Oh, right, there's also the scroll in Link's hands.
It was during one of his Wind Release: Great Breakthrough training sessions that he had a breakthrough in his knowledge of ninjutsu—a truly useful breakthrough among tens of thousands of others.
He instantly grasped everything he had in his mind, from the Five Basic Releases to Forbidden Techniques. But the awkward part is that 'knowing' doesn't equate to being able to perform the techniques. If his body hasn't trained in the corresponding chakra nature or doesn't meet the casting requirements, then he simply can't perform them.
Take the simplest example: Flying Thunder God. Although he's fully mastered the theoretical principles and memorized every tiny detail of the jutsu, his sensory ability isn't up to par, and his mutated ninjutsu won't show him any mercy: if it's going to fail, it just fails.
Fortunately, a sudden thought occurred to him: he uploaded all the ninjutsu study methods into the Network so that they're preserved. Afterwards, he copied them into a scroll to learn them slowly later.
As for how to actually cast them once learned, he doesn't seem to have any quick solution. He can't just keep gambling on Great Breakthrough.
After countless experiments, Wind Release: Great Breakthrough is even more troublesome than the Body Replacement Technique. At least with Replacement, the random pool is finite. As for Great Breakthrough, his body, mind, skills, domain, and so forth combine into an uncountable mix—no one can see the bottom.
Most vexing is that regarding the Replacement, the Great Breakthrough's final effect still reflects upon himself. It has complied with the principle that "a clone is part of the user's psyche," so any new abilities are all pinned onto him.
"Why won't the clone count as an independent life form or entity? If…"
"...Hmm?"
Amid his usual daydreaming while studying, Link suddenly realized something he'd previously overlooked due to the threat of Kaguya's invasion.
Why not cast Great Breakthrough on an external object?
He froze, then put down the scroll and gathered chakra, forming seals. He picked up a small stone and tried tossing the Great Breakthrough onto it.
Next second, the stone began to glow brightly.
Success. This technique can be used on other objects.
Link's mind whirled with a flood of random ideas. Though he's not sure how to use it, being able to cast Great Breakthrough on a thing is undoubtedly a massive step forward.
He set down the stone, studied it carefully, then canceled the jutsu. After returning to normal, the original effect from Great Breakthrough was undone.
He tested again with destruction.
"Why is it that the object's shape reverts, yet when it got bigger earlier, once I crushed it, the size effect stayed…?"
He tried different ways:
Casting Great Breakthrough to enhance hardness,
Casting to let chakra permeate,
Casting for softness, color depth, or size, …
At one point, after he crushed the "enlarged" stone, the jutsu forcibly canceled, yet the stone fragments didn't vanish or revert, seemingly leaving the effect "locked in."
Link felt an excited tingle in his spine. If enlargement remains permanent after the object's destroyed, it suggests the transformation locked in place.
He quickly tested:
Another stone had been cast with "brightness" or "transparency," but after shattering, the effect canceled normally.
Another with "smoothness" … canceled upon destruction.
So why did that one "enlarged" stone remain altered after being shattered?
"Strange. Maybe… we need further tests."
He kept methodically trying new approaches, but someone coughed to catch his attention.
Turning his head, he saw Naruto (Final Chapter version) on the other side of a Network portal.
Link abruptly realized the other had arrived to pick him up.
"Naruto, I was just testing something. Thanks for waiting."
He withdrew from the experiment. Then Naruto said something like, "Got time to come over?"
Link was slightly embarrassed at being caught playing around. He stowed away all these half-finished notes, formed a seal, and stepped through.
"Naruto, I went to a new world two days ago. I didn't manage to kill the Obito there, so I thought I'd swing by your place first to summon your Obito for help."
The adult Naruto nodded and said, "I see. This trip you're making… Let me have someone accompany you for a bit."
"Er…"
They stepped from the portal into the Hokage's office (Final Chapter world). Inside, Tsunade and Kakashi were seated on a couch.
"There's no need to show me around; I'm a bit busy. Is there something else?"
He found it interesting that the older Naruto had begun using more subtle language, evidence of maturity.
Naruto hesitated:
"You recall last time you opened a Rashamon in our world without listing it on the Allied Force exchange menu?"
"Oh, that."
Because it couldn't be done by him alone—and it was hard to control, causing some trouble in the Third World—Tobirama never added the "one-week Rashamon" to the alliance's official redemption system.
"If you guys need it, I can do it. Not a problem."
He was generous. Summoning that gate cost him only a short time to form seals. Chakra from their side would be provided, so it wouldn't cost him anything. Meanwhile, he could have strong people from the other side owe him a favor.
Naruto nodded apologetically:
"We appreciate that, but it'd be best if we went through official procedures with the alliance. If we just went straight to you every time, it sets a bad precedent. Since the new system belongs to everyone, I don't want to be the first to break its rules."
"All right," Link agreed easily. The main reason he was here was to bring Obito along to help. Then he'd head back and keep working on Great Breakthrough.
~~~
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