Chapter 139: One-handed Seal (3k)

If you ask what the difference is between Shisui’s Total Concentration Breathing state and normal breathing, it’s like normal breathing is eating bite by bite for sustained power, while Total Concentration Breathing is suddenly taking a big bite for a temporary burst of power.

The difference is that practicing Total Concentration Breathing is much harder than taking a big bite of food. Taking a big bite of food only requires opening your mouth wide and controlling your mouth muscles, but Total Concentration Breathing isn’t just about opening your mouth wide and taking a big gulp of air.

The practice of Total Concentration Breathing is somewhat like sprint training, gradually increasing explosive power through continuous training.

When Shisui first learned it on Friday, he couldn’t feel any difference from his usual state. He tried hard to concentrate his breathing even more, but there wasn’t much change.

This situation didn’t change until the fifth day.

“Flame Breathing Total Concentration Breathing, Phoenix Sage Flower Claw Crimson!”

Shisui held four Kunai in his right hand, and Chakra condensed on his palm. In just an instant, all four Kunai were engulfed in flames, then swiftly shot out by Shisui.

Boom! Boom!

The Kunai, covered in fiercely burning flames, were like small fireballs. They exploded upon impact with the ground, creating small craters.

“Hand Seal-less release? Shisui, how did you do that?” Obito, standing nearby, couldn’t help but ask curiously.

Obito had once directly condensed flames in his palm to attack Might Guy during a practical exam. If defined purely as Ninjutsu, that could barely be considered Hand Seal-less Ninjutsu, as it also involved Nature Transformation of Chakra.

But in reality, Obito’s was just a normal Nature Transformation technique; the flames were ordinary flames, with no additional effects, and he couldn’t increase their power by adding more Chakra because it would easily burn himself.

If rated by the Ninja World’s learning level standards, Obito’s technique would at most be D-rank, not on the same level as the Hand Seal-less Phoenix Sage Flower Claw Crimson that Shisui just demonstrated.

“It’s not truly Hand Seal-less release; it’s just a trick using Total Concentration Breathing,” Shisui replied.

“Generally, condensing Chakra in the throat to release Fire Release is safer and easier to condense. Using the hands would be more dangerous and slower…”

People in the Ninja World have a Chakra pathway system and 361 Chakra points throughout their bodies, but the difficulty of condensing Chakra for Nature Transformation varies in different body parts.

The reason so many Fire Release techniques are expelled from the mouth is that using hands and feet is not only inefficient but also prone to self-injury.

Different Nature Transformations also vary. For example, Lightning Release and Fire Release are different; many Lightning Release techniques involve condensing Chakra in the hands or arms for release.

“Through Flame Breathing, I can solve the problem of Nature Transformation speed. Additionally, I reduced the number of Shuriken to decrease the demand for the total amount of flame, and finally, I actually formed one Hand Seal,” Shisui showed his left hand to Obito. He had just formed a Hand Seal with one hand.

The essence of forming Hand Seals is to guide Ninjutsu. With a series of reductions and the enhancement of Flame Breathing, he barely managed to release Phoenix Sage Flower Claw Crimson with a single Hand Seal.

“You can even form Hand Seals with one hand?” Obito was shocked.

Slap!

Muzuki joined two fingers and gave Obito a light tap.

“You’ve clearly forgotten what I taught you before,” Muzuki said, ruffling Obito’s hair.

“The essence of forming Hand Seals is to guide the release of Ninjutsu. As long as you understand the Ninjutsu well enough, you can not only form Hand Seals with one hand, but also reduce the number of Hand Seals, or even release Ninjutsu without any Hand Seals,” Muzuki reminded him.

Muzuki’s words brought back some related memories for Obito.

Muzuki seemed to have talked about forming Hand Seals with one hand and simplifying Hand Seals before. Muzuki even demonstrated the Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique with a full set of Hand Seals and with only one Hand Seal.

That day, after listening, he excitedly went to try it out, but found that forming Hand Seals with one hand not only didn’t increase speed, but also caused the Ninjutsu to fail.

After several days without progress, Obito stopped trying, feeling it was better to practice normally, as he hadn’t heard of any powerful Ninja becoming famous for using single-handed Hand Seals.

“Hehe, actually, I just wanted to test if Shisui had forgotten what you taught, Muzuki-sensei,” Obito said, feigning an innocent look.

Shisui: …

“That’s a very good idea. Although the power and range of attack are smaller than a normal Phoenix Sage Flower Claw Crimson, the release speed is faster, and it might have unexpected effects at close range,” Muzuki said.

If someone were to rush at Shisui with a knife, thinking he wouldn’t have time to release Ninjutsu, and Shisui suddenly hit them with a single-handed, one-seal Fire Release, it would probably be very difficult to dodge.

“Muzuki-sensei, could you explain how to form Hand Seals with one hand again?” Obito looked at Muzuki with anticipation, wanting to be able to release Phoenix Sage Flower Claw Crimson with a single Hand Seal like Shisui.

Obito felt it would look really cool in a real fight.

In battle, he would calmly pull out four Kunai, and before the enemy could react, instantly form a Hand Seal with one hand and throw out four flaming Kunai. The enemy would be impaled by the flaming Kunai and explode into unidentifiable remains, while he would simply put his hands in his pockets and turn around after throwing the Kunai.

