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Chapter 44: Shape Transformation—Snake
🕑 Added 2025-05-13 17:33:33 +0000 UTC"Water Release’s nature transformation is about flow and pressure—figure that out yourself; I don’t specialize in it. Wind Release’s nature isn’t cutting, but tearing."
Kazama Etsu propped himself up on his hospital bed pillow, watching as two Hikaris sat on the couch—one practicing Water shape manipulation, the other Wind nature transformation. Division of labor, clear as day.
He’d agreed to teach her after hearing her reason for wanting strength:
To protect herself when disaster strikes. To never feel powerless again.
Had she been in his place years ago, she’d have fought to the last breath—no regrets, no what-ifs.
"For shape transformation, there’s no shortcut. No ‘teaching,’ either." Kazama finally revealed the method. "Observe. Mimic. Until your illusion becomes reality."
"The ‘Observation Method’?" Hikari nodded. The name was self-explanatory.
"Pick an object. Study it—outside to inside. Memorize every detail. Replicate it with chakra until even the gods wouldn’t spot the difference. Then you’ve mastered one shape."
"Just… one?"
Kazama smirked at her dismay.
Thinking of becoming the first all-rounder shinobi? Even ignoring nature transformation, the sheer variety of shapes would drown her.
Common beast forms: Snake, bird, fish, tiger.
Weapon forms: Whip, needle, blade, cannon.
Natural phenomena: Like the Great Waterfall Technique.
Talent meant nothing here. This was grunt work—years of observation, trial, error.
"Too much effort? Just skip it." His tone turned sardonic. "Use pre-made jutsu. Forty hand seals per technique, slow as mud—but hey, no thinking required. Shame to waste your talent for sealless Water Release, though."
Hikari didn’t rise to the bait.
She’d broken his bones. If he wanted to snipe while teaching, so be it.
Besides, shape transformation didn’t seem hard.
With the Byakugan’s Perspective vision and her chakra control, the "Observation Method" was practically tailor-made for her.
"Sensei, demonstrate your jutsu again?"
"Which one?"
"Wind Serpent Movement."
Kazama sighed. "That ‘simple’ technique took me months. Buy a live snake, dissect it—"
"I understand. But I’d like to try now."
Stubborn brat.
Fine. Let her fail. Some lessons had to be learned the hard way.
His hands flashed—three seals, down from thirty-six. A master’s refinement.
Wind gathered.
The transparent serpent materialized, slicing air into harmonic ripples as it slithered.
Hikari’s Byakugan veins bulged.
Too fast for sharingan to copy.
Splash.
A clumsy "water rope" writhed in her palm.
Kazama hid a smirk.
Not bad for a first attempt. Most novices took days to even get the outline right. He’d been no exception.
But the true challenge lay inside.
Living creatures’ internals were near-impossible to observe fully. Even dissection left gaps. That was the wall he’d hit for two months.
Talent wouldn’t help her here. This required—
Hiss.
A sound.
Familiar.
Kazama’s head snapped up.
"Impossible."
The words slipped out as he stared.
Hikari’s water serpent coiled around her arm, scales glistening like liquid crystal.
Not a drop wet her sleeve.
Muscles flexed. Fangs flickered.
A perfect replica—inside and out.
"How?!"
His worldview cracked.
(◠‿◠)
