Abilities related to space-time and the soul—while not always providing overwhelming power—are never truly worthless.
As for the final forbidden technique, it required careful deliberation.
"Flying Thunder God Technique, Living Corpse Reincarnation, True Several Thousand Hands? There's even a Wood Release forbidden technique?" Hiruzen Sarutobi murmured, reading through the scrolls brought by the Anbu. His expression turned solemn.
The first two didn't surprise him. The Flying Thunder God Technique was the signature ability of Minato Namikaze, the "Yellow Flash" of the Leaf. His mastery of space-time ninjutsu made him a legend across the shinobi world.
The Living Corpse Reincarnation, however, brought more complicated memories. The last notable user was Orochimaru—not Dan Kato—who developed and utilized the technique to transfer his soul into other bodies, achieving a form of pseudo-immortality. It was one of the most dangerous kinjutsu in Konoha's records, forbidden precisely because of its implications on identity, morality, and soul possession.
As for the True Several Thousand Hands—also known as the Top Transformed Buddha Technique—it was a legendary Wood Release technique once used by Hashirama Senju himself, the First Hokage. Without the Wood Release kekkei genkai, the technique would be utterly unusable, no matter how powerful.
Aoba Kawaki, however, seemed interested in the technique regardless. Hiruzen furrowed his brow. Without Wood Release, what did the boy hope to gain?
"Perhaps he's intrigued by the theoretical framework," Hiruzen muttered, scratching his head.
Unbeknownst to him, Aoba Kawaki had already memorized the contents of all three forbidden techniques and returned home with a satisfied smile.
Due to their classified nature, the scrolls could not be removed or copied. Aoba had relied solely on memory. Fortunately, since awakening his max-level Observation Haki—a unique ability foreign to this world—his mental capacity had grown exponentially. He now possessed photographic memory, able to commit complex techniques to heart after a single glance.
He wasted no time.
The first target: the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Aoba placed the training scroll on the sacrificial altar, ignited the altar's hidden mechanisms, and began the offering. He whispered a silent prayer, filled with anticipation. The last time he'd felt this eager was when he sacrificed his Byakugan—a bloodline limit—in exchange for something more aligned with his goals: space-time manipulation.
When the offering concluded, a familiar glowing sphere of light materialized above the altar. Without hesitation, Aoba reached out and absorbed it.
Immediately, his body surged with new knowledge and ability.
It wasn't the Flying Thunder God Technique per se—but what he received exceeded expectations.
Instant Transmission.
The signature ability of Son Goku from the Dragon Ball universe. A high-level space-time technique allowing the user to teleport instantly to another person's location, so long as they can sense the target's energy.
Along with Instant Transmission came Aura Sensing, a prerequisite to locating energy signatures.
Aoba focused, activating the new sensing ability.
It was vastly different from Observation Haki. While Observation Haki provided superior detail and predictive ability in close combat, Aura Sensing allowed him to detect the general location and intensity of any living being over long distances—but it could not perceive non-living matter.
Its range, however, was astonishing.
As he released his sensing ability, the radius of detection began to expand rapidly—beyond the Land of Fire, across the Land of Rivers, Rain, Grass, and even into the distant Land of Water. In moments, the entire continent fell within his spiritual radar.
With Instant Transmission, distance was no longer a factor.
His thoughts turned to the Third Raikage, who had been granted a degree of autonomy to stir conflict in the Land of Earth. Perhaps it was time to redirect his mission.
Aoba honed in on the Third Raikage's aura—it was unmistakable: raw, thunderous, and immense. Easily identifiable among countless other signatures.
He located the Raikage in the Land of Earth. Around him were seven other strong auras.
Five of them bore signatures consistent with Earth Release users—likely Iwagakure jonin. The remaining two resembled the lightning-based chakra of Kumogakure shinobi.
That made eight individuals total, including the Raikage. Their chakra signatures were unrestrained, suggesting a tense confrontation—but no combat had broken out.
A negotiation?
Aoba narrowed his eyes. Without physically arriving, he couldn't glean more.
But based on previous orders—to destabilize Iwagakure's internal affairs—it seemed the Raikage was exploiting a loophole, negotiating on his own terms under the guise of fulfilling his mission.
The presence of Cloud ninja suggested that Kumogakure was aware of the Raikage's activities and might be attempting to secure a diplomatic or military solution.
Aoba Kawaki shook his head indifferently. As long as the Third Raikage's mission success rate met his expectations, he didn't care about the man's minor schemes or personal methods.
With the Instant Transmission technique in hand, Kawaki was more confident than ever. Unless the Ten-Tails descended prematurely, or Kaguya Ōtsutsuki unexpectedly emerged from the moon, he was certain of his invincibility.
He even considered toying with Madara Uchiha, who was still lurking underground.
