Chapter 273: How Many 'Ka' Do You Have?
The threat of the Ōtsutsuki was undeniable.
In the wars of the shinobi world, there was always the option of surrender or negotiation, even in the most brutal conflicts. But negotiate with the Ōtsutsuki? Become nutrients for their God Tree like the White Zetsu? Or simply be exterminated?
No one in that conference room believed the Ōtsutsuki were a benevolent race. The Sage of Six Paths may have once seemed like a rebellious son, but now, everyone understood his actions completely.
After delivering the intelligence, Kinoshita Genichi left. There was nothing more to say. Those who needed to make a choice would make one. Those who chose a different path would be left behind. The momentum he had built over so many years was a tide that could no longer be easily turned.
He left the rest to Minato Namikaze and the others. They could handle it. After all, with Pakura of the Sand and Mei Terumi of the Mist on his side, his position was secure.
Leaving the Hokage Tower, Genichi made his way to the experimental facility. It had been expanded again, with a vast new space excavated deep underground, specifically designed to house the Ten-Tails—or rather, the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. The previous laboratory could accommodate a half-body Susanoo, but the Gedo Mazo, even in a seated position, was colossal.
When Genichi arrived, Orochimaru, Kabuto, and the lead White Zetsu were already waiting in the lowest level of the base. Moments after he appeared, Otsutsuki Genshiki flickered into existence beside them.
"Let's begin," Genichi said.
Orochimaru's and Kabuto's eyes gleamed with anticipation.
Genshiki wasted no words. He simply raised one hand.
POOF!
A cloud of smoke erupted, and the gigantic form of the Gedo Mazo materialized before them.
Kabuto stared up at it in awe. "If this is truly an artificial creation, it's hard to imagine the power the Ōtsutsuki possess."
"Based on our previous genetic analysis of the statue, it certainly doesn't appear to be a natural life form," Orochimaru mused. "Of course, anything is possible. After all, one could argue that human genetics don't seem entirely natural either."
Genichi smiled. "Whether it was made by man or by something else, we will find out when we reach that level of understanding. With every step we take forward, we move one step closer to perceiving the true nature of this world. For now, let's study this Ten-Tails, this thing that can transform into a God Tree, which the Ōtsutsuki use to harvest natural energy and evolve themselves."
Orochimaru and Kabuto nodded and immediately set to work. The lead White Zetsu was sent scurrying about, assisting them.
A few days later, the scale of the operation expanded. Senju Tobirama, Tsunade, Shizune, and Uzumaki Ina all joined the project. It was a monumental undertaking.
And while Genichi and his team were busy, the shinobi world was undergoing a radical transformation. The Ninja Creed, or Ninshū, established by the Sage of Six Paths, was unearthed from history and revived. The hidden village system was gradually becoming a thing of the past. All shinobi were once again being unified under the banner of Ninshū. The villages—Cloud, Stone, Sand, Mist, and others—were slowly being restructured into regional branches.
Konoha, ever-expanding, became the central headquarters of the new Ninshū, and it began to siphon the most promising talent from the other villages. While the major villages would remain largely intact, the Ninja Academies would be standardized with a unified curriculum. Children would enroll at six and graduate at twelve, after which the best would be admitted into the headquarters' experimental classes for advanced training.
The changes weren't limited to education and ninja training. The distribution of commissioned missions was also centralized in Konoha, ending the era of each village operating independently.
Simultaneously, the army of one hundred thousand White Zetsu was deployed across the shinobi world, searching for any trace of Ōtsutsuki Isshiki. Of course, Genichi knew this might not be enough. Isshiki had his own private dimension, but they had to find a clue, a thread to pull, before they could even begin to look there.
Root Grand Training Ground
Beneath the shade of a colossal, ancient tree, the most powerful young shinobi from all the great villages were gathered.
From the former Hidden Mist, there were the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist: older veterans like Kisame and Zabuza, as well as Hozuki Mangetsu and Ringo Ameyuri. There were also the younger ones, closer to Naruto's age, like Hozuki Suigetsu and Chojuro.
From the former Hidden Cloud, there were Yugito Nii, Samui, and Karui. From the Sand, Temari, Gaara, and Kankuro. From the Stone, Akatsuchi and Kurotsuchi. And others like Kimimaro and Jugo were present as well.
