At this point, the last shred of hesitation in Takuno's heart vanished completely.
Whether or not his secrets were exposed was not a concern that required agonizing over.
If his cover were truly blown, he could simply walk away.
He stretched his limbs and walked toward another room in the laboratory.
Now that the power of the Tenseigan had fully awakened—and he had personally experienced its might—
it was time to address the matters that had previously been put on hold because of it.
The path ahead remained clear; there was no time to waste.
Even his earlier periods of rest were, in essence, merely a response to the aftereffects of his training, which had hindered further progress.
He had needed to clear his mind and shake off the fatigue that stood in the way of reaching higher realms.
For him, those brief pauses were always about gathering strength to embark on a journey toward greater power.
Upon entering the laboratory, Takuno didn't hesitate for a moment; he immediately immersed himself in the next phase of his plan: designing and optimizing the neural reflex enhancement jutsu.
As for the other item on his agenda—modifying the basic Transformation Jutsu—a mere thought was enough for a brand-new, optimized plan to take shape in his mind.
Given his capabilities, the task could be accomplished in an instant; it required no dedicated planning effort, nor did it even warrant a specific slot in his schedule.
...
Several days later.
Takuno slowly opened his eyes.
In an instant, a halo resembling liquid sapphire suddenly flared within his Tenseigan—eyes that were normally a deep, oceanic blue. The light shimmered, mysterious and profound.
This phenomenon persisted for quite some time before the captivating blue glow finally receded.
Takuno shifted his body and rose briskly to his feet.
He sensed the chakra flowing within him and felt quite satisfied with the progress he had made over the past few days.
He had successfully mastered the ability to enter Sage Mode at will.
This meant that the time previously consumed by maintaining and refining his Sage Art—often taking up entire nights—was now completely freed up.
Did this mean he could finally get some proper rest? Theoretically, that was indeed the case; yet, Takuno unhesitatingly devoted this time to exploring the profound mysteries of Yin-Yang Release.
His mind was completely immersed in sensing and harmonizing the vast reserves of physical energy and the pure spiritual energy within his own body.
After a full night of training, far from feeling any fatigue or weariness, Takuno felt refreshed and brimming with vigor.
This peculiar state—where the more he cultivated, the more energized he became—was the result of the perfect synergy between two factors.
First was the inherent nature of the Yin-Yang Release technique itself.
Yin Release, grounded in spiritual energy, allows for the creation of form from the formless.
Yang Release, drawing upon physical energy, breathes life into those forms.
When Yin and Yang Release blend harmoniously, they achieve a miracle akin to that of a creator deity: bringing tangible existence out of pure "nothingness" and imbuing it with the essence of living vitality.
Consequently, as Takuno immersed himself in the practice of Yin-Yang Release, these two fundamental energies within him remained in a state of high activity, constantly stimulating and resonating with one another.
This naturally warded off any encroachment of fatigue or drowsiness.
Unless he deliberately undertook experiments that were extremely taxing—causing an overload in energy consumption—the restorative effect of this training was virtually equivalent to a high-quality night's sleep.
On top of this foundation, the benefits of Sage Mode served as the perfect enhancement.
Unlike the chakra of ordinary ninja, Senjutsu chakra contains the immense vitality and pure energy of the natural world.
Therefore, utilizing Senjutsu chakra does not deplete the practitioner's vitality or spirit; instead, it continuously nourishes and strengthens the user's physique and mind, leaving them increasingly robust and replenished.
Because the amplification provided by Yin-Yang Release and Sage Mode complemented each other so well, Takuno could effectively dispense with the conventional sleep and rest required by ordinary mortals.
For the average person, even with the dual safeguards of chakra and an indomitable will to keep the body free from fatigue and the spirit high... Yet, the grueling, seemingly endless daily regimen of training was enough in itself to leave an indelible mark of exhaustion deep within the soul and breed all manner of invisible pressures.
To Takuno, however, all of this was nothing more than a gentle breeze brushing against a massive boulder.
His resolve was firmly anchored to the continuous refinement of his strength.
As long as the accumulation of every ounce of power clearly demonstrated his growing might, that surging drive would ignite a fire deep within his soul, dispelling all weariness and gloom.
Perhaps only if—after years of effort—his strength remained utterly stagnant would his will truly be shaken, driving him into a state of agitation.
