After creating his own version of Shunshin and several advanced applications of it,
Naruto didn't stop. He continued to frantically push the limits of taijutsu, deducing new physical combat styles with relentless passion.
Then, a sudden thought struck him—
a memory from another hot-blooded shōnen manga: One Piece.
The Rokushiki—Six Styles of the Navy!
A physical combat system capable of imitating superhuman feats—powerful enough to rival Devil Fruit users.
Shave. Iron Body. Paper Art. Moonwalk. Tempest Kick. Finger Pistol.
Those were the Six Styles.
And once mastered, they allowed the user to transcend normal human limitations and unleash terrifying power!
Shave (Soru):
A high-speed movement technique that generates explosive propulsion by stomping the ground dozens of times in the blink of an eye. To the enemy's eye, the user appears to vanish.
Iron Body (Tekkai):
A technique that hardens the body to the level of steel through intense physical conditioning. Its defense is so formidable that even blades, bullets, and explosions fail to penetrate it.
Paper Art (Kami-e):
Another defensive technique—but unlike Iron Body, this one makes the body extremely light and fluid. The user relaxes all muscles and flows with the opponent's attacks, reading shifts in the air and dodging like a fluttering sheet of paper.
Moonwalk (Geppo):
An advanced version of Shave. By kicking the air with immense force, one can "walk" through the sky, much like the legendary light-step techniques in wuxia tales. While it allows movement through the air, sustained hovering remains difficult.
Tempest Kick (Rankyaku):
A high-speed kick so fast it creates a vacuum blade, unleashing a ranged attack with cutting power.
Finger Pistol (Shigan):
By concentrating all of one's physical strength into a single finger, the user delivers a thrust that pierces like a bullet.
Naruto dug deep into his memory, recalling not only the moves but also the principles and training behind the Six Styles.
He had an epiphany.
He mastered the Navy's Six Styles to perfection!
...
In the next instant, Naruto felt as though he had become a veteran of the Marines, someone who had trained in Rokushiki for decades.
These techniques, meant to push the human body beyond its limits, were terrifying in his hands.
Because ultimately, the strength of the Six Styles depends on the user's physique.
And Naruto—empowered by the Six Paths Sage Thief Technique—was growing stronger every day.
Someday, perhaps, he could destroy a mountain—or even a country—using just the Six Styles alone.
But even so, Naruto wasn't content.
Though the Six Styles were powerful, they were still an entry-level taijutsu system. A foundation.
He knew that in the realm of physical arts, there existed a transcendent state—a divine form of martial movement.
A state known as...
Ultra Instinct.
Unlike standard combat styles which rely on sensing chakra or physical signals, Ultra Instinct allowed each part of the body to act on its own—instinctively, reflexively—without needing to pass through the brain's thought processes.
It was the pinnacle of autonomous martial response.
The body reacts faster than thought.
Even danger that lasts for just a thousandth of a second can be evaded.
To explain it simply:
An average person may only control 50% of their muscles, and thus exert only 50% of their body's strength.
A skilled shinobi or martial artist might reach 70–80%, allowing for incredible speed and reaction.
But Ultra Instinct...
This technique, said to lie within the realm of gods, allowed one to draw upon 100% of their body's potential in every moment.
As Vegeta once said in Dragon Ball:
"If you think before you react, you're already too slow."
The delay of transmitting signals from the senses to the brain and then to the muscles creates fatal flaws.
Only when every limb and nerve can make its own decisions can a person evade all harm.
And yet, even Beerus—the God of Destruction—had not mastered it completely.
The more intense the battle, the more crucial that thousandth-of-a-second becomes.
Ultra Instinct eliminates hesitation. It capitalizes on openings.
But this strength comes at a price.
To even begin practicing Ultra Instinct, Naruto had to first reach a state of perfect inner calm.
His mind had to become like still water—undisturbed even if the heavens fell.
A state where self dissolves into nature.
The unity of heaven and man.
Returning to the self.
And this—this inner threshold—Naruto had yet to cross.
But he had seen the gate. The path leading to that unity.
Once his mind passed through it, he would begin his journey into the Realm of the Gods.
The thought made him tremble with excitement.
But for now...
He could not yet cultivate Ultra Instinct.
Still, during his training, Naruto conceived another way to strengthen his body and enhance his taijutsu:
A breathing method.
Breathing—the most fundamental of human instincts—could become a source of incredible power.
If refined, breathing alone could transform the body, strengthening the heart and lungs and flooding the body with oxygen-rich blood.
Naruto immediately recalled the breathing styles from Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.
There, the Breathing Techniques were developed by Yoriichi Tsugikuni, the greatest swordsman in history, to allow humans to fight against immortal demons.
Through specialized breathing, one could massively increase their oxygen intake, temporarily boosting strength, speed, and resilience to superhuman levels.
The first and original technique was the Sun Breathing, created by Yoriichi himself.
But its power was too much for most people to handle.
So five basic techniques were derived from it:
Water, Thunder, Flame, Stone, and Wind Breathing.
From these, countless derivative techniques emerged.
At that moment—
Naruto integrated the breathing techniques from Demon Slayer with his own understanding of the human body.
He had another epiphany.
He created:
Water Breathing
Thunder Breathing
Flame Breathing
Stone Breathing
Wind Breathing
Right then and there—
Naruto took another deep breath.
"Hiss—"
He slightly parted his lips.
A massive influx of oxygen surged into his lungs, instantly igniting his heart like a roaring engine.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Naruto's heartbeat thundered in his chest—loud, steady, and powerful.
Like the ritual drums once used by ancient warrior clans during solemn rites of battle.
It echoed with a sense of something ancient. Something pure.
Naruto lowered his gaze and looked at his arms. His muscles tensed with power—not merely flesh and bone, but a force that surged and flowed like an unstoppable current.
At this point, with his already monstrous physical strength…
And now bolstered by the five foundational breathing techniques—
It was hard to even imagine how powerful Naruto's body had become.
Even Naruto himself didn't know.
Because he hadn't forgotten—there was still one final, ultimate breathing style beyond all others.
The strongest breathing technique of them all...
...
TN:
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