This pure destructive power was indeed gratifying.
However, he also clearly realized the gap.
Relying solely on the physical enhancement of this initial stage "Lightning Release Chakra Mode," the resulting burst of power was still difficult to match Tsunade's peak "Monster Strength."
But Takuno was not discouraged, because he understood that the internal logic of these two powers was actually not contradictory:
Lightning Release Chakra Mode uses Lightning Release energy to permeate and stimulate the body's cells to achieve a comprehensive strengthening effect, whereas the secret of Monster Strength lies in extremely precise control of Chakra, being able to compress Chakra at the point of contact of the fist or palm for an instantaneous explosion.
"Therefore, these two not only don't conflict, but actually have great potential for fusion!" Takuno's eyes sparkled.
Compared to forcibly combining Monster Strength with the dangerous and domineering "Eight Gates," the difficulty of fusing Lightning Release enhancement and Monster Strength was simply insignificant.
He knew well that the Eight Gates, especially the Chakra released when pushing through the later gates, was like a runaway horse—violent and hard to harness—its operating principle almost diametrically opposed to the Monster Strength technique which emphasized extreme control.
His previous successful fusions had, at most, borrowed the characteristic of the first two gates of the Eight Gates to release the body's constraints, pushing basic physical strength to the limit, and then using the techniques of Monster Strength to compress and explode that power.
If he forcibly opened more dangerous gates, under that tide of energy, the control required for Monster Strength, which has very high requirements for Chakra manipulation, would be out of the question.
"Perhaps only an existence that can perfectly tame the violent Chakra of the later stages of the Eight Gates could use Monster Strength in a desperate situation." Takuno shook his head slightly, thinking of those nearly impossible and harsh conditions.
"Instead of betting on such a slim hope, it's more practical to find another way."
Using some auxiliary Ninjutsu with lower control requirements while in the fully open state of the Eight Gates to interfere with or guide the enemy, creating an opportunity for his ultimate punch, was a more feasible direction.
After all, in this state, the power of any offensive Ninjutsu could not compare to his fists carrying the power of the Eight Gates.
Future concepts could be left for later experiments.
For now, the key lies in the practical application of the fusion of Lightning Release Chakra Mode and Monster Strength.
Takuno quickly gathered his thoughts, his hands skillfully forming seals; Earth Release surged, and the deep pit that had just collapsed was instantly smoothed over.
He stood firm again, took a deep breath of the freezing air, and concentrated intensely.
Lightning Release Chakra first circulated through his body, electric sparks flickering on him as a torrent of power surged; simultaneously, the complex and exquisite manipulation techniques of Monster Strength silently overlaid it.
"Hah!"
With a low growl, the fusion punch struck for the second time!
"!!!"
This time, the earth let out an even more shrill groan!
A terrifying shockwave spread in a circle, the violent tremors not only shaking the surface but even the foundations of the distant, towering snow-capped mountains seemed to be shaken by this earth-shattering punch, faintly producing heart-palpitating sounds of cracking!
Huge cracks visible to the naked eye spread from the fist print.
"Still not enough!" Takuno's fighting spirit flared in his eyes, and he didn't hesitate: "Gate of Opening, Open! Gate of Healing, Open!"
Two invisible shackles within his body broke in response! The valves limiting brain function and physical functions were opened, the body's potential was thoroughly stimulated, and his basic strength instantly leaped to a 100% perfect state!
The third strike, carrying double enhancement and 100% physical strength, fell violently!
"Rumble!!!"
This impact was like a heavenly drum being beaten on the ice plains!
The terrifying vibration reached its peak, and the earth beneath his feet instantly shattered, forming a huge radial canyon.
The distant snow mountain, which had endured several shocks, finally couldn't take the load; with a world-shaking roar, millions of tons of accumulated snow collapsed, forming a terrifying blizzard torrent that poured down from the peak!
Takuno turned a deaf ear to this, his gaze locked only on the completely unrecognizable scorched earth beneath his feet, which looked as if it had been struck by a meteorite.
A satisfied expression finally appeared on his face.
"Kage level," he whispered to himself, his voice filled with absolute confidence, "From now on, no so-called 'Kage-level' powerhouse would dare to face this level of pure destructive power head-on! Not even the Sandaime Raikage, known for his Lightning Release Chakra Mode and the Strongest Shield!"
He was certain that only those whose strength surpassed the conventional Kage level and reached the 'Super Kage' realm could withstand such an attack!
