Chapter 631 - 37

Chapter 37: Moonwalk"This footwork... can actually allow one to walk on air?"This footwork had been initially mastered by ten people in just a few quarters of an hour; its low difficulty of entry was worlds apart from its heaven-defying practicality.At this moment, after only two hours, the villagers who had been watching were actually able to take a few steps through the air in a decent manner under the guidance of those ten people.Cang Chao sucked in a breath of cold air.He had originally thought this was just a rare footwork technique to increase speed, but he never expected it to be a supreme divine ability that allowed one to step through the void!In less than half a day, nearly half of those in Windmill Village who possessed Chakra had already mastered Moonwalk proficiently.As for Konoha Village...Because Windmill Village was built right on top of the Hokage Rock, the two villages were adjacent and extremely close to each other.Consequently, the scene that followed left the entire Konoha dumbfounded.The villagers of Windmill Village, finding walking too troublesome, simply used Moonwalk to stroll leisurely through the sky above Konoha.Someone skimmed over the rooftops with light steps to buy freshly made Three-Color Dango.Someone hung in mid-air to haggle with a street vendor.There were even several seven or eight-year-old children chasing each other, weaving back and forth above the streets of Konoha.Ordinary Konoha villagers looked up in a daze, stopping to discuss the sight."What... what kind of footwork is that? They can walk just by stepping on the air?""It's not the Body Flicker Technique, nor is it a Taijutsu dash; they're just floating in the sky so lightly...""It's the people from Windmill Village! How does everyone have this skill?""They even fly to go shopping? That's too ridiculous!"Even passing Chunin stopped in their tracks, looking up at the sky with faces full of shock and suspicion.In the past, flying Ninjutsu was something only a few elite Ninja could master.Now, it was being used by a group of ordinary villagers for grocery shopping; the massive contrast caused an uproar throughout the streets of Konoha.On the top floor of the Konoha Village Hokage Office Building, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in the center of the spacious Meeting Hall.The pale blue smoke rising from his pipe slowly drifted, making his slightly solemn expression appear even deeper.Homura Mitokado and Utatane Koharu sat to his left and right; even the usually steady faces of these two Konoha Advisors could not hide their surprise and suspicion at this moment.The news just urgently reported by the Anbu Ninjawas like a giant boulder thrown into a calm lake, creating a massive wave in the hearts of the Konoha high-ranking officials."The investigative report from the Anbu has been confirmed," Homura Mitokado spoke first.He looked out the window toward the Hokage Rock, where Windmill Village was located."Within half a day, nearly half of the villagers in Windmill Village who possess Chakra have mastered a strange footwork that allows them to walk on air.""According to Anbu observations, this footwork requires no hand signs; with only subtle Chakracontrol, one can step and move in mid-air.""Although there are differences in speed, it is performed with light ease, without any sense of hindrance."Utatane Koharu followed with a nod, her eyes behind her glasses flashing with scrutiny as she added in a heavy voice:"Not only that, these villagers of Windmill Villageare not Ninja; most are just ordinary people who happen to have Chakra.""Our Konoha has passed down techniques for generations—Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, Genjutsu—covering everything, yet we have never had a footwork like this that requires no medium and allows action simply by stepping on air.""Even the Taijutsu of the Hidden Cloud Village or our Konoha's Eight Gates techniques do not have such a miraculous effect."(Note: Might Guy only showed abilities similar to Moonwalk when opening the Gate of Death, so the setting here is that the Eight Gates cannot normally walk on air.)Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly exhaled a ring of smoke, his brow furrowed tightly.He had ruled Konoha for many years and had seen countless strange and marvelous techniques in the Ninja World, from the legendary arts of Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara to the secret techniques of various hidden villages; he knew them all.But such an aerial footwork that could be quickly mastered by ordinary Chakra users and used for daily trivialities was unheard of and unseen."Walking on air, no hand signs, an extremely low threshold for learning, mastered in half a day..."Hiruzen Sarutobi murmured softly, his tone full of amazement."If such footwork is merely used for shopping and play, it is truly a waste of a god-given gift.""Have you considered what it would be like if this technique fell into the hands of Ninja?"Homura Mitokado's expression tightened as he immediately understood Hiruzen Sarutobi's meaning:"Precisely!""For a Ninja, air superiority has always been a key to the battlefield. If our Konoha Ninja want to fight at high altitudes...""They must either rely on Summoned Beasts, perform flight-type Ninjutsu, or use high-level Taijutsu to briefly stay airborne. But these either have medium restrictions or consume a huge amount of Chakra.""But this footwork has a low threshold, low consumption, and is easy to master. If all our Konoha Ninja were to learn it...""Whether it's scouting, surprise attacks, retreats, or battlefield mobility, everything will be greatly enhanced. It could even rewrite the way Konoha Ninja fight!""It's more than that," Utatane Koharu's tone also became grave."Windmill Village is adjacent to Konoha and built upon the Hokage Rock; we are as close as lips and teeth. Yet such a heaven-defying footwork was spread among the common people within half a day, which proves that the method of passing down this technique is extremely simple, definitely not as strict as our Konoha's secret techniques.""Now that the news has spread within Konoha, if other hidden villages learn of this, they will certainly find ways to come and seize it.""At that time, not only will Windmill Village fall into crisis, but our Konoha will also miss this great opportunity to increase our strength.""Advisors," Hiruzen Sarutobi turned around."This matter is of great importance! This footwork, called Moonwalk, has power and potential far beyond our imagination.""It is not an offensive Ninjutsu, but it can fundamentally improve a Ninja's mobility and survival ability. Its value is no less than a rare NinjaTool, and even far exceeds most secret techniques."Homura Mitokado pondered for a moment and proposed a steady idea:"In my opinion, we should send an envoy to Windmill Village for formal negotiations!""In the name of Konoha, we can offer funds or equivalent Ninjutsu and supplies in exchange for the training method of this Moonwalk.""How about ten million Ryo plus various supplies?"Utatane Koharu suggested tentatively.Ten million Ryo was already no small sum, and combined with food, Ninja Tools, medicinal herbs, and other supplies, it was enough to make a small to medium-sized village prosperous for several years.Hiruzen Sarutobi did not answer immediately upon hearing this.Moonwalk far surpassed any existing Taijutsu or footwork. Once Konoha fully mastered it...The mobility, reconnaissance capabilities, and battlefield survival of the Ninja would all experience a qualitative leap.Its value... simply could not be measured by ordinary money.After a moment of silence, Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly raised his eyes, his tone steady:"Take three days to prepare... we will buy it for one hundred million Ryo!"