Of course, the largest contingent was from Konoha's younger generation. When it came to talent, Konoha was overflowing. From Kakashi's generation to Itachi's, and now to Naruto's, each had produced pillars of strength at the Kage and even beyond-Kage level.
The other four great villages paled in comparison. The Stone Village had Akatsuchi and Kurotsuchi, both with Kage potential, and they would have had Deidara if the unstable artist hadn't defected, costing them a potential powerhouse. The Cloud Village was similarly lacking in top-tier talent.
Ironically, it was the Mist Village, which had suffered so much internal turmoil, that had preserved much of its core strength, thanks to Konoha's early intervention. Shinobi like Hozuki Mangetsu and the other Swordsmen were saved. In the original timeline, they had died trying to assassinate the Fourth Mizukage, who, under manipulation, had intensified the bloody reign of the "Blood Mist." Zabuza had also attempted an assassination, but had survived and fled. Now, all of them had been retained.
Normally, most of these individuals would only reach the level of Jonin. Growing to the level of someone like Kisame, a Kage-level shinobi who could take down a Jinchuriki single-handedly, was exceedingly rare. Without his blade Samehada, even Kisame would have been just an elite Jonin.
However, Genichi held a blunt belief: anyone who could become a Jonin or an elite Jonin had the potential to reach the Kage level. They had the necessary skills, tactics, and fundamentals. What most of them lacked was one simple, crucial thing: a massive amount of chakra.
Yes, that was his crude assessment. Chakra was the foundation of everything, the bedrock of a true powerhouse. Possessing immense chakra didn't guarantee strength, but every truly strong person possessed immense chakra.
Today, these shinobi were gathered here to listen to a lecture from Kinoshita Genichi.
With the great unification of the villages, the meaning of the "Kage" title was changing. It was shifting from the name for a village leader to a rank representing a certain level of power, much like Genin, Chunin, and Jonin. But the path from Genin to Jonin had been established for over sixty years, with clear, mature rules for advancement. It was a known road.
But what about the Kage level? Previously, a Kage was the village leader and, by definition, its strongest shinobi. But with the political meaning of the title fading, a clear, stable path for advancement to that level had to be established. Otherwise, the great unification would fracture from within. This was a task beyond Minato and the others, at least for now. It was something only Genichi could do.
His gaze swept over the crowd of shinobi seated before him. "All of you here are at least Chunin, and most of you are Jonin," he began, his voice clear and strong. "So, who can tell me what conditions must be met to become a Jonin?"
Naruto, who was also in attendance, immediately shot his hand up. "You have to pass a written exam, master at least two nature transformations, complete enough missions, and be able to operate independently!"
Genichi nodded slightly. "And why those requirements? What do they represent?"
Naruto froze, frowning in thought. He'd never considered the 'why' before. He only knew the requirements because he'd specifically looked them up.
Genichi's eyes landed on Nara Shikamaru. "Shikamaru, why don't you tell us."
Shikamaru sighed at being called out but stood up. "Yes, sir."
"The written exam tests the most basic qualities of a Jonin, like foundational knowledge about the shinobi arts. It's not so different from the Genin or Chunin exams, just broader and deeper. Mastering at least two nature transformations signifies versatility. It also implies that a Jonin is an expert in at least one of them, proficient enough to use B-rank ninjutsu of that nature. Completing a sufficient number of missions means gaining a wealth of practical and combat experience. These three points together form the foundation for the final requirement: the ability to operate independently. That means having not just the knowledge, experience, and strength, but also a sharp mind, calm judgment, and decisive leadership."
"An excellent summary," Genichi said with a nod.
Naruto, listening, finally understood. He scratched his head and grinned sheepishly. "Oh, so that's what it all means!"
Sasuke and the others also seemed thoughtful. It was a perspective they hadn't deeply considered. Even many of the Jonin present probably hadn't broken it down like that.
"A powerful shinobi is strong in many aspects," Genichi continued. "Today, we won't discuss the others. We will focus solely on martial power. Chakra reserves, jutsu arts, and strategy—these are the elements that create overwhelming force. And of these, chakra is the most fundamental. It is the very foundation of a powerhouse."
