At this moment, Aoki could only create a single Clone—one that was truly real and capable of independent thought. The Clone possessed an awareness nearly indistinguishable from Aoki himself.
Even within Aoki's gaze, people would find it difficult to discern which was the original and which was the creation. For enemies, facing just one Aoki was already terrifying enough—but to face two figures of equal strength was a nightmare in itself.
Furthermore, if the Clone were to be killed, every single memory it had accumulated would be instantly transferred back into Aoki's mind.
Not a single experience would be lost; every battle, every movement, every detail—everything returned to Aoki, enriching his experience as though he had lived it firsthand.
Every defeat endured by the Clone became a valuable lesson, and every victory became a source of confidence, allowing Aoki to grow without end.
Yes, Aoki had stolen—ahem, taken inspiration from—the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, and thus this technique was born.
The difference, however, lay in its nature: Aoki's technique was not a fragile shadow but a being of true substance and resilience.
If the Shadow Clones created by Kage Bunshin no Jutsu were struck, pierced, or sliced, they would immediately vanish into thin mist, their memories flowing back to the user, then that was not the case with the Clones of Kage no Kokyū.
Even when struck repeatedly, when its body was cut apart, or when weapons pierced through it, this Clone would not immediately disappear.
The Clone would remain standing, continuing to fight, unless either the user or the Clone itself decided to vanish—transforming into mist and sending its memories back to the user.
The only other way for its existence to end was when the Natural Energy sustaining it was completely depleted.
Unlike the Shadow Clones of Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, which were born from chakra, the Shadow Clones of Kage no Kokyū were formed from the Shadow Breathing Technique itself, drawing in and refining Natural Energy as their life force.
That was why this Clone was not a mere shadow, but rather a fragment of nature itself, encased in a body both strong and tangible.
Aoki had named it simply, yet the dark aura enveloping the Shadow Clone of Kage no Kokyū was enough to send chills crawling down the spine of anyone who beheld it.
Its gaze was vacant yet brimming with power, its footsteps calm yet oppressive, and the thin shroud of darkness encircling the Clone seemed to whisper into the hearts of those who looked upon it—that this being was not merely a clone, but a reflection of Aoki's innermost self, wrapped in shadow.
...
...
...
It had now been two months since Aoki arrived at the Oni Main Headquarters. Time felt as though it was racing forward, as if each day he spent was filled with nothing but whispers of war and an endless stream of rumors flowing in from every corner of the battlefield.
Just a day ago, an important piece of information reached Aoki's ears. The report spoke of Namikaze Minato, the "Yellow Flash of Konoha," who was facing off against A, the future Fourth Raikage, alongside his younger brother—the Eight-Tails jinchūriki, Killer Bee—upon the battlefield.
The moment Aoki heard of this, his interest was immediately stirred. His usually calm eyes sharpened, as though a faint spark had ignited and was flickering within his irises.
After all, news of Minato confronting the deadly sibling duo—the infamous AB combo—during the war was monumental. Even more so, it occurred before either of them officially bore the title of Kage.
Aoki knew well that A's father, the Third Raikage, would ultimately fall toward the end of this war. Thus, the report of Minato battling the duo A-B could only mean that this confrontation had taken place some time before the decisive final stages of the conflict.
Therefore, with this information in hand, Aoki could deduce that the Third Great Ninja War was swiftly approaching its climax.
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