Chapter 28: Is Stripping Away Ninjutsu Really That Simple?

Chapter 28: Is Stripping Down Ninjutsu Really That Simple?

"A C-rank mission? Uh, well, Lord Hokage did mention in advance that your team is cleared for C-rank missions, so please, go ahead and choose one."

The Chunin in charge of registration laid out the mission list. Chiba scanned it; there were countless tasks, from escorting merchant caravans to delivering documents.

Wait!

Escort Sakuraba Sadataki to the Fire Temple?

"Sakuraba" seemed to be the surname of a noble family in the Land of Fire, and he had some interest in the Fire Temple himself.

Wasn't this perfect?

"Kakashi-sensei, we'll take this one."

Escort Sakuraba Sadataki. Mission Rank: C.

*This kid wants to go to the Fire Temple?* Kakashi caught on to Chiba’s intent. He pondered for a moment, then nodded. "Let's go with this."

"Lord Kakashi, this mission requires you to first go to the capital to pick up Sakuraba Sadataki. You might encounter some non-ninja skirmishes along the way, so please be cautious," the Chunin advised, still trying to dissuade them.

"That's perfect!" Tenten said, looking thrilled.

Gekko Kazaha remained silent. Chiba had noticed that whenever there were many people around, she tended to make herself invisible.

"We'll take it," Kakashi nodded again. The official had no choice but to take down the mission card and hand it over.

The two girls were ecstatic, brimming with excitement.

Chiba chuckled. "If a real fight breaks out, don't you dare shrink back and be afraid to draw your weapons. At the very least, you have to protect the mission target."

"Hey, who are you looking down on? You should be the one who doesn't get scared!" The two girls stood united against him.

The group of four slowly headed toward the gate. Once they finished the registration at the entrance, the two girls seemed to come alive. Chiba, however, remained calm. He carried a small bag with three books inside—reading material for the duration of the mission.

He walked while reading, completely oblivious to the bustle outside. In contrast, the girls were brimming with enthusiasm, as if they were heading out for a shopping trip.

*At least I don't need help carrying my bag,* Chiba thought to himself, feeling relieved.

During a break, Kakashi asked with curiosity, "This is your first mission out of the village. Aren't you nervous?"

"Not really. Besides, the mission hasn't actually started yet. If we started worrying now, it would just mean we aren't qualified to take on C-rank missions at all." Chiba ate a military ration pill and went back to his book.

Blood and life—he had seen too much of that during his time at the hospital. Sickness, aging, and death were all too common in the ninja profession, let alone among ordinary samurai.

If they truly encountered enemies during the mission, Chiba would not show mercy.

Of course, it would be best if there were no accidents.

Chiba read silently, occasionally putting the book down to practice hand gestures. Kakashi watched from the side, a multitude of thoughts crossing his mind. Initially, he had only agreed to mentor them for a year because of Chiba, but now, all three had moved him.

They were all working incredibly hard.

Tenten was constantly honing her chakra control techniques, while Gekko Kazaha remained in the shadows, masking her presence and keeping watch, all while seemingly practicing some secret skill.

And then there was Chiba.

He was incredibly hardworking, and yet, he possessed terrifying talent. Any ninja born in the same era as him was destined to be both lucky and miserable—they didn't need to worry about being lost without a guide, for there would always be a figure standing ahead of them. That was precisely the tragedy of it.

Kakashi observed for a while before speaking. "Is that a regular blade in your right hand and a Chakra Scalpel in your left?"

"As expected of Kakashi-sensei," Chiba said with a slight nod.

Gekko Kazaha instantly perked up. *A Chakra Scalpel... isn't that a medical ninjutsu?*

"The Chakra Scalpel can indeed be used in combat, and since it isn't affected by physical ninja tools, the blade trajectory is quite unique. Using it in your left hand for assassinations is a clever idea," Kakashi remarked with a hint of admiration.

To think of using a Chakra Scalpel for combat and pairing it with a regular blade—Chiba’s way of thinking was completely different from the average person.

"Keep it up. Perhaps you could pioneer an entirely different style of combat," Kakashi said earnestly.

Tenten and Kazaha were speechless, though after a moment, they realized they had grown strangely accustomed to this. Things like this... it seemed to have happened so many times already that it wasn't worth being surprised by anymore.

"The initial form is simple. The hard part is maximizing the effects of the chakra blade and chakra needles. I'm wondering if I can add a chakra-absorbing effect to these two techniques," Chiba voiced his thoughts. "Even if it only drains a little bit each time, it would be a significant debuff to the enemy."

"Absorbing chakra..." Kakashi frowned, deep in thought.

"Oh, right, Sensei. You've learned over a thousand jutsu. Doesn't the Earth Prison Dome Piercer absorb chakra?" Chiba asked.

Kakashi nodded slightly. He did indeed know that technique.

"The Earth Prison Dome Piercer absorbs chakra primarily because of its barrier properties. The Earth Style is just for the containment aspect. Incorporating barrier ninjutsu into a Chakra Scalpel or chakra needles is highly impractical."

"Then is it possible to strip the barrier technique out of the Earth Prison Dome Piercer and release the barrier with oneself as the center?" Chiba pressed on.

This question... wasn't it a bit too radical?

Kakashi was stunned for a few seconds before answering: "That barrier technique mainly converts the enemy's chakra directly into the properties required for the Earth Style ninjutsu—in other words, it links the Earth Style with the barrier. Doing that with yourself as the center... that is an extremely dangerous approach."

Chiba didn't argue.

It was true. Chakra was composed of mental and physical energy, and every person's chakra had subtle differences. Absorbing it directly would undoubtedly increase the burden on oneself, ultimately resulting in more harm than good.

"What about a blade or a Chakra Scalpel then?"

"Uh, theoretically that's possible, but the difficulty is too high. It would probably be at least S-rank difficulty..."

Using a Chakra Scalpel in combat was already extremely difficult; integrating a barrier technique into it would be at least an S-rank learning curve. That was the level of various forbidden jutsu, and in Kakashi's view, the effect was relatively mediocre.

Chiba, however, was quite excited.

Difficulty?

His chakra control was likely among the top tier of all ninjas, and with the "Bodhi" feedback, his mental strength and chakra control were still gradually increasing.

S-rank difficulty was a piece of cake for him. Therefore, difficulty was never an issue.

"Kakashi-sensei, can you teach me the Earth Prison Dome Piercer?"

"Uh, sure."

Kakashi thought for a moment and began to dictate the hand seals and cultivation method for the Earth Prison Dome Piercer.

Chiba finished listening once and immediately began to try it. He still couldn't grasp the nature transformation, but that wasn't a big deal.

Hand seals were just like a program. If it wouldn't run, he would delete the faulty code and rewrite it; besides, he could perceive the fluctuations and trajectories of chakra.

Moreover, his control was strong enough that there was no risk of chakra backlash.

Kakashi watched with a twitching eye. *This guy is really reckless!*

"You can't do it that w—huh?"

"Looks like it worked?"

Chiba sensed carefully, constantly experimenting and adding hand seals. In the middle, he ate a chakra-restoring ration pill. A moment later, a barrier slowly spread out, centered on his palm.

Kakashi sensed the drain on his own physical and mental energy, and he couldn't help but fall silent.

*Damn it.*

Is stripping down the effects of a ninjutsu really that simple?