The light of Dust Release.
Jingxin's pupils contracted as the three tomoe in his Sharingan spun rapidly.
He could see that inside the faint white glow, the properties of the three types of chakra had completely disappeared, replaced by a brand-new, pure form of energy.
It wasn't hot, cold, sharp, or heavy. Yet wherever it went, even the air warped slightly, as if space itself were being broken down.
This was the power of Kekkei Tōta.
Jingxin held the state for one second, two seconds, three seconds...
The white light remained stable for five seconds before fading away.
Did that count as success?
Although he had only maintained it for five seconds, although it was no bigger than a fingernail, and although he was still a long way from performing a true Dust Release jutsu...
He had indeed touched that realm.
"Heh... Hahaha... Hahahaha!"
A hoarse, excited laugh came from the edge of the training ground.
Jingxin turned and saw Ōnoki floating there. He didn't know how long the old man had been watching. The towering Akatsuchi stood behind him.
Tears streamed down the old Tsuchikage's face. "Did you see that, Akatsuchi? Dust Release... the true light of Dust Release..."
He descended from the air and staggered over to Jingxin. Then he crouched down and stared intently at Jingxin's hands, as if the white light still lingered on them.
"Two months..." Ōnoki murmured. "It's only been two months since you began training in Dust Release."
"And it took me five years—five whole years—to reach the level you just did."
"Lord Tsuchikage." Jingxin stood up. "This is only the beginning. I still have a long way to go before I can perform a true Dust Release jutsu."
"I know, I know..." Ōnoki nodded vigorously, wiping the tears from his face. "Next, you'll need to stabilize this state, extend how long you can maintain it, increase its size, and then learn the specific structure of the jutsu..."
"Atomic Dismantling Jutsu, Limitless Dismantling Jutsu... There's so much to learn, so much..."
A month later, Jingxin had completely mastered Dust Release.
Although he hadn't yet tested it in real combat, it gave him an immense sense of security.
From there, his training entered a smoother phase.
Every day, he could create fifty Shadow Clones to train.
Half of them focused on chakra refinement.
The other half worked on improving Jingxin's current weaknesses.
His Clone Technique, Substitution Technique, and Body Flicker Technique grew more and more proficient.
The fundamentals and advanced jutsu of Wind, Fire, and Earth Release all came easily to him.
With chakra control so fine it was nearly flawless, his training in these jutsu went almost unbelievably smoothly.
He also trained in Ōnoki's Light-Weight Rock Technique and Added-Weight Rock Technique.
There were no breakthroughs or sudden moments of enlightenment.
He simply progressed as naturally as water flowing downhill, building his skill bit by bit, like a steady stream carving its way forward.
Most importantly, he continued training his Sharingan.
Unlike other jutsu, the Sharingan was a Kekkei Genkai. It was also different from bodily Kekkei Genkai, which came from combining the nature transformations of two chakra types.
In training the Sharingan, chakra could only serve as a "foundation." The real factor that determined his progress was the human mind's spiritual energy.
At present, Jingxin had only one way to increase his Sharingan's power: have his Shadow Clones cast genjutsu on his original body...
This placed enormous demands on his spiritual energy.
As a result, Jingxin always looked listless. He might as well have developed Kakashi's dead-fish eyes.
Another half year passed.
After shoring up his weaknesses, Jingxin began seeking the limits of his combat strength.
He couldn't rush his Sharingan training, so he had to look elsewhere.
As it happened, there was a very suitable path for him to pursue within Iwagakure.
Morning.
As usual, Jingxin created Shadow Clones and had them train in chakra refinement.
His original body headed to the Research Department of Iwagakure.
The department was in the village's southwest corner, in a two-story stone building that stood on its own.
The building was plain and unadorned. A simple wooden sign hung by the entrance, bearing the words "Research Department."
Jingxin went straight up to the second floor.
As soon as he entered, he could sense how different the place was.
The walls were covered in sealing formulas, a faint ripple of chakra hung in the air, and the bookshelves were piled with ancient scrolls and documents. The entire space was shrouded in a solemn, mysterious atmosphere.
When Jingxin entered the research room, Chinatsu was sorting through a batch of newly arrived scrolls.
She wore the standard uniform of the research team: a dark blue robe with the symbols of Sealing Jutsu embroidered on its cuffs. Her red hair was tied in a simple bun at the back of her head, with a few loose strands framing her face and softening her features.
Seeing Jingxin, she set down the scroll in her hands and smiled warmly. "Lord Kintsuchi, you're here."
Chinatsu walked over and bowed slightly. "Karin said you wanted to learn Sealing Jutsu. I've prepared the materials for you."
"Just call me Kintsuchi," Jingxin said, then glanced around. "This place is more professional than I expected."
Chinatsu smiled. "Lord Tsuchikage takes Sealing Jutsu very seriously and has invested quite a few resources in it."
"Besides, Iwagakure already had some foundation in Sealing Jutsu. Combined with the knowledge and materials I brought from the Uzumaki Clan, our research has progressed faster than expected."
She led Jingxin to a private research room.
The room was small but tidy. A long table stood in the center, covered with several ancient scrolls. Ink, brushes, and specially made chakra paper lay beside them.
Several diagrams of sealing formulas hung on the walls. Their intricate, elegant lines resembled some kind of mysterious artwork.
"Please, sit," Chinatsu said, taking a seat across from Jingxin. "Before we begin, I'd like to ask why you want to learn Sealing Jutsu."
"With your strength and talent, you should be focusing on combat jutsu instead."
Jingxin answered honestly. "I'm good enough for now. I'm here to shore up my weaknesses."
"Mm..." Chinatsu handed him the materials she had prepared. "I'm sorry. This is all I can offer."
"These are only theoretical concepts I remember, and they aren't particularly advanced."
She had been born in the Land of Whirlpools, before the Uzumaki Clan had suffered its calamity.
As a junior member of the clan, Chinatsu had naturally learned the relevant knowledge.
However, although her theoretical knowledge was decent, she had almost no practical experience.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have been completely unable to help that night, or ended up trapped in the Land of Grass with Karin.
The thought dimmed her expression.
Jingxin put away the materials. "Without Aunt Chinatsu, the village's related techniques might never have advanced to where they are now."
"The past is already history. Being able to watch the children grow up safely is a kind of happiness, too."
Chinatsu tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled. "Thank you for comforting me, Lord Kintsuchi. I'm already very content with my life."
"Mm..."
She thought for a moment, then said to Jingxin, "I only know part of the knowledge, but I know where the clan's materials might be now."
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