Chapter 20: The Authority of Supreme Rule-Based Power
RIIIP—
The crisp sound of tearing paper mingled with crackling sparks as flames danced on the balcony.
Yoru sat on a stool wearing a gray yukata, methodically tearing journal pages, tossing text-filled sheets into the small brazier before him.
Watching his game strategy guide—composed entirely of Pinyin and Cantonese, constantly revised and modified over six years—transform to ash before his eyes, Yoru felt as if witnessing his past self's cremation. He couldn't help feeling somewhat wistful.
His current confidence measured equal to his former powerlessness.
Just as Minato Namikaze had represented Yoru's inner demon these years, this game strategy guide likewise symbolized Yoru's darker side.
Aside from Yoru himself, no one knew this journal contained plans of terrifying madness plus world truths that would overturn the shinobi world's understanding.
Successfully implementing these plans would birth a horrifying yet pitiable stitched-together monster in this shinobi world.
However, now that tragic future wouldn't manifest. Only a cheat-ability-powered satisfying life remained.
After burning the entire strategy guide, Yoru rose and gazed at winter's moon, as if making eye contact with Kaguya Otsutsuki sealed within.
"Whooo..."
Suddenly, Yoru took a deep breath, then expelled these years' accumulated stagnation as white-misted arrow slowly exhaled from his mouth.
In this moment, even Yoru clearly felt his body undergoing some transformation.
This was sublimation of vital essence and spirit!
This sublimation brought not only changes in mental state but also improvements in physical and spiritual energy.
From now on, Yoru officially bid farewell to his past, truly integrating into this world, beginning the brand-new life called "Gojo Yoru."
Extinguishing the brazier, Yoru didn't immediately return to rest but once again descended into the script-covered basement.
After organizing and storing remaining journals, Yoru continued his daily Space-Time training.
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
His hands rapidly formed seals—movements not only skilled but fast enough to leave afterimages.
Each precise hand seal seemingly recalled flashback scenes of Yoru's practice from childhood through present, day after day.
POOF POOF...
Following Yoru's soft call, two sounds resembling popped balloons exploded in the basement.
Two white smoke clouds materialized from nowhere on Yoru's left and right.
When smoke dispersed, two Shadow Clones appeared.
However, these Shadow Clones possessed peculiarities.
Normal Shadow Clones were not only tangible but possessed independent consciousness, could move freely.
Aside from fragility and disproportionate chakra quantities, Shadow Clones differed almost imperceptibly from the original body.
This was Shadow Clone and phantom clone's greatest difference.
Phantom clones ultimately remained illusion-like mirages, lacking the "spirit" that tangibility possessed.
But now, Yoru's two Shadow Clones' situation had reversed compared to phantom clones.
These two Shadow Clones' faces showed vacant eyes, dull expressions—like two puppets.
Most critically, their bodies periodically flickered and distorted like glitching monitors.
Clearly, these Shadow Clones had "malfunctioned."
"Where exactly did this go wrong?"
Yoru studied the two failed Shadow Clones, thinking internally: "Ordinary chakra has clearly fused with Space-Time chakra. This new chakra successfully created tangible forms. Why don't the Shadow Clones possess independent consciousness?"
"Could Space-Time chakra's dominance persist? Without the original body's control, balance immediately breaks? If so, the Shadow Clones should automatically dispel, right?"
"Or perhaps this extractable Space-Time power possesses [Unique] characteristics—only the original body can use it. Even clones can't, causing them to crash?"
Yoru couldn't figure it out, could only sigh helplessly: "Truly befitting supreme-level power. Even this degree of chakra control only grasps superficial understanding."
After another failed attempt creating Shadow Clones with Space-Time chakra, Yoru practiced Phantom Body Flicker in the cramped basement.
Receiving Orochimaru's nature transformation scroll in March, over this half-year Yoru had gained some understanding of Yang Release. He'd not only mastered basic medical ninjutsu but successfully fused ordinary chakra with Space-Time chakra to perform Clone Technique—one of the Three Basic Techniques.
This represented a monumental breakthrough!
Successfully performing Clone Technique meant Yoru's effort direction was correct. Space-Time chakra could be used for ninjutsu—the difficulty was simply astronomical.
Even mastering Rasengan-level chakra control only touched superficial understanding.
However, Space-Time power itself represented supreme rule-based force. Even pure-blooded Otsutsuki's many Kekkei Mora likewise only scratched the surface.
Having completed merely his first evolution with only genin-level Space-Time chakra capacity, Yoru achieving this level was already quite remarkable.
Even touching mere surface level, Yoru had developed his personalized Phantom Body Flicker.
Phantom Body Flicker could split into multiple phantom clones coordinating attacks with the original, with phantom clones immune to dispersion after being struck.
This was the original series' signature technique that earned Shisui Uchiha the "Shisui of the Body Flicker" title!
However, Shisui's Phantom Body Flicker primarily relied on Sharingan genjutsu, supplemented by powerful Body Flicker.
Without powerful seal-less genjutsu and Body Flicker talent, one couldn't learn Shisui's Phantom Body Flicker.
Even Itachi Uchiha—whose genjutsu was equally formidable—likewise couldn't master this technique.
Yoru's Phantom Body Flicker, conversely, primarily used Space-Time chakra, supplemented by Body Flicker.
Phantom clones containing Space-Time chakra possessed impact-immunity without dispersing. Combined with the original body's soundless Body Flicker, they could swap positions with the real body undetected.
Moreover, Yoru discovered something critically important.
Namely... Space-Time chakra was difficult to sense!
Externalized through chakra blades, Space-Time chakra became visible.
Attempted injection into Rasengan likewise made black Space-Time chakra visible.
But when fused with ordinary chakra or remaining within Yoru's body, ordinary sensory techniques couldn't detect Space-Time chakra's existence at all.
Yoru had personally verified this using Shadow Clones.
Undoubtedly, this represented higher-dimensional screening—the authority befitting supreme rule-based power.
However, by the shinobi world's understanding, before Yoru actively revealed Space-Time abilities, they couldn't imagine his black chakra actually contained Space-Time power.
When that moment arrived, Yoru's Space-Time bloodline would definitely refresh every person's understanding throughout the shinobi world.