Some techniques come with… very personal history.
The next morning—
inside the scroll archive—
Konan stepped in first, with Kamizuki Gen following close behind.
Throughout the room, each section was furnished with reading desks and cushioned mats tucked into the corners.
"I'll teach you the Astral Projection Technique first," Konan said as she arrived at a desk. She adjusted her robe and sat elegantly to the side, looking at Gen. "After that, I need to attend to village matters."
"Try to learn it as quickly as possible."
Perhaps it was because she had eaten the rice ball he bought—
but Gen could clearly feel it.
Her attitude toward him had softened.
The once cold and aloof "Angel of Amegakure" now spoke a little more than before.
Gen sat cross-legged across from her.
"Konan, can you demonstrate it while explaining?"
Konan nodded.
"Of course. No need to rush. Orochimaru took quite some time to master this technique."
"Alright." Gen smiled.
One use of Cut per day.
Today—
he would use it on this.
Since the technique wasn't tied to a single individual, even if he cut it from Konan, it wouldn't prevent her from using it in front of him.
Konan began explaining seriously.
"The Astral Projection Technique must be initiated by the Leader. It projects the members' consciousness into a shared virtual space, allowing real-time communication."
"The location of that space is determined by the Leader."
"If your physical body is disturbed in the real world, the technique will be interrupted."
As she spoke, she raised her right hand.
On her index finger was a purple ring engraved with the character White.
"The coded rings are the medium for receiving the Leader's summons and using this technique."
"I see."
Gen glanced at his own ring—
engraved with the character One.
It had been forged overnight by Amegakure's craftsmen and delivered to him that morning.
Konan formed hand seals.
"Watch closely—no, sense carefully. The sequence is: Snake → Ram → Monkey → Boar → Dog → Dragon."
"Got it."
Gen's sensory chakra spread over her—
eventually focusing on her fingers.
Though…
the areas he first focused on—
were questionable.
Konan continued,
"Next, guide your chakra into the ring while forming the seals."
[Cut Complete.]
[Ninjutsu Acquired: Astral Projection Technique]
A notification panel only Gen could see flickered into existence.
Then—
a flood of information poured into his mind.
The technique—
fully understood.
In truth, the hand seals weren't difficult. The real challenge lay in controlling the precise amount of chakra to resonate with the distant Deva Path.
That was why Orochimaru had needed time.
But once you succeeded once—
it became easier.
The resonance frequency was fixed.
With enough attempts—
success was inevitable.
"If I activate it myself… will the Leader sense it?" Gen asked, already looking like he had mastered it.
Konan nodded.
"Yes."
"Like this?"
Gen formed the seals—Snake → Ram → Monkey → Boar → Dog → Dragon—and injected chakra into the ring.
Perfectly calibrated.
Konan replied, "That's right. Next, you need to release a subtle chakra that resonates with the Leader—"
She stopped mid-sentence.
Her eyes widened.
Gen's ring—
began to glow faintly purple.
Success.
Without hesitation, Konan activated her own technique.
Her vision shifted.
The next moment—
she stood inside the Akatsuki headquarters.
Before her—
Gen's colorful astral projection stood beside the Deva Path.
They were already talking.
"Konan, you're here," Gen said with a smile.
His projection looked nearly identical to his real body—bandaged eyes, Akatsuki cloak—but tinted with a distorted, shimmering hue.
"You taught him well," Pain said calmly.
Konan hurriedly shook her head.
"No—it's not that I taught well. He… succeeded on his first attempt!"
Gen sighed inwardly.
So this is VIP privilege?
Pain looked at him with interest.
Gen laughed.
"Just luck, just luck."
Pain spoke in a low voice.
"There's no need for modesty. I understand—you've already grasped the essence of the technique."
"…."
Gen's face twitched slightly.
Grasped?
He hadn't grasped anything.
All thanks to his "cheat."
As expected—
overanalyzing was lethal.
Konan, too, was stunned.
A genius?
She refused to believe this was mere luck.
"By the way," Gen asked, "why not teach both me and Itachi together?"
Konan explained,
"I had someone deliver the scroll to Itachi."
"You're… different."
Pain said nothing—
but the Rinnegan in his eyes carried clear appreciation.
And expectation.
Back in reality—
Gen smiled.
"Go handle your work, Konan. I'll stay here and look through the scrolls."
"Alright."
Konan stood.
"I'll have someone bring lunch. If you want to explore Amegakure, you can have a servant guide you—or go on your own."
"Mm."
Gen had no intention of leaving.
Last night, he dared provoke Obito only because Nagato wouldn't allow anything to happen to him.
But if he left their sphere of control—
before his "cheat" came off cooldown—
Obito could kill him effortlessly.
Which was why—
he was desperate to grow stronger.
Fast.
Konan left.
Gen stood up.
He walked toward the deeper sections of the archive, passing over the B-rank and lower sections.
Following the classification markers—
he found the high-level techniques.
Then—
he paused.
B-rank section—
one scroll.
A-rank—
two.
S-rank—
one.
"…Is Amegakure really this poor?"
Gen blinked in surprise.
Then—
he understood.
A small village.
A newly formed organization.
No foundation.
And as a major battlefield during the Second Shinobi War—
Amegakure had likely been looted countless times.
If not for the lack of resources—
Hanzō of the Salamander might have reached even greater heights.
Gen stepped into the B-rank section and opened the scroll.
"Fire Release: Exploding Flame Formation."
His brows lifted.
He remembered this.
The technique Hanzō used—
the one that crippled Nagato's legs.
And now—
he was about to learn it.
Gen fell into thought.
"…Nagato won't get mad, right?"
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