Selecting Another Ninjutsu

The day after the mission ended and they returned to Root, everyone gathered and headed to the ninjutsu room to choose ninjutsu. This time, they could only choose ninjutsu below B-rank, and they had to master it within a week.

When it was Lin Chuan's turn to enter the ninjutsu room, he stopped before the shelf of Water Release techniques and looked toward the C-rank Water Release section. He planned to choose a C-rank Water Release technique and learn a defensive one first.

He eventually set his sights on the C-rank Water Release: Water Prison Technique. It could create a spherical prison of water to bind an opponent. Those trapped inside could not move, and the air would gradually run out, but the caster had to keep a hand in contact with the water prison to maintain it.

As for why he did not choose a B-rank Water Release technique, it was because his chakra reserves limited how much he could grind proficiency. He might as well choose the more practical C-rank Water Prison Technique.

Though this ninjutsu was only C-rank and did not consume much chakra, used well, it was practically divine. It could trap enemies and defend against attacks. Even Might Guy's straight punches could not break through it. It could even trap several enemies at once and suffocate them to death.

Next, he would still focus on Water Release: Heavenly Weeping and Shadow Clone. Those two B-rank techniques were close to reaching Chunin level. Water Prison was only a C-rank technique and would be easy to learn. Only Heavenly Weeping's power and penetration still required time to study.

In truth, the Water Prison Technique was not yet very refined in its early form. The user had to extend a hand into the prison and feed it chakra to maintain it. At that point, one could simply attack the caster's hand and break the technique.

Back then, Kakashi could have broken Zabuza's Water Prison Technique at any moment as long as he used Lightning Release.

Later, Kishimoto patched the Water Prison Technique again: a ninja trapped inside could not move and therefore could not use ninjutsu, unless they broke free by force.

Neji being able to break the Water Prison Technique could be explained by the fact that activating the Byakugan did not require hand seals, and the Byakugan happened to see the chakra flow within the Water Prison Technique.

Then there was the Hyuga Clan's signature technique. Hyuga Gentle Fist could release chakra from acupoints throughout the body, allowing one to shake off enemies clinging to them or break free from restraints. This Gentle Fist technique was called Gentle Fist Body Blow.

Neji had once continuously released a massive amount of chakra to sense the arrows fired by Kidomaru, but doing so placed a great burden on his body. If Neji used this move, he could break Kisame's Water Prison Technique.

Later, Kishimoto patched the Water Prison Technique once more. Even without keeping a hand in contact with the prison, one could use the Water Prison Technique, though without chakra maintaining it, the prison would not last long.

After being patched three times, this technique had reached its final form. It was very practical for him now, and worked best when used together with Water Clone.

For the next week, he focused on learning the Water Prison Technique. Their time to study ninjutsu had been compressed, which was also why he had chosen a C-rank technique. Otherwise, with only one week, he would not have dared guarantee that he could learn a B-rank technique.

The principle behind the Water Prison Technique was simple: manipulate water into a spherical cage to trap an enemy. It involved Water Release shape transformation and compressing the density of Water Release. With his chakra control proficiency, creating a water prison was no difficult task.

He first formed a small ball of water underwater, then continuously expanded the flowing water ball while increasing the density of its walls. Density was what determined the water ball's defense.

The water ball gradually became a water prison large enough to hold an adult. He then extended his hand into it and continuously fed it chakra, keeping the density of the water ball's walls from dropping and making the chakra-infused water flow without pause. That meant he had succeeded.

The Water Prison Technique's chakra consumption was indeed C-rank, but it required chakra input to keep the water ball from dispersing. He also had to increase the density of the water ball's walls according to the strength of the ninja trapped within. If the water ball's density was too low, it could not trap anyone and would burst with a single poke.

He had a Shadow Clone enter the water ball to test it, and found that trapped enemies could not move because the denser the water ball became, the greater the water pressure and the heavier the water. Naturally, those caught inside could not move; they were being pinned down by the water pressure.

