Chapter 202: Learning and the Hidden Cloud
"Become a rogue ninja? Forget it. It's not like I won't get those things eventually. Why risk everything for something I can earn sooner or later?"
Taichi shook his head, forcing his gaze away from the other scrolls and back onto the one in his hands—the Spirit Transformation Technique. This was his reward, something that truly belonged to him. If not for the setting, he would have already started learning it on the spot.
"You're quite confident," Jiraiya teased.
But thinking about it, Taichi wasn't wrong. As a direct disciple within the Hokage's faction, with his growing achievements in wartime, he would hardly lack opportunities. At this rate, he might really exchange for multiple forbidden techniques from the Scroll of Sealing before the war even ended.
That thought made Jiraiya break into a faint cold sweat. Whether from surprise—or sympathy for the future Hokage—it was hard to tell. Having a disciple like this… was both a blessing and a headache.
"What have you been doing these past few days?" Jiraiya asked, regaining composure. "You come back and don't even report in."
Taichi, still absorbed in the scroll, answered casually, "Raiding Sunagakure's supplies. Today I hit another convoy—about a hundred men. Took down a jōnin and burned a batch of supplies."
He went on to describe his recent operations in detail.
Jiraiya listened in silence, increasingly speechless.
Reports had already been coming in—Sunagakure's supply structure had changed. Small convoys had disappeared; now every supply unit was at least a full company in size.
And the reason?
Was standing right in front of him.
Of course, Taichi wasn't alone. Minato had been doing the same thing behind enemy lines. With both of them using Flying Thunder God, their tactics were nearly identical—strike if possible, retreat if not, always untouchable.
Jiraiya sighed inwardly. Adjustments to Konoha's own mission assignments would be necessary.
Then he waved his hand impatiently. "Alright, go. Stop loitering here and go study your jutsu."
Taichi's eyes lit up. "Got it!"
He vanished instantly.
Jiraiya blinked—then laughed. "That kid… really can't wait."
Back in his tent, Taichi sat cross-legged on his bed, the scroll already unfurled before him. He read carefully, line by line.
Unlike ordinary elemental techniques, the Spirit Transformation Technique dealt directly with the soul. Its principles were far more complex—and far more dangerous.
Every page introduced unfamiliar concepts: new ways to manipulate chakra, new perspectives on the relationship between mind, body, and spirit.
To Taichi, it felt like a key—
Opening the door to an entirely new domain.
As he read deeper, ideas flooded his mind. Without realizing it, he pulled out paper and began recording them one by one.
Time passed.
Page after page accumulated beside him.
Only when he ran out of paper did he finally stop, snapping out of his trance.
Looking up—it was already past 10 PM.
Yet instead of fatigue, he felt deeply satisfied. Like someone starving for days finally eating their fill—both body and mind were full.
His gaze shifted to the invisible system panel:
[Diligent Study: Spirit Transformation Technique Lv.0 (42/100)]
[Yin Nature Transformation +200]
The improvement was significant.
No surprise—this was entirely new territory for him. Once mastered, the benefits would likely be even greater.
The next morning, Taichi left behind three shadow clones.
Two went to the medical camp.
One stayed behind to continue studying.
Because this technique involved the soul, clones couldn't use it—but they could still study it.
As for Taichi's real body—
He used Flying Thunder God to return to his hidden laboratory at the border of the Land of Wind.
The lab had changed dramatically. After continuous expansion and heavy investment, it was now equipped with proper research facilities.
His study of White Zetsu had already begun.
Compared to normal humans, White Zetsu—part plant, part animal—was an extraordinary lifeform.
For example:
They didn't need food.
They could absorb energy directly from sunlight and the earth like plants.
Through spores, they could parasitize targets, absorb chakra, and redistribute energy.
It was a goldmine of research potential.
Unfortunately—
He only had one live specimen.
Which meant he had to proceed carefully. Otherwise, his methods would have been… far less restrained.
After checking progress, Taichi left another clone behind and teleported away again.
His destination—
The heart of the Land of Wind.
After all, he hadn't forgotten his real mission: sabotage.
Soon, a massive city appeared in the distance—
One of the few major oasis cities in the desert:
Naruto canon often refers to such oasis hubs—here imagined as a trade city.
Large cities like this followed an unspoken rule during wartime:
No ninja interference.
The reason was simple—these cities were economic hubs. Many clients who issued missions lived here. Even during war, villages like Konoha still accepted commissions from them.
Destroying such a place?
Might mean killing your own future employers.
Taichi wasn't here to attack.
He was here for information.
After disguising himself, he entered the city. Security was present—but not overly strict.
The layout was orderly, divided into districts. Compared to the lush cities of the Land of Fire, this desert city was entirely different.
Everything was tinted in earthy yellows.
Buildings were rounded, adapted to the harsh climate.
The streets, though less busy than Konoha, were lively enough.