He used the term 'jutsu arts' to encompass everything: ninjutsu, genjutsu, taijutsu, secret techniques, and Kekkei Genkai.
"So…" Genichi's gaze fell on Temari. "Temari, tell us, what are the methods for increasing one's maximum chakra?"
Temari thought for a moment. "Physical training, but that has significant limits. Once your body finishes developing, training can only maintain your current state; further increasing your chakra limit is nearly impossible. Second, becoming a Jinchuriki, but that isn't a conventional method. Third is the development of a Kekkei Genkai. Mastering a Kekkei Genkai can change your physical constitution, thereby increasing your chakra reserves."
Genichi nodded. "Physical training has its limits—limits imposed by one's own genetics. Whether it's possible to break those limits through normal training is uncertain. Perhaps it is, but no one has done it yet. Becoming a Jinchuriki is also not a path for most people. For all of you, developing a Kekkei Genkai is the most viable path."
The ever-eager Naruto raised his hand again. "Sage Mode is also a way to increase your chakra limit, right?"
Sakura immediately shot back, "You idiot, the prerequisite for learning Sage Mode is having a massive amount of chakra to begin with."
Naruto flushed. "Oh, right!"
"We will discuss Sage Mode later," Genichi said. "The reason I am emphasizing chakra reserves is that even taijutsu requires chakra to sustain it, and the more powerful the ninjutsu, the more chakra it demands. Massive chakra is a prerequisite to becoming a true powerhouse. I'm not talking about Jonin anymore. I'm talking about the Kage level!"
Inuzuka Kiba's hand shot up. "Lord Genichi, what level of chakra is needed to support the title of Kage?" Even if the title wasn't as prestigious as it once was, becoming a Kage was still his ultimate goal.
"An excellent question," Genichi smiled. His eyes scanned the crowd and landed on Yugito Nii. "Yugito, how would you assess the Fourth Raikage's chakra reserves?"
"Lord Genichi," Yugito replied, "the Fourth Raikage's chakra is on the level of a Tailed Beast. His total reserves are no less than that of the Two-Tails."
Beside her, Samui couldn't help but ask, "Does that mean you need Tailed Beast-level chakra to even have a chance at becoming a Kage?"
"No," Genichi said. "The Fourth Raikage's chakra reserves are among the very highest of all the Kage. I bring him up because the Lightning Release Chakra Mode he uses is actually a B-rank nin-taijutsu, something at the Jonin level of difficulty. In truth, a Jonin already possesses some of the foundational conditions of a Kage. For many Jonin, the only thing separating them from that level is a larger pool of chakra."
With that, Genichi's gaze fell upon Haruno Sakura. "Sakura, stand up."
Sakura stood, confused. "Lord Genichi?"
"Sakura, your chakra control is among the best in the entire shinobi world. I want you to refine and manifest one-fifth of your maximum chakra."
Though she didn't understand why, Sakura nodded. "Yes, Lord Genichi!"
One-fifth of her chakra limit was equivalent to one-fifth of her stamina. Sakura easily and precisely gathered the required amount.
Genichi nodded in satisfaction. "Now, release that chakra completely. Let everyone here feel it."
"Understood!" Sakura flared the chakra. A wave of force instantly erupted from her, whipping at the clothes of those nearby and sending her short pink hair flying.
Not far away, Ino nudged Shikamaru. "Shikamaru, what is Lord Genichi doing?" she whispered.
"Maybe he's setting a standard," Shikamaru murmured thoughtfully.
"A standard for what?"
Before he could answer, Genichi's voice rang out again. "You can all feel the intensity of that chakra, correct?"
Naruto and the other shinobi nodded. When chakra was flared so openly, even non-sensory types could clearly feel its power.
"This is one-fifth of Sakura's total chakra," Genichi declared. "I am designating this amount of chakra as 1 Ka."
Naruto couldn't help but ask, "Lord Genichi, why '1 Ka'? What does 'Ka' mean?"
Sasuke muttered under his breath, "You idiot."
"A good question!" Genichi praised his bright student. "It is simply a unit of measurement, like the 'ryo' in a coin, or the 'kilogram' for weight. Remember the amount of chakra you just felt. That is 1 Ka. This means Sakura's total chakra is approximately 5 Ka. You can use this to estimate how many 'Ka' you possess."
