Chapter 410: Establishment
"Come along. That was the Gravity Dimension meant for newcomers. Now, let's look at a different zone."
Tobitake Tonbo continued to lead the group to inspect the other pocket dimensions, letting them try out the training conditions in those environments as well.
"The Flaming Mountains... the Void... the Swamp Zone..."
One unimaginable environment after another unfolded before their eyes. These desolate, harsh landscapes were far more brutal than the deserts of Sunagakure. It was a mystery how Tonbo had even conceived the idea of training in such places.
Furthermore, according to his specific taijutsu blueprint, a practitioner was required to survive in each individual layer of these dimensions for an entire year—without eating or drinking. Only then could one fully master the ultimate esoteric art: the Eight Great Tremors.
The medical and diagnostic facilities back in the Gravity Dimension were merely technological aids designed to support beginners. In the later phases, a shinobi had to rely entirely on their own sheer willpower to endure and conquer the training.
Rock Lee stared at the seemingly impossible landscapes. "Surviving in each of these environments for a whole year without any food provided... Guy-sensei, is that even something a human being can achieve?"
Hearing this, a cold sweat broke out across Might Guy's face. "I am afraid this might just be a wild fantasy of Tonbo's, Lee. If no food is provided, wouldn't we simply starve to death? Therefore, it must be a fantasy."
"No, it is definitely not a fantasy. I have already engineered a specific technique that even someone with zero ninjutsu talent, like Lee, can easily master. It's called Gluttony. It allows a practitioner to absorb nutrients directly from the ambient air, or even eat soil and grass to extract essential elemental compounds to sustain the body's nutritional requirements. So, rest assured. You two are the optimal test subjects for this technique; you will blaze a new trail for all taijutsu ninja across the world. I recall you two saying things like that quite often, right?"
Tonbo explained with a subtle smirk, hearing their exchange. His tone clearly implied that he had already accounted for every single variable. Even if there were things he hadn't anticipated, it didn't matter because he was fully prepared. The monitoring systems weren't just for show; the moment an emergency arose, he could pull them out immediately.
Lee felt his legs go weak. "This is far too absurd, Guy-sensei. The willpower of my youth is actually starting to wane."
Guy added, "It's alright, Lee, because the youth in me is fading too. I think it might be time for me to retire."
"This is absolutely magnificent! It feels like it was practically tailor-made for me! Senior Tonbo, as expected of you. Please look after me from now on; the first man to conquer the Eight Great Tremors will definitely be me!" Shira exclaimed, his eyes gleaming with intense fervor after testing all the zones and hearing Tonbo's explanation.
This caliber of physical conditioning was simply spectacular. He could already feel that the Seven Heavens Breathing Method he had independently developed was reaching its bottleneck. This system offered him a path to grow exponentially stronger—and it required nothing but pure taijutsu.
"Darn it, Lee! We absolutely cannot lose to a guy from an outside village! We must pull ourselves together!" Hearing Shira's declaration, Guy's slumped, dejected face instantly snapped back to life with burning enthusiasm.
Lee felt exactly the same. Staring at Shira's burning resolve, he stated firmly, "You're right, Guy-sensei! We can definitely pull this off! So what if it means going without food and water while enduring eight different dimensions? We can do it!"
Yet, despite their fiery words, tears were already streaming down their faces. No food, no water, and for an entire year... Waah!
"Incredible. We'll leave this sort of grueling task to you young folks. An old man like me will just pop in occasionally for a casual workout. I'm getting too old for this, too old," the Raikage remarked, clearing his throat awkwardly.
Onoki chimed in, "Indeed. I'm just a bundle of old bones now. The rest is up to you youngsters."
Meanwhile, the younger generation like Darui and Chojuro were breaking out in cold sweats. Were they expected to set an example for their subordinates? That sounded entirely too brutal. Wait, they were slated to become the next Kage in the future; they would be completely buried under administrative duties. They could easily delegate this training to the rest of the global population down the line.
Orochimaru licked his lips playfully. "My child is about to be born soon. I wonder if I should have him come experience this system when the time comes?"