But he did not understand why air had to be left inside the water ball. Kishimoto's depiction of Water Prison could be understood as adding tension to a battle scene, but this was a real ninja world. Killing was a race against time, every move aimed to be fatal. Who would trap an enemy in a water prison just to chat with them?

He felt that this ninjutsu could be improved. He could fill the water ball completely with water, changing the enemy's slow death by suffocation into drowning. There was plenty of room for improvement.

He tried the Water Prison Technique again. The drawback of filling the prison with water was that it increased chakra consumption and the prison's weight. Its advantage was that the Shadow Clone would definitely burst within three minutes.

In a water prison with air, the Shadow Clone could still hold on for five to ten minutes, but maintaining the prison would likewise cost him several more minutes' worth of chakra.

All things considered, both consumed roughly the same amount of chakra. Through the Shadow Clone's death feedback, he learned that both suffocation and drowning felt terrible. As long as the Water Prison could kill people, that was enough. He did not want to try a third time.

Suddenly, he realized that Water Prison was not only useful for trapping enemies. It could potentially be used for diving. Since the Water Prison's density was greater than seawater's, and it contained its own air, combined with a ninja's physique, he could carry a Water Prison down to the seabed and remain there for half an hour without issue.

It seemed that leaving some air inside the Water Prison was not entirely useless. But when trapping enemies, there was no need to leave air. He could just drown them directly.

After learning Water Prison, he opened the Water Release Ninjutsu Grind Panel to check it.

[Ninjutsu]

[Water Release Ninjutsu]

[C-rank Ninjutsu: Water Release: Water Clone (Genin: 391/1000)]

[C-rank Ninjutsu: Water Release: Water Shock Wave (Genin: 254/1000)]

[C-rank Ninjutsu: Water Release: Water Prison (Usable: 10/100)]

[B-rank Ninjutsu: Water Release: Water Formation Wall (Usable: 41/100) (Two seals)]

[B-rank Ninjutsu: Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet (Usable: 43/100) (Six seals)]

[B-rank Ninjutsu: Water Release: Heavenly Weeping (Genin: 795/1000)]

His other Water Release techniques remained unchanged. Where did he have time to grind the others? He had been doing missions at the border, and after returning to Root, he had to learn new ninjutsu.

The Water Prison Technique he had just learned quickly reached Usable after repeated trial and error, along with experiments conducted using Shadow Clones. The next step was Genin level. He only needed to gain proficiency ninety more times, and he was confident he could reach Genin level within half a month.

A week passed quickly. Everyone had been nervously studying ninjutsu. When Number Thirty-Three was called, Lin Chuan went to the target range to demonstrate his new technique.

"Number Thirty-Three, what ninjutsu did you choose?" Leopard took the scroll Lin Chuan handed over and opened it, discovering that it was the Water Prison Technique.

"Instructor, it's the Water Prison Technique," Lin Chuan answered, standing properly. He did not see Ryūma Aburame. This time, only Leopard was checking their training progress.

"Demonstrate it." Leopard set down the ninjutsu scroll and told Lin Chuan to perform the technique.

"Yes, Instructor." Lin Chuan immediately raised his hands and formed seals. The Water Prison Technique required seven seals. To trap an enemy, the seals had to be fast. Otherwise, who would stand still and wait for someone to use Water Prison on them? They would just stab the caster. After completing all seven seals, he shouted, "Water Release: Water Prison Technique..."

A vortex of water instantly rose from the ground, spiraling upward without pause. When it reached waist height, the water stopped and became a blue sphere. He hurriedly thrust his hand into the water prison and fed it chakra to maintain it.

"Pass. Go." Leopard lightly waved a hand, dismissing Lin Chuan. Number Thirty-Four was next.

Lin Chuan withdrew his hand from the water prison. The prison remained in place for a while, then instantly collapsed into a puddle once the chakra he had fed into it ran out.