"In theory, bloodline limits can indeed be developed—so long as you have the right chakra natures."
Kiyohara rubbed his chin.
Bloodline limits come from either chakra nature fusion or physical mutation.
Generally, when two nature transformations combine, they can produce a new element called a kekkei genkai.
For example, the famous Wood Release is just simple Earth + Water = Wood.
Fire + Wind = Scorch.
Once chakra fuses two basic attributes into a new nature, it restructures the user's genetics. From then on, their descendants can inherit it through blood.
That's how most ninja clans are born. Those with kekkei genkai step out of the "civilian" (no bloodline) stratum.
But you don't always need blood ties. Ōnoki's Dust Release, for instance, fuses three chakra natures and is classified as a kekkei tōta (bloodline selection).
He learned it from his teacher, the Second Tsuchikage, Mū—then successfully reproduced it.
"What chakra natures make up Magnet Release?" Kiyohara asked, looking at Magnet Kiyohara, who was standing with his arms crossed, watching the sea.
"Wind and Earth," the other replied.
"Wind and Earth… I thought it would be Wind + Lightning, or Lightning + Earth," Kiyohara said, suddenly enlightened.
On reflection, it fit.
Checking the official databook Jin no Sho for example: Gaara's chakra natures were Wind, Earth, and Lightning.
Rasa's were Wind, Water, Earth, and Yin.
The common factors between them?
Wind and Earth.
Rasa didn't have Lightning at all, and to fuse a kekkei genkai, you needed at least two of the base natures.
After a short exchange with Magnet Kiyohara, Kiyohara returned to the fortifications to finish his assigned work—but his thoughts were already racing.
When his rest shift came, he slipped off to an even more secluded corner and began preparations.
First: fill in the missing chakra nature.
If Magnet Release was Wind + Earth, then he needed to train Earth nature transformation as soon as possible.
He didn't have to master it—just make it clear to those around him that he was studying Earth Release.
Plant a seed.
If he "awakened" Magnet Release later, it wouldn't seem out of nowhere.
Chakra attributes could be trained postnatally; it just took time and talent.
Thankfully, he'd already studied some basic Earth Release theory to prep for various mission environments.
And during the Kannabi Bridge mission, he'd acquired Earth Release: Subterranean Voyage from Taiseki of Iwa.
Unfortunately, without an Earth attribute, it had been painfully hard to learn.
"What chakra natures do you have?" Kiyohara asked Magnet Kiyohara.
"Chakra natures…" he mused, rubbing his chin.
Ever since he'd awakened Magnet Release back in the Academy, he'd mostly used that and little else.
"Earth, Lightning, and Wind," he finally answered.
So he also has Earth and Wind—and an extra Lightning, Kiyohara thought.
If he inherited all of the future's chakra attributes, would that mean his own Lightning affinity would stack again?
And he'd gain Earth as well?
"And you? Looks like you don't have Earth. My Earth ninjutsu training was never that clumsy," Magnet Kiyohara added, watching Kiyohara stumble through practice.
"…"
"I only have Wind, Lightning, Yin, and Yang," Kiyohara said.
The last two had come from fusing with Swordsman Kiyohara.
"How's my method on Earth Release: Subterranean Voyage? Anything I should change?" he asked.
Magnet Kiyohara seemed knowledgeable about Earth jutsu.
"Your Earth-nature conversion is way too slow. And you're clearly not gifted in that area. Forget it—let me run it once with your body, and memorize how it feels," he said.
He slipped into Kiyohara's body and guided the chakra flow.
Kiyohara quickly noticed the pathways through the chakra points and meridians were ones he'd never used before—and hurried to memorize them.
Experience in its purest form.
For the next three days, Kiyohara kept training.
One evening, after finishing a session, he was drenched in sweat.
He stripped off his damaged top and stood in just his pants, bare torso showing.
Earth Release: Subterranean Voyage required moving underground—dangerous even for Earth users. One mistake and you could be buried alive.
Without Earth affinity, even with Magnet Kiyohara's help, his training was clumsy at best. He could barely manage a shaky glide beneath the surface.
His clothes had taken most of the abuse—frayed, torn, ground down by soil.
"Haa…"
He exhaled, looking down at his hand, then along his arm to his chest and abs.
The long hours of sword practice had carved his muscles into clearer, more fluid lines. Not bulky—but every inch defined.
Compared to before he started kenjutsu training, his frame was clearly thicker, stronger.
Sweat rolled along the tight contours of his muscles. He wiped his face with a sleeve.
His spiritual energy now far outstripped his physical side; he needed to keep fortifying his body, bringing the two closer together.
As they aligned, his chakra reserves kept ticking upward.
After all, more physical energy mixing with excess spiritual energy meant more chakra.
"With this jutsu, I'll be a lot safer during battlefield chaos—and for future infiltration work too," Kiyohara said.
He'd been squeezing in practice whenever he could. Only now could he barely use it.
That was the downside of forcing a jutsu when you lacked the matching nature.
Most of the time, shinobi learned techniques based on what natures they already had.
Trying to "force level up" a missing attribute was like rowing upstream with no paddle.
Still, under Magnet Kiyohara's guidance, his understanding of Earth Release had improved a lot.
Magnet Kiyohara's worldview might be extreme, but his battle experience and chakra control were priceless.
As Kiyohara rinsed sweat from his body and regulated his breathing, footsteps sounded in the distance.
"Kiyohara!"
Rin's voice.
She approached with Kakashi.
"Knew you'd be here doing extra training," she said.
Seeing his bare torso and sweat-slicked skin, her cheeks flushed, but she quickly smoothed her expression, eyes full of respect.
"Don't push yourself too hard," Kakashi said, his dead-fish eye glancing over Kiyohara's now clearly more muscular build, pausing briefly on his arms and core.
The guy had really been training.
"It's nothing. Just trying to get the new jutsu down faster," Kiyohara said, grabbing his clothes and pulling them on, covering his frame.
Boys out in the world also needed to watch their own safety.
The way Rin was looking at him wasn't that different from how Kurenai had looked before—something… odd in it.
"Scouting's picked up more shinobi activity nearby. This line might be the next one they try to break. We'll have to be extra careful," Kakashi added.
The Hyūga scouts had detected signs of movement a few kilometers out.
~~~
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