As Taichi walked through the crowd, listening to passing conversations—
He realized something.
The war…
Barely affected this place.
Aside from rising prices, there was little sense of urgency.
Life continued—almost as if the conflict raging beyond the desert didn't exist at all.
It was understandable. This wasn't a battlefield, nor a ninja village. Traveling shinobi generally followed an unspoken rule—not to fight in such cities. Naturally, the civilians here felt little of the tension of war.
Taichi entered a lively tavern. Though it was still early, several groups of customers were already seated, chatting and drinking. It was easy to imagine how crowded it would get at peak hours.
He ordered a few dishes unique to the desert and ate casually, while quietly spreading out his chakra perception to gather information.
Fragments of conversation drifted into his awareness—
"Grain prices are going up again today…"
"I heard the lord of Wind-Erosion City was assassinated for opposing the daimyō's increased war taxes…"
"Rōran's getting more prosperous by the day… doesn't even feel like a desert city anymore…"
"And that caravan from a couple days ago? I found out—it's from the Land of Lightning. Probably escorting shinobi from Kumogakure. Arrogant bunch…"
Each snippet painted a picture. Taichi carefully sifted through the information, unwilling to miss anything useful.
Land of Lightning… Kumogakure…
Why would they appear so openly in the Land of Wind at a time like this?
Taichi narrowed his eyes.
In the original timeline, Kumogakure had indeed made moves against Sunagakure after the Third Kazekage's disappearance. But in this version of events, nothing like that had happened yet.
Could this be the prelude?
A hint of interest appeared in his expression.
At this point, whether it was Sunagakure, Iwagakure, or Kumogakure—they were all Konoha's enemies.
Which meant—
This "merchant caravan" from Kumogakure was worth investigating.
Decision made, Taichi quickly finished his meal. Honestly, the food was… too authentic. The heavy desert flavors didn't suit his palate at all—something most people from the Land of Fire would struggle with.
Leaving the tavern, he wandered through the city with chakra perception active. Based on what he'd heard, the caravan should still be somewhere inside.
He wasn't in a hurry.
Sure enough—
After covering about half the city, near noon, he found them by the southern gate.
They were preparing to leave.
What gave them away was obvious—their attire. Distinctive clothing from the Land of Lightning stood out sharply against the local population.
Taichi immediately stopped wandering. Instead, he chose a teahouse nearby and sat down, quietly observing them through chakra perception.
It didn't take long to realize—
This wasn't a merchant caravan at all.
The entire group consisted of shinobi. Among them, Taichi could already identify at least two jōnin.
"Heh… so they are here to stir trouble."
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
Soon, the "caravan" departed the city, heading toward the capital of the Land of Wind. Taichi followed at a distance, keeping his presence concealed.
Once they were far enough from the city—
Something unusual happened.
The group of over thirty split apart into pairs, scattering in different directions. Only about ten continued forward.
Taichi immediately created two shadow clones, sending them to track separate groups, while his main body stayed on the primary trail.
He wasn't in a rush to act.
What interested him more was their objective.
By evening, the scattered teams began regrouping. Taichi's clones returned as well, their memories flowing back to him upon dispelling.
And with that—
The full picture became clear.
Kumogakure was indeed preparing to make a move against Sunagakure.
This disguised "merchant caravan" was actually an intelligence unit—mapping out Sunagakure's defensive positions, resource sites, and supply routes.
And whenever they encountered isolated sand ninjas—
They didn't hesitate to eliminate them.
Classic Kumogakure arrogance.
At that moment, an idea formed in Taichi's mind.
A dangerous one.
Borrowed blades.
Substitution.
A perfect sowing of discord.
The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.
A grin spread across his face as he watched the group—like a cat spotting prey, both hungry and entertained.
All he needed now—
Was the right opportunity.
In the distance, the group began setting up camp. They clearly had no intention of moving further tonight.
Taichi left a shadow clone to monitor them, while his main body used Flying Thunder God to return to Konoha's camp.
The moment he arrived, he headed straight for the command tent.
This plan—
Could spark conflict between two nations.
It had to be reported.
Inside, only Jiraiya and Shikaku Nara were present—perfect for a private briefing.
After hearing Taichi's proposal, both men fell silent for a moment.
Then—
Even Shikaku nodded.
This was a rare opportunity.
If successful, it would greatly benefit Konoha's current position.
"Go ahead," Jiraiya said finally. "But be careful—do not expose your identity."
Taichi nodded eagerly.
There was something thrilling about operating behind the scenes, pulling invisible strings. No wonder so many preferred working in the shadows—it was… addictive.
Returning to his tent, he found it empty. Yōhei and the others were still out on missions. The camp had been busy lately.
Not that he worried—everyone carried Flying Thunder God-marked kunai for emergencies.
After spending some time studying the Spirit Transformation Technique with his shadow clones, Taichi dispelled them all and lay down to rest.
Tomorrow—
Would be another day of war.