"Unfortunately, figuring out a Kekkei Genkai is still too difficult," Takuno sighed.
At his current pace, even the relatively simple Ice Release would devour vast amounts of his time, let alone something like Swift Release or Dark Release.
So, should he keep pursuing the fusion of Kekkei Genkai right now?
For Takuno, all of those were long-term projects he had to finish, but beyond them he also had other uses for the Spirit Transformation Jutsu, such as…
The Lightning Release Chakra Mode he had demonstrated in front of Yugito.
Cloud shinobi might be short on other affinities, but they have Lightning in abundance; with those specimens he was confident he could reverse-engineer the true Lightning Release Chakra Mode, even if the final result differed in detail.
When that happened, his fake Lightning Release Chakra Mode would become the real thing.
Then the identity of "The Collector" would sink deeper into fog, leaving every spy groping in the dark.
Besides, while practicing Wind Release: Rasenshuriken he had thought of using Lightning Release to stimulate nerve-electrical signals with pinpoint accuracy, forcibly jacking up reflex speed; that experiment could now begin.
If it succeeded, the leap in combat power might surpass even Kekkei Genkai—speed is the razor edge between life and death.
Most importantly, faster neural reflexes tied into another matter: the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Of course, he hadn't mastered it himself; the thought frustrated him. He had completely deciphered the Flying Thunder God formula, yet still couldn't perform it, so his research was purely to guard against the Flying Thunder God Technique!
He couldn't be sure when he might stand against Minato. If the things he'd done came to light, the outcome would be ugly, and facing Minato could become necessary.
To fight Minato, the first priority wasn't a more powerful Ninjutsu, it was finding a way to counter the Flying Thunder God.
With Mind's Eye of Kagura, he wasn't worried about failing to detect the technique.
But detecting it and reacting in time were two very different problems.
So if he could push his neural reflexes higher and pair them with Mind's Eye of Kagura's lock-on, he would have a basic counter to the Flying Thunder God.
Once he could deal with the Flying Thunder God, Minato's threat level would plummet.
Takuno's eyes narrowed. In truth he was only making contingency plans; overall, open conflict with Minato wasn't highly likely.
The only secrets that might surface were his experiments, Yamato's abduction, and his war instigation—and unless Minato probed his memories, exposure was almost impossible.
Everything he'd harvested on battlefields had no Konoha ties, so even if discovered Minato might question or punish him without branding him a missing-nin.
Still, the chance of a clash wasn't zero, so it was best to prepare early.
Plan within the tent, win beyond a thousand li!
With that in mind he decided: tackle the easier Lightning secret techniques first to boost his strength, then return to the harder Kekkei Genkai.
Even so, inventing a Lightning secret technique in a short time wasn't realistic.
Besides, he had come to the Land of Hot Springs to "convalesce"; that period couldn't last forever—sooner or later he had to return to Konoha and to the war.
Now, the battlefield offered him little further benefit, yet he still had to take part in this war.
"Such a waste of time," Takuno muttered. Ending the war was too troublesome, so instead he needed a way to wage war while continuing Spirit Transformation Jutsu experiments.
Because only his real body could perform those experiments, the one remaining on the front would have to be a clone.
A Shadow Clone might disperse from minor mishaps, and he wouldn't be near the base; if it vanished he might never learn what happened—not ideal.
Takuno frowned. A Shadow Clone did return memories and Chakra to the original when released, but that didn't mean distance was irrelevant.
When Naruto fought the Six Paths of Pain, the Shadow Clone gathering Senjutsu Chakra had to be reverse-summoned to the battlefield before dispersing; it couldn't simply time its release to coincide with Sage Mode's duration.
Most likely the Senjutsu Chakra would have run out en route from Mount Myōboku to Konoha.
Memory transmission worked the same way.
Therefore leaving only a Shadow Clone carried a high risk of accidents without his learning of them—far too troublesome.
If Shadow Clones were out, Takuno turned his attention to Wood Clones.