His gaze briefly swept over the closed door on the far side of the laboratory, where his Shadow Clone was currently deciphering the arcane formulas to enhance neural reflex speeds.
Meanwhile, Takuno's true self stood silently upon the desolate, lifeless surface of the moon.
Beneath his feet lay dust from eons past; above, the vast, unfathomable curtain of the cosmos. He stood alone, accompanied only by this silent, bleak expanse.
He stood motionless for a moment before his brilliant Tenseigan suddenly flared to life; as the light swirled, an immense, invisible force surged forth.
The vast lunar soil ahead was instantly torn apart by an unseen, colossal hand!
The ground roared as a towering peak, composed entirely of lunar rock, shot upward at incredible speed!
It blotted out the sky, its shadow instantly swallowing Takuno's diminutive figure, before hovering steadily directly above him, casting down a suffocating sense of oppression.
Takuno took a deep breath, and the blue glow in his eyes faded.
In an instant, a crushing weight—the terrifying mass of the entire lunar rock peak—came crashing down upon him with full force! "Boom!"
Even with a physique tempered through countless trials—far tougher than that of an ordinary person—he felt his bones groaning and his muscle fibers stretched to the point of tearing, now that he had completely abandoned his chakra-based defenses.
A crushing weight bound his every movement.
Yet, this was exactly what he sought!
Takuno gritted his teeth, veins bulging at his temples; beneath a force capable of pulverizing steel, he began a regimen of body-tempering that was as primal as it was brutal.
For him, there were only two paths to refining this physical vessel.
The first was a transformative leap in his bloodline.
It was akin to the qualitative shift brought about by fusing with Hashirama's cells in the past, or the inevitable elevation of his very existence that would occur should he ever become the Ten-Tails' Jinchūriki.
However, such opportunities for a fundamental metamorphosis were rare—matters of chance rather than deliberate pursuit.
The second path—the one he was currently walking—was the unwavering foundation: forging ahead through the crucible of destruction and rebirth.
No matter what heights his power reached, physical strength was always built up grain by grain and tempered into steel through endless cycles of minute damage and "super-compensation" repair.
It could be said that every effective training session inevitably entailed some degree of micro-damage to the body;
Yet, it was precisely this damage that unlocked the body's latent potential, prompting it to rebuild and reinforce itself through that "super-compensation" process—the very root of growing strength.
Consequently, when ordinary people train in taijutsu, they must strike a balance between exertion and rest; going to extremes is counterproductive.
Excessive loads yield no improvement; instead, they leave behind lingering, hard-to-heal injuries that become obstacles on one's future path.
But Takuno had long since transcended such limitations.
His terrifying vitality and regenerative powers had reached an astonishing level.
As long as that crushing mountain didn't instantly grind him to dust—as long as a single breath remained in his lungs—his self-healing ability could repair every injury, restoring him to his former state or even making him stronger than before.
"Haa... haa..." Heavy, ragged breathing echoed through the air. Takuno's sweat instantly turned to steam, and his muscles trembled repeatedly under the crushing weight.
Every lift of his arm and every stride felt like wading through viscous molten steel, accompanied by the faint, strained groaning of his overburdened bones.
Yet, a flame that would never be extinguished burned in his eyes.
As long as this near-masochistic training regimen continued to yield tangible gains in strength, this grueling ascetic practice beneath the Moon Rock would know no end.
For the foundation of the Eight Inner Gates' power lay precisely in this physical body that constantly shattered its own limits!
The path to the pinnacle of Taijutsu—and the sheer might unleashed by opening the Eight Inner Gates—was, in theory, limitless!
Since there was no such thing as a final destination, Takuno's journey of tempering his body would never—and could never—come to a halt.
Time slipped away like shifting sands as one limit after another was surpassed.
When the eerie blue glow of Takuno's Tenseigan reignited, the massive mountain he had moved to serve as a source of crushing pressure was finally lifted gently by an invisible force and slowly returned to its original place.
In an instant, the immense pressure vanished, and a long-absent sense of relief radiated from the very marrow of his bones.
Scalding white steam billowed from his entire body; his exposed skin glowed a striking crimson, resembling refined iron fresh from the forge, with every inch bearing the marks of having pushed past human limits.
His sweat had long since evaporated in the heat, leaving behind only a searing sensation and a faint, stinging tingle.
Then, the chakra within him began to surge at an unprecedented speed—like a clear, cool spring flowing through parched, scorched Tenketsu—and that intense crimson hue slowly receded.
