Kaoru was truly strong.
For someone with no bloodline power and no kekkei genkai, reaching her current level was already extraordinary.
With the Flying Thunder God Technique, she could stand undefeated against the vast majority of opponents.
"The Uchiha called Yūma can use Yin–Yang Release."
"And he sealed Flying Thunder God through a barrier."
"This time you were simply ambushed."
Kyūsei looked at the blonde girl before him and quietly took out a small cube-shaped iron box from his coat.
Each side had a demonic face-shaped gate carved into it. Under the room's lighting it emitted a strange aura.
The Box of Bliss.
A ninja tool created by the Sage of Six Paths to seal the monster Satori.
But now that Satori had been destroyed, the box was completely empty.
It was precisely this artifact that Kyūsei had used to smash open Yūma's Yin–Yang barrier.
As expected—
If it was made by the Sage of Six Paths, the quality was guaranteed.
"What is that?"
Kaoru looked at the cube curiously.
"This is one of the Sage of Six Paths' ninja tools."
"The Box of Bliss."
As Kyūsei slowly explained its origin, Kaoru couldn't help looking at him with concern.
Kyūsei's teacher…
Hatake Sakumo.
The atmosphere in the room suddenly grew heavy.
"Kyūsei… I'm sorry…"
Kaoru lowered her head in frustration.
Kyūsei gently stroked her golden hair.
"It's not your fault."
"Why are you apologizing?"
"Teacher may be gone…"
"But that Uchiha Yūma is still alive."
"I'll send him—"
"And everyone else…"
"Down to accompany my teacher."
His tone was calm.
Yet the words were ruthless.
"Teacher once told me…"
'Turn this imperfect world into the world you want.'
"The world I want…"
"Is one where no one dares attack me."
"No one dares plot against me."
"No one dares harm the people I care about."
Kyūsei tugged lightly at Kaoru 's cheek.
"You're part of that world too."
"For our Dragon Vein plan, Akatsuki is the biggest obstacle."
"So we'll just kick them out of the way."
Kaoru wasn't sure if it was her imagination.
But Kyūsei seemed… different.
Something had changed since before they left.
She didn't know whether that change was good or bad.
But the only thing she could do—
Was help him.
"But compared to all that…"
"The most important thing right now is that you recover properly."
Kyūsei suddenly smiled.
"Mm…"
Kaoru sat quietly on the bed.
"What's wrong?"
Kyūsei asked.
"My combat ability is too one-dimensional right now."
"Kyūsei… what direction should I develop in?"
She stared out the window into the dark night.
Clearly—
She had realized her own weakness.
During their recent battles—
Whether it was against five tailed beasts controlled by the Eight-Tails…
Or against Uzumaki Menma…
She realized something.
At most, she had been acting as support.
In direct combat—
It had always been Kyūsei carrying the fight.
She needed a stronger combat style.
Kyūsei thought for a moment.
Flying Thunder God, one of Tobirama Senju's greatest creations, was unbelievably practical.
Combat.
Escape.
Reconnaissance.
It excelled at everything.
But Tobirama himself had never relied on Flying Thunder God as heavily as Kaoru did.
He also possessed powerful Water Release and numerous forbidden techniques.
Among them:
Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags
Reanimation (Edo Tensei)
After thinking for a moment, Kyūsei spoke.
"Kaoru … have you ever considered Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags?"
"?"
Kaoru looked at him in confusion.
Of course she knew that technique.
It was another jutsu created by Second Hokage Tobirama Senju, just like Flying Thunder God.
But there was a problem.
A big one.
Money.
The technique used one explosive tag as a base.
Then used a summoning formula to endlessly summon more tags.
Creating an infinite chain explosion.
The power was terrifying.
But how many explosive tags would that require?
On the market, one explosive tag cost about 1000 ryō.
Ten tags — 10,000 ryō.
One hundred tags — 100,000 ryō.
And if they were fighting something like a tailed beast—
A hundred tags probably wouldn't even kill it.
How much money would that cost?
Kaoru glanced at Kyūsei silently.
She had made a mistake.
She never should've asked him this question.
"Uh… that's not what I meant…"
Kyūsei scratched his head, realizing she misunderstood.
"What if there were a technique that could mass-produce explosive tags?"
He suddenly thought of someone.
The new leader of Amegakure.
Konan.
In the original timeline, she would become the White Tiger of Akatsuki.
Her Paper Release could mass-produce explosive tags.
Especially that terrifying technique she used later against Obito—
Paper Person of God Technique.
Six hundred billion explosive tags.
Even Obito had to use Izanagi to survive.
A true walking pay-to-win player.
Many people joked that the technique was funded by Kakuzu's lifetime savings.
But that was just a joke.
If the Land of Fire could produce 100 million explosive tags per year, Hiruzen would immediately march an army to Akatsuki's doorstep.
And at 1000 ryō per tag—
Six hundred billion tags would cost six hundred trillion ryō.
Even selling Kakuzu wouldn't cover that.
Forget Kakuzu.
Even if they sold Hashirama Senju, it wouldn't be enough.
Six hundred trillion.
If Hashirama heard he was worth that much—
He'd probably package himself immediately.
"Mass-producing explosive tags…"
"The leader of Amegakure—Konan?"
Kaoru suddenly understood.
In the limited number of times the Rain Village's new leader had appeared—
She fought primarily using explosive tags.
And she had the ability to turn into paper and fly.
"Exactly."
"If you could learn that ability…"
"And engrave Flying Thunder God marks on every explosive tag…"
Kyūsei's eyes lit up.
Kaoru hesitated.
"But that's their secret technique…"
She felt puzzled.
Yes, the ability suited her extremely well.
But they were enemies.
Why would the leader of Amegakure teach her such a secret?
Konan was a civilian.
She didn't have a kekkei genkai.
Which meant her Paper Release was likely a secret technique, similar to the Nara clan's Shadow Possession.
In theory—
Anyone could learn it if they had the right conditions.
And besides…
Even though Konan was an enemy—
Her teacher…
Was one of their people, wasn't he?
Right?
Jiraiya.
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