Not the Wood Clone in front of him, that was one he had simulated from many clone techniques, not the high-level Wood Release: Wood Clone of the original story.
Still, with his mastery of numerous clone methods, deducing the true Wood Clone wasn't hard.
Wood Clones, being wooden constructs, boasted greater defense and offense than ordinary Shadow Clones, cost less Chakra to maintain, and let him adjust their Chakra allocation instead of forcibly splitting it evenly.
Most crucially, in canon Wood Clones could share information with the original in real time for precise intel gathering—both the First Hokage and Yamato's Wood Clones had shown this.
That was far more convenient than Shadow Clones, which had to be released to return memories.
Unfortunately, the Land of Snow was hardly next door to the Konoha–Cloud battlefield; if Shadow Clones couldn't transmit memories, Wood Clones probably couldn't share info in real time either.
Even so, it would suffice.
Because Wood Clones weren't made purely of Chakra like Shadow Clones, they were more independent.
When the original took severe damage, Shadow Clones were forcibly dispelled, but a deployed Wood Clone became a wholly separate entity and wouldn't vanish for that reason.
That freed his real body to do many things without fear that a medical-bay Shadow Clone might pop because of his condition.
As for other dispel conditions, like taking damage beyond their tolerance, he could live with that risk.
But inside the medical ward, even if an accident might occur, nothing too drastic could happen; the chance of the Wood Clone being forcibly dispelled was slim.
Slim, but not impossible.
That uncertainty gave Takuno a headache. He disliked variables, no matter how low the probability.
So, should he send a crow to tail it?
He drummed his fingers on the desk. He actually hated revealing that his summoned beast was a crow, yet without exposing it the bird couldn't follow the Wood Clone.
He couldn't suddenly claim he'd taken up pet-keeping; anyone could tell a Ninja beast from a common animal.
Letting the crow merely circle overhead was even less feasible, no battlefield would tolerate an unidentified beast in the sky.
Remember, Ninja beasts are intelligent; an unfamiliar one inside camp would be assumed an enemy scout and killed on sight.
The safest option, then, was to admit one crow as his summoned beast and have it accompany the Wood Clone, ready to alert him through their contract if anything went wrong.
Takuno reviewed his other identity as "The Collector": his mask was an unrelated fox mask, basically unconnected to crows.
He had always been careful, never choosing masks that hinted at any link—fox for the Collector, hawk for the deputy commander of Anbu.
So revealing a crow summoned beast should pose no problem.
After more thought he found no better solution; the decision was made.
Yet one issue remained.
He needed to perfect the true Wood Release: Wood Clone Technique and craft a flawless clone.
Several days later.
Takuno looked at the Wood Clone before him, satisfaction in his eyes.
Working out the genuine Wood Release: Wood Clone Technique hadn't been hard; no matter how advanced, it was still a clone jutsu and therefore traceable.
Besides, he had already mastered the Shadow Clone, which was only slightly inferior, and that made it easier.
Although this Wood Clone still lacked the polish of a Shadow Clone, it was good enough; pushing further would waste time for little gain.
Watching the clone, a sudden spark flashed through his mind.
Since the Wood Clone could share information with him in real time, could he build an intel network like White Zetsu's?
Keep two Wood Clones at maximum sharing distance, hidden inside trees to mask their presence.
Plant those trees across the entire Ninja World and—
Takuno narrowed his eyes, then shook his head.
Wood Clones weren't White Zetsu; Zetsu generated its own Chakra, while a clone couldn't. Even at minimum drain it wouldn't last.
Still, the idea could be shelved for later.
If he ever found a way to replenish Chakra, the plan could be revived.
With the technical hurdle cleared, he was ready to devote himself to Lightning Release secret techniques.
He had just settled his focus and was about to tell Fubuki Kakuyoku to start another round of Spirit Transformation Jutsu experiments when Kazahana Dotō requested an urgent audience.
Takuno opened the sealed door.
