Chapter 269: Swelling Pride
"My physical evolution has hit a bottleneck. My chakra reserves have reached the upper limit of what a 'normal' ninja can possess. I suspect only data from Hashirama's cells or Otsutsuki cells will allow my chakra to increase further."
Tonbo Tobitake summed up the changes his body had undergone over the last few years.
By collecting physiological data from numerous chakra users, his body had evolved significantly. But now, he had reached a plateau. To grow further, he needed information from even more powerful chakra constitutions—or a faster accumulation of spiritual energy.
According to his calculations, even Hashirama's chakra might no longer suffice. His own chakra volume had already surpassed that of the Tailed Beast inside Naruto.
Over these years, he hadn't just practiced Sage Mode; he had traveled the world. While searching for intelligence, he collected data from ninjas scattered across various lands. It wasn't just Hashirama or Naruto who possessed massive chakra; ninjas like Kisame or the various Raikages were also "Tailed Beasts without Tails."
Within the vast ninja world, there was no shortage of "mutants" with extraordinary constitutions—people who were never discovered or never became ninjas but lived with bodies capable of housing immense energy.
This powerful physique allowed him to consume chakra recklessly during jutsu experimentation. And once his Infinity Mode was perfected, his margin for error increased fifty-fold.
"Perfect Sage Mode can now be maintained indefinitely."
The state he named Infinity Mode was, in essence, a Perfect Sage Mode. It allowed his body to remain in constant communion with natural energy without the risk of petrification. In this permanent state, his physical recovery was boosted, and his chakra replenished even faster. He effectively no longer had any "chakra deficiency."
"I'm getting a bit cocky. Even Kaguya Otsutsuki had moments where she ran low on chakra, yet I have completely lost the worry of over-consumption."
Tonbo felt his ego swelling. In the original series, even the progenitor of chakra, Kaguya, had to conserve energy when facing Naruto and Sasuke.
I'm invincible...
Wait, no. Reanimated bodies could also recover chakra quickly, even if their total volume wasn't as massive as his. They didn't lack chakra either. He couldn't say he was truly peerless—just "mini-invincible."
Besides, there was the legendary Shibai Otsutsuki. He recalled snippets of information from short videos in his previous life. Many "Shinjutsu" ignored chakra volume entirely—if the jutsu said you die, you die. Like the Shinjutsu that modified everyone's memories to swap Boruto and Kawaki's identities.
Against "mechanics-based" monsters, he still had to be careful. His swelling pride gradually receded. No matter how high your stats are, they are nothing compared to a single click of the Game Master's mouse. And the Otsutsuki were that mouse.
He sighed. He wasn't truly invincible yet—only "Shippuden invincible." Once the hidden Kara organization emerged, they might actually have the means to make him disappear. He was wary of Shinjutsu.
"Information is still the most important thing. I'll stay low for a bit longer and assist the protagonists from the shadows. My safety comes first; after all, I have elders to care for and children to raise. Better safe than sorry."
Tonbo felt himself becoming more "cowardly" again. Thinking of his wife and children at home, a smile touched his lips. Being a bit cowardly was good; it proved he was still a human being, not some high-and-mighty god. He had no desire to become an omnipotent deity. That sounded boring. The friction of human interaction was what he truly pursued.
"Sage Art: Forced Execution."
He suddenly appeared atop the massive structure he had just created with Earth Style and slammed his hand down. Branch-like neural patterns spread across the building at a speed invisible to the naked eye.
Crack! Crack!
In less than half a second, the structure—stretching twenty-five miles—was folded by an invisible hand. Folded, and folded again! Eventually, it vanished from the physical realm, leaving behind nothing but a massive crater.
Splash!
After Tonbo vanished, water from the severed riverbanks began to pour into the pit. In a year or two, nature would rearrange this place back to its original state.
"Uncle Tonbo! Where on earth have you been?"
Ino watched Tonbo materialize, her face flushed with a fury that threatened to incinerate the man who had just been comparing himself to a god.
"Ahahaha! On my way back, I saw a giant city suddenly rise out of the ground! I was so curious that I stayed to watch for a bit. It was a massive city, fifty miles long and wide..."
Tonbo suddenly remembered he had promised Ino he'd be back early to work. He gestured wildly with his hands, trying to make the lie sound convincing.
"Monster Strength!"
Ino rolled her eyes. Did he take her for a fool? A city rising out of the ground? He could at least pick a better excuse.
BOOM!
Ino's punch shattered the wall of the Analysis Squad, the shockwave even cracking the wall next to it.
"That... those walls are made of specialized materials. They're very expensive," Tonbo noted, appearing behind her.
"I don't care! You're paying for everything today!" Ino huffed, placing her hands on her hips before stomping away.
Tonbo scratched his head. "Geez... but wow, this girl has actually learned Monster Strength too."
To him, the people of Konoha were no longer "paper characters" on a screen. He had watched Ino grow up; she was like a niece to him. Her strength was still a far cry from Sakura's, though—Sakura had a much higher talent for that specific art. Still, it didn't hurt to learn more. Ino was already exceptional in sensory skills, telepathy, and mind-reading. She was on the verge of surpassing Inoichi.
"But her obsession with handsome guys hasn't changed at all."
Even with her growth, Ino's "face-con" (attraction to looks) remained consistent.
He looked at the mess in the Analysis Squad as other ninjas rushed in, alerted by the noise.
"Forced Execution."
His nerves wrapped around the debris, pulling every fragment back into place. He fused them together until the wall looked exactly as it had before the punch.
He knew the structure of this building like the back of his hand. Using "Forced Execution" to adjust microscopic particles allowed him to restore inanimate objects easily. Biological bodies were different—human anatomy has tiny variations that make "reconstruction" much harder than simple "destruction." If he broke someone with Forced Execution, he could put them back together easily, but if someone else did the breaking, he couldn't just "undo" it. One was a "reversal," the other was "re-creation." The difficulty levels were worlds apart.
"As expected of Captain Tonbo," the surrounding ninjas whispered, staring in awe at the instantaneous repair.
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