming with a blue light, and his red ponytail also floated up.
Ina said happily, "It's a perfect match! Even the chakra is completely simulated."
"This way, even a sensory ninja won't be able to identify it."
Genichi smiled and nodded, then returned to his original form.
He opened his large sealing scroll and took out one of the scrolls inside. "Ina, leave your handprint and chakra signature here."
Ina walked closer and looked at it, very puzzled. "Lord Genichi, this is a new summoning scroll. Do you want me to nurture a summoning animal too?"
Genichi shook his head. "No."
The large scroll he carried with him was also a summoning scroll, one he prepared for long-term use, to be passed down. But he had also bought smaller, relatively less high-quality summoning scrolls, preparing to find some "consumables." But having Ina sign this summoning scroll now was for another purpose.
Ina blinked her eyes and, full of doubt, left her bloody handprint and chakra signature. She asked, "What is this for?"
Genichi smiled. "Of course, it's for summoning. You've more or less mastered the Summoning Jutsu (Kuchiyose no Jutsu) by now and can summon Torao very well."
As he spoke, he also left his own blood handprint and chakra signature on the scroll.
"There. Now we can summon each other." Genichi smiled and put away the scroll.
Ina was stunned. "Um, can people be summoned too?"
Summoning each other? I've become a summoning animal? Can the Summoning Jutsu summon people? Ina's mind was full of questions. This was something she had truly never learned.
Genichi, however, smiled. "The Summoning Jutsu (Kuchiyose no Jutsu) has no rule that it can only summon summoning animals."
"As long as a contract is signed, it's possible."
"It's just that ordinary people would never sign a contract with each other. This requires an incomparable level of trust."
Hearing this, Ina's heart was filled with warmth, and she nodded heavily.
Genichi said again, "Come, let me try the Water Transformation with you."
Ina quickly stood shoulder-to-shoulder with him.
Genichi used the Art of Zen again. A stream of water condensed, then wrapped around the two of them.
Poof!
They were enveloped in smoke. When it cleared, Genichi had turned into Ina, and the Ina beside him had turned into Genichi.
Ina looked down at herself, then molded her chakra. The feeling she gave off was exactly that of Genichi.
Genichi looked on, very satisfied. This was one of the purposes of signing the summoning contract. He remembered that Naruto had cooperated with Gamabunta, with Naruto being responsible for the hand seals, and then having Gamabunta transform into the Nine-Tails.
Now, Genichi had made it so that he and Ina could use the Water Transformation at the same time. And the summoning contract itself could also be used in the future to evade unavoidable dangers, whether it was him casting the Summoning Jutsu (Kuchiyose no Jutsu) to summon Ina to his side, or Ina summoning him to hers.
This idea had originated from the Sage of Six Paths and the Six Paths of Pain. At the end of the Fourth Great Ninja War, the Sage of Six Paths had worked with the many Kage to summon Naruto and the others back from Kaguya's dimension. And the Animal Path of Pain could summon the other Pains to its side.
Genichi didn't have the strength of the Sage of Six Paths. And he and Ina had no chakra connection, so they couldn't do what the Six Paths of Pain did. So, they would use a summoning scroll to sign a contract and establish a connection between them.
"Alright, rest early. Tomorrow, we'll go and see the Village Hidden in the Mist."
Having made his final preparations, Genichi had Ina go back to her room.
(End of Chapter)
❃❃❃
⤑ Show your support with Power Stones!
⤑ Unlock a Bonus Chapter every time we hit 400 Power Stones!
❃❃❃
♕ Get early access to 20+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
🔗 https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Hollowborn
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to open the link!)
💬 Enjoying the story? Drop a review!
Your support really helps the series grow—thank you!