“Seeing such a cool scene, Rin would definitely look at me with admiration and say, ‘Obito, you’re amazing, right?’” Obito fantasized in his mind.

“What needs to be taught, I’ve actually taught before. Today, I’ll explain it again, but this still requires you to familiarize yourselves with Ninjutsu and practice a lot. Just listening won’t be enough to learn it,” Muzuki said.

How to explain forming Hand Seals with one hand? It’s like asking a right-handed person to practice calligraphy with their left hand or with both hands. The teacher can’t possess them to teach, right?

However, forming Hand Seals with one hand indeed has significant practical value in actual combat. If wearing a long robe, one could completely hide the hand forming the Hand Seal and secretly release Ninjutsu.

It sounds a bit sneaky, but it’s extremely practical in battle. If your Hand Seals aren’t visible, even if a highly perceptive enemy senses you might use Ninjutsu, they won’t know what type of Ninjutsu you’re using.

Experienced powerful Ninja can tell what type of Ninjutsu it is by observing the Hand Seals, because different elemental Ninjutsu Hand Seals have corresponding characteristics. For example, Fire Release usually ends with the Tiger Hand Seal.

“Mhm, mhm, I’ll practice more,” Obito nodded rapidly like a pecking chick.

“Shisui, can you share your successful experience with me?” Obito then looked at Shisui.

“I don’t have any successful experience, because I forgot what Muzuki-sensei taught,” Shisui replied.

“Huh?” Obito showed a surprised expression, then remembered his own words from just now.

“Haha, I forgot! How could you forget, Shisui? You just used it,” Obito quickly admitted his mistake.

Shisui was just joking. With his companion showing such an expectant expression, he naturally wouldn’t refuse.

“To make breakthroughs in Hand Seals, Ninjutsu practice is essential. Additionally, your current level isn’t sufficient, so you need the assistance of Breathing Technique. Try to practice both simultaneously,” Muzuki began teaching.

Then Obito began his journey of single-handed Hand Seals.

His first attempt was a bit awkward. Obito completed the Hand Seals with one hand, but when he threw the Shuriken, no fire came out.

Obito and Shisui asked for advanced experience.

Looking at the scattered Shuriken on the ground, Shisui seemed a bit silent. He had encountered a blind spot in his knowledge; he hadn’t encountered this situation before.

At this moment, he was wondering why someone would throw a Phoenix Sage Flower Claw Crimson Shuriken without the fire coming out first. Usually, the fire is expelled before the Shuriken is thrown.

Shisui thought for a long time but couldn’t figure out how one could make a mistake at that step, so he said:

“How about you practice with two hands first to get familiar, Obito, and then try one hand?”

“Good idea!” Obito thought it was a good method.

Forming Hand Seals with both hands naturally completed the Ninjutsu smoothly, and over a dozen flaming Shuriken crashed onto the ground together.

Obito recalled the memory of forming Hand Seals with both hands, trying to complete the Hand Seals with one hand.

The second time he performed Ninjutsu with single-handed Hand Seals, this time fire came out, fire came out from his hand, almost burning Obito himself.

“Haha, I was just thinking about how Shisui used his hand, so I forgot the steps,” Obito explained with a laugh.

Shisui seemed to have discovered the reason why Obito had been unable to form Hand Seals with one hand.

“Forming Hand Seals with one hand is more difficult than with two hands, and requires more concentration. Don’t let your mind wander,” Muzuki reminded him.

Doing something with one hand that usually requires two hands naturally increases the difficulty.

Two hours later, Obito became more skilled at condensing Chakra in his palm, but single-handed Hand Seals were temporarily unsuccessful.

After training, everyone went home, though only Shisui actually went home. The others re-convened in the South Border Forest after going home.

Changing his shoes at the entrance and stepping into his house, Shisui poured himself a glass of water.

He didn’t have the habit of shouting “I’m home” because no one would respond. He lived alone.

Shisui glanced at the calendar on the wall and realized it was already October eighteenth.

His birthday was October nineteenth, tomorrow.

However, Shisui didn’t plan to celebrate his birthday. The only person who knew his birthday was his uncle, who had gone on a mission not long ago and wouldn’t have time to come celebrate with him.

He also didn’t want to proactively tell Muzuki and the others about his birthday. He believed Muzuki would help him celebrate if he knew, but Shisui didn’t want to bother Muzuki specifically for such a small matter.

Muzuki was already very busy, teaching Class 1, Grade 1 all day at the Ninja Academy. He also made time to teach them in the morning and at noon. As soon as school was dismissed in the afternoon, he quickly went to the South Border Forest, and recently, he had been injured forging Ninja tools at night.

Seeing Muzuki so busy, how could Shisui have the heart to bother him with a small matter like celebrating a birthday? Celebrating a birthday wouldn’t increase his strength, and it wouldn’t benefit him or Muzuki.

“It just means I’m another year older,” Shisui said, sitting in the courtyard and looking at the bright moon in the sky.

After thinking about various things, Shisui finally chose to practice Ninjutsu.

Perhaps because his mind was cluttered, this time, two of Shisui’s four Shuriken didn’t even attach to the flames.

“So that’s how it is…” Shisui somewhat understood the reason for Obito’s failed releases during the day.

On the other side, Muzuki gathered his disciples, excluding Shisui.

“Do you know what day tomorrow is?” Muzuki asked.