Qingyu followed Konan to an open area outside the Akatsuki base.
A fine drizzle fell like silk from the gray sky, pattering against the walls of the Akatsuki base with a soft, dense rustle.
"The foundation of Paper Release is to infuse chakra into paper, giving it hardness and shape."
Konan raised her right hand, several white sheets of paper pinched between her pale fingers.
The paper fluttered between her fingers, its edges glowing with faint blue chakra. Then it spun rapidly through the rain, transforming into several sharp Paper Shuriken.
"Watch closely, Qingyu."
With a flick of her wrist, Konan sent the Paper Shuriken shooting from her fingertips.
They sliced through the rain curtain and embedded themselves in a withered tree ten meters away.
Qingyu's Sharingan slowly turned within his eye sockets, its three black tomoe seeing through the flow of chakra within Konan's body.
"Give it a try."
Konan took several pre-cut white sheets from her sleeve and handed them to Qingyu.
Qingyu accepted the paper. It felt no different from ordinary paper.
The sheets rose on his fingertips, then began to spin slowly.
Konan's eyes widened slightly.
She remembered that when she first learned Paper Shuriken, it had taken her an entire day.
Yet Qingyu had watched her demonstrate it only once and had already grasped the basic trick.
The Paper Shuriken flew from Qingyu's fingertips and embedded themselves in the withered tree beside the ones Konan had thrown earlier.
[Detected D-Rank Trait: Paper Release has met the synthesis conditions] [Proceed with synthesis?]
Translucent words appeared before Qingyu's eyes.
"Synthesize."
[C-rank trait: Paper Release] [Effect: Increases Paper Release talent by 60%. [Synthesis: Learn five Paper Release Ninjutsu to upgrade to a higher-rank trait.]
A cool sensation flowed through Qingyu's body.
"You learn very