But he didn't disappointed, because his projected blueprint was far from complete.
The final and crucial piece of the puzzle had yet to be mastered: Sage Mode!
In Takuno's deduction, the all-around improvements brought by Senjutsu Chakra: perception, strength, speed, and defense could all be perfectly integrated into his existing power system.
When he successfully combined Lightning Release enhancement, Monster Strength explosion, and the 100% physical strength from the Eight Gates, and then added the majestic power of Natural Energy.
"When that punch is thrown," Fire seemed to ignite in Takuno's eyes, "Even a powerhouse of the Super Kage tier would never dare to speak lightly of blocking it! At that time, my strength might, in a way, also reach the Super Kage tier!"
The test for the enhancement of strength and speed ended successfully, and the results were extremely encouraging.
However, besides the destructive power and lightning-fast speed, he still needed to verify one last key attribute concerning life and death in battle.
The ultimate reaction capability to capture and respond in an ever-changing fierce battle, the core element that determines whether an attack can land on the enemy: neural reflex!
He was going to experiment whether his neural transmission speed had improved under the Lightning Release Chakra Mode!
In battle, faster is not always better; when your speed exceeds your reaction speed, it's very likely to be counterproductive.
Just like Kakashi's Lightning Release: Chidori, it is an absolute double-edged sword, and its power is indeed extremely formidable.
But when the speed granted by Lightning Release exceeds the limits of physical reaction, every lethal thrust is equivalent to locking oneself onto a predetermined trajectory; it has the momentum of a thunderbolt but loses the flexibility to adapt to circumstances.
If an enemy sees through this, predicts and evades, and then counterattacks, even the strongest Ninjutsu can instantly become a fatal flaw.
Later, Kakashi was able to truly master Chidori entirely because of that all-seeing Sharingan, which compensated for the gap in reaction.
Now, Takuno was facing a similar test.
Would the sudden burst of amazing speed also become a shackle that limits him? If speed exceeds the boundary of reaction, it is like a runaway horse, not only impossible to control but also a burden.
He urgently needed a definite answer: how much of his own flexibility would be lost under full-speed impact?
If there was a loss, then he had to find a delicate balance point—a dangerous speed threshold that could maximize the power of rapid speed without losing control or being forced into a 'no-return' straight-line charge.
However, testing pure reaction speed was by no means a simple contest of speed; it required a precise and unfamiliar testing ground.
Takuno took a deep breath, his hands moving rapidly, his fingers precisely weaving the seals.
Pure Chakra flowed from his palms into the frozen soil beneath his feet; the earth, which had been shattered and filled with hideous gullies and huge pits by his powerful force, actually began to squirm, heal, and reshape as if it were alive.
In the rumbling sound, the cracks were filled, the overturned soil was smoothed, and moments later, the ground beneath his feet was an unexpectedly flat area.
But this was only the prelude; Takuno didn't stop, he continued to form seals, and the vigorous Wood Release Chakra within him was completely ignited, erupting violently.
"Wood Release: Nativity of a World of Trees!"
The moment the words fell, it was as if the heart of the earth had been awakened!
Centered on Takuno, the ice and frozen soil within a radius of several kilometers violently burst open!
The silent soil was torn apart by an unprecedented vitality, and countless sprouts carrying the majestic power of a primeval forest broke through the ground.
Ignoring the bone-chilling cold and endless snow around them, they grew wildly upward in an almost savage manner,
spreading.
The sound of branches twisting, entangling, and shooting upward intertwined into a stirring symphony of life.
In a short time, a primeval forest with thick shade and ancient trees abruptly replaced the originally monotonous vast snowfield; the lush vitality was incredibly striking and eerie against the deathly pale background, like a miracle of life blooming on the ice plains.
Takuno came to the outside of the forest; his gaze swept across this dense forest he had created with his own hands, and a trace of regret passed through his heart—the range was still slightly cramped.
However, as long as it wasn't a straight-line sprint that needed to penetrate the entire territory, the complexity and cramped space of this forest were already an excellent testing ground for reaction and turning flexibility.
The next key was to construct a 'dangerous' environment that was completely unknown to himself.
Takuno's hands formed seals again, and with several soft pops, several clouds of white smoke exploded around him, and several Shadow Clones identical to him appeared.
Without needing words, the clones understood and scattered into the depths of the lush forest, beginning to get busy.
The original body stayed in place to wait, while the Shadow Clones were in various corners of the forest, among the branches, and in dark places, carefully setting up various unexpected small traps.
