Chapter Nine: The Art of Nurturing Spirits (Part Two)

The Ninja System—Katō Gofū’s attention was not on the sudden surge of ten attribute points to his Spiritual and Yin Chakra attributes. This, he surmised, was the result of his breakthrough in the Soul Nurturing Technique, and would gradually subside to its original level. Previously, when he had just learned the Wind Light Technique, his Speed attribute had temporarily skyrocketed as well.

All his focus was now on the section listing secret techniques. The entry no longer showed the Soul Manifestation Technique, the Katō clan’s secret jutsu, but instead a new and wholly unfamiliar name: the Soul Nurturing Technique.

Katō Gofū directed his consciousness to select this new technique within the secret arts section. In an instant, the description of the Soul Nurturing Technique appeared clearly in his mind.

"Soul Nurturing Technique: Requires only the Hare hand sign, followed by a chakra circulation pattern within the body that is even more intricate than that of the Soul Manifestation Technique. This technique is a mutated evolution of the Katō clan’s secret art, the Soul Manifestation Technique, triggered by unforeseen circumstances.

This secret technique retains the effects of the Soul Manifestation Technique, such as enhancing the caster’s spiritual or soul strength, and granting soul-sense perception. In addition, it now possesses a new ability: Soul Division.

After dividing the soul, one portion remains within the body, while another part may exit, as in the original Soul Manifestation Technique.

Moreover, there is a certain chance to nurture and cultivate intelligence—and even souls—in qualifying lower-intelligence life forms.”

Deep within his soul, Katō Gofū studied the Ninja System’s description of the Soul Nurturing Technique. His typically bold, sword-like eyebrows drew together in mild confusion.

The soul body floating before him wore a similarly puzzled expression, unconsciously orbiting his physical body—a clear sign that it, too, was perplexed.

Reflecting on his recent breakthrough, Katō Gofū recalled how the Ninja System had, for the first time, activated on its own without his prompting, seemingly consuming part of its own fundamental essence.

This source power of the system—something he had never encountered in all his years of possessing it—remained a mystery. Whether it could recover, or what it truly was, the system had never explained.

After some contemplation, Katō Gofū grasped the reason for this mutation of the Soul Manifestation Technique.

The Ninja System was deeply bound to his soul, but his soul was not native to the world of Naruto; it was a transmigrated soul. His physical body was native, and as long as his soul remained within, there was no issue. However, if his soul left his body, as with soul projection, complications would arise, resulting in rejection.

To prevent harm to Katō Gofū’s soul during soul projection—and to protect itself from being impacted or even destroyed—the Ninja System had, upon his breakthrough, consumed all remaining attribute points, a portion of his own soul’s power, and some of its fundamental essence.

The system had then urgently initiated its own processes to evolve the Soul Manifestation Technique, ultimately creating an entirely new secret art: the Soul Nurturing Technique.

Reading the description and recalling his years of experience with the Soul Manifestation Technique, as well as the nearly memorized family scroll, “Notes and Reflections on the Soul Manifestation Technique,” Katō Gofū found this new art to be even more complex, powerful, and mysterious.

Of course, he would need to explore its effects in detail over time, but one result was immediately clear: after his soul left his body, his original body could still move and use jutsu, while his soul body could also act freely. It was, in effect, a soul clone with its own independent consciousness.

Even without considering its other mutated effects, this alone remedied the greatest weakness of the original Soul Manifestation Technique.

He didn’t know whether losing a portion of the system’s source power was a gain or a loss, but he certainly hadn’t lost out.

With this realization, any doubts about the appearance of the Soul Nurturing Technique vanished, replaced by a surge of satisfaction that the new art so effectively addressed the old technique’s shortcomings. His frown gave way to a smile of excitement.

At that moment, he noticed the soul body circling him in confusion. On closer inspection, its face was etched with the same puzzled look.

“What’s going on? It had independent consciousness just a moment ago—why is it now drifting about mindlessly?” Katō Gofū was instantly tense and startled.

He focused his mind on controlling the jutsu, and immediately the wandering soul body halted, its expression returning to normal, even becoming somewhat grave.

After a long moment, Katō Gofū exhaled in relief. The soul-dividing effect of the Soul Nurturing Technique did indeed produce a soul clone with its own consciousness, in some ways similar to Shadow Clone Jutsu, though with far greater autonomy for the soul clone.

His physical body could move as well, but, having just learned this technique, he was not yet adept at controlling both his body and the soul-projected form.

Just now, both his body and soul body had fallen into contemplation at the same time, leaving the soul body to drift aimlessly without direction.

If, in the future, his body and soul body found themselves fighting in separate locations, would this dual focus under tension become a problem? It could be considered a minor weakness, but one that could be overcome with practice. The more proficient he became with the Soul Nurturing Technique, the stronger the independent consciousness of his soul clone would be.

There would always be some mutual influence between his physical body and soul body, especially since the soul body’s chakra was supplied by the main body through the soul link—chakra could not be generated from nothing.

Though natural energy permeated the air, his soul body could not currently absorb it directly. Perhaps, if he mastered Sage Mode in the future, his soul clone could directly absorb natural energy from the environment.

But the difficulty of mastering Sage Mode was at least as great as that of the Soul Manifestation Technique.

As of now, Katō Gofū had no means of training in Sage Mode. That would have to wait.

However, the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu, recorded in the Scroll of Seals within the Hidden Leaf Village, seemed like it might be compatible with the Soul Nurturing Technique.

“My strength is now at the jonin level. I need to master all the functions of the Soul Nurturing Technique as soon as possible. If I can pass the next jonin promotion exam and accumulate enough merit, I can earn the Hokage’s approval to exchange for the Shadow Clone Jutsu.”

Katō Gofū began outlining his plans for the coming days.

He continued multitasking: his physical body quietly experimenting in the room, while his soul body drifted near the family compound, carefully avoiding dangerous ninjas and hiding its spiritual fluctuations.

He wandered through the outskirts of the Hidden Leaf Village, relishing the novelty of soul division and projection.

Only when his chakra was completely spent did Katō Gofū finally rest for the night.