But first, he had to sacrifice the remaining two forbidden techniques.
The second technique placed on the sacrificial altar was the Spiritualization Technique—a high-level Konoha forbidden jutsu capable of separating the spirit from the body, typically used for reconnaissance or possessing other beings.
Kawaki rubbed his hands together, anticipation bubbling within. He had high hopes for this jutsu.
The ritual began.
The ritual ended.
As the light from the altar faded, a humanoid silhouette appeared in Kawaki's mind.
What he received was… intriguing. Unlike previous rewards, this was not a tangible jutsu or item—it was an energy body radiating a powerful spiritual presence.
The energy it emitted was unmistakable.
Spiritual Pressure—on par with a Soul Reaper who had trained in the Soul Society for a millennium.
"This… this is hitting the jackpot," Kawaki muttered, his excitement barely restrained.
With a single thought, he absorbed the energy into himself. The spiritual figure fused seamlessly into his soul.
While his physical body felt unchanged, his spirit now pulsed with power. He could sense his soul inching toward a state of separation—a transformation into a pure Soul Reaper.
Once he crossed that threshold, his soul's form—and thus, his appearance—would be forever fixed.
He would remain as he was now: a 14-year-old boy with blinded eyes.
Kawaki placed his hand over the blindfold that covered his empty sockets.
He had gouged out his Byakugan years ago, a symbolic rejection of the Hyūga clan's oppressive traditions. But he hadn't given up on seeing again. That day would come.
"More than two years… Time flies," he murmured. "Just a little longer. Once the Third Great Ninja War ends, I'll reclaim my light."
That war's conclusion was his deadline—not for surgery, but for revenge.
He wouldn't regain his sight through mere transplantation. No, he planned to exact justice first—against the Hyūga main family.
Transplanting new eyes wasn't the problem. He had the status and influence to obtain suitable ones, and Konoha's med-nin could perform the procedure.
But he deliberately postponed it. The pain reminded him of his purpose. His eyes were gone because of the Hyūga. That wound must be avenged before it could be healed.
Exhaling slowly, Kawaki pushed aside these thoughts and turned to the final forbidden jutsu.
Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands – Top Transformed Buddha.
This was the pinnacle of Hashirama Senju's power—an enormous deity-like construct requiring his unique Wood Release bloodline.
Kawaki's goal? To see whether the sacrificial altar could convert a kekkei genkai-exclusive jutsu into an ability usable by someone without the corresponding bloodline.
The result exceeded expectations.
A blinding orb of skill energy appeared—its brilliance alone proved this was no common reward.
Kawaki absorbed it eagerly.
The ability he gained… was not Wood Release. It came from another world entirely.
The Hundred-Type Guanyin, a Nen technique used by Isaac Netero of the Hunter Association. A multi-armed construct, similar in form to Hashirama's deity.
Comparing the two in his mind, Kawaki noted key differences. But the Guanyin's Zero Hand—a focused energy cannon—combined with his own qi, could amplify into a devastating ranged strike.
A new kind of Qigong wave. Potentially as powerful as Hashirama's signature technique.
Beyond Kage-level.
That was Kawaki's self-assessment. And perhaps, even that was modest.
Then he remembered something: the Eight Gates Formation.
Two years ago, Hiruzen Sarutobi had personally arranged for Might Duy to teach him the technique. The condition: he could only unlock the next gate after fully mastering the previous one.
At the time, even with external enhancements, his body could only handle the Fifth Gate. Kakashi Hatake—who trained alongside him—had managed the Sixth.
Kakashi had vowed to help him unlock the rest, but progress had stalled. Two years on, Kakashi remained at the Sixth Gate.
Kawaki, however, felt his own body was once again ahead of Kakashi's.
"Again?" he thought, frowning. Why emphasize that?
Brushing the thought aside, he resumed his rigorous training, focused entirely on building strength.
In his seclusion, only Yuhi Kurenai visited occasionally, bringing meals. Otherwise, he lived in complete isolation.
Even Danzo Shimura, whose retaliation Kawaki once feared, had yet to act. Whether it was Hiruzen's warning or a delayed scheme, it didn't matter.
With the power he now wielded, Kawaki feared no one.
Then came the news that shook the entire ninja world.
The Third Raikage—believed to have died in battle against ten thousand Iwagakure shinobi during a mission orchestrated by Onoki—had been resurrected.
But not just revived. Controlled.
By an unknown ninja wielding fearsome power.
The news spread like wildfire, too fast, too wide to be natural.
At Konoha's upper echelon meeting, Hiruzen addressed the matter.
"Danzo, do you have anything to say about this?" he asked pointedly.
Danzo narrowed his eyes, reading between the lines.
"You suspect me, Hiruzen?" he replied coldly. "This has nothing to do with Root."
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