Night Rain

Soon, Maruboshi Kosuke, along with Jiogan and four others, conducted a thorough search of the Patrol Squad 36 defense zone, but found no trace of other enemies.

Various signs indicated that Jiogan's encounter was caused by individual enemies fleeing.

As a precaution, Maruboshi Kosuke reassigned everyone's tasks. Maruboshi Kosuke personally led the team in the forest area, Inuzuka Yoru was responsible for cooperating with Maruboshi Kosuke, Jiogan and Kurama Feiyun were responsible for support at the outpost, and Anima and Okamura Taro were responsible for deploying defenses along the coastline.

At the same time, the situation of encountering the enemy was reported to the eastern front outpost. The outpost issued an order to Patrol Squad 36 to raise the alert level and also issued a warning to adjacent defense zones. Further orders would be issued after comprehensive follow-up discoveries.

Soon, two days passed, and Patrol Squad 36 did not encounter any more enemies. However, the patrol team adjacent to the northern part of the defense zone encountered enemies. Fortunately for them, the enemies ran into a Konoha Jonin Squad and were completely annihilated. According to intelligence, the Kirigakure ninja who fled into Patrol Squad 36's defense zone was a member of this infiltration squad, who had separated from the team to find a water source.

Because he did not rejoin the team, the Kirigakure infiltration squad judged that his whereabouts had been discovered and he had been killed or captured. Therefore, their subsequent actions avoided the defense zones of Jiogan and others, and they chose to continue infiltrating northward.

After the incident, the outpost issued an order to Patrol Squad 36 to lower the alert level, and Jiogan and others returned to normal patrol mode.

However, Maruboshi Kosuke did not issue an order to adjust the team assignments, and everything remained as usual until the end of this patrol period.

Jiogan and Kurama Feiyun were paired, with Kurama Feiyun responsible for the day and Jiogan responsible for the night. Five days before the end of this patrol mission, the entire eastern coastline of the Land of Fire was hit by a heavy rainfall.

Two days later, looking at the rain outside, which seemed like it wouldn't stop, Jiogan said, "Since I was born, this is the first time I've seen such heavy rain. It seems endless and will never stop! The coastline is also experiencing rolling waves, and the water is murky. I've really gained some experience this time!"

"Yes, but coastal areas are naturally prone to frequent rainfall. It's truly rare that we only encountered rain halfway through our mission!" Kurama Feiyun replied.

"The river where we get water has doubled in volume, and it's hard to catch fish now. The Military Rations Pills taste truly mediocre, like chewing wax. I'm about to vomit!" Jiogan complained.

"This is what the local fishermen say, 'The bigger the waves, the more expensive the fish!'" Kurama Feiyun said with a smile.

What? Are there Gao Qiqiangs in the ninja world too!

In the deep night, Kurama Feiyun was resting in the tent, while Jiogan was on guard at the outpost. He gazed at the dark night sky. The pouring rain showed no signs of stopping, lightning flashed occasionally, and rumbling thunder could be heard in bursts. The sound of surging waves along the coastline was also incessant.

For some reason, Jiogan took off his raincoat, lay on his back, and let the rain splash on his face. He was soaked through, as if his entire body had merged into the rain.

Jiogan inexplicably began to practice Tai Chi. Chakra and Qi continuously flowed into his Dantian. For some reason, the Qi flowing in today was exceptionally abundant, quickly reaching the Dantian's Capacity Limit.

But the Qi continued to flow into the Dantian, ceaselessly. Soon, with a creak, a crack appeared on the outer halo of the Qi Mass in his Dantian. Then, more and more cracks appeared, until finally, with a ping, the outer halo completely shattered.

The moment the halo shattered, time seemed to freeze for an instant. Immediately after, abundant Heaven and Earth Qi surged and converged towards Jiogan's Dantian!

At this moment, Jiogan sat cross-legged, hands held before his Dantian. The Heaven and Earth Qi was visible to the naked eye, and the movement was significant. However, accompanied by the Heavenly Might of the thunderstorm and waves, no one knew what was happening at the outpost except for Kurama Feiyun, who was awakened by being too close.

Kurama Feiyun looked at the anomaly on Jiogan's body and was extremely shocked. However, her woman's intuition told her not to disturb Jiogan, as the anomaly occurring on Jiogan was very helpful to him!

As a large amount of Heaven and Earth Qi entered Jiogan's Dantian, the Qi Mass in his Dantian grew larger and more solid. However, soon, a new halo appeared, blocking the amount of Qi Mass and preventing it from rising further.

If the size of Jiogan's Dantian Qi Mass before tonight was a pigeon egg, then its current size was a ping pong ball, with a significant increase in volume.

Meanwhile, the Chakra Amount Storage Limit was raised again. Previously, it was the amount of 20 C-rank Ninjutsu, but now it was 50. The Automatic Chakra Recovery Speed also noticeably increased.

Jiogan looked at the changes in his body with mixed surprise and joy. "Have I broken through?! If my Tai Chi before was considered Level One, is it Level Two now?!"

Jiogan got up and practiced Tai Chi again. The same movements, but this time when performed, the obvious charm was different from before. At the same time, Jiogan clearly felt that his perception and control ability over the surrounding environment had been greatly enhanced. He could meticulously feel everything around him.

Closing his eyes, Jiogan continued practicing Tai Chi. He suddenly mobilized the Qi in his Dantian. With this, Jiogan felt that he had truly merged with heaven and earth. His soul broke through the limits of his body. His soul seemed to rise higher and higher. He saw everything around him more and more clearly. The leaves swaying in the rain, the insects in the tree hollows, the squirrels hiding from the rain in the bushes, and Feiyun staring blankly at him. He then looked further away, at Anima and Okamura Taro hiding among the rocks at the forest edge, Maruboshi Kosuke hiding by the river with his canteen, and Inuzuka Yoru and Ranmaru sleeping soundly next to him, bubbling with snot. He saw them clearly. Those with chakra, those without chakra, big and small, living and dead, he saw them clearly.

He wanted to open his eyes. With a thought in his mind, the scene in his soul continuously zoomed in and quickly returned to his mind.

He opened his eyes and suddenly exhaled, "So, by letting the soul drive Qi, I can perceive everything around me. The more Qi is consumed, the further the perception. What's important is that what I perceive is everything, everything in the manifestation of heaven and earth, not just perceiving chakra!"

The rain was still falling, thunder roared, and the sound of waves still raged. But Jiogan was no longer the Jiogan he was before. He was much stronger than before.

He clasped his hands together, "Water Style, Water Wall!" This Water Wall was no longer the previous water wall shape. It had become a rotating water column around him. The thickness of the water column reached nearly two meters. The rotating water column exuded the aura of a water tornado. The Water Wall had evolved into a 360-degree No-Dead-Angle Defensive Ninjutsu.

The Chakra consumption was only normal, but Jiogan did not use hand seals!

He was getting closer and closer to the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju's Water Style!