Three days later.
Konoha's Ninth Training Ground.
Uchiha Kiyo stood in an open clearing, his Sharingan spinning lazily as he prepared to test his progress. The past few days had been grueling, but necessary. Every step forward in his technique brought him closer to the pinnacle of speed and maneuverability in combat.
To ensure the technique's effectiveness, he had prepared a new modification. With a quick sequence of hand seals, a layer of chakra manifested around his body, forming a protective barrier. At the same time, small, solidified earth shells encased his feet, structured precisely to maximize durability while minimizing weight.
Lifting one foot, he stepped down onto the shell, testing its stability. It held firm. He took a few more steps, shifting his weight to different angles, ensuring that his mobility remained uncompromised. Satisfied, he formed another set of hand seals.
Shunshin no Jutsu.
A subtle surge of chakra flowed through him. Unlike before, Uchiha Kiyo didn't resist the pull of the technique; instead, he embraced it, allowing it to guide his momentum.
As he moved, chakra funneled into the soles of his feet, activating the small propulsion chambers embedded within the earthen shells. Within the carefully structured compartments, his chakra underwent a swift morphological transformation, changing into water. Then, at a precise moment, a second burst of chakra extracted spiritual energy and detonated it within the pressurized chambers.
A sudden explosion of heat vaporized the water almost instantaneously, generating a tremendous force that erupted from the bottom of his feet. The effect was immediate.
BOOM!
Uchiha Kiyo shot forward at an incredible speed, a blur of motion cutting across the training ground. In an instant, he had covered fifty meters, his body carried forward in a single, powerful burst.
The entire process was seamless.
A satisfied smirk spread across his lips as he turned back to examine the ground where he had stood just moments ago. His Sharingan registered the subtle scorch marks left behind by the sudden release of heat and energy.
"Not bad. Less than 0.2 seconds, and I covered fifty meters."
A realization struck him—the implications of this were huge. If he could chain this movement together in rapid succession, he could theoretically cover over 250 meters in a single second. That was an insane speed, approaching the movement speed of the Raikage's Lightning Release Chakra Mode.
Yet, this was different from the Shunshin no Jutsu. Unlike the straight-line motion of the traditional Body Flicker, which required pre-set positioning, the water vapor propulsion technique was controllable. He could accelerate, decelerate, and even change direction in midair.
It was a game-changer.
With a smirk, Uchiha Kiyo took a deep breath and prepared for the final test.
He activated his Kagura Shingan, scanning the surrounding area. His perception field stretched a kilometer around him, and aside from Minato Namikaze, who was lurking five hundred meters away, there were no other ninja signatures. Satisfied that no hidden observers were present—especially the Third Hokage's Surveillance Anbu—Uchiha Kiyo began his last test for the day.
With a rapid sequence of hand seals, he formed additional pusher devices. The soles of his feet now held three propulsion chambers each, instead of one. He had also placed auxiliary chambers along his calves and waist, each equipped with multiple jet ports.
The chambers filled with chakra-infused water, and in an instant, spiritual energy detonated the explosive chambers, causing the water inside to vaporize at an incredible rate. A powerful thrust propelled Uchiha Kiyo upward, lifting him off the ground.
His body tilted slightly, but he adjusted. The jets at his waist engaged, providing stability. Ten meters above the ground, he shut down two of the foot jets, halting his ascent.
Suspended in the air, Uchiha Kiyo took a deep breath. The sensation was exhilarating. He wasn't merely using some external force—he had mastered controlled levitation. It was a feat only a handful of shinobi could claim.
Now came the real test.
He activated the jets at his calves and waist, adjusting their force output. A controlled forward push. His body moved in a smooth, linear path. A fine mist trailed behind him as he accelerated and decelerated, experimenting with the controls.
Then, shifting his weight onto one foot, he closed a few jets and propelled himself forward in a walking motion. One step. Another. Then another.
In mid-air.
After thirty minutes of meticulous adjustments and trial movements, he finally landed, cutting off the chakra supply to all propulsion chambers. His feet touched the ground softly, the excess steam dissipating into the breeze.
A triumphant grin stretched across his face.
"The technique of water vapor propulsion is a success. With this speed, combined with my Sharingan's predictive abilities, wouldn't I be nearly invincible in close combat?"
The thought was exhilarating, but Uchiha Kiyo was not naive. He knew that this speed, while impressive, was still not on the level of the Third or Fourth Raikage's Lightning Release Chakra Mode. The difference was in reaction time—his was enhanced by the Sharingan, but their full-body augmentation gave them superior reflexes and durability.
He wasn't discouraged. At only fifteen years old, he had already developed a technique that gave him an advantage in battle. He was still young. He had time to refine this ability, to push it further, and one day surpass those old war veterans.
Taking out his notebook, he jotted down his observations and ideas for further improvements. The technique was a success, but there were still inefficiencies. The chakra cost was too high. Maintaining balance required too much focus. If he could refine these weaknesses, he would have a technique that could rival even the greatest speed-based jutsu in history.
Closing his notes, Uchiha Kiyo turned his gaze toward the sky.
"The technique is complete. Now, I just have to master it."
Tomorrow, he would train harder. He would learn not only to float, but to run—no, to soar.
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