Kazahana Dotō strode in, face grave.
"My lord, the Konoha–Kumogakure front you ordered me to watch has flared up again!" he reported without preamble.
"Oh? They've resumed hostilities?" Takuno's brows twitched faintly; he had half-expected it but wanted details.
"Exactly, my lord. Kumogakure has committed a new ace—none other than the legendary Eight-Tails Jinchuriki himself. Konoha's famed Sannin Jiraiya is leading the defense, and the situation looks bad for Konoha."
Although Takuno had ordered surveillance, the victor mattered little to the Land of Snow.
"I see—" he nodded calmly, unsurprised.
After Kumogakure's Yugito was badly hurt, they couldn't sit idle; playing the Eight-Tails card was inevitable.
He quickly weighed the shifting balance.
Killer Bee's strength spoke for itself; even if not yet at his peak, in base form he might not overwhelm Jiraiya.
But once Bee entered the perfect Jinchuriki's Tailed Beast mode, Jiraiya would be in mortal danger.
True, Jiraiya possessed mighty Sage Mode, but its long build-up made it nearly useless in a fast-moving battle.
Therefore Bee's entrance meant Kumogakure would launch a major counter-offensive.
Worse, after rest and recovery, Yugito would likely return as well.
Even at quasi-Kage strength she posed a serious threat.
From the look of it, Konoha was in peril?
A faint, almost invisible smile curved Takuno's lips; he wasn't worried for Konoha.
The village's reserves ran deeper than one Sannin.
Fugaku, the clan head, had kept his power hidden; handling a still-recovering Yugito should be well within his ability.
More crucially, if the Ino–Shika–Chō triumvirate—Akimichi Choza, Nara Shikaku, and Inoichi Yamanaka—fought together, they became a force to reckon with.
Akimichi Choza, master of the Multi-Size Technique, was a walking fortress on open terrain, a game-changer.
If he had also learned the advanced Butterfly Mode, his destructive power could briefly touch Kage level despite any shortcomings.
Add Nara Shikaku's relentless Shadow Bind and sharp tactics, plus Inoichi Yamanaka's sensory and mental interference, and the trio could contend with an ordinary Kage.
Besides, Konoha's ranks held other seasoned Jonin.
When those elites banded together, even Eight-Tails Killer Bee—or his famed older brother, the Fourth Raikage—couldn't shatter Konoha's line easily.
In truth, the Fourth Raikage's strength was far below that of the Eight-Tails Killer Bee; what kept Bee in check wasn't power, but the weight of his title. He could drag the freedom-loving Bee back to the Hidden Cloud Village by sheer authority alone.
And Bee, unwilling to defy his older brother, had no choice but to avoid the Fourth Raikage.
In fact, the Fourth Raikage wasn't even a match for his father, the Third Raikage.
Only the late Third Raikage—whose battlefield presence could raze fortresses and whose defense was as unyielding as bedrock—deserved to be called a calamity on par with a Tailed Beast.
Had that monster still lived and joined this war, the Leaf would truly have been driven to despair.
Against such a foe, even Minato would have been forced to risk entering Sage Mode to crack that terrifying defense.
At the thought, Takuno gave a slight shake of the head, banishing the speculation.
A more pressing question now surfaced: with Eight-Tails Killer Bee upending the battlefield, what choice would the Fourth Hokage—Minato, the renowned Yellow Flash—make while remaining absent from the front?
Takuno had already seen through Minato's misgivings.
The real reason the Fourth Hokage stayed away from such a crucial battle was, most likely, deep concern for his wife Kushina's safety.
He had to guard against the man who wielded that bizarre space-time ability—Obito—striking again.
After all, Minato was not the cautious, aging Third Hokage Sarutobi.
His fame as the Yellow Flash had been forged in blood and fire, one victory at a time!
Unless absolutely forced, he would never abandon a battlefield meant for him.
Yet in Takuno's eyes, Minato might be overthinking things.
The present Kushina was no longer ignorant of Obito.