Whether it was trigger-based rope traps, hidden Chakra explosive tags, or Kunai devices shot from tricky angles—the content and locations had to be kept secret from the original body until the last moment.
If he knew in advance, any test regarding instantaneous reaction capability would be completely redundant.
He was currently using the characteristic of Shadow Clones passing their memories back to the original body only after they were dispelled, to perfectly ensure the 'blind test' nature of this experiment, simulating the instinctive reaction when encountering truly unknown dangers.
When those busy Shadow Clones finally gathered back in front of Takuno and signaled that the traps had been set.
Takuno took a deep breath of the forest's cold air, his eyes sharp as a blade, and stepped toward that green trap forest born for him and filled with unknown challenges.
Stepping into this dense forest, the tall, lush ancient trees that nearly blotted out the sun formed a thick green canopy; light struggled to pass through, eventually turning into wisps of thin light beams and endless shadows.
The air was filled with the unique fishy smell of decaying branches and cold soil, and the surroundings were deathly silent, further highlighting the lurking dangers.
Takuno's sharp gaze swept over the dark surroundings, and he suddenly gave a low shout.
The Chakra in his body erupted instantly, accompanied by a piercing, crackling thunder; violent and dazzling blue electric arcs suddenly gushed from his limbs and bones, and in an instant, they condensed on his body surface, turning into a set of Lightning Armor shining with dangerous light!
He clenched his fists, clearly feeling the transformation brought by being tightly wrapped in this layer of energy armor.
Muscle fibers seemed to be injected with endless power, and every step was filled with explosive kinetic energy.
What's better is that this Lightning Armor is far more than just a booster for speed and power; its tough energy structure itself is like the strongest alloy armor, able to protect him from fatal cuts and heavy blows.
This was exactly why the Shadow Clones dared to set various traps in the forest; under the powerful protection of the Lightning Release Chakra Mode, even if most traps could touch him, they would only cause negligible superficial injuries.
With his own strong recovery physique, these small injuries wouldn't even wait for him to raise his hand to perform Medical Ninjutsu before they healed rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Taking a deep breath to suppress the tension before the first test, Takuno's figure suddenly started, like a blue thunderbolt tearing through the gloom of the forest, launching a violent sprint into the depths of the forest!
His presence was like throwing a huge rock into a dead pond. Instantly, the tranquility of this deathly silent forest was completely shattered!
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
The sound of breaking air rang out as densely as a ghost's wail; countless hidden Kunai and shuriken turned into streaks of black light, shooting towards him from extremely tricky angles, weaving into a cold net of death metal!
"Boom! Boom!"
Almost at the same moment, the pre-planted explosive tags were detonated in quick succession; violent flames and shockwaves exploded just inches away, and the scorching air currents carrying sharp fragments swept like a raging tide!
What's more, the branches of some giant trees had been carefully transformed into traps! They suddenly snapped back like huge springs, or swept like the tail of a prehistoric beast, carrying heavy wind pressure that tore through the air, viciously striking at the uninvited guest!
Facing this sudden eruption of all-around, no-dead-angle saturated attack, Takuno's eyes narrowed slightly.
His brain clearly mapped out the trajectory of every Kunai, the shape of every flame, and the landing point of every giant log; he saw them!
However, his body felt as if it were tripped by invisible ropes! Just as his clear combat awareness wanted to control his limbs to evade, his body, in a high-speed sprint, had already passed the optimal dodging space!
Between vision and action, there existed that damn, fatal microsecond-level delay! This was exactly his worry becoming reality.
But Takuno was by no means someone who would sit and wait for death.
"It's still in time to dodge now!"
He forcibly drove his body, bursting out with incredible instantaneous twists and jumps in the middle of his high-speed forward charge!
However, forcibly evading in such a dense attack and complex environment ultimately came at a price.
When he finally rushed back to the edge of the forest like a cannonball and his figure emerged in the dim light, the originally dazzling Lightning Armor had dimmed considerably.
His clothes were torn in many places by sharp objects, revealing the cut flesh underneath, with thin lines of blood seeping out;
Several parts of his clothes were charred and tattered, covered with marks scorched by explosions, faintly bringing a burning sensation.
Although these injuries seemed extremely minor under the protection of the Lightning Armor and his self-healing physique, they were like bright red marks, pointing clearly to a crucial problem he could not ignore.
His neural transmission speed could not keep up with the high speed granted by Lightning Release and Wind Release!