Chapter Twenty-Eight: Steel Release-A Kekkei Genkai / Chapter Twenty-Nine: Danzō: "Hiruzen, Your Son Has What It Takes to Become Hokage"

Steel Style: Kekkei Genkai

As everyone knew, the world of Naruto was a world of Bloodline Supremacy.

From the Sharingan and Byakugan,

to Senju Hashirama's Wood Style, Madara Uchiha's Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, Indra, and the Asura Reincarnation.

And finally, the Otsutsuki Alien.

Everything was steeped in manifestations of bloodline.

In his previous life, people had jokingly called Naruto the story of the Otsutsuki family, which said plenty in itself.

There was nothing inherently wrong with that.

But the existence of Bloodline Supremacy created an enormous gap in people's talent and strength.

At a glance, ordinary people had nothing but profound despair and helplessness.

This was not a matter of whether one had a gun in hand.

It was the difference between an ordinary person holding a gun and the other side piloting a cosmic star-destroying warship.

But that did not mean things could not be changed.

Over the thousand-year history of the ninja world, especially after the Warring States Period, countless talents had flourished.

Second Kazekage Shamon had only been an ordinary person, yet he developed Magnet Style that human ninja could use based on Shukaku's Magnet Style. That was what allowed the Third Kazekage, hailed as the Strongest Kazekage, to rise to fame, and for Rasa to inherit it once again.

Second Tsuchikage Mu had also only been an ordinary person, yet he fused three attributes and created Kekkei Tōta, which surpassed Kekkei Genkai! Later, he passed it on to his disciple, the current Third Tsuchikage - Onoki.

Even Senju Tobirama, despite being born into the Senju Clan, had, strictly speaking, created many Forbidden Jutsu that ordinary ninja could use and that could change the ninja world. They were eventually inherited by people like Orochimaru and Kabuto Yakushi.

If one excluded the advantages of family background, clan, and intelligence, then... there were also ordinary yet extraordinary inspirational figures like Might Duy, Might Guy, and Rock Lee.

Akira Sarutobi had inherited Hiruzen Sarutobi's talent as the Ninjutsu Doctor, as well as the Sarutobi Clan's Innate Divine Strength.

But strictly speaking, compared to all those cheat-like monsters of Bloodline Supremacy, he was indeed somewhat lacking.

And if he wanted to become Hokage and change this world, strength was indispensable.

"Ice Style..."

At that moment, Akira Sarutobi murmured softly.

He could not help recalling the prompt that had appeared on Ringo Ameyuri during the previous Land of Whirlpools mission.

Ice Style... possibility.

In other words, Ice Style... might also be manually achievable, fused by ordinary ninja outside the Snow Clan.

"Hehe, if I tell you, will you let me go?"

Seeing Akira Sarutobi's interest, the other woman began to bargain.

Akira Sarutobi merely waved a hand, signaling for Ino Yamanaka to come over.

Ino Yamanaka, who had long been unable to wait, eagerly walked up to her.

The smiling girl extended her fair right hand and placed it over the woman's head.

"Aah~!!!"

The scream before execution sounded like a shriek of agony.

Her body struggled desperately, resisting the invasion of the Yamanaka Clan Secret Technique.

Having someone's hand invade their brain and stir it about at will was a terrifying thing.

Then, as Ino Yamanaka performed the technique, the screaming abruptly stopped.

"Hah... hah..."

As he watched the female ninja's body begin convulsing within seconds, her eyes rolling upward,

Akira Sarutobi's expression remained exceptionally cold.

"Traitors die."

Because what she had betrayed was the hundred million citizens of the Land of Fire.

Every betrayal of the Land of Fire would ultimately harm its people.

No matter what, every cost would eventually be passed down to ordinary people at the bottom.

The taxes of countless people had supported such a thing. How could Akira Sarutobi possibly let her go?

Ino Yamanaka's gaze flickered as she swiftly obtained an endless stream of information from the woman's mind.

The Yamanaka Clan's secret techniques worked best when the target's willpower was weak or when they were severely injured and defenseless.

If the other party had been unharmed, Ino Yamanaka naturally could not have had it so easy.

Yet at this moment, the woman's brain was immediately stirred into a complete mess.

After all... Ino Yamanaka had no humanitarian ideals.

Like a cook who made dark cuisine, every meal she prepared was a terrifying disaster.

"Done..."

Before long, Ino Yamanaka had extracted the remaining intelligence.

And naturally, the woman had become an idiot as well.

Such excessively brutal methods would inevitably lead to this result.

"Young Master, Steel Style's composite attribute is formed by fusing Earth Style and Yang Style."

It was not unusual for a Jonin to possess two attributes, since that was one of the criteria for Jonin evaluation.

The Twelve Guardian Shinobi were not under Konoha's authority, but they still could not avoid the basic assessment standards.

This rigid requirement that Jonin had to possess two Chakra attributes was only relaxed after Might Duy became famous in a single battle. After that, people with only one Chakra attribute, or even no Chakra attribute at all, were allowed to become Jonin.

"Earth Style and Yang Style..."

Ninety percent of ninjutsu that altered the body were connected to Yang Style.

Yang Style was the essence of Medical Ninjutsu.

The Akimichi Clan's various secret techniques were also part of Yang Style.

According to the official databook, The Book of Training, the Senju Clan had even inherited the Sage of Six Paths' Yang Style.

Thus, the use of Yang Style could be found everywhere in the ninja world.