...
With the core mechanics established, the Taijutsu Training System was officially complete. Following a comprehensive deliberation among the Five Kage, a standardized training protocol was established. They would initially dispatch a small test group to run a trial phase. Once the prototype was verified to be completely stable, they would formally allocate personnel for full-scale training.
To avoid wasting valuable resources, each hidden village would only be permitted to send their most strong-willed, dedicated shinobi to train within the system each year. In return, the foreign villages would supply the raw medicinal materials, which Konoha would process and provide back to the trainees free of charge. This arrangement served as their capital investment.
Enormous amounts of funding would be poured into the system annually, and not a single Kage raised an objection. When the elite Jonin of the various villages learned of the specific parameters, they offered no resistance either; this was undeniably a massive net positive for their respective nations.
Naturally, Konoha walked away with the premium benefit. Because the physical entrance to this massive training system was anchored directly within Konoha, it would serve as an incredibly potent economic driver for the Hidden Leaf.
...
"According to verified reports from the Konoha News Network:
Headed by Captain Tonbo, with comprehensive logistics technology provided by Orochimaru, Director of the Scientific Technology Development Bureau, alongside vital medical backing from the Bureau's staff and the Konoha Hospital, the Shinobi Alliance Taijutsu Training System has officially been established. This marks yet another revolutionary institution introduced by the Shinobi Alliance, following the inception of the Shinobi Association.
The Hidden Mist, Hidden Sand, Hidden Cloud, and Hidden Stone villages have likewise committed substantial resources, making profound contributions to the creation of this training system.
According to our broadcast correspondents, following the implementation of the Taijutsu Training System, physical combat specialists are poised to become a core mainstream force, allowing shinobi with subpar chakra control to ascend as true powerhouses—much like Konoha's own Blue Beast, Might Guy.
This broadcast is jointly presented by the Five Great Nations and the Five Great Shinobi Villages. We will now enter a brief commercial break; please tune back in ten minutes for an in-depth analytical report."
Across the televisions of the various nations, the breaking news issued by the Shinobi Alliance instantly triggered a firestorm of public debate throughout the entire Shinobi World.
"What is going on? Haven't we already entered an era of absolute peace? Why are they suddenly training such terrifyingly powerful ninja?"
"Could it be that the leaders of the Shinobi Alliance and the high-ranking officials of the Five Great Nations are plotting to completely unify the world by force?"
"I think that's highly likely! Whether we have peace or war is entirely up to the Five Great Nations and their hidden villages anyway. What do ordinary people like us even matter?!"
"But why would they broadcast it so publicly? Does this mean we might actually have an opportunity to participate as well?"
Speculation ran rampant. A pervasive anxiety gripped the populace, with many wondering if another catastrophic event was on the horizon, threatening to plunge the world back into open warfare. The Fourth Shinobi World War had inflicted staggering, devastating losses across all nations, claiming the lives of countless shinobi. To establish such a brutal training system now felt, to many, like a blatant disrespect to the hard-won peace.
A multitude of citizens even took to the streets in protest, organizing demonstrations to actively boycott the newly announced system.
Among the chaos, certain individuals with hidden agendas sought to exploit the situation to destabilize the Shinobi World. These instigators were primarily rogue ninja who had deserted their posts during the Fourth World War out of sheer cowardice. Their propaganda was highly effective; as rogue ninja, the more chaotic the world became, the less time the Shinobi Alliance would have to hunt them down.
Despite the Shinobi Alliance quickly issuing formal statements to dispel the rumors, the deliberate instigation by these malicious actors gradually birthed pockets of civil unrest. Because the announcement had come directly from official news outlets, its sheer scale inevitably caused various factions to waiver.
However, among the shifting global powers, those organizations, corporations, and clans that inherently favored stability—specifically those that either employed elite ninja or possessed internal leadership—swiftly managed to stabilize their own territories. Possessing a firm grasp of the grand global landscape, they recognized that this training system would ultimately have zero negative impact on their core operations.
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