Practicing a Forbidden Jutsu

"An opportunity to become a Chunin?" Moriyue was utterly baffled. He only knew that passing the Chunin Exams would make someone a Chunin, or that one could simply display overwhelming strength. He did not believe the Raikage would turn down combat power delivered straight to his door.

There was only one reason he still did not have the title of Chunin: the village higher-ups did not think he was worth it.

What did it matter if someone with only a few days left to live displayed Chunin-level strength? Unless he was as powerful as a Jinchuriki, there was no reason for them to let someone as lacking in potential as Moriyue join the Chunin ranks.

But Darui said there was a turning point at this moment. Moriyue guessed it was clearly related to the document in Darui's hand. Sure enough, Darui pulled him into the room and placed the document before him.

"Yes, there's a mission in front of you now. Let me make this clear beforehand: this mission is somewhat difficult. Think it over before making your decision."

Darui had a headache. The Raikage was purely making more work for him.

"Konoha and Sunagakure are jointly holding the Chunin Exams. They sent invitations to all the major villages, and Lord Raikage believes Konoha is trying to become the leader, so he refused..."

"But this is also an opportunity to test the strength of the other villages. Therefore, Lord Raikage still intends to send a team to take part in the Chunin Exams. You understand now, right?"

Moriyue pondered Darui's words. The second Chunin Exams? If he remembered correctly, it seemed only people from Konoha and Sunagakure had participated. No, Amegakure had participated too.

"Choosing ninja who won't expose the village's strength? Then I really am a good fit..." Moriyue laughed self-deprecatingly. This mission was not bad. He accepted it.

"So you've made up your mind? This counts as your first mission. If you succeed, I'll help you secure some resources afterward. Go to the hospital for treatment once you're ready. It would be even better if you can become a Chunin during the exams."

Seeing that Moriyue had agreed, Darui did not try to keep him. He needed to consider the other two ninja who would accompany Moriyue to the competition.

After leaving Darui's office, Moriyue made his way to the hospital with practiced ease. The nurses were already used to seeing him—or rather, it felt abnormal when they had not seen Moriyue at the hospital for several days.

Bathing and treatment were completed in one go. His afro was finally removed, and Moriyue felt there was nothing seriously wrong with his body, so he left the hospital and went straight home.

"The second Chunin Exams... I remember quite a few old acquaintances will be there. Am I going to meet them so soon?" Moriyue had thought it would be some time before he came into contact with those people, but he had not expected an opportunity to come so quickly.

"Not to mention Konoha's Rookie Nine—there's Shira, who created the Seven Heavens Breathing Method; Ajisai, Amegakure's future little girl of the Six Paths; the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki; and, I think, a Biwa Monk who can extract Tailed Beasts?"

Thinking about it carefully, there were quite a lot of people in these Chunin Exams. Naruto was not here, though. He was still learning ninjutsu with Jiraiya. With that in mind, Moriyue gained a clearer understanding of the point in time he was in. It should have been not long after Shippuden began.

"Unfortunately, quite a few people were never seen again after these Chunin Exams. The Seven-Tails was extracted by the Immortal Duo, Ajisai was assigned an S-rank mission by Konan and died on the spot, Shira vanished without a trace, and that Forbidden Jutsu Master was directly devoured by the backlash of his own forbidden jutsu..."

Moriyue sighed and adjusted his mindset. This battle truly gathered many talents. If he did not prepare a few more things, it would be difficult to win.

"Come on. Let me personally test the power of Forbidden Jutsu: Reverse."

Moriyue knew his own limits. He had deliberately cleared out a room and sat in its center. Since stone walls surrounded him on all sides, he was certain that this time, he would not blow every object around him to pieces while practicing a forbidden jutsu.

Taking a deep breath, Moriyue nervously took out the scroll that recorded Reverse. Strange patterns surfaced around the scroll's edges, and lines of text appeared before his eyes as his hands moved.

"The ability to actively use Chakra is the difference between ninja and ordinary people. This is also what people call 'talent.'"

"But talent has never been very reliable. If a technique could be created that allowed ordinary people to use ninjutsu as well, then it would be worthy of being called the greatest technique."

"I used reverse analysis to examine the path of Chakra flow. Since people without talent cannot make Chakra flow forward, why not try the opposite direction? Rather than refining Chakra, it is better to fuse oneself into Chakra, transforming it into a form of energy that only one can use."

"This is the concept behind Forbidden Jutsu: Reverse. Rather than refining Chakra, it completely fuses Chakra with one's flesh and blood."

"With this method, even those with chaotic Chakra and bodies incapable of cultivation may have a chance to use ninjutsu, though there have yet to be any successful examples."

"Next is the specific method for practicing Reverse. I have written all my data here."

"There is also the data from this experiment. If I die during it, then the final circulation route is wrong. It needs to be reversed."

"Good luck..."

What entered Moriyue's sight was not some profound knowledge of forbidden jutsu. A long passage had been written here, apparently recorded by the creator of this forbidden jutsu. It even included a great deal of experimental data. Most of it had already been refined by the creator, but the final route bore a huge question mark.

Moriyue could not help but feel somewhat rueful. The creator had used his own life to verify a theory, but no one dared to test whether his final idea was correct. Even the creator had died to his own forbidden jutsu—how could anyone else dare to risk their life practicing it?

His gaze swept directly over the cultivation method. Moriyue did not pause for even a step as he released all the Chakra in his body without hesitation.

Like an awakened beast, blood-red Chakra opened its gaping maw and gnawed at Moriyue's body. He was already accustomed to this level of pain. Without changing expression, he followed the method recorded on the scroll and continued.

Although Moriyue could not fully control the violent Chakra, it had originated from his body no matter what. He held the vital point of that Chakra.

Vaguely, Moriyue could actually sense the place within himself where Chakra was produced. However, more than half of that pale blue Chakra had already been dyed blood-red, endlessly supplying uncontrollable scarlet Chakra.

Without panicking, Moriyue began practicing bit by bit, starting from the source of his Chakra.

The Chakra pathways, originally resembling tree roots, began collapsing bit by bit. Already ravaged beyond recognition by the violent Chakra, they could no longer withstand such pressure and shattered into fragments like glass.

The Chakra meridians that supplied his life force had broken. Moriyue seemed to have... failed?