As Ino Yamanaka explained, Akira Sarutobi gradually learned the specific method of cultivating Steel Style.

This woman, who had served as one of the Twelve Guardian Shinobi, had amassed quite a fortune. In order to preserve her life, she began trying to fuse a Kekkei Genkai.

Unexpectedly, she succeeded through blind luck.

Or perhaps it was fear of death? Her belief that her own life was precious? Those desires... had ultimately allowed her to truly fuse a life-preserving Kekkei Genkai.

If some other Jonin had faced her today,

such as Shirakumo Hayama or Ino Yamanaka, they might not have been able to take her down.

But she had happened to run into him.

Even with Steel Style initially protecting her body, she had still ended up captured.

Of course, that was also related to her short time cultivating Steel Style.

"I remember that Kimimaro could use Steel Style in the movie as well..."

Kimimaro's Steel Style turned his body into a form resembling black metal. It required active use and did little under normal circumstances.

The Steel Style of the woman before him, however, hardened the skin. It continuously used Chakra to alter the skin, functioning like a permanent passive ability. As long as she kept cultivating it, it could grow stronger and stronger.

The cultivation steps for this Steel Style were as follows:

First, fuse Earth and Yang attributes in a certain proportion to cultivate "Steel Style attribute Chakra."

Second, circulate Steel Style Chakra across the surface of the epidermis. Through the force of vibration, continuously shake the skin to alter its properties, eventually... creating a rebounding force. In the end, any attack striking the skin would be deflected and partially weakened, thereby improving defense.

What its ultimate future result would be remained uncertain.

But this woman had already cultivated it to the point where ordinary taijutsu strikes no longer harmed her.

Only because of his own extraordinary strength, combined with the brutal taijutsu Orochimaru had given him, had he been able to crush her so easily.

If it had been another Jonin, an ordinary ninja outside the Akimichi Clan, they absolutely could not have done the same. They could only rely on ninjutsu or powerful sharp weapons to break through it.

"Immunity to ordinary taijutsu can grant an advantage in clashes, especially in chaotic battles..."

Steel Style had three even greater values.

First, it was a Kekkei Genkai and did not belong to any one of the five individual attributes. Therefore, there was no such thing as it being countered by a particular attribute.

Second, it required no hand seals! There was no need to explain how great the advantage of not needing hand seals was. Combat was always a race against time.

Third, it could also slightly reduce damage from sharp weapons. This value surpassed countless other things.

Because even a Six Paths Level powerhouse could possibly be stabbed to death by a small kunai.

Because Six Paths Level also included several kinds: ordinary Earthling Six Paths Level, Moon-dweller Six Paths Level, Ten-Tails Jinchuriki Six Paths Level, and Otsutsuki Alien Six Paths Level.

Not every Six Paths Level being possessed resistance to sharp weapons.

Akira Sarutobi's heart burned with excitement. He could hardly wait to sit down and begin cultivating Steel Style, allowing himself to gain this Kekkei Genkai.

Once he fused a Kekkei Genkai through his own cultivation, it would be equivalent to opening the door to a new world—or rather... the true beginning of changing this world!

Power...

And authority.

Defeating this woman meant he had captured the mastermind and pried out intelligence. The Anbu assessment could be considered successfully completed.

As for how to handle the aftermath, that was for Danzo and the other higher-ups to worry about.

But before cultivating, there was another piece of intelligence that made Akira Sarutobi decide to make some arrangements.

That was...

The Hidden Mist ninja meeting with this woman was none other than Ringo Ameyuri of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen!

Their next agreed delivery date was "one week later," at an island nation near the Ruins of the Land of Whirlpools... the "Land of Waves"!

After thinking for a moment, Akira Sarutobi quickly made a decision.

"A-Hui, write a report for Yakushi Nonō. Also, have her pass a message to Danzo... tell him I won't be returning for now. I'll be staying here for a week..."

Akira Sarutobi raised a hand and assumed the cultivation posture for refining Chakra.

"First, I'll cultivate for a week and do my best to fuse Steel Style. During that time, control the dockside gangs and have them continue operating, using the goods as cover. Then... I'll go meet Ringo Ameyuri!"

Danzo: Hiruzen, Your Son Has What It Takes to Be Hokage

While Akira Sarutobi immersed himself in attempting to cultivate Steel Style, intelligence from the harbor town was relayed by Yakushi Nonō and returned to Konoha like the wind...

Beneath Konoha lay Root's lair.

A Root ninja unfurled a scroll and injected Chakra into one of its seals.

With a bang, smoke rose, and a log-like booklet appeared in the center of the summoning formula.

Picking up the booklet, the Root ninja headed to the surface without looking back. Eventually, in the Anbu office, he presented it to Danzo.

Root ninja had special methods of communication.

At regular intervals, they exchanged intelligence through such Summoning Scrolls.

Danzo opened the intelligence log written by Nonō, which detailed everything that had happened there.

When Danzo saw Akira Sarutobi kill several gang leaders without hesitation and easily subdue the mastermind, who possessed the identity of one of the Twelve Guardian Shinobi, his expression changed subtly.

Among the Konoha High Command, there was an unspoken consensus. Many people thought highly of Minato Namikaze, believing that he had inherited Senju Tobirama's aptitude for the Flying Thunder God and was the most suitable candidate for the next Hokage.

But Minato Namikaze was Hiruzen Sarutobi's grand-disciple and Jiraiya's student... Though they all belonged to the Senju lineage, strictly speaking, he was not from the same faction as Danzo.