His skin gradually shed its alarming color, returning to its natural, healthy tone.
Afterward, Takuno did not rush back to the laboratory; instead, he made his way to the edge of the clan grounds.
There lay a hot spring he had meticulously crafted using his Lava Release. Although this massive moon suspended in the void lacked volcanic geothermal activity, creating a hot spring out of thin air was no challenge for Takuno, who could command the power of molten lava.
He skillfully channeled clear, flowing water into the pool; kept at a pleasant temperature by the constant warmth of his Lava Release, the water bubbled and circulated, self-purifying continuously so that sweat and bodily grime would never sully the pristine spring.
He stepped slowly into the hot spring; the warm water instantly enveloped his exhausted body, washing away every inch of tense muscle and the sweat that had seeped into his pores.
Mist swirled around him, drawing the heat from his skin and offering a measure of relief to his deep-seated fatigue.
After a long while, once the last traces of restless heat had been washed away by the spring water, Takuno stepped out, changed into clean clothes, and headed toward the laboratory.
Back in the familiar laboratory, he instinctively stretched his limbs, his joints popping softly.
Although the circulation of chakra had greatly alleviated his physical injuries, a lingering sense of deep exhaustion—the result of pushing his body to the absolute limit—still permeated his entire being.
Fortunately, this was merely temporary; his formidable regenerative powers would soon erase it.
This cycle—training in Yin-Yang Release alongside grueling regimens that tempered both body and will—defined his daily practice.
After a simple meal to replenish his energy, he was preparing to resume his usual Yin-Yang Release training when...
A stream of information from a Shadow Clone was projected directly into the depths of his consciousness without warning, instantly dispelling all fatigue and distracting thoughts.
"Jutsu formula for enhancing neural transmission speed: successfully constructed!"
Takuno's eyes lit up upon receiving this message from the Shadow Clone.
"Has the research finally succeeded?"
He immediately composed himself, focusing all his attention on analyzing the complete research data brought back by the clone.
Countless symbols, energy circuits, and chakra nodes raced through simulations within his mind...
Time slipped away in silence. After an indeterminate amount of time, as the final structural component of the jutsu formula clicked perfectly into place during his mental simulation, the corners of Takuno's tightly set lips finally curled upward, unable to be suppressed.
That smile washed away the exhaustion lingering from his earlier physical training.
He then walked toward the laboratory on the other side of the room; he intended to inscribe this jutsu directly onto his own body immediately.
As for the fatigue he had felt moments ago? Did it even matter?
However, compared to his past methods, this research process skipped the step of verifying the jutsu on test subjects.
It wasn't that Takuno had suddenly become reckless; rather, such precautions were no longer necessary.
Before assimilating Hashirama's cells, he would have meticulously conducted countless tests on subjects to rule out every potential risk.
But now, the "Hashirama cells" granted him immense regenerative power bordering on immortality; unless an injury was instantly fatal, even the most severe damage would heal completely in a remarkably short time.
This unique advantage made direct experimentation on his own body the most convenient and efficient choice.
Naturally, he discarded the tedious steps of external verification.
With a mere thought, his chakra surged!
A faint yet unsettling rip sound echoed as the energy forcibly tore open the skin of his arm!
No blood gushed out; instead, gleaming white bone protruded from the jagged opening.
Without a moment's hesitation, Takuno extended the index finger of his left hand.
Highly compressed chakra gathered at his fingertip, acting like a precision engraving tool as it traced rapidly across the smooth bone surface!
Intricate, arcane runic lines were etched onto the bone with absolute precision.
Once constructed, these jutsu formulas—using chakra as ink and bone as the canvas—would possess a form of "memory."
Even if damaged by external forces in the future, there would be no need to extract the bone again.
He would simply need to channel chakra into it, utilizing the properties of Shikotsumyaku to restore the damaged sections to their original state! As the moments ticked by, the final stroke of the rune was deeply etched; the entire formation on the bone glowed with a natural, seamless radiance before the light receded inward.
At that moment, the newly formed skeletal fragments began to dissipate silently.
Simultaneously, the bone bearing the core formation—now imprinted with a brand-new power—sank steadily back into the flesh, returning to its rightful place.
The wound on his body also sealed rapidly, knitting together at a speed visible to the naked eye, fueled by his immense vitality.
And with that, the inscription of the formation was complete.