Current Drive (Neural Acceleration)

"By the way, is your so-called Current Drive Fist reliable at all? Aren't you a scientist? Why are you starting to research Ninjutsu?"

In the Kumogakure's Research Base, the Fourth Raikage scratched his head and asked a question with some confusion.

The Vegapunk clone standing to the side rolled his eyes. "So-called scientific research, to put it bluntly, is nothing more than using dialectical thinking to find the correct laws governing the operation of things! It's no different from Ninjutsu research. It's not like I'm being asked to write articles, so why can't I achieve something in Ninjutsu research?"

"Not to mention, how could I have created the training pod without a deep understanding of the human body and profound research into the nature of Chakra?"

In order to gain the trust of the Fourth Raikage and demonstrate that he was indeed a capable scientist and a clone of Vegapunk, he immediately declared that he would use his latest research to convince the Fourth Raikage.

The Current Drive he proposed was an enhanced version of the Lightning Release Armor from the Kumogakure, and it was also the Ninjutsu suitable for the Fourth Raikage.

"Directly using lightning inside the body... won't there be any problems? It looks quite dangerous!"

The Fourth Raikage was quite ruthless. In the original story, when he fought Sasuke Uchiha, his hand was burned by Amaterasu's black flames. Without even blinking, he chopped off his hand. Then, without a care, he kicked Sasuke Uchiha, who was using the black flames to protect himself. He was truly a ruthless person who was willing to trade a leg for someone's life.

Even such a ruthless person felt lingering fear and hesitated for a moment after seeing the Current Drive proposed by the Vegapunk clone.

"Don't worry, with your abilities, the experiment will definitely not go wrong. Besides, this thing isn't some unscientific thing like Magnetic Field Rotation. Don't you understand my principles and experimental procedures?"

Vegapunk's clone looked at the Fourth Raikage with excitement. The Fourth Raikage inexplicably shrank back, but secretly he believed that this guy was indeed a capable scientist—otherwise, he wouldn't have gone this crazy.

However, he then asked:

"What is Magnetic Field Rotation? Your principle of Current Drive is fine... however, the required adaptability to lightning and control over Chakra are a bit too high!"

The Vegapunk clone replied somewhat impatiently:

"Magnetic Field Rotation! It's a combat system that claims to require intelligence but actually requires madness... Although I can't figure out how to generate electricity through cell friction, nor do I understand the relationship between the number of Magnetic Field Rotation and abilities like matter recombination."

"Are you willing to do the experiment or not... cough cough, to practice the Current Drive I developed!"

The Fourth Raikage glanced sideways at the Vegapunk Clone. "I heard you. You were talking about an experimental subject, weren't you? Using me, the Raikage, for experiments? You really have guts. No wonder you're a Vegapunk clone!"

But after glancing at the Current Drive his hand again... well, this Ninjutsu really suited his combat system perfectly. If he were to give it up, he simply couldn't.

It's one thing if you don't see it, but to see it and then refuse to train because of the danger? How is that possible? None of the top-tier Ninjutsu in the Ninja World are easy to learn!

Practicing the Flying Thunder God Technique might lead to getting lost in space; practicing the Spirit Transformation Technique might cause one's soul to leave the body and not return; practicing Sage Mode might turn one into stone or an animal; even his Lightning Release Armor, before its difficulty was reduced to B-Rank Ninjutsu, had turned countless sage ninjas into charred remains.

"Alright, I'll cooperate with your cultivation! But at least we should proceed step by step, no need to be so aggressive!"

"I think your first step in Current Drive this is to start directly from the brain... isn't that a bit too dangerous!"

The so-called Current Drive, in its initial training method, did not stimulate cells, but directly modified one's own nerve conduction signals, changing the initial semi-chemical and semi-electrical conduction to complete electrical conduction, greatly enhancing a person's reaction ability.

Naturally, Vegapunk chose the brain as his first target for improvement because Vegapunk had the most experience in brain research. He could even modify Quantum Brain, so modifying the brain's neural receiving system would be much easier.

