"If you want to break free from your restraints, you'd better stay put and behave yourself. The Forest of Death is extremely dangerous—anything here can take your life."
Yagyū Souma spoke calmly.
"If you behave, I can arrange for you to meet your father."
"You're serious?"
Sora clearly didn't believe him.
After all, the person in front of him wasn't much older than himself. He didn't look like someone with real authority.
Souma merely smiled.
Before he could speak, Yamato stepped in.
"He's qualified to say that."
"…Alright."
Sora sat back down beneath the tree obediently.
"I'll behave."
"Let's go."
Souma nodded, then left the forest with Yamato, TenTen, and the others.
Once they exited the depths of the Forest of Death, TenTen glanced back and couldn't help complaining,
"This place is getting more and more dangerous. Everything's in here now."
First, the parasitic insects.
That alone would've been fine—Sage-mutated kikaichū were dangerous, but at least they understood human intent and wouldn't attack people indiscriminately.
But after that…
A miniature Shukaku.
And now—
A Nine-Tails jinchūriki. Even if he was artificial, he was still terrifying—far beyond what they could handle head-on.
Not to mention—
She'd heard that the toads from Mount Myōboku also came here from time to time.
"It'll only get more dangerous from now on,"
Yamato sighed softly, then glanced at Souma with a complicated look.
At this point, the Forest of Death had become the perfect prison.
Dangerous individuals could be locked here securely—kikaichū, Souma's clones, layered surveillance—far more reliable than ANBU.
More importantly—
Even if something went wrong, the outer defense lines would prevent any serious threat to Konoha itself.
"They handled things efficiently. Sora barely looks injured."
Souma commented.
"He must've been restrained the moment he arrived—no chance to resist."
TenTen nodded lightly.
Hema would never have imagined that someone could extract most of his memories from an Shadow Clone, bypass its warning mechanisms, and even delete part of its memories—
Preventing the clone from dispersing.
As a result…
Hema never realized he'd been completely exposed.
Soon after leaving the forest, two ANBU appeared.
Recognizing Souma's group, they saluted briefly before vanishing again.
"I'll go see Lady Tsunade. You guys—"
"Report for me while you're at it."
Yamato raised a hand.
"I still need to train—and check on the Research Division."
TenTen and Kazusa nearly burst out laughing, but considering Yamato's expression, they forcibly held it in and stood straight-faced.
Souma twitched at the corner of his mouth.
Yamato had completely given up pretending to be the team captain—he'd basically accepted Souma as the real one.
Whatever.
Yamato was reliable. No need to worry.
Souma nodded, then vanished in a flicker.
Hokage Tower
Tsunade was in a meeting with ANBU, so Souma didn't interrupt.
Instead, he sat on the rooftop railing, quietly overlooking Konoha.
He didn't suppress his presence—
"So why aren't you going in?"
Kakashi climbed up from below.
He hadn't joined the meeting either—he'd been chatting with the two advisors in another room. Sensing Souma's return, he'd found an excuse to slip away.
Souma turned back with a smile.
"Let the Hokage scold people properly first. How was yesterday's battle?"
"…That."
Kakashi thought for a long time before speaking with a strange expression.
"I want to know just how far you pushed the Breath Activation Technique. What Akimichi Chōza used was ridiculous."
"Oh? You were with them?"
Souma nodded.
"Right—Gai-sensei's team was on assignment."
After Orochimaru and Sunagakure's invasion, Konoha had piled up missions during reconstruction. Once things resumed, most capable teams were immediately deployed.
Even Kurenai's Team Eight had started taking C-rank missions.
Konoha was stretched thin.
Still—
With Kakashi, Ino–Shika–Chō, Aburame Shibi, and the clan heads present, only true Kage-level threats could endanger the village.
Souma smiled lightly.
"It's just the fourth stage of breath-induced body activation. I call it Fourth Activation."
"Fourth Activation?"
Kakashi frowned—then Souma handed him a notebook, already flipped to the correct page.
Kakashi read the explanation carefully:
Using Partial Expansion or compressed-air ninja tools to inhale massive amounts of air in a short time, pushing the body into an extreme activation state—dramatically enhancing strength and speed.
