Aside from Konoha, the other ninja villages seemed to be entering an era reminiscent of the Second Generation Kage. During that era, villages focused heavily on developing bloodline limits and specialized techniques. During that era, both the Second Tsuchikage and the Second Kazekage advanced their respective villages by refining powerful abilities, such as Dust Release and Magnet Release.
Now, a similar atmosphere could be seen taking shape once again. Iwagakure appeared to be refining its bloodline techniques and expanding its mastery of Earth Release, while Sunagakure likely continued to build upon its Magnet Release research.
Kirigakure, home to formidable bloodline clans, seemed to be deepening its focus on unique Kekkei Genkais, ensuring its strength in future conflicts.
Kumogakure, traditionally known for its physical prowess and Lightning Release techniques, had also begun embracing structured research and development, furthering its technological and chakra-based advancements.
This resurgence of innovation across the villages suggested a shift in the balance of power, with each nation striving to surpass the limits of its predecessors, resulting from the Konoha threat theory.
On the surface, Iwagakure, Sunagakure, and Kirigakure appeared to be the primary beneficiaries of the current era, united in their efforts against Konoha, while Kumogakure was still in the process of recovery. This was the apparent state of the ninja world.
However, beneath the surface, Kumogakure was steadily advancing in secret, focusing on technological development that could redefine its future. Meanwhile, Konoha, despite its increasing isolation, possessed an abundance of talent, particularly in terms of bloodline inheritance some even jested that the village was favored by the Sage of Six Paths himself.
Among the rising prodigies were Namikaze Minato and Uchiha Fugaku, while within Ron's own generation, figures like Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Shisui, and others yet to make their mark were beginning to emerge.
Today marked a significant milestone for Ron he willingly extracted chakra for the first time. For him, the process was effortless, and after only a few attempts, he could draw out chakra up to the theoretical limit of his body. In the ninja world, most geniuses could learn to extract chakra within a single day, and his brother Ay had been no exception. Ron, too, had met this standard with ease.
Ron was currently with Ay, Killer Bee, and his father, the Third Raikage, who was taking a rare break to gather the family. As they sat together, his father took the opportunity to explain the intricacies of chakra extraction and a ninja's chakra capacity.
After watching Ron extract chakra, the Third Raikage immediately recognized that the amount was quite large, even by the standards of their clan. However, he could tell at a glance that it was simply because Ron had drawn out chakra to the very limit of his body's capacity. Nodding in approval, he continued his explanation.
"For a ninja, the body naturally maintains a certain amount of chakra, formed from the excess physical and spiritual energy that circulates within us," he said. "For real ninjas, chakra extraction becomes as natural as breathing. What you just did, Ron extracting chakra to your limit without causing a decline in your physical abilities is not inherently harmful. In theory, a ninja can function normally while doing this, but achieving such precise control is difficult. Even experienced ninjas struggle with accurately balancing their physical and spiritual energy, and some jonin still find it challenging."
"But in battle, you must always extract only the amount you need," he warned. "Your body has an upper limit on how much physical energy it can continuously convert into chakra without food and rest. Overextending yourself can be dangerous."
"However, for a skilled ninja, being able to extract chakra to the limit in an instant is an advantage. It means their jutsu will be stronger, even if it shortens their endurance in prolonged fights. If it allows you to deliver a decisive blow to the enemy, it can be well worth the trade-off."
He glanced at his sons before continuing, "Two ninjas might use the same amount of chakra at a given moment, but one may be able to sustain it far longer. That difference comes from superior physical and spiritual strength. While ordinary people have a natural limit to their physical energy, ninjas can push beyond it. With proper training, nutrition, and medicine, we can continuously increase not just our physical strength but also the energy our bodies generate at the cellular level."
Ron nodded in understanding, his mind drawing a parallel to running pacing oneself allowed for greater endurance, whereas sprinting at full speed led to faster exhaustion.
"The human body's cells don't inherently change," he mused, "but the Kaguya Clan, and even those who awaken the Sharingan or Byakugan, undergo cellular changes, at least on a technical level."
"In a way, our bodies are optimizing themselves. Over time, our cells become more resilient, function longer, and even develop more mitochondria, leading to an increase in the amount of energy we can produce at any given moment."
The Third Raikage continued, "For a ninja to improve their body, they need more than just food and hard training. Medicine plays a crucial role in healing and strengthening the body."
Ron nodded again. He was already aware that ninjas relied on various ointments, pills, and medicinal baths to supplement their training and aid recovery. Growth requires energy and proper care. He had studied all the recipes and ingredients involved, and in his past life, he had died attempting to create a nutritional cabin. Now, in this life, he already had a plan in mind.
Looking up at his father, he asked, "Does that mean we can just work hard and keep getting stronger indefinitely?"
The Third Raikage sighed, shaking his head. "For ninjas, resources are scarce and expensive. Hard work alone isn't enough it needs to be done in the right direction. Some push themselves too far and damage their bodies. At a certain point, getting stronger becomes a challenge in itself."
"For example, after years of rigorous physical training, lightning chakra body forging, and even exposure to natural lightning, I built my physique to what it is now. But I've reached a bottleneck. Even training under natural lightning in my Lightning Chakra Mode does little damage to me anymore. Without pressure, further growth becomes difficult."
"Of course, I had immense support food, medicine, and resources that allowed me to reach this level as the Raikage. Talent and effort matter, but Ron, with your ideas, we can ensure greater access to resources, whether in the form of herbs or food. With abundance, we can push ourselves to become even stronger."
The Third Raikage continued, his tone steady as he explained, "Originally, ninjas, despite being physically stronger than ordinary people, are not as strong as those from the Senju or Uzumaki clans. Even with weighted plates and other forms of training, there's always a limit. It becomes impossible to keep finding something heavier without it becoming inconvenient."
He paused for a moment, his eyes focused as he recalled the history of their clan's efforts. "So, to overcome this, our clan sought a different way to apply pressure to the body using lightning. This led to the development of Lightning Body Forging and the Lightning Style Chakra Mode."