After the brain is modified by Chakra, it becomes much easier to modify the nerves throughout the body. You can simply modify the brain by following the neural network.

"If you're not afraid of becoming partially disabled due to disrupted bodily signals before mastering the Current Drive, you can start the transformation from other areas!"

The Vegapunk clone rolled its eyes and spoke.

"Huh? How could this be? Why would different forms of brain training cause disruptions in bodily signals?"

"It's not that the body's signals are actually disordered, but rather that the body receives signals at varying speeds!"

"For example, after the brain gives the command to run, it makes your left and right legs move together. But at this time, your left leg has been modified and reacts faster, while your right leg reacts slower. This results in disordered bodily signals, causing you to fall flat on your face."

"If you focus your training on other nerve ganglia instead of the brain, you won't be able to accelerate your overall nervous system. In my estimation, it will take three years to successfully complete the training, and this problem will accompany you throughout those three years!"

"Uh..." Upon hearing this, the Fourth Raikage immediately shook his head. "Forget it, I'll just start training from the brain!"

If the Fourth Raikage were just an ordinary ninja, training for three years wouldn't matter at all. Rather, if training for three years could lead to mastering a Ninjutsu with power exceeding S-rank, then almost no ninja would be willing to refuse.

But besides being a powerful ninja, he was also the Raikage of Kumogakure. It's not a big deal if an ordinary ninja's combat power is affected for a short time, but for the Raikage, the impact over three years is far too great.

Let alone three years, if something really goes wrong with the Shadow of the Village, it will attract endless scrutiny within just six months, and there might even be some kind of assassination plot.

Vegapunk clone smiled slightly. He hadn't expected the Raikage to be so decisive. If it were any other ninja village leader, they certainly wouldn't dare to easily practice the research results he provided.

However, this was originally a technique that only the Fourth Raikage could master. Apart from the Fourth Raikage, only Vegapunk himself, who ate the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, was able to completely modify himself by using Current Drive.

The reason Vegapunk was willing to hand over his research results to the Fourth Raikage was to further deduce data from the Fourth Raikage's training process, so that his future modifications to himself would be perfect and have a certain degree of universality.

As for the other Lightning Release ninjas from the Kumogakure... it's not that Vegapunk looks down on them, but even though he has simplified the Current Drive considerably, it's still not something these ordinary ninjas can easily mess with.

"Don't rush. I'll first create some instruments to help you with your cultivation. Unfortunately, I don't have the Magnetic Field Ability in my physical body, so the instruments I create may not be of much help."

Vegapunk Clone genuinely hopes that his only experimental subject... cough cough, the Fourth Raikage, can successfully train, so this time he really doesn't have any bad intentions.

"Alright then! Give me whatever materials and instruments you need. Our Lightning Country's technological level used to be absolutely number one among the Five Great Nations!"

Of course, we won't talk about the current level, because after Vegapunk came along, the technology of the alliance between the Wind Country and the Sea Country Alliance has almost exploded, and the two sides are almost a generation apart.

The Lightning Country still uses technology, while the Wind Country and the Sea Country are practically using science fiction.

However, the industrial foundation of the Lightning Country is quite good. Although it is somewhat of a stretch for Vegapunk's clones, it is at least enough to make do with them.

Meanwhile, Vegapunk Clone spared no expense in sharing their technological knowledge when customizing equipment and creating blueprints, and as time passed, the technology of the Lightning Country took off.

Unlike other countries, Vegapunk has not yet replaced the Daimyo of the Lightning Country to seize power. However, the Lightning Country has always encouraged technological development, investing far more funds than other countries. Therefore, in the initial stages, its technological development was not much worse than that of the other two countries.

The preparations, the manufacture of various instruments, and the preparation of some medicines alone took half a year before the practice of Current Drive.

However, the past six months have not been wasted. Both the Kumogakure and the Lightning Country have made rapid progress thanks to the casual guidance from the Vegapunk Clone.

