Chapter 26: "The Kato Surname", A Fresh Memory in My Mind
Chapter 26: "The Kato Surname", A Fresh Memory in My Mind
The underworld possessed a natural suppressive force over the souls of the deceased.
Even someone as powerful as Yui Gengetsu found it difficult to counter the pulling force of the underworld that loomed over him.
If he hadn't been cautious and kept his soul partially tethered to his Impure World Reincarnation body during his first attempt, he wouldn't be standing here so effortlessly now.
"In a semi-detached soul state, I can barely stabilize myself against the pull of the underworld. If my soul were completely detached, I wouldn't be able to move an inch. Forget about reintegrating with my true body; just taking a step forward would cause the underworld's force to pull me upward."
Yui Gengetsu stroked his chin and looked up at the clear, cloudless sky as he pondered.
He had to find a way to counter the pull of the underworld or strengthen his soul.
"Soul..."
Yui Gengetsu furrowed his brows.
There were countless ninjutsu techniques in the world, but secret techniques pertaining to the soul were exceedingly rare.
It couldn't be helped; the soul was a mysterious entity.
In his previous life, he had focused more on chakra analysis and had always been extremely cautious when it came to the soul.
He couldn't be like Orochimaru, treating others and himself with such disregard, tinkering with their souls recklessly.
To mess with one's soul to the point of disarray and unrecognizability without dying was more a matter of good fortune than skill.
Yui Gengetsu's understanding of the soul was not deep.
He had tried the handful of soul techniques he knew from his previous life, but the results were not promising.
Looking up once more at the rift in the underworld above, Yui Gengetsu skillfully returned his soul to his Impure World Reincarnation body and shook his head.
"It's still no use. The resistance from the underworld is too overwhelming. Breaking the boundary between life and death is not so simple."
The Rinnegan was successful because of its inherently high quality.
Just like the Ten-Tails and Kaguya Otsutsuki, these extraterrestrial beings possessed extraordinary powers.
As the ultimate reliance of the Otsutsuki clan, the dominant force of the universe, the capabilities of the Rinnegan extended far beyond resurrection.
"It's a pity that I'm not a reincarnation of Ashura or Indra's chakra. Even if I acquired their flesh, I wouldn't be able to evolve the Rinnegan."
Aside from the pure-blooded Otsutsuki clan, only the reincarnation of Indra's chakra could awaken the Rinnegan by transplanting the flesh or cells of a reincarnation of Ashura's chakra within the entire ninja world.
Combinations like an Uchiha and a Senju having a child, or Madara transplanting Hashirama's cells, would not result in the birth of the Rinnegan. The most that could be achieved was the development of wood-style jutsu, as seen with Obito.
The Rinnegan was too far out of reach, so it was best to set it aside for now.
As he continued his attempts, the sky gradually darkened, and the temperature dropped by over ten degrees compared to the daytime.
Yui Gengetsu paid it no mind as he sat cross-legged.
His Impure World Reincarnation body had no sense of temperature, no pain receptors, no fatigue, no need for food, and no bodily functions.
Without these distractions, he could focus entirely on the problem at hand.
"Should I set chakra research aside for now and dedicate all my energy to studying the soul?"
Yui Gengetsu considered the idea but rejected it.
Aside from the uncertainty of success, even if he could succeed, it would consume a vast amount of time and energy.
What he lacked the most right now was time.
While his Impure World Reincarnation body wouldn't dissipate in ten or so days, the remaining time was insufficient to yield results in soul research.
It had taken Orochimaru, the most brilliant scientist in the ninja world, at least a decade to develop the Imperfect Body Revival Technique.
Despite his high talent, Yui Gengetsu didn't dare claim that he could do it in a shorter time.
If he were truly that brilliant, he would have already completed his bloodline limit research and become undefeated across the world, with no need to be here, deep in thought.
Chapter 26: "The Kato Surname" - A Fresh Memory in My Mind
Yuyi Xuan Yue never underestimated others. Although he was known as a figure who rivaled the gods, he was still just one man, and his lifespan was limited. Compared to himself, the accumulated knowledge of the ninja world over the millennia would naturally hold more suitable solutions.
Yuyi Xuan Yue began to think seriously. As he had considered before, what he needed most right now was a special soul technique that could ignore distance and allow him to move instantaneously. Once his soul reached his true body and fused with it perfectly, it would be like his soul residing in the Impure World Reincarnation body, and the underworld would have no hold over him.
"Is there such a soul technique in the ninja world?" Yuyi Xuan Yue pondered, trying to recall deeply buried memories from long ago.
Suddenly!
An image flashed through his mind—a passionate, bloody scene.
To describe it in one word: "accommodating."
No, not "accommodating"!
More accurately, it was the "accommodating" guy who died early on.
That man, who had dreams of being the protagonist but didn't have the luck to match.
If he remembered correctly, his name was Duan, right?
As for the surname...
Hehe.
The surname "Kato" had left a deep impression on Yuyi Xuan Yue, who had studied the works of countless authors in his previous life. Even after so many years, he could still clearly remember this minor character, who only appeared for a short time, because of the name "Kato."
"Soul Transformation Technique!"
When he thought of Kato Duan, Yuyi Xuan Yue immediately recalled the ninjutsu that had made a stunning appearance during the Fourth Great Ninja War.
This S-rank soul technique, which allowed one's soul to temporarily leave the body, move regardless of distance, kill enemies, control their bodies, or enter their spiritual world, was exactly what he needed!
Yuyi Xuan Yue's eyes lit up.
This was it!
He had to get his hands on it!
With his resurrection plan at stake, Yuyi Xuan Yue couldn't wait any longer and immediately got up, ready to take action.
However, there was one more thing he needed to confirm before he began.
Where was the Soul Transformation Technique? Kato Duan was dead, and even if he were to use Impure World Reincarnation on him, he could only force him to fight; he couldn't make him divulge the method of cultivating the Soul Transformation Technique.
As for watching the hand seals of the opponent and directly learning and using the same ninjutsu? Come on, give it a try and see if you can summon a giant Buddha.
The Soul Transformation Technique was classified as S-rank, not because of the effect of the technique itself, but because of the difficulty of learning it.
Learning ninjutsu was a risky endeavor for ninjas.
The reason why certain techniques were called "forbidden" was not just because of their destructive power; after all, a simple Fireball Jutsu could also kill a person.
More often, it was because the process of cultivating these techniques carried a high risk of harming the practitioner, even endangering their lives.
This was why Konoha had established the "Sealed Book," prohibiting the dissemination of certain techniques.
Take the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, for example. If a ninja with average chakra levels attempted this technique, they would immediately deplete their chakra and perish.
If there were no restrictions and individuals were left to cultivate these techniques freely, out of a hundred self-proclaimed exceptional ninjas, ninety or more would meet their end.
Not every ninja was like Namikaze Minato or Uzumaki Naruto.
That said, Yuyi Xuan Yue wasn't too worried about not being able to find the Soul Transformation Technique.
As beings who lived on the edge, constantly facing life and death situations, ninjas would naturally record their unique ninjutsu, ensuring that their knowledge was passed down within their families or hidden villages, so that their legacy would continue even if they perished.
As a ninja of Konoha, Kato Duan would undoubtedly have done the same.
(End of Chapter)
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