Combined with Expansion Jutsu—
No wonder.
Understanding flashed through Kakashi's eyes.
"If this keeps developing, it's basically another version of the Eight Gates."
"Incredible…"
He couldn't help exclaiming.
Ideas like this weren't unheard of—but reaching Fourth Activation so quickly?
Souma's mind was terrifyingly efficient.
Kakashi then thought ahead.
Second Activation incorporated limit-breaking taijutsu techniques.
So next—
Breath Activation would inevitably merge with chakra armor concepts.
"The difference between the Eight Gates and Breath Activation,"
Souma said calmly, as if reading his thoughts,
"is that the Eight Gates unleash chakra that's too violent to control."
"But Breath Activation doesn't."
"It only enhances physical functions. Chakra remains under full control."
"True,"
Kakashi replied gravely.
"But it accelerates cell division. In a sense, it shortens lifespan."
A forbidden technique.
"But in battle, burst techniques can save lives."
He added quietly.
"It's hard to judge which is better."
As a shinobi, you live on the edge.
Kakashi paused, then looked at Souma.
"You told me all this… does that mean you're stepping away from this research?"
"Yes."
Souma nodded.
"It's valuable—but I don't have the resources or conditions to continue. Future development requires tools, ninjutsu, coordination. I'm not there yet."
He explained the Akimichi clan's core issue—
Air.
After expanding, their bodies demanded enormous oxygen intake. If they could draw enough air, their destructive power would skyrocket.
But—
Where does that much air come from?
A space contains only so much. Once it's depleted, replenishing it requires unconventional means.
That meant—
Tools.
Or space-time ninjutsu.
That was where Kakashi came in.
"With enough air, Fifth Activation might be possible."
Souma considered carefully.
"And based on your description, Chōza's red aura was likely blood-energy from respiration."
"At Fifth Activation, that blood mist could become a combat factor—or even be developed at Fourth Activation."
"I understand."
Kakashi nodded solemnly.
Breath Activation and Eight Gates could learn from each other.
Then—
"Souma."
Kakashi hesitated.
"You're leaving Konoha?"
"Yes."
"Kakashi-sensei, I plan to travel the shinobi world for a while. Help the Daimyō train ninjas, observe other villages, and—"
He explained again.
Kakashi listened quietly before speaking:
"You're right. The Research Division relies on you too much. That isn't healthy."
"When the First Hokage lived, Konoha dominated the world."
Souma gazed into the distance.
"After his death, decline began. Our generation can't repeat that."
"…Agreed."
Yesterday's battle showed Konoha's potential.
If Akimichi techniques had advanced this far—
What about Aburame? Yamanaka? Inuzuka?
Konoha's population might be smaller—
But its true strength was on a completely different level.
What lagged behind was mentality and experience.
Techniques must be sharpened.
"Then I'll personally guide Sasuke."
Kakashi said.
"You won't always be around."
Souma considered.
"Let him train in ANBU for now. When the time's right, I'll take him."
"Fair enough."
Kakashi nodded.
If Souma taught him, progress would be faster—no denying it.
Kakashi opened his mouth, then closed it again.
Less than two years.
Souma had gone from prodigy to pillar of Konoha.
Even Kakashi now trailed behind him.
Nothing left to advise.
If Souma returned one day to find Kakashi still unable to use Sage Mode—
That'd be embarrassing.
Kakashi chuckled, pulling out Icha Icha Paradise.
"No long speeches. Take care. I'll keep training TenTen and the others—you can relax."
"Mm."
Souma nodded.
"Let's reorganize the squad while we're at it."
"Sakura?"
Kakashi froze—then nodded.
With Souma gone, Sasuke in ANBU, Naruto traveling with Jiraiya—
Sakura would be alone.
Joining TenTen and Kazusa made sense.
"…That'd be Konoha's first all-female ninja squad."
Kakashi rubbed his temple.
Three women, one team—
A nightmare.
But—
They were all his students.
He sighed.
"Looks like I won't be idle anytime soon."
"Capable people work harder, Kakashi-sensei. You've got this."
"…Heh."
Kakashi rolled his eyes, then vanished in a blur.
He'd better start training too.
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