Nagato believed he had everything under control. His only consideration now was how far he could maximize Ye Zi's value.
If Ye Zi successfully captured the Two-Tails and Eight-Tails a year later, it would align perfectly with Nagato's plans. However, Nagato wouldn't just sit idly by and wait for that outcome. Continuous self-improvement was essential to approach his ultimate goal, it was a principle shared by anyone pursuing a grand ambition and Ye Zi was no exception, having walked this path himself.
Ever since arriving in this world, Ye Zi had encountered many driven individuals. He had seen those consumed by powerful obsessions, their determination bordering on madness. Orochimaru and Nagato were prime examples. And Ye Zi considered himself no different, he was a fellow fanatic chasing an unshakable goal.
The day after finalizing the plan with Nagato, Ye Zi departed from the Hidden Rain Village. His mind churned with schemes, each devised to draw him closer to his target: the Rinnegan. Nagato had to die for that goal to be achieved.
Both Nagato and Ye Zi sought to maximize each other's value. The real question was, who would outlast the other?
Victory belonged to those who survived to the end. Failure, on the other hand, meant death. The words Ye Zi had uttered to Nagato, "If I fail, I'll die", weren't just casual remarks. They were a cryptic reflection of his resolve.
Walking through relentless rain that blanketed the landscape, Ye Zi's golden snake-like pupils shone faintly amidst the storm. His unwavering gaze pierced through the downpour, as if cutting the rain itself. Despite not wearing the rain gear customary in the Land of Rain, not a single drop touched his body, repelled by a field of natural energy he actively controlled.
Several days later, Ye Zi returned to the base in the Land of Waterfalls, where everyone was steadily progressing toward their own goals.
The young recruits trained with increased intensity, their determination fueled by their circumstances. Kimimaro stood out, bordering on obsession. He slept only a few hours each day, dedicating every waking moment to mastering his Kekkei Genkai, often enduring pain to improve his control.
Meanwhile, Shin and Kotoe acted as instructors, teaching the children all facets of ninja skills: Ninjutsu, genjutsu, taijutsu, weapon handling, and more.
Elsewhere, Natsuko was immersed in her research, aiming to increase the survival rate for the implantation of Hashirama cells within a year. Orochimaru, uninterested in this particular endeavor, focused on his studies of Sage Mode and Curse Marks. His goal was to find a risk-free method of mastering Sage Mode and integrating it with Curse Marks.
Upon returning, Ye Zi secluded himself in his quarters to study sealing techniques. He postponed seeking Orochimaru's assistance on becoming a pseudo-jinchūriki, determined to achieve mastery of sealing on his own.
His primary focus remained on strengthening himself, knowing it was key to his success in the Hidden Cloud Village mission. After all, facing the Third Raikage, reputed as the strongest of the Kage, was inevitable.
It would be a clash of strengths, Ye Zi's Black Lightning against the Raikage's unmatched Lightning Style. The outcome would settle which was superior.
Time passed as Ye Zi deepened his understanding of sealing techniques, using Edo Tensei subjects as test dummies. The combination of Edo Tensei and Wood Release proved invaluable, allowing for versatile applications in his studies.
During this time, Ye Zi also verified the effects of the Contract Seal. It successfully severed the bond between a summoner and their summon, instantly returning the summoned creature to its original location.
He discovered that the seal could be reversed, restoring the connection between summoner and summon. This opened up strategic potential, particularly against Nagato's summoned creatures, as the seal would likely work against them as well.
With a functional grasp of sealing techniques, Ye Zi turned his attention to integrating them into his Lightning Style and Wood Release. The former proved challenging due to the intangible nature of Lightning Style chakra, which made it an unstable medium for carrying seals. Wood Release, being tangible, was far more compatible with sealing techniques.
Ye Zi remained undeterred by the difficulties of combining seals with his Lightning Style, aware that even incremental progress could yield significant results. Regardless, he had plenty to gain by focusing on Wood Release for now.
The Hidden Cloud mission loomed ahead, and Ye Zi knew he needed every edge he could muster. Whether it was through sealing techniques, natural energy, or sheer tactical acumen, he would ensure that he was prepared to face the Raikage and claim victory.
Considering the differing levels of difficulty, Ye Zi decided to focus primarily on combining sealing techniques with Wood Release. With this clear direction, he found renewed motivation, especially when imagining the potential effects of merging the two techniques.
Immersed in the process of developing ninjutsu, Ye Zi maintained an intense routine. He would take short naps of two to three hours when tired and eat quickly whenever hungry. Time slipped by unnoticed as he worked tirelessly.
The lack of reference materials made the development process arduous and progress painfully slow. Yet, Ye Zi was content.
As long as he moved forward, even at a snail's pace, it was still progress.
Every concept he visualized in his mind was materialized into practice. Failed attempts resulted in piles of discarded wood. Every few hours, Ye Zi found himself clearing out the debris.
The Edo Tensei subjects he used as test dummies were not so fortunate, enduring constant experimentation and "torture" at Ye Zi's hands.
Due to the high frequency of trials, Ye Zi's chakra often depleted in less than half a day. At that point, he would rest briefly to allow his chakra to recover before resuming his experiments.
Through incremental gains in experience and knowledge, Ye Zi began to understand the flaws of the Spiritual Transformation Technique more deeply.
One significant weakness of spiritual entities was their vulnerability to sealing techniques. If Ye Zi mastered the integration of sealing techniques with Wood Release, he could directly trap spiritual entities with Wood Release, nullifying their ability to pass through physical barriers.
This insight solidified Ye Zi's decision to avoid using the Spiritual Transformation Technique in any potential confrontation with Nagato. Given Nagato's ability to extract souls directly, it was likely he possessed numerous methods to deal with spiritual entities.
While Ye Zi remained at the base, refining his mastery of sealing techniques, White Zetsu was sent out to gather intelligence on the Hidden Cloud Village. Meanwhile, three clones, enhanced with transplanted Byakugan, guarded the perimeter of the base.
This layered defense allowed Ye Zi to focus entirely on his training, gradually improving his techniques despite the challenges. For Ye Zi, each tiny step forward brought him closer to mastering the tools he needed to achieve his ultimate goal.
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Currently on Chapter 510 - A Stalemate in a Bizarre Battle