With her Adamantine Sealing Chains—strong enough to subdue a rampaging Nine-Tails—her base strength already placed her among the elite Jonin.
If she dared draw even part of the Nine-Tails' Chakra, her burst of power would push her into the ranks of Kage-level shinobi.
A Kage-caliber Kushina, forewarned against the enemy's key abilities, was no prey Obito could snatch away at will.
Defeating her might be easy for him, but capturing her quickly while she fought to the death? Too many variables.
And he would have to weigh the colossal risk of provoking the Nine-Tails into full rampage.
Takuno even suspected the Nine-Tails' attack had been a spur-of-the-moment evil whim.
At this point, shackled by the Gedo Statue, the grand scheme to harvest the Tailed Beasts had yet to begin; even if he captured the Nine-Tails, he would need a secure place to nurture it.
Hearing that his teacher's wife, Kushina, was in labor—and knowing the vulnerability of a Jinchuriki during childbirth—Obito probably acted on a "no harm in trying" impulse.
Unleashing the Nine-Tails straight into the heart of Konoha was pure jealous vengeance, driven by hatred for a teacher who "protects everyone yet lives in bliss," a reckless act of spite.
Were it not for that hatred, Obito could have used Kamui to drag Kushina into his dimension the moment she was weakest, ending it cleanly.
Not only would he have secured the entire Nine-Tails and advanced his future plan, he would also have weakened the Leaf's Tailed Beast power.
Of course, the deaths of Minato and Kushina, plus the huge losses of the Nine-Tails' attack, counted as gains—but without actually seizing the Nine-Tails, he had hurt others without real profit to himself.
In fact, even Obito likely only banked on Kushina's death; he could never have guessed Minato would die for love as well.
So Obito, consumed by jealousy, committed a crime of passion to let Minato taste the pain of losing the one he cherished most.
He even tossed his own Tailed Beast plan out of the window——
Still, by now Obito should have cooled down; having missed the best chance to take the Nine-Tails, he would no longer fixate on Kushina.
Most likely, he would wait until the true Tailed Beast project began before moving against her again.
As for little Naruto? Obito probably had no idea the boy also housed half of the Nine-Tails—an ultra-secret known only to a handful.
Kazahana Dotō, has the mission involving Roga Nadare been affected? Takuno asked.
Since he left there had been some impact, but he had already arranged new identities for them; as long as they steered clear of Konoha's side, there would be no major problem.
Konoha shinobi wouldn't bother caring about enemy affairs.
My lord, their numbers have indeed dropped lately, but that's because the Cloud retreated; now that they're attacking again, things should return to normal, Kazahana Dotō replied.
In truth, the death rate among Snow Shinobi infiltrating Konoha's ranks had also risen.
Yet Kazahana Dotō cared nothing for such things; people died—so be it, as long as the mission stayed on track. Naturally, he reported none of this to Takuno.
Good, then, Takuno nodded. His consumption rate was hardly slow; only timely replenishment could keep the cycle going.
Keep it up. I need to leave for a while, he said.
Yes, my lord! Kazahana Dotō answered respectfully, not daring to ask where Takuno was going.
Takuno stretched lazily. With Konoha and the Cloud at war once more, the veteran who had displayed such fervent Will of Fire before Minato could hardly stay away.
If you're going to act, act the full part!
Soon, via reverse Summoning Jutsu, Takuno arrived in the Land of Hot Springs and smoothly swapped places with his substitute.
Then, for the first time in ages, he stepped out of his guest room, asked the innkeeper about the war, and his face suddenly darkened.
Under the owner's wistful gaze at the departing big-spender, Takuno cancelled the room and left at once.
This way, even if Jiraiya later dropped by for relaxation and casually asked after him, the owner could clearly recount what he had done here.
The man might forget events, but he would never forget the money he had earned from him.
Now Takuno set out on the road back to Konoha; he could head straight to the battlefield, but he still needed to speak with Minato first.