Setting unnecessary thoughts aside, Kuro chose to proceed with the forging.
As soon as he made his decision, the black flame in his hand and the "Gemini" crystal in the system's space disappeared. In their place, an absolutely black crystal appeared, shining like polished agate.
[Special Accessory "Shadow Warrior" detected.
Effect: Brings shadows to life, allowing them to continuously shift between real and virtual states.
The Shadow Warrior possesses the same physical appearance, intelligence, and strength as its creator but lacks autonomous consciousness.
It requires direct commands from its owner to act.
Note: The Shadow Warrior cannot move more than 100 meters away from the owner.]
"This thing…"
Kuro narrowed his eyes as he observed the crystal. His hand gripped it so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
The potential of this accessory was evident.
It didn't just double his strength; it increased it exponentially.
The cooperation between two identical entities could achieve far more than merely doubling power. For certain individuals, this accessory could be as valuable as the crystals forged from Naruto and Sasuke.
Without hesitation, he threw the crystal directly into his shadow.
The black crystal seemed to exert a powerful attraction on the shadow. Before it hit the ground, Kuro's shadow, which had merely followed him like an inert blotch, rose from the ground like a viscous liquid and began to take form.
…Crazy, isn't it?
The shadow opened a wide mouth and swallowed the crystal in one gulp.
Immediately, its dark body began to transform. Its liquid texture solidified, taking on a clear, defined shape.
Gradually, the shadow assumed an identical appearance to Kuro: same build, same physical details, even the breathing patterns and the pressure of its strength were exactly alike.
It was like a perfect reflection in a mirror, but completely independent.
Kuro watched this Shadow Warrior in awe. It wasn't like looking at another person but rather like observing an extension of his own body, something he could control as easily as his own legs.
He decided to test it.
"Two steps to the left."
The Shadow Warrior obeyed immediately, moving without hesitation.
"Do push-ups."
The Shadow Warrior began doing push-ups without pause, but after a few, it stopped and stood up, realizing it was just a test.
Kuro continued experimenting, giving more complex commands. He discovered that the Warrior could interpret instructions remarkably well.
For instance, if he ordered it to cook, he didn't need to specify what dish to prepare. The Warrior understood his mood and preferences, choosing a meal based on what Kuro likely wanted at that moment.
However, the Shadow Warrior lacked autonomous consciousness. If it didn't receive orders, it returned to its original shadow form, lurking beneath Kuro's feet.
If Kuro was in danger, the Warrior would take the initiative to protect him, acting as a shield or defensive weapon.
Though the Warrior was impressive, Kuro found one major limitation: it couldn't replace him in training.
No matter how powerful it was, the Shadow Warrior was still an extension of Kuro. Its strength completely depended on its creator. If Kuro grew stronger, the Warrior did too, but if Kuro weakened or died, the Warrior would disappear with him.
"Even so, this is more than enough."
Kuro smiled in satisfaction.
This shadow was undoubtedly a formidable weapon, comparable to Madara's Limbo: Border Jail technique.
...
Obtaining the Shadow Warrior was an unexpected joy for Kuro, who even paused his training for a day to adapt to the new accessory.
The next day, he resumed his routine, reinvesting all his time in training.
His goal now was to integrate the ninjutsu he had learned, using them in various situations to maximize their effectiveness. This involved identifying the best ninjutsu for each scenario, rationally leveraging the environment, and strategically neutralizing enemies.
However, this task was immensely complex.
Kuro had mastered so many ninjutsu that it took him longer than others to perfect the skillful use of each one. Even with his exceptional talent, it wasn't an easy task.
It required extensive real combat to achieve the necessary mastery, as solo training produced slow results.
Complete progress would take at least a year.
However, after more than ten days of training, Kuro received an unexpected surprise.
Hiruzen, who had previously refused to teach him the summoning technique for Enma, appeared with a different scroll: the summoning contract for Baku, Danzo's summoned beast.
Baku was a powerful creature capable of greatly enhancing airflow and boosting Wind Style attacks. It was one of the strongest summoning beasts, second only to Enma.
"For reasons I can't explain, I cannot give you the Demon King Enma's contract," Hiruzen said solemnly, "But I've prepared this for you."
With those words, he handed Kuro the summoning scroll for Baku.
"This is the relic of an old friend and comrade. I believe you will inherit his will and carry on this summoning contract."
Danzo's will…
All for Konoha? Still playing the moralist?
Though he wanted to silently complain, Kuro decided not to show it. He looked at Hiruzen's wrinkled, solemn face and took the scroll seriously.
"I will definitely inherit that man's will. And if anyone threatens my friends or my village, I'll make them disappear," he said, clenching his fist with determination.
His response left Hiruzen surprised but satisfied.
After a brief conversation, Hiruzen returned to his duties.
On August 21, Year 58 in Konoha, Kuro signed the summoning contract with Baku. Shortly afterward, he used hairs from the summoned tapir to forge two new accessories.
"Hurricane Vacuum": Capable of absorbing objects or attacks with devastating force.
"Wave Blower": Emits powerful air blasts capable of destroying structures.
Both accessories were simple in concept but incredibly powerful. Their destructive capacity was such that they could absorb and destroy the entire Ninja Academy in a single use.
With these tools ready, Kuro continued training, striving to fully master his ninjutsu arsenal.
On June 2, he obtained another strand of Shino's hair and forged the "Insect Flute", which allowed him to control insects within a 100-meter radius using sound.
On June 7, he used Hinata's hair to forge a pair of "Silkworm Gloves".
These gloves made his fingers lighter and more agile, increasing the speed of hand sign formation. While initially seeming like a minor accessory, Kuro found it useful by forcing a purpose related to his reaction speed.
On July 26, Kuro reached a new level in his training. Now, he could use different ninjutsu fluently and quickly choose the best technique for any situation.
With this foundation, he shifted his practice focus to combined ninjutsu—techniques requiring the union of multiple elements or abilities.
However, combining ninjutsu proved to be a far greater challenge than expected. Progress was slow but steady.
Finally, on September 10, Kuro successfully mastered his first combined ninjutsu technique.
________
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