In particular, the Lightning Country's original industrial system was the best among the Five Great Nations. This kind of infrastructure was something the Sea Country Wind Country couldn't catch up to in just three or four years. After the technological explosion, its output value quickly approached that of the Sea Country Wind Country. It was only inferior in terms of cutting-edge technology and the average combat strength of its ninjas.

On the Kumogakure side, because they obtained Vegapunk, even if it was just a copy, their research level was still far beyond what ordinary people could imagine, so they were quite satisfied with their actions.

But the other two ninja villages were in an uproar.

Konohagakure was almost blown to rubble, and two or three hundred ninjas died. Vegapunk was kidnapped on the spot. At first, they were also under pressure from the Wind Country and the Sea Country, and they were really gritting their teeth in hatred.

Fortunately, news spread that Vegapunk, who was later abducted, was just a clone, which made things a little better for Konohagakure. Even so, it still caused the entire Konohagakure to lose face and its prestige to suffer greatly.

In comparison, although the Iwagakure in the Earth Country suffered less damage, its reaction was more intense: after all, it was a joint operation between the Kumogakure and Iwagakure. In the end, the Iwagakure only suffered losses, while the Kumogakure plundered the greatest spoils of war. It would be strange if the Iwagakure were willing to accept that!

Ōnoki was stubborn and cunning, much more so than the Third Hokage. Without saying a word, he pushed his ninja forces to the border and threatened to go to war with the Kumogakure.

Of course, these barbarians from the Kumogakure weren't pushovers either. If they wanted to fight, then so be it! Who's afraid of who?

After much back and forth, the final result was that the Kumogakure would share some of Vegapunk's clone technology with the Iwagakure, while the Iwagakure would have to contribute funds and their mineral resources.

Thus, both sides parted on the surface with mutual satisfaction, but each harbored their own ulterior motives. It's easy to imagine that Iwagakure will have some other tricks up their sleeves. However, Kumogakure is known for its Kumogakure nature and is not as easy to deal with as Konoha. Ōnoki will probably have to think of a way to deal with it.

"Is the news confirmed? That clone also possesses a level of technology comparable to Vegapunk's?"

In the smoke-filled Hokage's Office, the Third Hokage tapped his pipe and asked a question.

Danzo exhaled a whirlwind, sweeping all the smoke from the Hokage's Office out the window. His face Danzo said, "Try to smoke less!"

"I can't tell if he's at Vegapunk's level, but at least he should have Vegapunk's memories. The Kumogakure's strength has increased a lot, which is obviously due to the help of the Training Pod!"

"What difference does it make to us? Those barbarians from the Kumogakure have never been well-behaved. You should know what they'll do once they get stronger, right?"

"And then there's Iwagakure. Although their alliance is incredibly fragile and they might turn on each other at any time, I believe they won't change their mind about dealing with Konoha anytime soon!"

The Third Hokage sighed wearily, feeling that the world was changing too fast. How could Konoha have fallen behind the times in just a few years?

Moreover, the situation where Konoha was surrounded by enemies has not changed; it's just that the opponents have all become stronger.

"This makes the situation even worse! In this situation, other countries will probably unite against Konoha instead!"

If another Ninja World War were to occur, it would likely be a consensus among all nations to eliminate the already lagging Konoha before the battle even begins.

"But there's no need to be so pessimistic... Compared to Konoha, the Major Ninja Villages are probably more wary of each other!"

"Especially the Kumogakure and the Iwagakure. The connection between these two villages lies in the Vegapunk Clone. But initially, both villages worked together, but now the Kumogakure has benefited. If the Iwagakure wants to obtain Vegapunk's technology, it will have to pay a huge price in resources, and the technology it obtains may even be outdated!"

"Under these circumstances, Iwagakure is almost destined to fall behind Kumogakure; it would be strange if they could even hold out!"

Danzo spoke coldly, "According to my investigation, Iwagakure has indeed sent a large number of intelligence personnel to Kumogakure to investigate during this period. They may even be thinking about taking back that Vegapunk clone."