MTLNOVEL Chapter 71: Ch 71. Sensory Abilites
As Ron finished his meal, he found himself alone at home once again; if one didn't count the ever-present ANBU operatives stationed around the manor, silently standing guard. His father, the Third Raikage, was away as usual, training Ay and Killer Bee in chakra control amid the surrounding snow-capped mountains. Meanwhile, he focused on mastering a technique of his own, air stepping.
Remaining suspended in the air wasn't particularly difficult for a ninja with sufficient physical fitness and chakra reserves. By continuously releasing bursts of chakra, one could stay aloft for short periods. However, the challenge lay in something more refined, true air stepping. Unlike the solid ground, which provided a natural surface to push off from, the air was far less dense. Simply expelling chakra forcefully wouldn't be enough; without precise control, the energy would disperse inefficiently. This was why most shinobi never pursued the idea of leaping through the air like the Moon Step technique from One Piece, it was an immense waste of chakra and lacked practicality.
The key to air stepping, however, wasn't brute force but rather an advanced form of chakra control. Instead of merely expelling chakra downward, the technique required the user to grasp the air beneath their feet, momentarily making the surrounding molecules behave like a solid surface. This was achieved by rapidly alternating between suction and repulsion forces, effectively creating a foothold out of thin air. It demanded an extraordinary sense of control, requiring one to instinctively grasp and manipulate what lay beneath their feet in an instant.
In the past, such intricate training was dismissed as impractical, as Kumogakure shinobi prioritized efficiency over experimentation. However, times had changed. With the village's growing prosperity and newfound support for advanced training methods, ninja now had the luxury to push their limits in once unthinkable ways. The ability to extract and refine chakra multiple times a day had become commonplace, thanks to an abundance of food, resources, and innovative technology. Most notably, the medical hibernation chambers capable of restoring an exhausted ninja within an hour, had revolutionized training regimens. With the assurance of rapid recovery, shinobi now approached training with newfound intensity, integrating it seamlessly into their daily lives.
Ron sat in quiet meditation within his training ground, his mind attuned to the vast presence of Natural Energy in the world around him. He had always been able to sense it, an ever present force woven into the very fabric of nature, but he had never attempted to absorb it. He knew that before even considering such a step, his body and chakra would need to reach at least the level of a shadow level ninja, the general benchmark for most shinobi. While he didn't entirely dismiss the possibility that he might be able to wield Sage Chakra given his ability to perceive Natural Energy and his immense mental strength, he chose not to concern himself with it for now. Other interests were demanding his attention.
Instead, his focus lay on refining his sensory abilities by honing his perception of Natural Energy itself. His sensory prowess was distinct from the conventional chakra-sensing techniques used by most shinobi. Standard sensory jutsu, such as those employed by elite sensor-types like Senju Tobirama, required the user to emit waves of chakra, which, upon encountering another chakra source, would return feedback, similar to echolocation, but based on chakra rather than sound. Tobirama's skill in this art was so refined that he could perceive entire battlefields from miles away, even across national borders, but it required enormous chakra.
Beyond this, there were other sensory techniques that Shinobis had developed over time. Some relied on external mediums such as water vapor, sand, wind, or earth to extend their perception. Others, particularly those with strong Yin-natured chakra, which represented those with sensory talent, such as the Yamanaka Clan of Konoha, utilized their spiritual strength to perceive with exceptional clarity. Many Jonin also exhibited heightened awareness in combat, not through explicit sensory ninjutsu, but by instinctively sharpening their perception of their surroundings through sheer mental strength or spiritual strength. This was why high-level shinobi, especially Kage-tier individuals, often seemed to possess innate sensory abilities.
Unlike traditional chakra-based sensory techniques, which relied on feedback from emitted chakra waves and were primarily limited to detecting other chakra signatures, Yin-based sensory abilities could perceive the environment itself, albeit not as precisely as the Byakugan, which granted direct vision.
Ron, however, was exploring an entirely different path, one that combined his extraordinary spiritual strength with the natural flow of energy in the world. By attuning himself to the fluctuations of Natural Energy, his perception extended beyond the typical limitations of chakra-based sensing. Unlike normal sensory jutsu, which functioned like a horizontal disc, skimming across the terrain and unable to penetrate deeply through obstacles like solid ground or water, Ron's sensing operated as an all-encompassing sphere. Natural Energy was omnipresent, allowing him to perceive not only the space around him but also beneath the earth and high into the sky, forming a complete three-dimensional awareness of his surroundings.
Like most shinobi, Ron could concentrate his senses in a specific direction to extend his range even further. However, his abilities far surpassed the norm. If he deliberately expanded his awareness, he could encompass the entirety of Kumogakure and even beyond, perceiving everything with absolute clarity. Unlike standard sensory techniques that provided only vague impressions of chakra sources, his perception was as detailed as if he were observing everything under the watchful gaze of the Byakugan.
Most sensory techniques, no matter how advanced, had limitations. Even those that could detect vast distances like the Byakugan or certain long-range sensing jutsu did not allow their users to perceive everything at once. Instead, they required the user to focus on specific points within their range, as the brain could only process so much information at a time.
But Ron was different. Within his sensory field, he didn't just detect presences, he comprehended everything happening in his sensory range in real time. His immense thinking power, likely exceeding even the most advanced supercomputers he had known in his previous life, allowed him to process the overwhelming flood of information with precision. It was as if every event within his range unfolded before him in perfect detail, enabling him to predict what would happen in the next moment. This was akin to the Future Sight Haki of Katakuri from One Piece, but with far greater range and clarity. Unlike Katakuri, who could glimpse into the immediate future, Ron calculated and predicted it based on real-time data. And unlike ordinary shinobi who relied on combat instincts to anticipate an opponent's moves, Ron's calculations extended beyond living beings, he accounted for the motion of inanimate objects as well.
Even for him, however, maintaining such a high level of perception was exhausting. Under normal circumstances, without actively trying to extend his senses, his passive range only spanned a few hundred meters, similar to the natural awareness possessed by most high-level shinobi. The key difference was that, for Ron, this awareness was far more precise. Every detail within that radius was crystal clear, as though he were experiencing it firsthand rather than merely sensing it.
Despite his extraordinary abilities, Ron made a conscious effort to just sense and not predict. If he allowed himself to overanalyze and process every bit of incoming information, he would risk falling into an endless daze, trapped by the sheer volume of his own thoughts. Instead, he focused only when necessary, maintaining a delicate balance between awareness and control.