Kiba did a quick mental calculation. His stamina, and thus his chakra limit, was about the same as Sakura's. "Lord Genichi," he asked eagerly, "does that mean 5 Ka is the threshold to become a Kage?"
Genichi smiled. "No. It's 10 Ka."
Kiba's face fell. "10 Ka? I'm only fifteen, so I still have a few years to grow, but I don't think I can reach that."
Hinata quickly tried to comfort him in a small voice. "Kiba-kun, my chakra is only 4 Ka. And you have Akamaru. If you include him, you must be more than 5 Ka, right?"
Kiba's eyes lit up. "You're right! Akamaru's chakra isn't huge, but it's probably around 3 Ka. That puts us at 8 Ka! In a few more years, we should be able to meet the standard!"
Nearby, Aburame Shino estimated his own reserves at only 6 Ka. Even when he reached adulthood, it seemed unlikely he would reach 10 Ka.
"I have 7 Ka," Akimichi Choji mumbled. "If I eat more, I should be able to make it before I stop growing, right Shikamaru?"
"Something like that, I guess," Shikamaru replied lazily.
"How many Ka do you have, Shikamaru?" Ino asked.
"6 Ka."
"I'm the same as Sakura, 5 Ka," Ino sighed. "To get to 10 Ka, I'd probably have to master a Kekkei Genkai."
Choji immediately encouraged her. "You can do it, Ino! Lord Genichi said before that you're a perfect fit for that mind-control Kekkei Genkai."
Ino sighed again. "But mastering a Kekkei Genkai is so hard."
In another section, Temari, after estimating her own 8 Ka, turned to her brothers. "How much do you two have?"
"Sister, I have about 12 Ka," Gaara replied calmly.
His words caused many heads to turn in his direction, their eyes filled with envy. But then they remembered he was a former Jinchuriki, and their surprise subsided.
"I'm at 6 Ka right now," Kankuro said.
"My chakra increased a lot after I mastered Scorch Release," Temari mused. "Maybe I can reach 10 Ka by the time I'm twenty. Kankuro, you need to master a Kekkei Genkai as soon as possible."
Kankuro nodded. "Right. I'll work on it."
Where the former Mist shinobi were gathered, Zabuza and the others were also estimating their reserves. After asking his brother, Suigetsu eagerly turned to the man in front of him. "Zabuza-senpai, how many Ka do you have?"
"8 Ka," Zabuza said flatly.
"Awesome!" Suigetsu said with envy.
Zabuza turned his head slightly to ask Kisame, "What about you? You must be over 10 Ka, right? They don't call you the 'Tailless Tailed Beast' for nothing."
Kisame grinned. "My own chakra is about 10 Ka."
Suigetsu's envy grew. "As expected of Kisame-senpai! You've already crossed the Kage-level threshold! Say, once you're officially ranked as a Kage, are you going to get a title? Like... the Samekage (Shark Shadow)?"
Kisame chuckled. "Why don't you worry about getting a title for yourself first."
Suigetsu took the suggestion seriously. "If it were me... I'd be called the Getsukage (Moon Shadow). Getsukage Hozuki Suigetsu... Yeah, that sounds pretty intimidating, don't you think?"
Watching his foolish younger brother, Hozuki Mangetsu felt his hand start to itch.
Genichi watched the crowd murmur amongst themselves, making no move to interrupt. The standard he announced today would soon spread through these individuals and quickly become common knowledge throughout the shinobi world.
His true purpose in doing this was to make the path forward for all shinobi clearer. The Sage of Six Paths had elucidated the truth of chakra, pioneered the method of refining it, and founded the Ninja Creed. Now, Genichi was laying down a clear, visible road for the generations of shinobi to follow. The path from Genin to Jonin was already known. Now, he was defining the path beyond.
He started by establishing a unit of measurement for chakra. With such a metric, shinobi would have a clearer perception of themselves. They would be able to see the road ahead, know how far they were from their next goal, and no longer be lost in a fog of ambiguity.
This was the true meaning of quantifying chakra—the most fundamental power of a shinobi.