Body Flicker Technique and the Puppeteer's Secret (Part 2)

After Shuichi finished his pilgrimage, when he practiced again, he knew how to train this Body Flicker Technique.

First, maximize the speed at which you transfer your chakra to your feet and see if you can replenish it in time during Continuous Body Flicker. At the very least, you need to ensure that the second Body Flicker Technique lands safely. If you can't even meet this requirement, then there's no point in practicing any further.

Next, practice chakra memory at different distances, just like Orochimaru taught. Taking 30 meters as an example, you can start by dividing it into 5 meters, 10 meters, and so on. Once you're proficient, you can further subdivide it into 3 meters, 6 meters, and so on.

Only when you can truly go wherever you want within a certain range can you use it perfectly in actual combat.

With the Chunin Ninja Exams approaching, Shuichi had been honing this skill for almost a year.

Within 20 meters, one can skillfully use the Nintai Mixed Body Flicker Technique taught by Orochimaru.

He also specifically trained to use Chakra Body Flicker Technique twice in a row. At his current level, the combined distance of the two consecutive movements is within 30 meters. Ideally, one movement should be around 5 or 10 meters, and the other should be between 15 and 20 meters. This is a distance that he has mastered quite well.

Performing three consecutive short-distance Body Flicker Technique is not impossible, but the reaction speed is slightly insufficient, and there isn't enough time to observe the surrounding situation, making it somewhat risky.

After mastering the Continuous Body Flicker twice, Shuichi understood why so few ninjas in the Shinobi World used this technique as a core skill.

A ninja has a limited amount of chakra that can be used safely each day without harming their body. Chakra is needed to train other Ninjutsu and to carry out missions. People with a small amount of chakra may only be able to spare a little time each week or month to practice the Body Flicker Technique.

Because the Body Flicker Technique has absolutely no offensive capability, if you don't have an advantage in reaction speed, then no matter how well you practice, you'll just end up delivering yourself to the enemy, making it extremely inefficient.

Even the Third Hokage was taken aback when Shuichi used a smooth, Continuous Body Flicker Technique to kick Tekki away.

"Shuichi's ninja skills are so high, almost on par with Minato, and at this age, he still has enormous potential for growth." Sarutobi Hiruzen now felt that Shuichi's talent was somewhat abnormal.

It's not that shadows like them can't use such Continuous Body Flicker techniques, but rather that actual combat situations don't allow it; the key issue is time.

For example, he can calculate the location of the Continuous Body Flicker and the amount of chakra he needs to output in about two seconds, but this is under the premise of standing still and observing carefully.

In a battle between Kage Level fighters, the situation changes rapidly, the terrain is constantly shifting, and the pressure from the opponent adds to the difficulty. Being able to focus even 30% of one's energy on using the Body Flicker Technique is already quite an achievement, which means that preparation time will be much longer. Therefore, they rely more on their honed physical memory.

Those who can use their Body Flicker Technique to put pressure on their enemies, or even use it as an offensive tactic, are people whose chakra control skills, reaction speed, thought speed, and Taijutsu are all at the top level.

The Jonin present were naturally shocked by Shuichi's movements; this bizarre movement was undoubtedly a pure chakra-based Body Flicker Technique.

Moreover, when he got close to Tekki, he judged the distance perfectly. The second landing point was very close to Tekki's side. After landing, he was not stiff at all and kicked out with a powerful kick. This proved that this was not Shuichi guess or a pre-prepared routine by Xiu Yi, but a real on-the-spot reaction, representing a complete crushing of reaction speed and chakra control skills.

"Tosha- sensei, that movement was fast, but wasn't your reaction a little too slow?" Yukari asked curiously, seeing the shocked and solemn expressions on the Jonin present.

"You don't understand." Tosha said seriously. After thinking for Genin was too complicated, he simply said, "You just need to know that even we Jonin would find it difficult to perform this technique in actual combat, and even experts like the Kage might not be able to do it."

"What? That's outrageous?" Yukari and the Sunagakure around her were dumbfounded. The Konoha kids opposite them were actually this terrifying?

"Very likely." Saki spoke up solemnly at this moment, "My family's movement method can only achieve rapid movement in a certain direction. It's a method of coordinating chakra with leg muscles, but the movement distance is predetermined."

"It can only be used for offense when slashing directly at the enemy, because this aligns with the direction our legs bend and cannot be changed, while also carrying a certain risk of close-range attack. Dodging an attack backward or to the side will indeed result in a period of vulnerability."

"What we don't know right now is the upper limit of his Body Flicker Technique," Tosha added. "For example, this kind of distance movement is what he has practiced the most. Tekki was just unlucky to run into him. If the distance had changed slightly, he might have made a mistake."

"Even with a perfectly planned procedure, if you ask me to perform this action on the spot, the chances of failure are quite high. I might not be able to move the required distance, or I might run right into Tekki."

"Look at his age again," Tosha said with some worry. "Even if he's at this level now, he still has plenty of time and huge potential for growth in the future. Nobody knows what his strength will be like then."

"So, in this match, Tekki..."

"Let's see what the opponent does next; it's just a matter of time."

On the field, Tekki, who had been hit hard, seemed to be completely unconscious, lying on the ground without making any movement.

"Click-clack..." Just then, a soft sound came from the insect puppet behind Shuichi.

Suddenly, the puppet's head and body completely separated, circled briefly in the air, and hurtled rapidly towards Shuichi's back, a sharp blade protruding from its large wooden mouth.

"Captain, be careful..." Sarutobi Kohei was about to warn Shuichi in the arena when he realized that this might interfere with the game, and he became secretly anxious.

"Whoosh!" Just as he was about to be hit by this insidious attack, Shuichi seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, and lightly jumped to the side, the puppet's flying head attack just grazing past him.

Knowing that the sneak attack was no longer effective, Tekki, who had been lying on the ground, suddenly stood up. The main body of the insect puppet was also controlled and quickly ran back to him, merging with the head once again.

Tekki's expression was very solemn. He couldn't think of any way to deal with Shuichi's strange speed in a short time, so he could only let the puppet stand in front of him for the time being.

His opponent, however, still looked down on him and didn't press his advantage, simply watching his movements.

"Rip, clang!" Tekki ripped open the clothes on his right hand, and something suddenly fell to the ground from his right forearm with a loud sound.

Shuichi stared at the ground for a while, then smiled and said, "I see. You Sunagakure are quite well-prepared. Aren't you tired carrying such heavy things?"

What lay on the ground was a piece of material resembling an arm guard, consisting of a corkboard covered with a steel plate, which was now deformed.

Seeing that Tekki was completely covered in thick clothes, Shuichi guessed that the other party was wearing armor-like protective gear on his upper body and some parts of his legs.

"To compensate for Puppeteer's weakness in close combat? To rely on defense to withstand damage and then counter-kill the opponent? To wait for my Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique when facing me and then counterattack? The idea is not bad."