Chakra Refinement Technique 1.0

Seeing Shizune's surprise, Genma smiled. "Shizune, do you know about Yin-Yang Release?"

"Yin-Yang Release?"

Shizune looked puzzled, then said, "I don't know. It sounds like a combination of Yin Release and Yang Release, doesn't it?"

Tsunade glanced at Genma again. This kid knew a lot.

The Ninja Academy definitely wouldn't teach knowledge like Yin-Yang Release.

Noticing Tsunade's look, Genma casually explained, "I like looking through materials at the library. I once read about the Sage of Six Paths in a very old book."

"According to legend, the Sage of Six Paths used Yin-Yang Release to create the Ninja World, giving life to forms as he created them."

"But legends are just legends. Let's get back to the most fundamental ability of a ninja: chakra."

Tsunade folded her arms across her chest. "Are you saying that the Chakra Refinement Technique is also a form of Yin-Yang Release?"

Shizune's eyes lit up. "That does make some sense."

Genma smiled. "That's what I think, too, though it's a bit of a stretch."

"But there's no doubt that Yang Release represents physical strength, while Yin Release represents spiritual strength."

Tsunade considered this.

Genma didn't continue and steered the conversation back, pointing at the scroll. "We've found a promising path. Since deeper changes in Yang Release nature depend on the ratio, the same should apply to Yin Release."

"Genma, refining chakra at a ratio other than 1:1 is very difficult. I've tried for a long time and still can't do it," Shizune said.

"Shizune's right. Don't get excited too soon," Tsunade said.

"This is harder than learning Medical Ninjutsu. It requires tremendous mental fortitude and control."

Genma nodded. "That makes sense. Hand seals exist to make it easier to perform jutsu."

"But that doesn't change the fact that this is the right way to train in Yin Release and Yang Release nature transformations."

Tsunade agreed.

Curious, Genma asked, "Lady Tsunade, what ratio can you achieve with Yang Release Chakra?"

Tsunade didn't hide it. "Six to four, slightly better than my level with the Mystical Palm Technique."

Six parts physical strength, four parts spiritual strength.

Genma speculated that this was the level of Creation Rebirth—or perhaps a little below it.

Then was Senju Hashirama's seal-less self-healing at a seven-to-three ratio?

And was the Sage of Six Paths' Yang Power eight-to-two, or even higher, at nine-to-one?

But even Tsunade could only manage six to four. Clearly, the further one went, the harder it became.

Karin and Senju Hashirama had been born with even greater abilities.

And the Sage of Six Paths was in a league of his own.

No wonder this was a world where bloodlines ruled.

Fortunately, I can change the settings!

Genma wasn't worried at all. He sincerely praised her. "As expected of Lady Tsunade."

Tsunade didn't care for the compliment. Her expression remained calm. "Take this scroll home and study it at your own pace. How are you doing with the Chakra Scalpel?"

As he put away the scroll, Genma replied, "I've got the basics down. It really is an A-rank jutsu."

Shizune looked at him with admiration. "That's incredible!"

She was still a long way from mastering the Chakra Scalpel.

Tsunade glanced at the lovestruck Shizune and silently scoffed. He was just a little weaker than I was at his age.

"You can start by training in the Mystical Palm Technique, then adjust the ratio. That'll make it much easier," Tsunade said flatly.

Genma obediently nodded, but his thoughts turned to the Setting Collection.

Refining Yang Release Chakra was still chakra refinement, which meant he could account for it when modifying the Chakra Refinement Technique.

That way, he wouldn't need to spend additional Setting Values to add Yang Release nature transformation.

As soon as he got home from Tsunade's, Genma eagerly opened the Setting Collection.

Without hesitation, he chose to modify the Chakra Refinement Technique he had just added.

Chakra Refinement Technique 1.0: Can extract energy from any cell using spiritual strength to form chakra, and flexibly control the ratio of spiritual strength to cellular strength.

He had only two Setting Values, so he made a fairly conservative change.

He issued the modification command, and the Setting Collection updated immediately.

Success!

His Setting Values had also returned to zero.

"First, I'll try adjusting the ratio of spiritual strength to physical strength..."

Taking a deep breath, Genma pressed his hands together and lowered his eyes as he refined chakra.

First, he tried a ratio of 5.5 to 4.5 for physical strength and spiritual strength—in other words, Yang Release nature transformation.

The process was smooth. He refined the chakra without any resistance.

He dispersed the chakra he had just refined, turning it back into physical and spiritual energy, then refined chakra again.

This time, he tried six to four, Tsunade's level.

He finished just as quickly, but Genma could tell the process wasn't as smooth. The Yang Release Chakra he produced was much harder to control.

It also consumed far more physical energy, nearly draining him.

In other words, producing Yang Release Chakra at this ratio required enough spiritual strength to maintain its form, and the cost would be ten times higher than normal.

The loss of physical energy was even greater.

"If I adjust the ratio any further, I probably won't be able to form chakra. It's not just a matter of control—I don't have nearly enough physical energy."

Genma had a feeling that was the case. When he tried again, it proved true.

"The further the ratio shifts, the more terrifying the physical energy requirement becomes... So powerful Yang Release nature transformation must be supported by strong vitality."

Genma mused.

As expected, a vast chakra supply was a prerequisite for becoming powerful.

"Now let's try Yin Release nature transformation."

Genma refined chakra again, this time raising the proportion of spiritual strength directly to six to four.

It went smoothly, and unlike the strain on his body when he refined Yang Release Chakra, he felt no strain on his mind.

"I can go further..."

He dispersed the chakra and tried again.

This time, the ratio was seven to three.

He succeeded again.

And Genma felt that his spiritual strength could handle it; he simply didn't have enough physical energy.

"I was reincarnated into this world, so perhaps my spiritual strength is similar to that of an Uchiha who's undergone a spiritual mutation... Is this level of Yin Release Chakra on par with an Uchiha's three tomoe, or a Mangekyo?"

Genma carefully sensed the surging Yin Release Chakra inside him. It was noticeably colder than the Yin Release Chakra from before.

After some thought, he used the sensory jutsu Thousand Branch Spirit Touch.

Invisible branches sprouted from his body, then rapidly spread outward, splitting into more and more branches.

Genma could clearly feel that branches formed from the same amount of chakra were far sturdier than before.

So he made them thinner to extend his sensory range.

"One hundred meters. I don't have enough chakra. That's the limit..."

Genma estimated that his range had doubled compared to before.

Doubling the range with the same amount of chakra, while also improving sensory precision—this was the astonishing boost brought by a stronger nature transformation.

After releasing the jutsu, Genma wanted to go outside and test another ability, but he realized it was already dark.

"I'll wait until tomorrow."

Genma exhaled.

He had school on Monday, but he would definitely use a Shadow Clone to attend class and skip it with his real body to train.

What would happen if he refined chakra from plant cells or animal cells?

Genma was full of anticipation.

And it was time to start developing genjutsu, too.